Select Fire: FN Factory Tour to see how M240s, SCARs and 509s are Born

In this episode of Select-Fire, we packed our bags for FN’s factory in Columbia, South Carolina to see how they craft the “world’s most battle-proven firearms.”
FN, or Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre, was originally formed in 1889 in Belgium, where they have a rich history and are still active today. After initially producing more than 150,000 Mauser bolt-action rifles for the Belgian government and others, they soon entered into a long collaboration with American firearms genius John Moses Browning. This relationship led to the Auto 5, the world’s first successful mass-produced semi-auto shotgun- a design that proved so popular it remained in production for almost a full century.
Browning and FN also produced some of the most iconic semi-auto pistols of the early 20th Century including the Model 1900, 1910, 1922 and the revolutionary Hi-Power, which set the bar for a double-stack combat handgun for generations. For the hat-trick, FN also produced variants of the Browning Automatic Rifle, which saw military service around the world, and collaborated with the inventor’s sons and grandsons on commercial designs even as the gun maker introduced its wildly successful FAL series of battle rifles. Today, they still produce the M2 Browning heavy machine gun, the vaunted “Ma Deuce,” which is the Western standard for rock and roll support weapons.
Speaking of going cyclic, FN came to South Carolina in 1981 to produce the M240 medium machine gun for the U.S. military. A variant of the company’s extremely popular FN MAG 58, the company still makes over 300 M240s in the Palmetto State every month.
Besides the M240, the Columbia plant also cranks out 500 M4 rifles for military contracts every single day.
FN makes roughly 500 M4s every day. After they’re test fired, they’re disassembled, cleaned, then reassembled and given a 101-point inspection. Then, they’re literally dipped in preservation oil and packaged 50 rifles to a large wooden crate.
Other current FN staples include the Minimi-short for the French “Mini Mitrailleuse” or mini machine gun- which was adopted in the U.S. as the M249 SAW along with specialized variants like the Mk 46 and Mk 48; the MK19 40mm grenade machine gun, and the M3 .50 cal.
The company’s past success and the desire to constantly innovate led to the development of modern firearm platforms that have seen adoption across not only military and law enforcement users but on the commercial market as well. These include the FN Five-SeveN, the FN-15, the FNS/FNX, and 509 series handguns, as well as the crowd-pleasing SCAR.
The SCAR is an excellent example of a weapon system developed by FN for the military, that went on to be very successful in the consumer market.
And to see how they are all born, check out the latest Select Fire installment, above.

[@prestoisakilla813]

my grandpa used to work for FN. when he got sick, they took care of him, grocery gift cards, medical bills etc. took care of the family too. ive had multiple FN products and always loved them. really is an amazing company.

[@DF-lm9gf]

I was employed at FN in Columbia for 11 years (08-19). Spent most of that time in the M240 area and a little in SCAR/FN-15 and M4. Outstanding place to work and a dedicated crew of hard working men and women.

[@thespiritof76.]

So... why did you leave?

[@DF-lm9gf]

@@thespiritof76. Family obligations in a different state. Otherwise I would still be there!

[@Defence619]

Man it so cool working in a arms manufacturing company and create a assault rifle.

[@Mrgunsngear]

been there many times; great video

[@Gunscom]

Thanks Mrgunsngear. We're big fans of yours.

[@angrydadgaming148]

And you didn't make a video on this??? Shame on you lol

[@m118lr]

@@angrydadgaming148 ..I’m certain Mike did..

[@Justin-bz1dp]

​@@Gunscomhi

[@HollandKogoro]

​@@m118lr5:29

[@earnestblofeld7905]

All that hard work, dedication and pride, delivering an excellent product to freedom-loving Patriots. And some totalitarian dork from Texas wants to forcibly take them all.

[@jackdareapaiam94]

Let's leave Texas out of it

[@jessiepinkman7736]

Earnest Blofeld? Not only will the next James Bond have a black girl as hero, it also has a hybrid villain cloned from Blofeld and Oddjob, called Blojob.

[@terryandyshow]

Very proud FNS-9 owner and if you're talking hybrids then Black Lady Bond should also drive a Prius if that is the direction we are headed...

[@m118lr]

..AIN’T gonna happen. That chump o’rourke, or whatever his silly name is..can keep on wanting.

[@fumasterchu12]

Talk about a dream job, I've worked in many factories but never a gun manufacturer. I love FN products, from the first one I bought decades ago until the one I just bought this week. High quality, reliable, and great innovations!

[@Redleader001]

I have an FN 15 with a 20" barrel on it. Barebones gun but I love that gun. It is accurate and it is very comfortable to shoot.

[@catlee8064]

L7A2 (the GPMG in the UK) Ive fired so many rounds out of this gun, i mean, 100,000's over my 18 yrs in the Forces, from hot jungle to cold snowy through to sandy and horrible...this has rarely failed. From section attacks to vehicle mounted to sentry tower protection. Its is almost a perfect weapon.

[@jerryhubbard4461]

I took a vip tour of the plant by a friend that works there. Really cool place and the museum collection they have in the plant is priceless.

[@timewave02012]

The thing I really like about FN is they make civilian versions of their military firearms. If they made a semi-auto M2 or M240, I'd have to buy it.

[@Gunscom]

The M240 might just happen..

[@timewave02012]

@@Gunscom That would be cool. I appreciate companies like TNW, OOW, and KMP for their semi-auto beltfeds, but getting one from the actual military contractor has extra appeal. I've also read OOW's design moves the recoil spring to the piston/op-rod, which is less than ideal compared to FN's 249S approach where the recoil spring nests inside the linear hammer and its driving spring.

[@DavidBrown-wh1ix]

Been an FN fan all my life. Father and grand father had variatins of 7.65 and 9mm short I used the FAL (R1) IN THE S. African army and had a highpower for EDC This video was a real treat!

[@tabcreedence6553]

When you were caressing the crate of M4's, I felt that bro

[@scottdahlberg4890]

I love the SCAR, i want one so bad. I have a Browning Hi-Power Practical and I will never give it up. It feels so right, compared to the Glocks and other firearms. I want to work there.

[@m118lr]

…IF or WHEN you can get that SCAR, you won’t regret it…I CAN promise you that.

[@michaelmoran8780]

This is hands down my favorite firearms company, awesome tour video 👍, I loved seeing the receivers for the 240s lined up fresh out of the CNC machine, those M4A1s were looking extremely shiny and gorgeous, really cool!🇱🇷💪

[@m118lr]

..yeah buddy.

[@copperandradium]

That's the Liberian Flag.

[@JacquelynBillings]

Love this! Such a cool, behind-the-scenes look at one of my fave manufacturers! Great job!

[@stevennihipali3607]

I need a tour! Disabled veteran here and I'm making a trip to SC when I can

[@xcesar4impx666]

I was a 249 saw gunner . And when on road patrol. 240B. ! Oef.2008-2010

[@HWG-wm8ld]

A crate of M4s...a lot of crates... Thanks for sharing

[@ruthford112]

Carrying an fns40 iwb as I watch this video. One of my favorites since I sent it in for the recall. Works great. Picks apples off the trees at 25 yards.

[@zechnarwilliams8019]

all those f'ing beautiful guns.

[@submissions72]

Looks like a great place to work! I love that the emphasis was on family and values. And they say guns kill people, I'd like to say guns bring more people together and keep them alive. Bad guys kill people. And sometimes guns are used to kill bad people. We need them.

[@LL-fi4rr]

140 OF THOSE CRATES OF JUST M4S EVERY MONTH?! Holy freakin smokes man!

[@Gunscom]

Yep. Wild... Here's a tour we did at Daniel Defense: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHq6XoWdht9mpMk

[@MAWReclaimer117]

Nice. I have an FN M4 - The ejection pattern is perfect, and it has never malfunctioned.

[@tecate9408]

Wanting a Scar for as long as I can remember. The 509 pistol looks like a winner too.

[@foodbankguy74]

Love FN! Own many firearms but my 509 Tac hands down my favorite!

[@MrProtoon]

Proud to be from Belgium . Great video

[@jasonroberts9357]

Can you buy any FN firearms in Belgium?

[@renaudgg1956]

Only handguns here

[@jasonroberts9357]

@@renaudgg1956 Great to hear you have some options. All the best to you my brother!

[@DarkJustice1999]

I worked at FN for three years and loved it! It was fun to be able to shoot all the weapons that were made. It was nice to get free gifts and t-shirts. I liked walking through the plant seeing the processes and all the nice people who worked there.

[@mikeangel8017]

love it. Big fan of FN

[@Gunscom]

Glad you enjoyed it. FN makes high quality firearms.

[@daveaver]

Thanks for the tour. Quality US made firearms!

[@maxzuul96]

Fn is belgium

[@churchowl3052]

@@maxzuul96 with a factory in the US

[@Jdowling357]

One could say this is F’N nice!

[@tetlow2]

This was a great video. I wish one of those crates of M4's would end up at my house. I have my fingers crossed.

[@N98858]

Wow...I had no idea that FN was such a BIG Player in the firearms market place, always thought of them as a more generic company ';-) More research to follow! Thanks

[@Gunscom]

Lots of history and they make some pretty sweet stuff.

[@hansstrouf]

n° 1

[@Vg-nu4fq]

FN America is the American subsidiary of FN Herstal, a leading firearms manufacturer located in Herstal, Belgium. Herstal Group also owns U.S. Repeating Arms Company (Winchester) and Browning Arms Company.

[@m118lr]

There’s nothing ‘little’ about FN..been in the game for a long time.

[@cozyrules6250]

I love fn the most battle proven firearm in the world enough said

[@dbunce10]

Great video. Love my SCAR 16.

[@rodneyferguson446]

Back in 1986, I went into a Sporting Goods Store in Bryan, Texas and was Planning on getting a Beretta 92. While looking at the Beretta, a Browning (FN) Representative was there and he talked me out of the Beretta and into a Browning Hi-Power. He told me that IF something happened to the Beretta, I'd have to ship it back to the Factory in Italy for Warranty Work. So I bought the BHP and it was only a Couple of Months later that I found out that Beretta would do Warranty work in the USA. I cussed that Browning Rep for years because he'd "lied" to me. I kept my Belgium made BHP and I still have it and no matter what I put it through, it's never failed me or needed any Repairs. (FWIW, I never did get the Beretta). So in the end, I owe him an Apology and am Grateful he convinced me to get the Hi-Power, LOL!

[@josephcastro5894]

Awesome tour

[@Gunscom]

Glad you enjoyed it Joey.

[@hansstrouf]

@@Gunscom Fn pay too much are personal, they are all obese and other too big and old, I did not see young, easily that FN weapons are so expensive, a Belgium technicians and workers are graduates of the famous school of armory known throughout the world, they are not obese (frankly have you seen the ass of blacks, for a question of profitability FN should impose a regime and take young people, some old deserves a well deserved retirement .

[@vincehollaway]

My favorite gun brand

[@naudestrydom8495]

In South Africa I was issued the FN FAL folding stock/short version for Airborn but as we called it ParraBats.

[@m118lr]

Love my 17S, whoo-boy… I won’t part with it..till I leave THIS life anyway. ‘Course my son will get it too. I’ve wanted that “Military series” M4 for a while now..

[@ryanpatton5937]

I would love to go see that factory I own 7 different FN guns pistols and rifles and I love all them .

[@IHWKR]

Just picked up my first gun. It's an FN 509t and I couldn't be happier.

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Very cool guys.. I was in the Army and carried the M60 of course and the M16A1 .. I even had an H&R M16.. I also shot an M16 that had XM15 on it and was stamped with a line thru it and then had M16A1 on it. The 7.62 is better.. The .223 is too small to me! Great tour.. Thanks so much for sharing. Really appreciated.. Best Regards from South Central Indiana. USA (The heartland) Tim

[@fatdaddydiesel6845]

Wow Instant fan

[@paulscountry456]

Great tour.

[@hancock63]

Cool video. It would be nice if they would make new semi-auto FAL's. I'd certainly buy one.

[@Gunscom]

We agree. DS Arms make a good quality product: www.guns.com/firearms/rifles/semi-auto/ds-arms-sa58-fal-classic-308-win-semi-auto-20-rounds-21.0-9.2-used?p=27258

[@m118lr]

I’m REALLY surprised they don’t..and would be more surprised if it’s not slated at some point to happen.

[@r.awilliams9815]

I saw many magazines full of M855A1 waiting to be test fired...sigh. I just want one little crate, that's all. I have some test firing I need to do too, you know.

[@bt9816]

Yeah man, at 8 minutes and 13 seconds, I felt you bruv.

[@chrisbaker978]

I love FN!!! My favorite firearms. So glad to see this video. Thank you

[@sandymitchell8182]

love FN

[@454pakr]

Thanks!

[@benphilippi2288]

Great video. I want a SCAR so bad!!

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

Get a job in construction, I've got about ten of em 😊

[@GeorgePapadopoulos11]

The FN FAL para was my wife when I was in the army.

[@paredg2]

Great video 👍

[@Gunscom]

Glad you enjoyed it Gerry.

[@paul4utica]

Great presentation.

[@sankmata]

Love n pride

[@snakeplissken571]

When I was in the Canadian infantry I used the 240 and SAW we called them the c6 and c9.I shot the hell out of both of them and became a fan of FN.A few years later i was looking to buy a new pistol and thought if FN can make a good LMG why wouldn't they make a good pistol? I bought a FNS 9mm then later an FNS in 40 cal.I sold both but missed that 40 cal so much i bought it again.I thought it was better then any glock,M&P I ever had.Was considering an FN AR 15 but then they got banned in Canada.I think FN products are excellent, accurate, reliable and worth the money.If I move to the states there will be a few FN toys in my gun vault

[@michaelkclark6981]

Ok I watched the video again. Love it

[@hungarianhillbilly4144]

Looks like a great company and great employees. Well done👍👍. If one of those crates fell off a truck at house I wouldn't be offended. LOL!!!!

[@Gunscom]

Ha ha

[@stonegraysky1311]

Speaking of which, when will the SCAR prices go down?

[@Gunscom]

Prices seem to holding steady.

[@joemoment-o1275]

@Nick 718 ......there's a demand?

[@FrankThaThird]

When you want US manufactured items, you gotta pony up those bucks.

[@69deputy]

He said they can barely make them fast enough. I’ve had both of mine for a few years now!

[@randolph6511]

Thanks for a very interesting video.

[@dirtydan693]

Dude whenever i get into a new gun its ALWAYS made by these guys. There guns look good to. Not like boring shit thats uncomfortable to hold.

[@Gunscom]

FN guns are awesome.

[@Mr_Santo5]

FN America: The World’s Most Battle-Proven Firearms.

[@imwinningthisone7613]

FN is Belgian

[@889976889]

@Jezself. They have a plant in Sc too. Made in both places

[@user-dm5wg7xg1r]

isn‘t FN a Belgium company？

[@jimloontiens9275]

@@user-dm5wg7xg1r yes it is

[@heaven-is-real]

Fabrique-Nationale-Belgium

[@AG_Marine_Shooter]

What a great company, i had FNP 9 , very good handgun . And i made a review about it .

[@AnimeFan_2013]

Thats amazing

[@asadullah330]

I purchased FN M16A4 few days before. Very perfect Weapon 🇵🇰

[@hansstrouf]

You forget to say that Paul Mauser learned his trade at FN Herstal, P Mauser to work 3 years in Liège, Browning did nothing special just to make FN known in the USA, the grandson of Browning designed a great rifle of hunt

[@Itsme-mx5tl]

FN just needs to fix the reciprocating charging on the SCAR!

[@69deputy]

Just as soon as the ak gets its charging handle fixed!

[@m118lr]

THEY HAVE..do a search. No longer reciprocating. FWIW though..it’s a “training” issue. TRAIN TO the rifle..IF you KNOW it’s going to ‘move’, train AROUND it.

[@eastwood4006]

Fantastic video! Send one of those M4 crates to my house too

[@leudwigvonshwartsenhelm3624]

I want one! Or two. Three would be nice.

[@gwahl1985]

Love the 509.

[@peterroberts2952]

Awesome!!!!!!!!!❤️👌🏽

[@blondedenton7243]

They sampled another one bites the dust.

[@Gunscom]

Not quite but almost.

[@BillyBob-bo9tn]

Belgian and American pride

[@69deputy]

Fn please make a fal and fnc to sell on the commercial market!

[@xxdizannyxx]

Heyyy the host is Boogie... never watched his videos so its nice to get to know him.. nice guy!

[@hajihunterr7662]

And VERY proud of the price.

[@user-sw2er4bv1r]

Great video

[@Gunscom]

Glad you enjoyed it Genesis.

[@treylewis5281]

Uuuuhhh.... great avatar!!!

[@drevil2783]

Nice video. FN is and will always be my choice for a rifle. Pistols, i stick with CZ Now do a CZ video

[@shane1489]

What a magnificent place ❤️❤️❤️

[@emileblanche5868]

1:32 That’s a very suspicious looking M240 you guys got there.

[@Raymo2u]

A dream job...

[@ftswarbill]

I think "FN" stands for FUCKING NICE!

[@DuRussel]

Are they ever going to release more SCAR 16S into the civilian market?

[@leewithey2014]

Fantastic!!!!

[@xzstrev3836]

love from belgium

[@area51r]

5,000,000 rounds is almost 14,000 a day. wow

[@VeganHippy70]

I see the ammo trucks almost daily on the highway.

[@josephnotforyoutoknow1676]

I hate to be “that guy” but at 1:35 that’s a m60e6 not a m240

[@ruststar]

Joseph Notforyoutoknow good eye sir👍

[@hansstrouf]

The M60 is manufactured by FN, it is entirely transformed by the engineers of Herstal, the new M60 is no longer a pig it is reliable and perform, as FN has done for 20 years the M16 and the m4

[@jamesmorris2411]

Great content. Thank you!

[@robertwoodward388]

I .would love to tour that manufacturer

[@dirk6001]

FN rules

[@newdefsys]

Oh man, I just came into a little money and I definitely do not need to be watching this video.

[@Gunscom]

Good quality guns tend to keep their value! Just saying.

[@crisn565]

Do they offer tours for military vets? I know my wife and I would love to check it out.

[@imwinningthisone7613]

Don't forget that FN Herstal is Belgian 😉

[@ippo3963]

@@NicaraguanNacatamale you guys also make the best waffles ever ! Gaufres de Lièges 🧇 Only wafles we eat in France tbh cant believe they also made the coolest piece of ingénierie ever !

[@commando2113]

@UCr0pqMTx9vFnV82oUjkAK_w lol peopel of flander's work there in the factory in herstal not only peopel of wallonia .you are deluded

[@lostaudio]

Belgium*

[@commando2113]

@@NicaraguanNacatamale lol not all fn gun's are made in wallonia you need to look thing's up they are made in the usa belgium wallonia and the uk .and peopel of flander's work in the factorie too not only peopel of wallonia .

[@lossehandjes6421]

@@NicaraguanNacatamale nique les wallons

[@nannycrackers]

Holy shit how old is Harry Taylor? Said he joined the Army in 1976?? He looks fantastic

[@MichaelLeopold1]

Interesting video

[@guybrown2339]

What part of S.C please? Machinist of over 30 years. Top pay?

[@Gunscom]

Columbia. You have to contact them about details. Good luck.

[@phaknam]

I'm very curious these days, which company makes FN or Colt rifles like the M4 M16 ? Because both of these companies' websites have both the M4 M16 and I've seen both the M4 M16 with the FN and Colt logos ???

[@chrisduhaime5689]

U. Won't see a colt tour like this they passed away

[@bp7987]

They need to make the FAL again.

[@Nontacticalboy]

Curious why they dont make the FNC ?

[@hansstrouf]

Le FNC n'est plus fabriqué, il est remplacé par la cicatrice 16

[@evilco.8496]

Sig Sauers has some parts and components made in India... does FN do the same thing?