The S.A.F. SMG was developed and is manufactured by Chilean company FAMAE. The S.A.F. design is based on SIG 550 automatic rifle, designed in Swiss and manufactured in Chile by FAMAE under license from SIG.
The S.A.F. SMG is in service with Chilean Armed Forces and Police.
Technically, the S.A.F. is a recoil operated select fire gun, firing from closed bolt. The triger/hammer group and floating firing pin design is similar to SIG 540, but the bolt is of new design. The receiver is similar in design to SIG 550, and is of folding type (upper and lower receivers are assembled by two steel pins, much like the M16 receiver does). The S.A.F. has ambidextrous safety/fire selector switch with four settings - safe, single shot, 3 round bursts and full auto. S.A.F. SMGs are manufactured with side-folding or fixed polymer buttstocks. Silenced version, with folding buttstock and integral silencer is available for special forces use. S.A.F. has post front sight, ajustable wor elevation, and aperture rear sight, ajustable for windage. S.A.F. uses 20 or 30 rounds magazines made from transluscent polymer. Magazines had special studs and slots that allowed two or more magazines to be clipped together for quicker magazine change.
Weapontype: Submachine Gun
Manufacturer: FAMAE (Fabricas y Maestranzas del Evercito)
Operation: Blowback - closed bolt
Cartridge: 9 x 19 mm Parabellum, .40 Smith & Wesson (MT-40)
Sights: The are very similar to the HK type sights with a rotary drum type rear and a hooded post up front - adjustable for elevaion. The rear sight has 50, 100 and 150 meter notches and is adjustable only for windage.
Markings: `FAMAE Mod SAF Cal 9mm serial number` on left side of receiver
Safety: Combined safety catch and fire selector on left side of receiver, above pistol grip. UP for safe; DOWN one notch for single shots, two notches for three-round burst.
Unloading: Magazine catch on front edge of trigger guard, behind magazine housing. Remove magazine. Pull back cocking handle to eject any round in the chamber, inspect chamber via ejection port, release cocking handle, pull trigger