The SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a British family of 5.56×45mm NATO service weapons used by the British Army. [4] The L85 Rifle variant has been the standard issue service rifle of the British Armed Forces since 1987, replacing the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle.

May 29, 2023 · Whereas the A1, with its marginal reliability, was susceptible to ingress of dirt and foreign matter, the A2 seems to take it in its stride, provided that the fairly detailed cleaning instructions are followed.

SA80 is the designation for a revolutionary family of assault weapons. On its introduction, it proved so accurate that the Army marksmanship tests had to be redesigned. SA80 A2 comprises the Individual Weapon (IW) and the Light Support Weapon (LSW). These are the British Army's standard combat weapons.

May 20, 2017 · This is Part 5 in a series of posts examining the developmental history of the United Kingdom’s SA80 family of small arms. Part 1 is available here, Part 2 is available here, Part 3 is available here, and Part 4 is available here.

Oct 14, 2019 · Once dubbed the 'civil servant' by troops amid complaints over its reliability – the SA80 has been the go-to rifle for the British Armed Forces on operations all across the world to this day. The first prototypes were created in 1976, …

May 20, 2017 · In 1995, after extensive public scandal from the L85A1’s shortcomings being blatantly exposed in the first Gulf War, Heckler & Koch was given a contract to retrofit the rifles. At the time H&K was owned by British Aerospace, so this remained an arguably British program.

Mar 13, 2024 · In January 2024, the British Army announced the beginning of the reduction in production of its existing assault rifle, the SA80, also known as the L85A3, in anticipation of the introduction of its replacement system under Project Grayburn.

It uses a short-stroke gas piston system and fires from a forward-locking rotating bolt. Fire modes are single-fire and fully automatic. The SA80A1 assault rifle (L85A1) entered service in 1985, replacing the venerable L1A1 SLR (7.62x51mm NATO) as …

Apr 30, 2024 · With a fully automatic capability and a large 30-round magazine, the L85 – part of the SA80 family of weapons including the L86 Light Support Weapon and L98 Cadet GP rifle – …

As of May 2021, it has been reported in Jane's Defence Review that Heckler & Koch are converting obsolete SA80 rifles into .22LR training rifles using the SA80 A1 receivers. The L41A1 adapter units are being withdrawn, along with the 5.56mm L98A1 rifles.