I like the SA80

[skiprat]

During trade training (1985) we were the first Armourers course to get our hands on the SA80 ( as part of the basic course, not as a specialist equipment course) we were told many ( many) stories about the SA80 to give us some background of the weapon, we were shown the prototypes and the chopped AR180s .....

Even as a very young new Armourer there was a lot of propaganda some real some made up. To " big up" the new weapon system ( it was not just the rifle "Small arms of the 80s" ....SA80 did include the 51mm mortar, 94mm anti tank and the 94mm trainer.....)

After all these years..... I picked up the book " the last Enfield" and I can not recommended it enough. Some of the rubbish we were told was true , and some of the facts we were told were pure bull....

The idea of the SA80 as it started out is somewhat different to what we got... They did not intend to build a bullpup AR180 but it's what we ended up with....

Read " The last Enfield" it will save reading the rest of this thread! ( I have no personal interest in the sale of this book��)