I like the SA80

[cipherk98]

I'm sure part of the issue with the SA80s reputation is the lack of a civilian market to vindicate it. The AR has proven itself on the commercial/civilian side as the dominate modern semi auto because it is easy to fix, cheap to run, and is proven reliable with a wide range of ammo in virtually all conditions. Most of the time you buy an off the shelf AR, from a $400 DPMS to a $2000 Daniel Defense, or if you build one from parts, you expect it to run. It's not viewed as a jamomatic death trap anymore. The people who espouse it is crap today are typically the type who will find something damning with everything that isn't their gun, whatever it is (AK, FAL, whatever), or someone who just doesn't have a high opinion of any semi auto due to whatever beliefs they have.

The SA80/L85 obviously never got that chance. I think if the A2 was widely adopted by a civilian audience who got to run with it in matches, shoot it recreationally, or whatever for 40 years most of the mythos would go away if personal experience and public consensus proves it is a good gun. There are multiple rare guns that are ranked among the best of all time that I suspect would have a far different reputation if millions were in circulation privately getting run day in and day out... I love the StG44 but it's the first one that comes to mind.

Unfortunately it seems the era of automatic surplus being chopped up into parts kits and brought to the civilian market is coming to a close due to changing times... it's too expensive for importers due to high labor costs, other countries are often willing to buy complete guns, and is generally much more difficult on the paper work side. Thus it seems unlikely this family of rifles will get a second chance with civilian shooters, but you never know.

Edit: A gun with a very poor service reputation but seems to have been embraced later on just came to mind. the CETME-L. Heard very few complaints with HMG or privately built guns, when they are put together with the care required in assembly and with a few tweaks or adjustments here and there they apparently run very well.

History may be repeating itself with guns that try to be everything to everyone. The Modular Handgun System was an expensive process and the more I dig into them the more I question how good of an idea it is on the scale of a national army. A consumer maybe, but I just don't get it for a military. Time will tell.