I like the SA80

[browningautorifle]

So much for the SA 80...

[blurrededge]

I'll just add from my brief experience of shooting the L98A2, for what it's worth amongst the input of the genuine experts that deal with it regularly, that I found it to be a very stable rifle when shooting prone, up on my elbows. I normally avoid that position as much as I can, as I get some discomfort caused by too much Motocross when younger. Not sure why exactly but I had no problems with the SA80, perhaps it's due to the longer length of pull because of the design, and that caused my arms to be at a less acute of an angle when holding it. I found it to be a rock solid position to shoot from, better than I've experienced with pretty much anything I've shot from that position, the angle of head in relation to the sights I also found comfortable with no straining or awkwardness at all and the butt fitted in my shoulder extremely well too. I had no problems with the controls either, the safety was easy to operate, Off with right fore finger and on with left thumb, the bolt was no problem, it felt ok to roll the gun over cock it with thumb and forefinger, I tend to often roll my Enfields over a little as I chamber a round anyway to check what's going on, mag release was fine too, grab the mag and thumb falls on the release no problem. Bolt release just needed a quick touch to operate and was good. Didn't use the bolt hold open leaver and no fun switch of course. As noted earlier in the thread I got a bit excited about the rifle because it surprised me, once in the shoulder it felt well balanced and comfortable, for me personally it all just came together, perhaps it's my body proportions who knows.
The only thing I didn't like was that the trigger housing, the small box like structure the trigger is suspended from was rubbing on my trigger finger at times which was a little irritating... so that's my SA80 gripe!
I think to look at the rifle now in 2017, to me it looks better than it did in the 80's, with or without the Daniel defence rail, it's certainly grown on me, it's a cool looking rifle, which may seem a bit fatuous me saying that but to a 19 year old taking it into harms way I'm sure it helps to one extent or another if you feel your weapon looks the part. And if you see that distinctive rifle in the hands of troops anywhere, you'll be in in no doubt that it's the British coming.

[Gil Boyd]

Spot on

[mrclark303]

So that's another thumbs up by a user, the one thing that's really missing here is a negative report from someone who has actual experience with the rifle ... Tumble weed ... Deafening silence ...

[browningautorifle]

My negative testimony would only be second hand, and at that from the SA trials back in the '70's. As we've stated, much water has moved since then... It was from Canadian troops...

[Gil Boyd]

Its a brilliant little rifle for what it is, in the mid ground of weaponry used by an Infantry Battalion. It does now, what it says on the box, just a little longer and a couple of wars to sort it out totally, after listening to the guys on the ground.
What better way of modifying something!!
Thanks must always go out to Peter Laidler and his team at Warminster over those difficult years, for keeping the pressure on the manufacturers on behalf of the practitioners at the sharp end IMHO

[mrclark303]

Its a brilliant little rifle for what it is, in the mid ground of weaponry used by an Infantry Battalion. It does now, what it says on the box, just a little longer and a couple of wars to sort it out totally, after listening to the guys on the ground.
What better way of modifying something!!
Thanks must always go out to Peter Laidler and his team at Warminster over those difficult years, for keeping the pressure on the manufacturers on behalf of the practitioners at the sharp end IMHO

With the ongoing investment in (and new production of receivers etc) the L85 Gil, I can see it serving on past 2025, probably until 2030...

All that's needed now is new manufacture TMH's and we can effectively build up "new" rifles.

[Lithy]

If they are anything like our F88s they will be like Grandpa's axe.

Seven handles and two heads but still as good as the day it was bought.

To elaborate, we were licenced to build X number of rifles. After considerable service and consequent FTRs the only original part of the rifle was the serial number, unlike the SLRs that underwent the same procedure in Lithgow and finished up with the original number barred out and a new number applied. If someone could explain why this was done I would like to know.

Son may like to chime in here as I believe he worked on a very low number F88 that was a flat top.

Anyway, all bets are off now we have the F90.

[Flying10uk]

With the ongoing investment in (and new production of receivers etc) the L85 Gil, I can see it serving on past 2025, probably until 2030...

Would you say that when it first came out the SA80 was ahead of it's time and should have also been trialled longer?

[Eaglelord17]

Would you say that when it first came out the SA80 was ahead of it's time and should have also been trialled longer?

Forgotten Weapons just recently (within the last couple weeks) did a series of videos on the SA80 series of firearms. It really outlines the flaws, and issues in why it ended up the way it did. The original prototypes were actually better than the later ones surprisingly. It also doesn't help when you change the standards of the trials to get the result you want, instead of the result you got.