I like the SA80

[Frederick303]

Having seen any number of rebuilt military arms with new action bodies, from G3 type rifles, 1 STGW 57, AK variants what I see is a fair number of them are pretty poor.

In the case of the roller hesitation lock rifles, three defects appear:

1) worn trunions, so they are not unlocking correctly point. In the case of the STGW-57, to the point it was shooting itself to pieces.
2) misaligned trunions, so they do not zero in the adjustment range of the sights (or barely do)
3) poorly heat treated trigger components, which were replaced to allow the arm to sell.

In the case of AK variant, the number of misaligned truinon blocks seems to be pretty high, rarely does one see an AK here in the US that does not have a problem with the point of aim moving as it heats up. I have been told this is due to the need to individually set up each trunion with the associated receiver, but when the manufacturers have made their own trunions form new (like century) there have been numerous cases of heat treatment issues.

The really successful arms were those made by the original factories, with the military quality control NRE covered by the large military contracts for commercial sale. Those are the ones that show up on the range and seem to work well enough to be used in some kind of actual semi match use.

Reading the "last Enfield" it seems that a lot of the defects of the original rifle had to do with the closing of the Enfield facility and the movement of the design to Nottingham, in the point of development where normally new rifles deployed are found to have defects, which are then rectified in the original facility. Added to the difficulties was the cost to manufacturer and the cost charged to the government were out of kilter, so that all sorts of short cuts were made. Had the L85A1 been made in one factory where a long term contract was assured, with a price to match, you would have likely seen a lot of the defects worked out in short order.

The story kind of reminded me of the M14 saga here in the US, which saw the design perfected between 1959 and 1961, by which time the rifles were pretty good. Unfortunately the damage was done that the design was canceled a few years early, with only 1.38 million made by 4 manufacturers. It seems with a service rifle, no matter how much testing occurs ahead of time, it generally takes a few years of production to work out the bugs. The AK, the AR, the M14 and the L85A1 all seem to have had issues on initial deployment, the L85A1

[browningautorifle]

anyone see The EM2 for £6000 ( also third page along) serial Number 2.

Imagine, the deactivation would cost far more than that nowdays.

[David TS]

Since we were also having a good time in those days, I wonder if this could be where ours came from? The ones that may appear here in Canada...? Very few but I expect there would have been a few individuals that ordered them from far. I'll bet Warren will know a couple of people from back then that did that, if he surfaces here.

Jim

Pat Walker probably sold more (if you can use 'more' to describe what was probably only a handful) than any other dealer at the time, but I suspect they were largely destined for the UK.

The story here goes that the SA80's that went to Canada were exported by the manufacturer, at the time depending on the exact date that would probably have been Royal Ordnance Nottingham, in a bid for export sales.

Having said that, when the 1988 semi auto firearms ban (post Hungerford) was looming, Pat Walker certainly offered a service where he would handle potentially banned semi autos and export them for owners (see attached).

[mrclark303]

I remember the Pat Walker adverts in Guns Review, (not for the SA80 though) but for others such as the Sten, Sterling etc. looking at the small print on the third page along, L1A1 with plastic furniture £360 or with Wood Furniture £280.......... I doubt you get just the wood furniture for under £100 now. Some interesting adverts amongst them pages, anyone see The EM2 for £6000 ( also third page along) serial Number 2.

Set of L1 wooden furniture Geoff, you will struggle to find a good set for under £350 these days .... unless you know a man who might have some of coarse

That advert shows just how far our hobby has been squeezed here in the UK in the last 30 years, its a pale imitation of what it once was unfortunately ...

I wonder where that EM2 is now???

[Flying10uk]

I quite fancy one of the Sherman tanks @ £10K, 3rd advert from last, Post114. In fact at only 10 grand I may have a couple.

[David TS]

anyone see The EM2 for £6000 ( also third page along) serial Number 2.

And following on from that the GPMG below it. I was standing in a UK dealer's armoury only two or three years ago looking at a brand new, unfired, fully functional GPMG!

---------- Post added at 06:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 PM ----------

I quite fancy one of the Sherman tanks @ £10K, 3rd advert from last, Post114. In fact at only 10 grand I may have a couple.

Note they were 'collect'

Obviously before the pallet carriers we have today. Sherman tank delivery from Gateshead to Suffolk? That'll be £70 overnight on a pallet sir

[bigduke6]

I quite fancy one of the Sherman tanks @ £10K, 3rd advert from last, Post114. In fact at only 10 grand I may have a couple.

I'm not sure of the price of a Sherman now, but am sure the last one I seen was around the £350,000.00 mark, a couple back then would of been a good investment......

Set of L1 wooden furniture Geoff, you will struggle to find a good set for under £350 these days .... unless you know a man who might have some of coarse

That advert shows just how far our hobby has been squeezed here in the UK in the last 30 years, its a pale imitation of what it once was unfortunately ...

I wonder where that EM2 is now???

Bit of typo John but I would of said £150....... never realised the price of the timber for the L1A1, will keep my eyes peeled at the War & Peace show, I seen a pistol grip and the hanguards last year, just when I was going to enquire someone picked them up and paid £40.00

And following on from that the GPMG below it. I was standing in a UK dealer's armoury only two or three years ago looking at a brand new, unfired, fully functional GPMG!

---------- Post added at 06:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 PM ----------



Note they were 'collect'

Obviously before the pallet carriers we have today. Sherman tank delivery from Gateshead to Suffolk? That'll be £70 overnight on a pallet sir

The pallet couriers today are a hell of a saving, My milling machine come form London to Liverpool for £60.

Something tells me a standard pallet may be a bit small for a Sherman, plus they would charge for any overhang.

[David TS]

The pallet couriers today are a hell of a saving, My milling machine come form London to Liverpool for £60.

Something tells me a standard pallet may be a bit small for a Sherman, plus they would charge for any overhang.

Yes, on pallets amongst other things I have had a 400kg lathe from Kent for £65, and a similar weight 23hp lawn tractor from Scotland for £60!

[Flying10uk]

Something tells me a standard pallet may be a bit small for a Sherman,

When we leave the E.U. will Euro-pallets no longer be available in the U.K.?

[David TS]

When we leave the E.U. will Euro-pallets no longer be available in the U.K.?

Only if they arrive with goodies on!