It's funny how things work out sometimes!
I've just recently finished watching the latest batch of YouTube videos from the Forgotten Weapons series on the SA80 and it's development. From the XL60 series of Enfield Weapon Systems right up to the current L85A2 and just touching on the new HKA3 upper receiver development. I'd reccomend watching the vids if you haven't already they're pretty good with info along the lines of what's in the book "The last Enfield" which gets a plug in another video from the series. He gets the chance to do a little shooting of an EWS in 4.85 and an A2 down at Shrivenham and the slow motion footage is interesting stuff.
I also recently and purely coincidentally had the extremely good fortune of putting two 30rd mags of 5.56 through a semi-auto only L98A2 SA80 and I must say I loved it, what a joy to shoot, with little felt recoil, well compared to .303 or .308 that I normally shoot anyway, admittedly it's the only semi auto centrefire rifle I've shot so.......
With iron sights fitted, which isn't my preferred way to shoot I turned in a really good group at 300yds, what a rifle, made me look good! It did leave me thinking why can't I have one of these, bloody hell, not fair.
I've never served in the military and have no experience of this rifle in service conditions, I'm purely a civilian shooter and firearm enthusiast but I watched 3 of these rifles on the range shoot hundreds of rounds all day without any stoppages other than needing a quick turn of the gas plug due to fouling. If I could, I'd have one of these A2s tomorrow in semi auto, with a nice optic and happily shoot targets all day long with it.
I also noticed it was an 87 dated Enfield made rifle too, which was apt I thought and that's why I posted my observations here.
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