SA80

[Peter Laidler]

1990 price of the L85 for the purposes of a Board of Enquiry was £290. The SUSAT sight cost just over £300.

Repairability is also a great factor too. One that I never thought about until one came in following a fairly serious incident during an exercise when one was run over by a run-a-way APC (caused by stupidity....., but that was another story...) The rifle was seriously damaged and had been lost in a wet mudbath for several hours following the mishap. It was washed off, stripped down as best it could be. The trigger housing was slightly twisted but no welds were broken so it was dollied straight. Within a couple of hours the rifle was back in the Armoury, fully test fired and function tested.

[bigduke6]

Certainly come down in price Peter if you take the 1990 price, the figure I quoted is only a few years old, the SUSAT still costs more at around £500 IIRC.

[Flying10uk]

When the SA80 first came into service I believe that it was ahead of it's time in that it was of a "Bull-Pup" design and there were very few army using a rifle made to this principal. The only other armies which I can think of that were using the "Bull-Pup" design when the SA80 first came into service was France and in a very limited way China(?). Are there not significantly more armies today either using or considering the use of a rifle made to the "Bull-Pup" design/principle?

[bigduke6]

When the SA80 first came into service I believe that it was ahead of it's time in that it was of a "Bull-Pup" design and there were very few army using a rifle made to this principal. The only other armies which I can think of that were using the "Bull-Pup" design when the SA80 first came into service was France and in a very limited way China(?). Are there not significantly more armies today either using or considering the use of a rifle made to the "Bull-Pup" design/principle?

The Steyr AUG was adopted in late 70's by Austria think it was 78 ? so not a new concept, the French FAMAS bull pup, also adopted around the same time, the Chinese "Bull Pup" is a basic AK47 type of design in bull pup guise.

[Sentryduty]

Chinese "Bull Pup" is a basic AK47 type of design in bull pup guise.

Well kind of, the bolt is similar, but the gas system is more like an inverted M14 system and the hammer system is it's own odd duck.

I have one, and could make a thread about it is there is interest.

[Flying10uk]

I for one would be interested in a thread about the Chinese Bull-Pup rifle as I don't believe much is known about it.

[bigduke6]

Well kind of, the bolt is similar, but the gas system is more like an inverted M14 system and the hammer system is it's own odd duck.

I have one, and could make a thread about it is there is interest.

Just going of memory Darren, after sitting in the Sun drinking ice cold Cider while I shake my bike tank (containing gravel) to a certain a song of choice does take it out of you, memory loss is quite common after Cider ....

[Sentryduty]

Just going of memory Darren, after sitting in the Sun drinking ice cold Cider while I shake my bike tank (containing gravel) to a certain a song of choice does take it out of you, memory loss is quite common after Cider ....

Of course, no harm, no foul, making conversation mostly, I would have classed it in a similar fashion, until I really pulled it apart and looked at it.

Those Chinese and their engineering trickery knows few limits, the Type 97 series rifles are nearly what could be considered striker fired, but they use this odd, sliding hammer, it probably gives horrible lock time, but I can't seem to notice it during shooting.

[bigduke6]

Of course, no harm, no foul, making conversation mostly, I would have classed it in a similar fashion, until I really pulled it apart and looked at it.

Those Chinese and their engineering trickery knows few limits, the Type 97 series rifles are nearly what could be considered striker fired, but they use this odd, sliding hammer, it probably gives horrible lock time, but I can't seem to notice it during shooting.

No worries Darren, Be interesting to see a break down of parts etc , I just remember a lot of the bull pups from china arriving in the UK for deactivation, long time ago, but there were distinct Visual similarities to the AK family , I could have my wires crossed though..... the cider was good stuff, we are in the middle of a heat wave here so making the most of it....

[gsimmons]

Wow! 88F in Billericay(used to live there)today! It was only 84 here in Hendersonville, NC.