I've shot FALs, AK47s, M16 and SKS and the A2 was at least en par with the M16 and a ton better than the AK and SKS.
Those rifles were designed in the 40’s and 50’s. One would think a rifle designed 20+ years later could do better than par.
Have you shot the IWI Tavor? They are becoming quite popular down south.
I have never really liked polymer guns, bullpups or 5.56, but when I had an opportunity to shoot a Tavor I took it. Despite all those things I was very impressed. In fact I was so impressed that I bought a semi-auto version. The best way I can describe it is a “Glock rifle.” It’s very simple and well thought out. My only complaint is the trigger pull and it can be fixed.
I will hang on to my 7.62/.308 ARs but I will not be buying another AR15 as long as Tavors are available.
I am uncertain about the UK, but anecdotal reports of the Canadian C1 rifles in the late 70's and early 80's was that they were worn out, and had reached their service life and in need of outright replacement. I am sure that BAR can likely elaborate if that assessment was valid or not as the C1 was the rifle of his service period.
Talk about missing a question...I didn't even see this one. Yes our rifles had seen better days and parts as Peter stated were short. We were to the point of turning a rifle in if a foresight screw went missing because you couldn't get any. Ejector blocks were breaking because of metal fatigue and the older series needed a bit of help changing that part. Flash eliminators were fracturing...and more. I just wanted some brand new FN's. Make them from new. Anyway, that's all history.
With my own L1's Jim, it's going to get harder to keep them serviceable as the years go by, while there is an abundance of spares (one UK dealer has shipping containers waiste high with L1 parts), they are now reluctant to sell any for some reason.
Luckily,I acquired spare NOS cocking Handles, Hammer's, Hammer springs, ejector bocks and return springs among other parts, before the door was closed.
Interestingly, as Peter previously stated regarding UK buying spares from Lithgow, the NOS hammers and Hammer springs are Lithgow parts (all this gear is ex MOD).
Both rifles and my conversion kit have a good backup of unrestricted parts to keep them shooting for many years to come.
How did he do......? Not bad but he over-simplified it. He did however rightly explain that much of the problem now is the legacy of what went before. In other words, give a dog a bad name. Most, if not all of the problems had been identified but sort-of corrected in a haphazard, piecemeal fashion. H&K put them all together and corrected them as a FTR programme
Sounds familiar Peter. Just look at the history of the AR15/M16 platform. People seem to forget that weapons are just another form of machinery. They are subject to upgrades and improvements as problems are found diagnosed and cured. Add in the human element and cheapest contractor/method mentality and it will create problems too that weren't envisioned by the design engineers. The ammo problem encountered in Vietnam with the early M16 variants comes to mind. Use up the powder that's left over for 7.62 production. That got some people killed and never should have happened. Some old veterans of the conflict still consider the M16 a POS when it really had nothing to do with the rifle!
I see 10 prototype L85 rebuilt and (modified) rifles have been assembled with a view to reworking the whole inventory.
New modified sand coloured receivers, refurbished and modified TMH'S, new forend, among other mods.
I would love to see what mods have been made to the new receiver. Apparently re-engineered to improve reliability and maintainability, I wouldn't be surprised if efforts have been made to reduce overall weight too.
I wonder whether this idea will be adopted, instead of buying a new rifle?
Last edited by mrclark303; 02-01-2017 at 05:11 AM.
Reason: poorly written in the back of a taxi...
Originally Posted by Sentryduty
Well kind of, the bolt is similar, but the gas system is more like an inverted M14system and the hammer system is it's own odd duck.
PM
