![sa80 riffle sa80 riffle](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/54cb0f49-dce7-4ef7-b620-a5cc00c82ff8/31340c0b-28b5-4517-9f89-d8c345b773da/original.jpg)
The SA80 is a bullpup design so the ejector port is beside the firer's cheek. During this time most of its faults had been identified and had been eliminated or ways to compensate for them perfected.Įven if the H&K remake has resulted in a weapon that will never jam, malfunction or misfire the truth is that the design is still flawed. The M16 was not without its birth problems, and still many consider some of its characteristics less than perfect but by 1985 it had been in service 22 years, including with certain units of the British army.
![sa80 riffle sa80 riffle](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iosZ3mOrwpQ/TQoGUPBQtoI/AAAAAAAAAFg/yG6dxMjVxps/s400/sa-80-rifle-stripped-1996.jpg)
One would think this would be enough time to test a weapon and correct any faults? The IW was built ten years after the first issue of the M16/AR15 but was not issued for another twelve years. Apparently the reworked L85A2 weapons are ten times more reliable than the L85A1ĪRmy Rumour SErvice (ARRSEpedia) on the SA-80 It is reported that the weapon has undergone 83 modifications over 18 years, but despite this in 2000 a contract of £80 million was paid to Hecker and Koch to put the army's SA80s right.
#SA80 RIFFLE MOD#
In 1997 the SA80 was dropped from NATO's list of approved weapons because it was having difficulty firing NATO-approved ammunition reliably.Įventually the MOD admitted that something might be wrong. It was during the Gulf War in 1991 that the mainstream press became aware of the malfunctions, jamming and reliability problems that the SA80 was prone to, including, apparently, a tendency to fire if dropped or struck on the muzzle.
![sa80 riffle sa80 riffle](https://www.meanandgreen.com/images/products/large/1773.1.jpg)
When it was due for adoption many British Gun writers voiced concerns about the design, but these seem to have been politely ignored. Adoption of the 5.56mm SS109 round saw the IW become the SA-80. The 5.56mm SA80 was originally the 4.85mm IW which was first produced in 1973 as a prototype weapon for the NATO calibre trials. The SA-80 or L85 assault rifle was adopted for British army service in 1985, but in fact the design is much older than this. Unofficial T-Shirt worn by British Soldiers