MoD under pressure to abandon SA-80 rifle

Electronic Telegraph ^ | 22/07/2002 | Michael Smith, Defence Correspondent

[LibKill]

Maybe the U.S. Marines should give them some of those AKs they captured.

Not a sniper rifle, but fires every time you pull the trigger, even when full of dirt and gunk.

[watcher1]

Anyone have photos?

[Ed_NYC]

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Hmmm, sounds like a French design. They did this to everyone in WWI too.

[spitz]

Hang on a minute that’s a great deal for H&K, sell 300,000 SA-80’s, modify them for £92 million and, when their not up to scratch, sell another 300,000 G36 assault rifles to replace them.

If this thing doesn’t work it isn’t a assault rifle it’s a club. Surely the MoD isn’t going to pay for the replacement weapons.?

[tet68]

Odd that they put the cocking knob on the right side.

[Howie]

Found this cut-away in an old book.

[Fixit]

More good info from another thread:

The SA-80. Shame of the British Army.

[Thanks to Freeper wretchard for the link.]

</CENTER

[spitz]

I think that's a picture of the single shot target version not the full auto military weapon.

[Shooter 2.5]

"Hmmm, sounds like a French design. They did this to everyone in WWI too.

French design? Are you thinking about the FAMAS?

Who did what to who in WWI? Do you mean the Ross rifle?

[joesnuffy]

Hound the Afghans with something bigger than that Poodle Shooter Let's see where did we put those......

[joesnuffy]

Hound the Afghans with something bigger than that Poodle Shooter Let's see where did we put those......

[Travis McGee]

Ping!

[glc1173@aol.com]

What's really to blame for the SA80 crisis?

It's a cultural thing. Societies where damn few people legally own guns - and most of the very few who do are grandees who never see combat and whose "guns" are double-barrel shotguns only used in good conditions - don't produce John Brownings or Eugene Stoners.

[Squantos]

The suggested replacement (HK G-36) has one screaming flaw I see right away........anyone care to guess ? It has to do with old M-16's Wait'a minute option............

Also the phenolic magazines seem to grow fuzzy (actually larger in some cases as observed with Canadian (eh) C-7 magazines) with wear and tear in sand and dirt over time, I'll stick with my Supermatch M1A & 1911A1 if I get recalled (fat chance....:o)

Stay Safe

[Travis McGee]

The open fronted flash suppressor warns me that the designers never carried a rifle in the woods in their lives.

[Living Stone]

Is there another screaming flaw besides the open ended flash suppressor and the horrible gritty monster trigger pull?

[mvpel]

This is Britain, after all - the designers probably never carried a rifle, period.

[Living Stone]

Okay, you beat me on half of it.