Is the L85 unreliable?
The L85A3 of today is an accurate and reliable weapon, but it took the UK government too long to correct the problems. Over the years the British Army has spent a total of $461 per rifle to make the weapon reliable, which is almost enough to completely replace the rifles with M4 carbines.
How much does an L85A1 weigh?
| SA80 | |
|---|---|
| Specifications (L85A2) | |
| Mass | 4.98 kg (11.0 lb) (L85A2 with SUSAT sight and loaded 30-round magazine) |
| Length | 785 mm (30.9 in) (L85A2 |
| Barrel length | 518 mm (20.4 in) (L85A2 |
Is the L85A3 a good rifle?
Despite all shortcomings of the L85 design, the British Forces are still using these weapons. The L85A3 is a gas-operated, selective-fire weapon with a bullpup layout. The main advantage of the such layout is the overall compactness of the weapon….Assault rifle.
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Range of effective fire | 500 m |
What was wrong with the L85A1?
The original magazines of the L85A1 were not very robust. Also a magazine well of the rifle had thin walls, that could be easily bent. All of this caused lots of troubles with the feeding. Furthermore a magazine release button was unprotected and could accidentally release the magazine.
What rifle will replace the SA80?
The Royal Marines in Afghanistan are also swapping the SA80 for the Canadian-made C8 Diemaco, a version of the Colt M-16A3. Further, the SA80 is a failure as an export weapon. Only Bolivia and Jamaica purchased it, meaning the British government never recouped the rifle’s considerable development costs.
What is the difference between L85A2 and L85A3?
So in summary, the only changes to the L85A2 design to the L85A3 is as follows: Modification to the upper receiver. Full-length rail system (which includes side rails as part of the modular qual rail system which is designed to improve the reliability and accuracy of the weapon).
What is the standard issue British Army rifle?
The SA80 Rifle
What Is The SA80 Rifle? For more than 30 years, the L85 or SA80 variant has been the standard issue rifle of the British Armed Forces, it replaced the L1A1 Self Loading Rifle (SLR).