SA80 in the Falklands

[gary909]

Can any of you old squadies help.

Many years ago a friend told me that during the Falklands war a few solidiers were issued the SA80 rifle to see how it would operate under battle conditions.

Last week a friend at work said this was total ******** and there were no SA80's out there. Do any of you know any different.

Thanks

[mikemorton]

I think that's rubbish.

IIRC, the first time I saw an SA80 was in 1985.

I suppose if they'd been in development for years then the rifle may have been around in prototype form three years earlier.

Bet it didn't work though.

Just like ankle boots and puttees!

MM

[R. P. McMurphy]

Been covered more than once mate,use the search facility,top corner left!

[bullbarrel]

I hate to contradict someone I shoot with but.....

This says differently

But never trust anything you read on the net.

This article also says they had them, but were unreliable.

[lucky trigger]

I would say its bull****. Far as i know the sa80 wasnt in use until 1985?

[99CLOMP]

IT is possible mate I saw A BULLPUP on test in GERMANY in the mid 70s, but I THINK it was a 4.85 round that was on test as we wanted a NATO round,so a few MIGHT have been er,,, on test in the Falklands

[chrisss]

i have a book here "modern rifles,shotguns and pistols" and the sa-80 is inside,it states that it was introduced in 1985 but as the lee enfield xm-70

[craig.25]

********************NO********************

[Supersonic65]

IT WAS USED IN THE FALKLANDS ,BUT IT ONLY FIRED CORKS

The more efficient version then!


Give me an SLR anytime, you could stop a randy bull elephant with one those!

[gravity sucks]

I didn't see any...

[RobF]

'test' in combat??? Hardly going to get much feedback it it doesn't work. Sounds redilculous to me...can't see SF or the para's wearing that one...

I saw a composite caseless bullpup in 1989...only the barrel was metal. Silly cyclic rate, square cartridges, very light...think that was 4.85 as well.

[whiteleggHW77K]

I seem to remember that that one was a caseless cartridge! So no brass to eject.

Also it had a three round burst that was so quick the third one went before the recoil had affected the aim.

Also I think it had a 50 round horizontal (on top of the barrel) magazine.

Well ahead of its time.....wrong caliber for the US!!!!

Pete

[Big Andy]

I shot an SA80 on an international arms demo in Bovington in 1980, it jammed on the first shot !! We also gave a demo of the patchet silenced smg which was a cracking bit of kit. I can not say if they were in the Falklands but can 100% say they existed at that time.....

[RobF]

I seem to remember that that one was a caseless cartridge! So no brass to eject.

Also it had a three round burst that was so quick the third one went before the recoil had affected the aim.

Also I think it had a 50 round horizontal (on top of the barrel) magazine.

Well ahead of its time.....wrong caliber for the US!!!!

Pete

that sounds very very similar...i think the one i saw held 200 in the mag and it ran the entire length...+ there was another down the other side.

[whiteleggHW77K]

That's the chap.

http://www.streetpro.com/usp/hkg11.html

http://remtek.com/arms/hk/mil/g11/g11.htm
Nice to see it still had a bayonet!!

Pete