L85A1
Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield · Assault Rifle · Out Of Production · 1985
Also known as: SA80, SA80A1, Individual Weapon, IW, Enfield L85
Overview
The L85A1 is the original variant of the British SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) Individual Weapon, a 5.56x45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle adopted by the British Armed Forces in 1985 to replace the 7.62mm L1A1 SLR battle rifle. Designed and produced by the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock with later production transferred to ROF Nottingham under Royal Ordnance, the L85A1 features a short-stroke gas piston operating system, rotating bolt, and the bullpup configuration that places the magazine and action behind the trigger group, allowing a full 518mm (20.4-inch) barrel within an overall length of just 785mm. Standard issue was paired with the SUSAT (Sight Unit Small Arms Trilux) 4x optical sight, making the British Army one of the earliest adopters of optics as a default infantry sighting system. The A1 was firing-mode-limited to semi-automatic and full-automatic only - no burst capability was fitted. The rifle's troubled service history, marked by reliability issues exposed during the 1991 Gulf War and operations in Sierra Leone, ultimately led to a comprehensive Heckler & Koch upgrade program that produced the much-improved L85A2 between 2000 and 2006.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4980 g (175.7 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 5550 g (195.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 785 mm (30.91") |
| Barrel Length | 518 mm (20.39") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Short Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 940 m/s (3084 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1700 J (1254 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 775 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · 5.56mm NATO — also known as .223 Remington, 5.56x45mm, SS109, M855
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Cross Bolt Safety
- Features: Bullpup Design, Rotating Bolt, Susat Optical Sight, Iron Sights Backup, Rifle Grenade Capable, Carry Handle, Right Side Ejection Only
Variants
Base model
Service history
Operators
- British Armed Forces · adopted 1985
- Bolivian Armed Forces
- Jamaica Defence Force
- Sierra Leone Armed Forces
Conflicts
- Gulf War (1990-1991)
- Bosnian War / IFOR-SFOR (1992-1996)
- Sierra Leone Civil War (Operation Palliser) (2000)
- Kosovo War (1998-1999)
Production
Estimated total produced: 320,000 · Production years: 1985-1994
Approximately 320,000 L85A1 rifles produced by RSAF Enfield and ROF Nottingham. Of these, about 200,000 were later rebuilt to L85A2 standard by Heckler & Koch between 2000 and 2006.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Discontinued: 1994
Notes
Production ran from 1985 to 1994 with approximately 320,000 L85A1 rifles manufactured. The LANDSET evaluation report identified over 50 distinct faults including a magazine release that snagged on clothing and accidentally dropped magazines, a brittle plastic safety plunger that failed in cold weather, and firing pins prone to fracture under sustained automatic fire. In Sierra Leone (2000), Pathfinder Platoon members found their safety catches melted in tropical heat. SAS sergeant Chris Ryan called the L85A1 'a poor-quality, unreliable weapon at the best of times, prone to stoppages.' Approximately 200,000 L85A1 rifles were subsequently rebuilt to A2 standard by Heckler & Koch beginning in 2000.
Background
British troops in the Gulf War nicknamed the L85A1 'the civil servant' - because, as the joke went, it didn't work and couldn't be fired. Yet a decade later, after a Heckler & Koch overhaul that touched more than fifty parts, the same rifle in A2 form was being praised as one of the most accurate service rifles in NATO. Few service weapons have travelled so far between hatred and grudging respect.