L85A3
Heckler & Koch · Assault Rifle · In Service · 2018
Also known as: SA80A3, L85A3 IW, Individual Weapon A3
Overview
The L85A3 is the current-issue variant of the British SA80 family, produced by Heckler & Koch under a £5.4 million Mid-Life Improvement contract awarded in 2016 with first deliveries to the British Army from 2018. The A3 retains the proven L85A2 short-stroke gas piston action and 518mm bullpup barrel layout but introduces a free-floating barrel for improved accuracy, a redesigned forend with a full-length Picatinny top rail and M-LOK attachment slots on the side and bottom rails, a flat-dark-earth Cerakote finish, and a strengthened upper receiver. The free-floating handguard isolates the barrel from shooter contact and accessory loads, addressing a long-standing accuracy criticism of earlier SA80 variants. The L85A3 is intended to remain in British Army service into the late 2030s and is fielded across infantry, Royal Marines, and supporting arms.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4500 g (158.7 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 5070 g (178.8 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 | 700 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 | Flat Dark Earth |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · 5.56mm NATO — also known as .223 Remington, 5.56x45mm, SS109, L2A2
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Stanag Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Firing Pin Safety
- Features: Bullpup Design, Free Floating Barrel, M Lok Handguard, Picatinny Top Rail, Picatinny Bottom Rail, Free Float Handguard, Improved Charging Handle, Fde Cerakote Finish, Stanag Magazine Compatible, Rifle Grenade Capable, Ambidextrous Magazine Release
Variants
Base model
Service history
Operators
- British Armed Forces · adopted 2018
- Royal Marines · adopted 2018
Conflicts
- Operation Shader (anti-ISIS) (2014-present)
- Russo-Ukrainian War (training mission) (2022-present)
Production
Estimated total produced: 5,000 · Production years: 2018-present
Initial Heckler & Koch contract covered approximately 5,000 conversions of existing L85A2 rifles to A3 standard, with subsequent batches expanding the fleet. Total A3 numbers expected to grow as the British Army continues converting its A2 inventory.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Notes
The L85A3 conversion programme covered approximately 5,000 of the existing L85A2 fleet, with further batches added in subsequent contracts. Initial 2018 production used Heckler & Koch's HKey side-rail attachment system; following user feedback the rifle transitioned to the more widely standardised M-LOK interface around 2020. The A3 is not a new-build rifle - existing A2 receivers are stripped, machined to accept the new free-float handguard, recoated in FDE Cerakote, and reassembled. The rifle accepts the same SUSAT, ACOG (L9A1), Elcan SpecterOS (L9A2), and Trijicon VCOG optics fitted to the A2.
Background
The £5.4 million A3 upgrade is the second time Heckler & Koch has been called in to fix a British infantry rifle they didn't design - first salvaging the troubled L85A1 in the early 2000s, then giving the same platform a free-floating barrel and tan Cerakote finish two decades later. The result is a 35-year-old design that, against all odds, will still be on British rifle ranges deep into the 2030s.