SA80
Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield · Assault Rifle · In Service · 1985
Also known as: Small Arms for the 1980s, L85, Enfield SA80, Individual Weapon
Overview
The SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a British family of 5.56x45mm NATO bullpup-configured service weapons developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock during the 1970s and adopted by the British Armed Forces in 1985 to replace the 7.62mm L1A1 SLR battle rifle, the L2A3 Sterling submachine gun, and the L4 Light Machine Gun at section level. The family comprises four principal variants: the L85 Individual Weapon (the standard rifle, with A1, A2, and A3 generations), the L86 Light Support Weapon (LSW with heavy barrel and bipod), the L22 Carbine (short-barrelled vehicle and aircrew weapon), and the L98 Cadet GP Rifle (a manually-cycled, single-shot variant for the British cadet forces). All members share the same bullpup layout, short-stroke gas piston action, rotating bolt, and SUSAT optical sight as standard. Production was originally undertaken by RSAF Enfield, transferring to the Nottingham Small Arms Facility under Royal Ordnance in 1988; major mid-life upgrades were performed by Heckler & Koch (A2 from 2000-2006, A3 from 2018). The platform is expected to remain the British Army's standard infantry rifle into the late 2030s.
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 | 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 | 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, Firing Pin Safety
- Features: Bullpup Design, Rotating Bolt, Susat Optical Sight, Modular Family Concept, Rifle Grenade Capable, Carry Handle
Variants
- L85A1 Individual Weapon — Rifle
- L85A2 Individual Weapon — Rifle
- L85A3 Individual Weapon — Rifle
- L86A1 Light Support Weapon — Lsw
- L86A2 Light Support Weapon — Lsw
- L22A2 Carbine — Carbine
- L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle — Cadet Rifle
- L98A2 Cadet GP Rifle — Cadet Rifle
Service history
Operators
- British Armed Forces · adopted 1985 · as SA80 / L85
- Royal Bermuda Regiment · as L85
- Falkland Islands Defence Force · as L85
- Royal Gibraltar Regiment · as L85
- Jamaica Defence Force · as L85
- Combined Cadet Force / Army Cadet Force · adopted 1986 · as L98
Conflicts
- Gulf War (1990-1991)
- Bosnian War / IFOR-SFOR (1992-1996)
- Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002)
- War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)
- Iraq War (2003-2011)
- Operation Shader (anti-ISIS) (2014-present)
Production
Estimated total produced: 370,000 · Production years: 1985-present (multiple generations)
More than 350,000 L85 rifles and L86 LSWs produced for the British Armed Forces (L85 ~95% of run). Additional 21,700+ L98A1 cadet rifles. Approximately 200,000 L85A1 rifles upgraded to A2 standard 2000-2006; further A3 conversions ongoing from 2018.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Notes
This entry covers the SA80 base family. For specific generation-level data see l85a1 (1985 original), l85a2 (2002 H&K rebuild), and l85a3 (2018 H&K free-float upgrade). More than 350,000 L85 rifles and L86 LSWs were manufactured for the British Armed Forces, with L85 accounting for roughly 95% of the total run. Over 21,700 L98A1 cadet rifles were produced separately. The SA80 family was the British Army's first standard-issue rifle to ship with an optical sight as default. The L98A1 cadet rifle is fully manually-operated (single-shot, bolt-cycled), while all military variants are select-fire.
Background
The SA80 was conceived as Britain's answer to the FN FAL replacement question - a homegrown bullpup that would let infantrymen carry a full 20-inch barrel in a weapon shorter than the SMG it replaced. Forty years and two emergency Heckler & Koch rebuilds later, it has long outlasted the assault rifles of every other NATO country that adopted in the 1980s, with planned retirement still more than a decade away.