Editing SA80 (section)

==Design details==

===Operating mechanism===
[[File:Operation Red Dagger 01.JPEG|thumb|A Royal Marine aims an L85A2 equipped with an L123A2 [[Heckler & Koch AG36]] [[grenade launcher]].]]
The SA80 system is a [[selective fire]] [[Gas-operated reloading|gas-operated]] design that uses ignited powder gases bled through a port in the barrel to provide the weapon's automation. The rifle uses a short-stroke gas piston system located above the barrel, which is fed gas through a three-position adjustable gas regulator. The first gas setting is used for normal operation, the second ("Excess") is for use in difficult environmental conditions, while the third setting ("Off") prevents any gas from reaching the piston and is used to launch [[rifle grenade]]s.<ref name=AC71374/><ref name=AC718072004>{{cite book|publisher=Ministry of Defence |id=AC71807 |title=Infantry Training Volume II, Pamphlet No. 5 The SA80 A2 (5.56 mm) System (Rifle, Light Support Weapon and Carbine) and Associated Equipment |year=2004}}</ref><ref name=AC718072011>{{cite book |title=Infantry Training Volume II, Pamphlet No. 5 The SA80 A2 (5.56 mm) System (Rifle, Light Support Weapon and Carbine) and Associated Equipment |year=2011 |publisher=Ministry of Defence |id=Army Code No. 71807}}</ref> The weapon uses a rotating cylindrical bolt that contains seven radially mounted locking splines, an extractor and casing ejector. The bolt's rotation is controlled by a cam stud that slides inside a [[Helix|helical]] camming guide machined into the bolt carrier.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

===Features===
[[File:US Marine firing SA-80.jpg|thumb|A [[United States Marine Corps|US Marine]] operating the cocking handle of an L85A1, 2000.]]
The family is built in a [[bullpup]] layout (the action is behind the trigger group), with a forward-mounted [[pistol grip]]. The main advantage of this type of arrangement is the overall compactness of the weapon, which can be achieved without compromising the barrel length, hence the overall length of the L85 rifle is shorter than a carbine, but the barrel length is that of an assault rifle. While left-handed conversion kits were trialled, the weapon as finally issued must be used exclusively right-handed since the ejection port and cocking handle (which reciprocates during firing) are on the right side of the receiver, making aimed fire from the left shoulder difficult. This can also give rise to a tactical disadvantage when firing around the left side of cover, where the shooter must expose the majority of their body.{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=43}} However left shoulder firing can be achieved by tilting the right hand side of the rifle downwards, reducing the impediments of the cocking handle and the ejection port;{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=42}}{{Request quotation|date=July 2021}} the MOD also maintains that left-handed soldiers are capable of accurately firing the weapon from the right shoulder.{{sfn|Williams|2013}}

The SA80 family is hammer-fired and has a trigger mechanism with a fire-control selector that enables semi-automatic/repetition and fully automatic fire (the fire selector lever is located at the left side of the receiver, just aft of the magazine). A cross bolt type safety prevents accidental firing and is located above the trigger; the "safe" setting blocks the movement of the trigger. The magazine release button is placed above the magazine housing, on the left side of the receiver. When the last cartridge is fired from the magazine, the bolt and bolt carrier assembly lock to the rear. To release the bolt, the user has to press a black button on the left side of the rifle, near the fire selector.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

The SA80 barrel features a flash eliminator which serves as a mounting base for attaching a [[Blank-firing adaptor|blank firing attachment]]; it also allows for the use of rifle grenades or a [[bayonet]] with the rifle variant.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

The weapon's receiver is made from [[Stamping (metalworking)|stamped]] [[Sheet metal|sheet]] [[steel]], reinforced with [[Welding|welded]] and [[rivet]]ed [[Machining|machined]] steel inserts. Synthetic materials such as [[nylon]] were used to fabricate the furniture and the safety plunger.{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}

===Sights===
[[File:Susat1.jpg|thumb|A view through a SUSAT sight.]]

Initially, rifles used by the [[Royal Marines]], [[British Army]] infantry soldiers (and other soldiers with a dismounted close combat role) and the [[RAF Regiment]] are equipped with a [[SUSAT]] (Sight Unit Small Arms, Trilux) optical sight, with a fixed 4× magnification and an illuminated aiming pointer powered by a variable [[tritium]] light source (as of 2006 almost all British Army personnel deployed on operations have been issued SUSATs); this is also the standard sighting arrangement for the LSW variant. Mounted on the SUSAT's one-piece, pressure [[Die casting|die-cast]] aluminium body are a set of back-up [[iron sight]]s that consist of a front blade and small rear aperture. Rifles used with other branches of the armed forces when not on operations are configured with fixed iron sights, consisting of a flip rear aperture housed inside the carrying handle and a forward post vertical blade foresight, installed on a bracket above the gas block. The rear sight can be adjusted for windage, and the foresight—elevation. In place of the SUSAT, a passive night vision CWS scope can be used.<ref name=AC71374/>

More recently, weapons used by some Royal Marines, Infantry, RAF Regiment, [[Ministry of Defence Police]] and soldiers with a dismounted close combat role in operations in Afghanistan have had the SUSAT replaced with the [[Trijicon]] [[Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight]] (ACOG).{{sfn|Grant|2016}}{{page needed|date=July 2019}} In 2011, the Ministry of Defence began issuing [[ELCAN Optical Technologies|ELCAN]] SpecterOS 4× Lightweight Day Sights (LDS) in an effort to replace ageing SUSAT units across the British Armed Forces, forming the first stage of the [[Future Integrated Soldier Technology|FIST]] infantry enhancement project.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/33829/desider_36_May2011.pdf|title=Desider magazine – Issue 36|date=May 2011|publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]]}}</ref> In order to mount the new sight, the weapon has been provided with an adapter to convert the existing sight rail to the [[Picatinny rail|Picatinny]] standard, in keeping with the updated handguard. The FIST project has also seen upgrades to the existing [[Thales Optronics|Qioptiq]] CWS (4×) and Maxi-Kite (6×) night vision scopes, and the introduction of the FIST Thermal Sight, following operational experience with the VIPIR-2+ thermal weapon sight in Afghanistan. All of the new FIST weapon sights have the capacity to accept Shield's Close Quarter Battlesight reflex sight.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://shieldpsd.sharepoint.com/Pages/CQB.aspx|title=Shield CQB|access-date=23 December 2014}}</ref>

===Magazines===
[[File:Lightweight Polymer Magazine Fitted to SA80 Rifle in Afghanistan MOD 45152325.jpg|thumb|A close-up of an L85A2 with the polymer Magpul EMAG. Note the clear round counting window.]]
SA80 weapons are fed from a [[STANAG magazine]], usually with a 30-round capacity. Initially issued magazines were aluminium [[Colt's Manufacturing Company|Colt]] magazines which were not particularly robust, leading to a steel replacement being produced by [[ROF Radway Green]].{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=46}} These magazines were then replaced during the A2 upgrade programme with two new steel magazines by [[Heckler & Koch]]; the main variant is for live ammunition, and the other is exclusively used for blank ammunition. The blank variant is identified by yellow stripes on the magazine, and is designed to prevent the unintentional loading of live rounds. This magazine has less internal length so that live rounds will not fit, while still fitting blank rounds, which are shorter. Blank rounds will fit into the live-round magazine, but the difference in length increases the chance of a stoppage.<ref name=AC718072004/><ref name=AC718072011/> The [[Magpul Industries]] polymer EMAG magazine was introduced from 2011, featuring a lower weight of {{convert|130|g|oz}} compared to the steel magazine's {{convert|249|g|oz}}, a detachable dust cover, and a clear window in the magazine body that allows easy monitoring of how much ammunition remains in the magazine.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/troops-in-afghanistan-get-new-lightweight-rifle-magazines|title=Troops in Afghanistan get new lightweight rifle magazines|website=GOV.UK |date=19 January 2011}}</ref> The [[Beta C-Mag]] was trialled in an attempt to improve the L86's limited ability to lay down sustained fire, but reliability problems with the magazine when loaded with British-issue ammunition meant that it was not adopted.{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=46}}

===Bayonet===
{{multiple image
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 | image1 = British Army Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Exercise Dynamic Victory 151110-A-HE359-023.jpg
 | caption1 = A bayonet attached to an L85A2 rifle
 | image2 = Royal Navy Bayonet.jpg
 | caption2 = Bayonet detail
}}
In British Armed Forces use, the L85 Rifle is issued with the socket-type L3A1 Bayonet, which has a hollow handle that fits onto the muzzle. The blade is offset to the side of the handle to allow the rifle to be fired while the bayonet is fitted. It is shaped to produce good penetration when thrust and to part a person's ribs without embedding into bone,{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} and a ribbed section for rope cutting. The bayonet handle is shaped so as to allow the bayonet to be used as a [[fighting knife]] in its own right. The issued scabbard features a saw blade for use on wood, a sharpening stone to hone the bayonet, and a bottle opener. When combined with the bayonet, it also forms a wire cutter.<ref name=AC71374/>{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=59}}

When soldiers from the [[Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment]] went into battle with fixed bayonets on their SA80s during the [[Battle of Danny Boy|Battle of Al Amara]] in Iraq on 14 May 2004, it was the first time fixed bayonets had been used by British troops since the [[Falklands War]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Wyatt|first=Caroline|title=Remembering the Battle of Al Amara|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8016685.stm|work=BBC News|access-date=9 April 2011|date=28 April 2009}}</ref> On several occasions, fixed bayonets were used during the Afghanistan conflict.{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=61}} The bayonet cannot be fitted to the L22 Carbine<ref name=AC70166>{{cite book|author=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]] |title=Army Code No. 70166 (Revised 1990) [Amended 2009], The Drill Manual|year=2009}}</ref> or L86 Light Support Weapon. As a result, soldiers equipped with the latter sometimes swapped their weapons for vehicle crewmen's L85s when clearing trenches during [[Operation Granby]].{{Sfn|Grant|2016|p=28}}

===Accessories===
[[File:An upgraded Laser Light Module Mk 3 mounted on the SA-80 Mk2. MOD 45158982.jpg|thumb|L85A2 carrying upgraded Laser Light Module Mk 3 with 800&nbsp;m range.]]
The SA80 is supplied with a sling, [[blank-firing adaptor]], and cleaning kit. The rifle can be adapted to use [[.22 Long Rifle]] training ammunition with a special conversion kit.<ref name=AC71374/>{{Request quotation|date=July 2021}}{{page needed|date=July 2021}} The [[Small Arms Weapons Effects Simulator]] can be used on the L85 when in training with [[Blank (cartridge)|blank ammunition]]. On operations with ground close combat units (Infantry, Royal Marines, RAF Regiment), the rifle is often fitted with an [[LLM01]] Laser Light Module and deployable bipod mounted within an optional front grip. {{citation needed|date=July 2021}}