Editing SA80 (section)

===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}}