# British SA80



## Rian (25 Aug 2003)

What are your thoughts on this rifle and its effectiveness.Please share your experiences,likes and dislikes.How does it compare to the c7 and your opinions on performance in wet conditions. 

Thanks you
Rian


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## combat_medic (25 Aug 2003)

The SA80 in all truthfullness is a PIECE OF CRAP for many reasons:

1. The cocking handle gets in the way of the ejection port which is prone to breaking it off
2. crappy trigger pull
3. too many (poorly made) plastic parts
4. hand guards pop off for no reason
5. firing pin prone to breaking
6. weapon is quite small, but very heavy, and extremely heavy in the butt (muzzle climb problems)
7. jams at the drop of a hat

Overall, for target shooting alone, not a bad weapon and very accurate, but the moment you take it into the field, get it wet, get it dirty, or operate in anything other than stellar conditions, it can fail miserably. The sight system is good though, which is it‘s only redeeming quality. Give me a C7 or other M16 variant any day over an SA80!

***NOTE*** Based on my own observations, and experiences of others who have had a lot of time with both weapons.


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## Infanteer (25 Aug 2003)

I remember swapping weapons with a Brit on a training exercise.  After one contact drill I happily took my GPMG back.


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## rolandstrong (27 Aug 2003)

I‘ve only heard negative things about them...from friends that have used them. There is a reason the SAS uses our C7 variants...


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## OLD SCHOOL (31 Aug 2003)

****e ‘o‘ the worst kind.


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## BITTER PPLCI CPL (5 Aug 2005)

first of all you can't compare a gpmg to a SA-80. I'm just wondering if you guy's are talking about the original SA-80's. I was in Bagram in 2002 and the new version (built now by H&K) seemed to have better praise from the Royal Marines.


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## thomastmcc (11 Aug 2005)

hello all the new version i thinks the SA80A2 has lots of improvments over the first models i was TA until 3 years ago and the weapsons we had were good so no complaints ,also if the weapon fails thats due to it being not cared for properly gents ,not the weapons fault .

thomas


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## paracowboy (11 Aug 2005)

I've played with both. They're absolutley craptastic. Right up there with the Ross rifle. I'd rather take my Winchester .30-30.


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## thomastmcc (11 Aug 2005)

paracowboy said:
			
		

> I've played with both. They're absolutley craptastic. Right up there with the Ross rifle. I'd rather take my Winchester .30-30.



yeah but which version mate ..


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## paracowboy (11 Aug 2005)

> both.


The old, and the "upgraded". I think that everyone who sends British soldiers to war with weapons that crapomatic should be jailed.


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## thomastmcc (11 Aug 2005)

well not everyone thinks the same as you mate ,the system does have its faults but then it was a political decesion to make the SA 80 they should have got the FNC or similar weapon instead thats what i think  .

thomas


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## muskrat89 (11 Aug 2005)

> first of all you can't compare a gpmg to a SA-80



 ???

Who was comparing the two? Infanteer was merely suggesting that after swapping weapons for a bit, he'd rather carry the GPMG that he was originally assigned


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