Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!news.cs.indiana.edu!att!cbnews!cbnews!military
From: ghm@ccadfa.cc.adfa.OZ.AU (Geoff Miller)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Small Arms
Message-ID: <1991Mar6.042617.25449@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 6 Mar 91 04:26:17 GMT
References: <1991Mar4.212601.9682@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (william.b.thacker)
Organization: Computer Centre, University College, UNSW, ADFA, Canberra, Australia
Lines: 25
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: ghm@ccadfa.cc.adfa.OZ.AU (Geoff Miller)

scott@swindle.Berkeley.EDU (Scott Silvey) writes:
....
>Also, I noticed some scenes of British infantry scouting out an Iraqi bunker
>  for hostiles ... they tossed in a grenade.  They were carrying a very modern
>  looking assault rifle that I've never seen before.  It was sand colored 
>  and had the magazine (and I assume the firing mechanism) BEHIND the pistol
>  grip.  This makes the weapon somewhat short I assume.  Can anyone explain 
>  what rifle this is?  Is it standard issue now?  When did they get it?  How
>  does it compare with the M16A2?

That would be the SA80, which is now standard UK issue.  The current fashion
in service rifles seems to be a bull-pup design, firing the 5.56mm cartridge.
The UK (SA80) and France (FAMAS) both went for indigenous designs, but much
of the rest of the non-Kalashnikov world has gone for the Steyr AUG.

There have been a number of problems with the development of the SA80, as
with any new rifle, and if you can get access to back numbers of UK magazines
such as "Target Gun" or "Handgunner" you'll find some good write-ups on it.

Geoff Miller  (ghm@cc.adfa.oz.au)
Computer Centre, Australian Defence Force Academy