FN Minimi light machine gun

The Minimi (short for French: Mini Mitrailleuse; "mini machine gun") is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gunFabrique Nationale (FN) in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in 1974, it has entered service with the armed forces of several countries. The weapon is currently manufactured at the FN facility in Herstal and their US subsidiary FN Manufacturing LLC, as well as being licence-built in Australia, Italy, Japan and Greece. 
The Minimi is a light machine gun firing from an open bolt. The weapon is primarily chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO, though a 7.62x51mm NATO variant exists. It is an air-cooled weapon, capable of fully automatic fire only. It can be belt fed or fired from a magazine.
The Minimi is configured in several variants, the Standard model as a platoon or squad support weapon, the Para version for paratroopers and the Vehicle model as secondary armament for fighting vehicles.

Design details

Operating mechanism

The Minimi uses a gas-actuated long-stroke piston system. The barrel is locked with a rotary bolt, equipped with two massive locking lugs, forced into battery by a helical camming guide in the bolt carrier. Upon firing, the piston is forced to the rear by expanding propellant gases bled through a port in the barrel near the muzzle end. The piston rod acts against the bolt carrier, which begins its rearward motion guided on two rails welded to the receiver walls, while the bolt itself remains locked. This sequence provides a slight delay that ensures chamber pressure has dropped to a safe level by the time a cam in the bolt carrier rotates and unlocks the bolt, increasing extraction reliability as the empty cartridge casing has had the time to cool down and contract, exerting less friction against the chamber walls.
The Minimi fires from an open bolt, which reduces the danger of a round cooking off after extended periods of continuous fire, since a cartridge is only momentarily introduced into the chamber prior to ignition, and the movement of the bolt and bolt carrier forces air through the chamber and barrel after each shot, ventilating the barrel and removing heat. Gas escaping the gas cylinder is directed upward, avoiding kicking up dust and debris that would reveal the shooter's position.

 Features

The Minimi has a manually adjustable gas valve with two positions, normal and adverse. The adverse setting increases the cyclic rate of fire from 700–850 rounds per minute to 950–1,150 rounds per minute and is used only in extreme environmental conditions or when heavy fouling is present in the weapon's gas tube. The spring extractor is located inside the bolt, while the tilting lever ejector is contained inside the receiver housing. Spent casings are removed through a port located at the bottom of the right side of the receiver, protected from debris with a spring-loaded dust cover. The Minimi is striker-fired and the bolt carrier functions as the striker mechanism.
The Minimi has a push-button type manual safety installed in the trigger housing, above the pistol grip. In the "weapon safe" position, it disables the sear mechanism; pushing the button to the right side exposes a red-colored rim on the left side of the firearm and indicates the weapon is ready to fire. The black polymer pistol grip from the FAL and FNC rifles was initially used, but the Minimi is currently fitted with a modified grip with lateral grooves, installed at a smaller angle to the receiver.

The Minimi Para with a telescopic sight, spare barrel and ammunition pouches.

The Minimi features a welded receiver made from stamped steel. Both the standard and Para variants are equipped with a fixed, folding bipod mounted to the gas tube and stowed under the handguard. The bipod can be adjusted in height and each leg has three height settings. The bipod also offers a 15° range of rotation to either side. With the bipod fully extended, the bore axis is elevated to a height of 465 mm (18.3 in). The Minimi can also be fired from the Belgian FN360° tripod or the American M122 mount using an M60 pintle. The vehicle-mounted Minimi is fitted with an electrically-powered trigger that enables it to be fired remotely from within an armored fighting vehicle.
The standard light machine gun version has a 465 mm (18.3 in) barrel and a skeletonized aluminum stock with a folding wire shoulder strap. The shortened Para model has a 349 mm (13.7 in) barrel and a collapsible metal stock, while the vehicle-mounted model has a 465 mm (18.3 in) barrel but does not have a stock or iron sights. All models can alternatively be fitted with a fixed synthetic stock, the same used on the M249, which contains a hydraulic buffer that contributes to stabilizing the rate of fire and reducing recoil forces.

 Feeding

Lifting the feed tray cover reveals the rotary bolt locking mechanism.

The weapon is fed from the left-hand side by disintegrating-link M27 ammunition belts (a miniaturized version of the 7.62mm M13 belt), from either an unsupported loose belt, enclosed in a polymer ammunition box with a 200-round capacity attached to the base of the receiver, or from detachable STANAG magazines, used in other NATO 5.56mm assault rifles such as the M16 and FNC. Magazine feeding is used only as an auxiliary measure, when belted ammunition has been exhausted. The ammunition belt is introduced into the feed tray, magazines are seated inside the magazine port at a 45° angle, located beneath the feed tray port. When a belt is placed in the feed tray it covers the magazine port. Likewise, a magazine inserted into the magazine well will prevent the simultaneous insertion of a belt. The magazine port, when not in use, is closed with an L-shaped hinged flap equipped with a tooth, which engages a corresponding opening in the magazine and serves as a magazine release. This feature was developed by FN's Maurice V. Bourlet and allows the Minimi to be instantly changed from belt feed to magazine feed without any modification.
The pawl-type feeding mechanism is modeled on the system used in the MAG general purpose machine gun, which borrows from the World War II-era MG 42. The belt is moved in two stages during both the forward and rearward movement of the reciprocating bolt carrier, which provides for a smooth and continuous feeding cycle. The feeding mechanism top cover features a device that indicates the presence of a cartridge in the feed path.

 Barrel

The barrels used in the Minimi have an increased heat capacity for sustained fire, feature a chrome-lined rifled bore (six right-hand grooves) and are manufactured in two versions: with a 178 mm (1:7 in) twist rate used to stabilize the heavier Belgian 5.56×45mm SS109 projectile, or a 305 mm (1:12 in) twist for use with American M193 ammunition. The barrels have a quick-change capability; a lever is provided on the left side of the weapon that releases the barrel from its trunnion. A carrying handle is also fixed to the barrel and assists in the barrel change process. A trained soldier can perform a barrel change and ready the weapon for aimed fire in 6–7 seconds. Early versions of the Minimi had a flash suppressor with side ports as seen on the FNC, CALcone-shaped slotted flash suppressor. 

 Sights

Both the standard and Para models come with a rear sight, adjustable for windage and elevation, that provides a peep aperture for ranges from 300 to 1000 m in 100 m increments. The hooded front sight is installed in a post on the gas block and is also adjustable for elevation and windage. Early models of the Minimi had the rear sight mounted forward of the feed cover and the front post secured to the barrel, closer to the muzzle end. An adapter can also be used that allows the use of standard NATO night and day sights.

 Accessories

Standard equipment supplied with the Minimi consists of three ammunition boxes, a cleaning kit stored inside the forearm, lubricant bottle, sling and blank-firing adaptor.

Variants

A U.S. Marine fires the PIP-upgraded M249 SAW.

The M249 version of the Minimi was adopted by the US military in 1982; since 1984, production for the US military is carried out entirely in the US by a local subsidiary, FN Manufacturing LLC in South Carolina.
As part of the US military's M249 Product Improvement Program (PIP), the M249 was updated with: a new synthetic stock and modified buffer assembly, a single-position gas regulator, a “birdcage” type flash hider/compensator from the M16A2, a polymer barrel heat guard, and a folding carry handle. As a result, the weapon’s weight increased to 7.47 kg (16.5 lb). Many of the PIP upgrades were later incorporated by FN for the Minimi.
A lightweight variant of the Para with a Picatinny top cover rail adapter is known as the Minimi Special Purpose Weapon (SPW). It had the magazine feed port removed to further reduce weight, and a railed MIL-STD-1913 handguard was used that enables the use of standard tactical accessories.
Another variant of the SPW requested by the US Special Operations Forces is the Mk 46 Mod 0 that incorporates a lightweight fluted barrel but lacks the magazine feed system, vehicle mounting lugs and carry handle. A railed forearm ensures modularity and mission-adaptability permitting the use of flashlights, vertical grips, and infrared laser designators. An improved variant known as the Mk 46 Mod 1 with an improved forward rail and lightweight titanium bipod has been adopted by the United States Navy.

Australian special operations soldier with a Minimi 7.62

The Minimi prototype was originally designed in 7.62x51mm NATO, and later redesigned around the 5.56mm cartridge. When the USSOCOM issued the requirements for the Mk 48 Mod 0, the original plans for the Minimi were retrieved and used to develop this new model. As a result of favorable reviews of the Mk 48 Mod 0 and increasing demand for a more powerful variant of the Minimi, FN Herstal introduced the Minimi 7.62, available in several different configurations. Apart from the different caliber, the Minimi 7.62 incorporates a non-adjustable, self-regulating gas system and a hydraulic recoil buffer in the buttstock assembly. The Minimi 7.62 also has a different sight setup calibrated for the larger cartridge. The rear sight is adjustable from 100 to 1,000 m by 100 m increments. The sight can also be corrected for windage. A variant of the Minimi 7.62 equipped with a railed Picatinny handguard is the Minimi 7.62 TR.
Copies of the Minimi have been produced in China, called the XY 5.56 x 45.

Minimi
An early M249 version of the Minimi.
Type	Light machine gun
Place of origin	Belgium
Service history
Used by	See Users
Production history
Designer	Ernest Vervier
Designed	1974
Manufacturer	FN Herstal
Produced	1982–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Weight	Standard model: 6.85 kg (15.1 lb) Minimi Para: 6.56 kg (14.5 lb) Vehicle model: 5.32 kg (11.7 lb) Minimi 7.62: 8.17 kg (18.0 lb) fixed stock Minimi 7.62: 8.4 kg (19 lb) telescopic metal stock
Length	Standard model: 1,040 mm (40.9 in) Minimi Para: 914 mm (36.0 in) stock extended / 766 mm (30.2 in) stock collapsed Vehicle model: 793 mm (31.2 in) no buttstock Minimi 7.62: 1,015 mm (40.0 in) fixed stock Minimi 7.62: 1,000 mm (39.4 in) stock extended / 865 mm (34.1 in) stock collapsed[1]
Barrel length	Standard model: 465 mm (18.3 in) Minimi Para: 349 mm (13.7 in) Minimi 7.62: 502 mm (19.8 in)
Width	110 mm (4.3 in) Minimi 7.62: 128 mm (5.0 in)
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO Minimi 7.62: 7.62x51mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	700–1,150 rounds/min Minimi 7.62: 680-800 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	Standard model: 925 m/s (3,035 ft/s) Minimi Para: 866 m/s (2,841.2 ft/s)
Effective range	300–1,000 m sight adjustments
Feed system	100-round M27 disintegrating-link belt, 30-round STANAG magazine
Sights	Rear aperture, front post.

Light machine gun

A light machine gun (LMG) is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, and as a front-line infantry support. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.
A light machine gun may be identified either by the weapon or by its tactical role. It is used to fire in short 8 -10 round bursts, usually from a bipod; a sustained-fire mount such as a tripod is a characteristic of a medium machine gun. Some machine guns - notably General purpose machine guns - may be deployed as either a light machine gun or a medium machine gun. As a general rule, if a machine gun is deployed with a bipod it is a light machine gun; if deployed on a tripod it is a medium machine gun - unless it has a caliber of about 10mm or larger, making it a heavy machine gun. Modern light machine guns often fire smaller-caliber cartridges than medium machine guns, and are usually lighter and more compact.
Light machine guns, such as the British Lewis, were first introduced in World War One to boost the firepower of the infantry. By the end of World War II, light machine guns were usually being issued on a scale of one per section or squad, and the modern infantry squad had emerged with tactics that were built around the use of LMGs.
It is possible to fire a light machine gun from the hip or on the move, but this is generally inaccurate. They are usually fired from a prone position using a bipod. Many light machine guns (such as the Bren gun or the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle) were magazine-fed. Others, such as the MG 34, could be fed either from a belt or a magazine. Modern light machine guns are designed to fire more rounds of a smaller caliber and as such tend to be belt-fed. Some LMGs, such as the Russian RPK, are modifications of existing assault rifleFN Minimi, are capable of firing from either an ammunition belt or a detachable box magazine. Lighter modern LMGs have enabled them to be issued down at the fireteam level and at two or three at the section/squad. designs. Adaptations generally include a larger magazine, a heavier barrel to resist overheating, a more robust mechanism to support sustained fire and a bipod. 
 list of modern light machine gun-

• FN Minimi (5.56x45mm NATO)
  • M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (5.56x45mm NATO)
  • Mk 48 Mod 0 (7.62x51mm NATO)
• CETME Ameli (5.56x45mm NATO)
• Ultimax 100 (5.56x45mm NATO)
• Vektor Mini-SS
• IMI Negev (5.56x45mm NATO)
• Pecheneg machine gun (7.62x54mmR)
• Heckler & Koch MG4 (5.56x45mm NATO)
• Ares Shrike 5.56 (5.56x45mm NATO)
• Stoner LMG (5.56x45mm NATO)
• Colt Automatic Rifle (5.56x45mm NATO)
• Steyr AUG H-BAR (5.56x45mm NATO)
• RPK-74 (5.45x39mm)
• L86 LSW (5.56x45mm NATO)
• Heckler & Koch MG36 (5.56x45mm NATO)
• INSAS LMG (5.56x45mm NATO)
• SAR-21 LMG(5.56x45mm NATO)

G36 RIFLE

The Heckler & Koch G36 is a 5.56x45mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & KochGermany as a replacement for the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle.^[1] It was accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the G3.^[2] The G36 is gas-operated and feeds from a 30-round detachable box magazine or 100-round C-Mag drum magazine.

Design details

German Bundeswehr land force soldiers deployed with G36s

A German infantryman stands at the ready with his G36 during a practice exercise with US troops

The G36 is a selective fire 5.56mm assault rifle, firing from a closed rotary bolt. The G36 has a conventional layout and a modular component design. Common to all variants of the G36 family are: the receiver and buttstockbarrel, carry handle with integrated sights, trigger group with pistol grip, handguard and magazine socket. assembly, bolt carrier group with bolt and the return mechanism and guide rod. 
The G36 employs a free-floating barrel (the barrel does not contact the handguard). The barrel is fastened to the receiver with a special nut, which can be removed with a wrench. The barrel is produced using a cold hammer forging process and features a chrome-lined bore with 6 right-hand grooves and a 1 in 178 mm (1:7 in) rifling twist rate. The barrel assembly consists of the gas block, a collar with a bayonet lug that is also used to launch rifle grenades and a slotted flash suppressor.
The weapon can be stripped and re-assembled without tools through a system of cross-pins similar to that used on earlier HK designs. For cleaning purposes, the G36 disassembles into the following groups: receiver housing, return mechanism, bolt carrier group and trigger group.

Features

 Fire Selector

The fire and safety selector is ambidextrous and has controls on both sides of the receiver; the selector settings are described with letters: “S” – safe ("Sicherheit"), “E” – semi-automatic fire ("Einzelfeuer") and “F” – continuous fire ("Feuerstoß"). The weapon safety disables the trigger when engaged. HK also offers several other trigger options, including the so-called “Navy” trigger group, with settings analogous to the standard trigger, but the selector positions have been illustrated with pictograms. A semi-automatic only trigger unit (lacks the “F” setting) is also available. An integrated, manual safety mechanism prevents accidental firing (this is an improved trigger group from the G3 rifle).

 Magazine

SIG 550 receiver and magazine: note the similarity to the G36 magazine.

The G36 feeds from proprietary 30-round curved magazines very similar to those of the Swiss SIG 550 with cartridges loaded in a staggered pattern. The magazines are molded from a high-strength translucent polymerNATO-standard STANAG magazines, as introduced in the M16. However, the G36 can be used with Beta C-Mag drum magazines (produced by Beta Company), that have a 100-round cartridge capacity and are intended to be used primarily with the MG36 light support weapon. and can be clipped together using built-in coupling studs into 2 or 3-magazine packs allowing up to five magazines to be carried side-by-side on the rifle ready for rapid magazine changes. The magazines are not compatible with

A standard German Bundeswehr G36 with bipod and a Beta C-Mag drum magazine.

 Stock

The MG36 variant is equipped with a side-folding skeletonized stock and a detachable folding bipod, which folds into recesses in the handguard. The G36 can be fired with the stock collapsed. Firing the weapon with the stock folded increases wear on the receiver, eventually sending the firing mechanism out of the back of the receiver. The underside of the butt-stock has holes into which assembly pins can be placed during weapon cleaning and maintenance.

 Material

The G36 employs a large number of lightweight, corrosion-resistant synthetic materials in its design; the receiver housing, stock, trigger group (including the fire control selector and firing mechanism parts), magazine well, handguard and carry handle are all made of a carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide. The receiver has an integrated steel barrel trunnion (with locking recesses) and the reciprocating parts move on steel rails molded into the receiver (this feature was issued a US patent, number 5513461, authored by Helmut Weldle).

 Sights

Dual combat sighting system ZF 3x4° as used on German G36A1 assault rifles

Optical sight reticle pattern (click for description)

The standard German Army versions of the G36 are equipped with a ZF 3x4° dual optical sight that combines a 3x magnified telescopic sight (with the main reticule designed for firing at 200 m and bullet drop compensation markings for: 200, 400, 600 and 800 m crosshairs and a range-finding scale) and an unmagnified reflex red-dot sight (calibrated for firing at 200 m) mounted on top of the telescopic sight. The red dot sight is activated by ambient light during the day and requires battery power in a zero light environment.
The export versions have a single optical sight with a 1.5x magnification and an aiming reticule fixed at 300 m. All rifles are adapted to use the Hensoldt NSA 80 third-generation night sight, which clamps into the G36 carry handle adapter in front of the optical sight housing and mates with the rifle's standard optical sight. The sighting bridge also functions as a carrying handle and features auxiliary open sights molded on top of the handle that consist of a forward blade and rear notch, but these can only be used with the red dot sight removed, as in the G36V. The optical sight system is produced by Hensoldt AG (a subsidiary of Carl Zeiss AG).

 Operating mechanism

U.S. Army soldiers crosstrain with G36s in Kosovo

The G36 is a gas-operated weapon that uses burnt powder gases from the barrel, bled through a vent near the muzzle which transmits the gas thrust to the bolt carrier, providing automation to the moving assembly; it fires from a closed bolt position. The weapon uses a self-regulating spring-buffered short-stroke gas piston system (the rifle has no gas valve).The rotary bolt features 7 radial locking lugs and its rotation is controlled by a cam pin guided inside a camming guide cut-out in the bolt carrier. The bolt also houses a spring-loaded casing extractor and an ejector.
The bolt is automatically locked to the rear when the last round is expended, but the bolt catch can be deactivated. The bolt catch button is located at the forward end of the trigger guard. The spring-loaded folding cocking handle extends forward in line with the barrel of the rifle (it is located on top of the receiver, under the carry handle). It can be swung to either side of the receiver, depending on whether the user is right or left-handed and is locked when pressed inward. When locked at a perpendicular angle to the receiver, the handle can be used as a forward assist to force the bolt into battery, or to extract a stuck cartridge casing (the cocking handle's design is protected in the US by patent number 5821445, by Manfred Guhring).
Spent cartridge casings are ejected through a port located on the right side of the receiver. A brass deflector keeps cases from striking left-handed operators in the face. There is no ejection port cover as the bolt closes the ejection port to particulates when it is forward. The weapon features a hammer-type striking mechanism.

 Accessories

The rifle can be fitted with a 40 mm AG36 (AG – Anbau-Granatwerfer) under-barrel grenade launcher, which is a breech-loaded break-action weapon with a side-tilting barrel.
Standard equipment supplied with the G36 includes: spare magazines, a cleaning and maintenance kit, sling, speed-loading device and an AK-74 blade bayonet (many of which are left over in Germany from stocks of the former National People's Army).

Variants

• G36E/V: Previously known as the G36E, it is the export version of the standard G36. The G36V has all of the characteristics of the standard rifle with the exception of the sight setup and bayonet mount. It is fitted with a 1.5x sight and lacks the integrated reflex sight; the bayonet mount is a standard NATO type. This version was produced for Spain and Latvia.
• MG36: (MG—Maschinengewehr or "machine gun") light machine gun version of the G36 equipped with a heavy barrel for increased heat and cook-off resistance. The MG36 and MG36E are no longer offered by H&K.

A G36KV as delivered to the Latvian Army. It is configured with a telescopic stock and a Picatinny .

• G36K: (K—kurz or "short") carbine variant with a shorter barrel (fitted with an open-type flash suppressor) and a shorter forend, which includes a bottom rail that can be used to attach tactical accessories, such as a UTL flashlight from the USP pistol. The carbine's barrel lacks the ability to launch rifle grenades and it will not support a bayonet. The weapon retained the ability to be used with the AG36 grenade launcher. G36Ks in service with German special forces are issued with a 100-round C-Mag drum. There are two variants of the G36K. The first and most commonly known has x3 scope/carry handle attached to the top. The second and highly preferred variant of the G36K is the one with the iron sights and rail (no scope included). It allows for more customization of optics and is more portable than the other variant.
• G36C: This subcarbine (C—Compact or Commando) model is a further development of the G36K. It has a shorter barrel (than the G36K), and a four-prong open-type flash hider. The extremely short barrel forced designers to move the gas block closer to the muzzle end and reduce the length of the gas piston operating rod. The handguard and stock were also shortened and the fixed carry handle (with optics) was replaced with a carrying handle with an integrated MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail. The dual optical sight found on the standard G36 and G36K models was replaced with a set of rail-mounted detachable iron sights that consist of a semi-shrouded front post and a flip-up rear sight with two apertures of different diameter. The short handguard has four accessory attachment points, one of which could be used for a vertical grip.

G36A2 with a Zeiss RSA reflex sight and an AG36 grenade launcher on display .

• G36A2: This is an ordnance designation allocated to an upgraded variant of the G36 used by the German Army. The G36A2 is equipped with a quick-detachable Zeiss RSA reflex red dot sightLLM01 laser light module mounted on a Picatinny rail that replaces the original red dot sight of the dual combat sighting system. The G36A2 upgrade kit also consists of a new handguard with three Picatinny rails and a handgrip with an integrated switch for operating an Oerlikon Contraves.

  G36
  A G36 of the Bundeswehr.
  Type	Assault rifle
  Place of origin	Germany
  Service history
  In service	1997–present
  Used by	See Users
  Wars	Kosovo War, Afghan War, Iraq War, War in South Ossetia (2008), Operation Banner (PSNI) (Northern Ireland Troubles)
  Production history
  Designed	1990–1995
  Manufacturer	Heckler & Koch
  Produced	1996–present
  Variants	See Variants
  Specifications
  Weight	G36: 3.63 kg (8 lb) G36V: 3.33 kg (7.3 lb) G36K: 3.30 kg (7.3 lb) G36KV: 3.0 kg (6.6 lb) G36C: 2.82 kg (6.2 lb) MG36: 3.83 kg (8.4 lb) MG36E: 3.50 kg (7.7 lb)
  Length	G36, G36V, MG36, MG36E: 999 mm (39.3 in) stock extracted / 758 mm (29.8 in) stock folded G36K, G36KV: 860 mm (33.9 in) stock extended / 615 mm (24.2 in) stock folded G36C: 720 mm (28.3 in) stock extended / 500 mm (19.7 in) stock folded
  Barrel length	G36, G36V, MG36, MG36E: 480 mm (18.9 in) G36K, G36KV: 318 mm (12.5 in) G36C: 228 mm (9.0 in)
  Width	64 mm (2.5 in)
  Height	G36, G36K, MG36: 320 mm (12.6 in) G36V, G36KV, MG36E: 285 mm (11.2 in) G36C: 278 mm (10.9 in)
  Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
  Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
  Rate of fire	750 rounds/min cyclic
  Muzzle velocity	G36, G36V, MG36, MG36E: 920 m/s (3,018 ft/s) G36K, G36KV: 850 m/s (2,788.7 ft/s)
  Effective range	800 metres (870 yd), 200–600 m sight adjustment
  Feed system	30-round detachable box magazine or 100-round C-Mag drum magazine
  Sights	Reflex sight with 1x magnification, telescopic sight with 3x magnification (export version has a 1.5x magnified sight) and back-up fixed notch sight

SA80

The SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a British family of 5.56mm small arms. It is a selective fire, gas-operated firearm. SA80 prototypes were trialled in 1976 and production was completed in 1994.
The L85 rifle variant of the SA80 family has been the standard issue service rifle of the British Armed ForcesFN FAL. The improved L85A2 remains in service today. The remainder of the family comprises the L86 Light Support Weapon, the short-barrelled L22 carbine and the L98 Cadet rifle. 
The SA80 was the last in a long line of British weapons (including the Lee-Enfield family) to come from the national arms development and production facility at Enfield Lock. Its bullpup configuration stems from a late-1940s programme at Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield to design a new service rifle which was known as the EM-2, which though similar in outline, was an entirely different weapon.

History

The system's history dates back to the late 1940s, when an ambitious program to develop a new cartridge and new class of rifle was launched in the United Kingdom based on combat experience drawn from World War II. Two 7mm prototypes were built in a bullpup configuration, designated the EM-1 and EM-2. When NATO adopted the 7.62x51mm rifle cartridge as the standard calibre for its service rifles, further development of these rifles was discontinued (the British Army chose to adopt the 7.62mm L1A1 SLR semi-automatic rifle, which is a license-built version of the Belgian FAL).
In 1969, the Enfield factory began work on a brand new family of weapons, chambered in a newly-designed British 4.85x49mm intermediate cartridge. While the experimental weapon family was very different from the EM-2 in internal design and construction methods, its bullpup configuration with an optical sight was a clear influence on the design of what was to become the SA80. The system was to be composed of two weapons: an individual rifle, the XL64E5 rifle and a light support weapon known as the XL65E4 light machine gun. The sheet metal construction, and the design of the bolt, bolt carrier, guide rods, gas system and the weapon's disassembly showed strong similarities to the SAR-87, which was under joint-development by Sterling Armaments Company of Dagenham and Chartered Industries of Singapore.
In 1976, the prototypes were ready to undergo trials. However, after NATO's decision to standardize ammunition among its members, Enfield engineers re-chambered the rifles to the American 5.56x45mm M193 cartridge. The newly redesigned 5.56mm version of the XL64E5 became known as the XL70E3. The left-handed XL68 was also re-chambered in 5.56x45mm as the XL78. The 5.56mm light support weapon variant, the XL73E3, developed from the XL65E4, was noted for the full length receiver extension with the bipod under the muzzle now indicative of the type.
Further development out of the initial so-called "Phase A"pre-production series led to the XL85 and XL86. While the XL85E1 and XL86E1 were ultimately adopted as the L85 and L86 respectively, a number of additional test models were produced. The XL85E2 and XL86E2 were designed to an alternate build standard with 12 components different from E1 variants, including parts of the gas system, bolt, and magazine catch. Three series of variants were created for "Environmental User Trials". XL85E3 and XL86E3 variants were developed with 24 modified parts, most notably a plastic safety plunger. The E4's had 21 modified parts, no modification to the pistol grip, and an aluminium safety plunger, unlike the E3 variants. Lastly, the E5 variants had 9 modified parts in addition to those from the E3/E4 variants.

Design details

Operating mechanism

A field stripped L85A1

With the exception of the L98A1, the SA80 system is a selective fire 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—for use in difficult environmental conditions and the third setting prevents any gas from reaching the piston, and is used to launch rifle grenades^{[citation needed]}. The weapon uses a rotating cylindrical bolt that contains 7 radially-mounted locking lugs, an extractor and casing ejector. The bolt's rotation is controlled by a cam pin that slides inside a helical camming guide machined into the bolt carrier.

Features

The family is built in a bullpup layout (the magazine is behind the trigger), 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. However, the adoption of this layout also means the rifle 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 impossible.
The SA80 family is hammer-fired and has a trigger mechanism with a fire-control selector that enables semi-automatic fire 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 L85 rifle features a barrel with a slotted flash suppressor, which also serves as a mounting base for attaching and launching rifle grenades, attaching a blank-firing adaptor or a bayonet.
The weapons are fed from a STANAG magazine, usually with a 30-round capacity. 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.
The weapon's receiver is made from stamped sheet steel, reinforced with welded and riveted machined steel inserts. Synthetics were also used (i.e. the handguards, pistol grip, buttpad and cheek rest were all fabricated from nylon). A Picatinny railed handguard was also developed for the type.

Variants

There are 4 main variants that make up the SA80 'family': the L85A1/L85A2 IW Rifles, the L86A1/L86A2 LSW, the L22A1/L22A2 Carbine and the L98A1/L98A2 Cadet rifles. (the 'L' designation is for "Land Service".)

 L85 Rifle

A Royal Netherlands Marine Corps captain fires the L85A2

The L85 rifle (full name Rifle, 5.56mm, L85A2), in its improved A2 version, is the standard individual weapon for the British armed forces.
On operations the rifle is often fitted with a LLM01 Laser Light Module. The L85A2 can also mount the L17A2 UGL 40 mm underbarrel grenade launcher. The addition of the underbarrel grenade launcher adds another 3.30 lb (1.49 kg) to the L85A2's weight.
Magazines issued with the L85A1 were aluminium, and not very robust. There are now three types of magazine issued with the L85A2, the most recent being the plastic Magpul EMAG purchases as an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR), the other two are of steel construction with a stainless steel follower. 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 loading of live rounds. As blank rounds are shorter than live rounds, live rounds will not physically fit into the blank magazine. Blank rounds will fit into the normal magazine, but their slightly shorter length creates problems with jamming.
From 2007 an upgrade including the provision of ACOGs, a new handguard incorporating Picatinny rails and a new vortex style flash eliminator is being introduced for use by selected units. (with optional hand grip/bipod),

 L86 LSW

Soldiers of the Brigade of Gurkhasblank-firing attachment. equipped with the L85 rifle and L86 LSW with yellow

The L86A1 LSW is a magazine-fed automatic weapon originally intended to provide fire support at a fireteam level. It has a longer barrel than the L85A1 rifle and a bipod, shoulder trap and rear pistol grip, together with a shorter handguard. The extended barrel provides an increased muzzle velocity and further stabilises the bullet, giving a greater effective range. The weapon is otherwise identical to the L85 version on which it is based, and the same 30-rd magazines and sighting systems are used. Like the L85 rifle, it has a rate-of-fire selector on the left side behind the magazine housing, enabling either single shots or automatic fire.
The increased barrel length, bipod and the optical performance of the SUSAT gives the weapon excellent accuracy. From its inception, the L86 was a target of criticism on much the same basis as the L85. The LSW has the additional issue (shared by any light support weapon derived from a rifle, for example the heavy-barrel FN FAL) of its inability to deliver sustained automatic fire as it does not have a quick-change barrel, and is not belt fed.
The primary use of the LSW has shifted to that of a marksman's weapon within many infantry sections, capable of providing extremely accurate precision fire at ranges of over 600m. The role of a light support weapon is instead filled with the L110A1 FN Minimi which is a belt fed weapon with a quick-change barrel.
The L86A1 was upgraded to the L86A2 at the same time as L85A1 rifles were upgraded to L85A2 standards, undergoing the same set of modifications.

Carbine variant as used by an aircrew.

 L22 carbine

Based on the L85A1 a compact carbine known as the L22A1 was also developed with a short, 442 mm barrel (the weapon's weight, with the optical sight – 4.42 kg, length – 709 mm). The forward handguard was replaced with a vertical grip. The weapon uses the same SUSAT sight as found on the full size L85. The weapon has been upgraded with a Picatinny rail accessory rail instead of the fixed front grip. These carbine variants are used in small numbers by armoured vehicle crews.

L98 Cadet General Purpose Rifles

 L98A1

A Cadet fires the Cadet GP Rifle (L98A1).

The L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle was a general purpose (GP) rifle used by the Combined Cadet Force and Sea, Marine, Army and Air Cadets in the United Kingdom. It was introduced in 1987 replacing the .303 Lee Enfield No 4 rifles and .303 Bren guns used for weapons training. The L98A1 rifle is now no longer in use, it began a phased decommission in early 2009. UK cadet forces have now received the new L98A2 rifles and LSWs.

The L98A1 stripped

The GP rifle was similar to the L85A1 but without the gas parts. It was a manually-operated, single-shot rifle it had a cocking handle extension piece mounted on the right side of the weapon which was cocked with the right hand, it was fitted with adjustable iron sights.
The L98A1 had a number of design features that caused problems. A stoppage occurred if the cocking handle was not fully retracted and released because the spent round failed to eject cleanly fouling the breech and preventing the loading of the next cartridge. This fault was often caused by poor cleaning as dirt, grit and rain easily foul and removed the oil from the exposed cocking handle slide making the action harder to cycle^{[citation needed]}. The absence of the flash suppressor on the L98 also prevented the fitting of a blank firing attachment (BFA) thus increasing the safety distance when from 1m to 50m.

 .22 conversions

Two conversion kits existed which enabled the L98A1 to fire .22 LR rimfire cartridges instead of the standard 5.56 mm NATO cartridge. This allowed the weapon to fire live rounds on .22 ranges when full size military ranges are unavailable. Both kits consisted of modified working parts (springs etc.), a special magazine that is the same size and shape as the standard 5.56 mm magazine and a special adapter, shaped like a 5.56 mm cartridge, which was fitted into the L98A1's breech. This adapter contained a smaller breech into which the modified bolt inserts the .22 cartridge. The modified magazine locked into the magazine housing exactly like a normal one would. The first kit was fitted with the standard GP cocking handle and worked in exactly the same way as a single-shot L98A1 cadet GP rifle. The second kit (the L41A1 sub-calibre adaptor) was fitted using a L85A1 cocking handle. It allowed .22 rounds to be fired semi-automatically using direct blow back against the bolt to cycle the next round. The conversion was not permanent and either kit could have been removed from the L98A1 in the time it took to normally strip and reassemble the weapon.

 L103A1 Drill Purpose Rifle

There was a Drill Purpose (DP) version of the L98A1, known as the L103A1. It was similar to the 'GP' rifle, however, modifications had been made in order to deactivate it: the barrel was sealed by filling it with lead, the firing pin was cut and welded down to the bolt face and the hammer was filed down, making reactivation uneconomical. The weapons were used by cadets for weapons training. The 'DP' could be identified by a white stripe on the hand guard and near the butt of the weapon with the letters 'DP' in the stripe. the bolt carrier assembly (bolt) was painted red and this can be seen from the breech on the right hand side of the weapon.

 L98A2

The L103A2 (a drill purpose L98A2). Note the absent front sight.

The L98A2 GP Rifle was introduced in 2009, as a replacement for the L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle. The main difference between the L98A2 rifle and the L98A1 is the addition of gas parts meaning that the weapon is semi-automatic, rather than single shot. Unlike the L98A1 the A2 has the same cocking handle and operation as the L85A2. The L98A2 can be fitted with the Safe Blank Firing System (SBFS) incorporating a Blank Firing Attachment (BFA) and a blank-only magazine, this reduces the danger area when firing blank from the 50m of the L98A1 to 5m.

L103A2 Drill Purpose Rifle

The L103A2 Cadet DP Rifle is used by cadets for practicing rifle drill and weapons handling. The L103A2 contains similar working and gas parts to the standard live firing weapon.
Key distinguishing features^{[citation needed]} and marks on the DP show that it is not capable for live firing:

• The bolt carrier is painted red
• The top cover is painted white
• The cheek pad is painted white
• DP is painted in white on both sides of the butt
• The firing pin is clipped short
• The striker hole in the bolt face is welded shut
• The barrel is welded into the barrel extension (the receiver)
• A portion of the barrel is cut away internally
• The barrel is welded shut
• The rear of the bolt is painted red
• Locking lugs are removed from the DP bolt and their corresponding lugs in the barrel extension welded shut
• A large metal block is welded into the TMH to fit into the hole cut in the barrel, preventing the DP TMH from being fitted to a live weapon

 PL-85

A semi-automatic variant has been manufactured for the US market in limited quantities by Prexis as the PL-85. This rifle is very much like the L98A2 mentioned above but can be recognised by its A1 style cocking handle.

LEI SA-80

A rimfire variant of the L85-A1 is being offered by LEI - Law Enforcement International Ltd. of St. Albans, Hertfordshire^{[citation needed]}. It is essentially identical to an L85A1 assault rifle, except for being only semi-automatic in operation and feeding through a small, curved magazine of various capacities chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge. The LEI SA-80 is available on several civilian markets in Europe

L85A1
The L85A1 with SUSAT sight.
Type	Assault rifle/Light Support Weapon
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1985–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Northern Ireland, 1991 Persian Gulf War, Bosnian War, Kosovo War, Sierra Leone Civil War, Afghanistan, Iraq War
Production history
Designed	1970s–1980s
Manufacturer	BAE Systems Heckler & Koch Prexis Law Enforcement International Ltd
Produced	1985–1994
Number built	Approx. 350,000
Variants	L85A1 Rifle L85A2 Rifle L86A1 Light Support Weapon L86A2 Light Support Weapon L22A1 Carbine L98A1 Cadet Rifle L98A2 Cadet Rifle PL-85 LEI SA80
Specifications
Weight	3.82 kg (8.4 lb) (L85A1 empty) 4.98 kg (11.0 lb) (L85A1 with SUSAT sight and loaded 30 round magazine) 6.58 kg (14.5 lb) (L86A1 LSW) 4.42 kg (9.7 lb) (L22A1)
Length	785 mm (30.9 in) (L85A1) 900 mm (35.4 in) (L86A1 LSW) 709 mm (27.9 in) (L22A1)
Barrel length	518 mm (20.4 in) (L85A1) 646 mm (25.4 in) (L86A1 LSW) 442 mm (17.4 in) (L22A1)
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	610–775 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	940 m/s (3,084 ft/s) (L85A1) 970 m/s (3,182.4 ft/s) (L86A1 LSW)
Effective range	450 m with iron sights, 650 m with SUSAT (L85A2) 850 m (L86 LSW)
Feed system	30-round detachable STANAG magazine
Sights	Telescopic SUSAT or ACOG scopes, aperture iron sights