The Firearm Blog » sa80

Build your own Enfield SA80 (soon)

Steve — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:38:46 +0000

Prexis plans on selling a US made kit version of the Enfield L85 / SA80. The PL85 kit contains all the parts needed to build the rifle. The catch? The lower receiver which will require bending into shape.

I have no word on pricing or when this kit will be on sale.

Refer to state law before building your own rifle and don't even think about building with the intention of selling unless you want the BATFE knocking down your door!

British made Enfield L85A

[ Many thanks to Kenneth for emailing me the info. ]

UPDATE: Preorder price is $1800. Final list price will be $2400.

This is my rifle. There are NOT many like it

Steve — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:12:06 +0000

During a firefight in Afghanistan in 2007, British soldier Pte Cole's SA80 rifle was hit three times by 7.62x39mm bullets! It continued to function and he continued to return fire, despite the fact that the scope, bodywork and pistol grip was ripped off the gun. Express and Star report ...

The first 7.62 mm Kalashnikov round hit the weapon head on, narrowly missing the barrel and tearing apart the bodywork, while the second blew the sight off and the third smashed into the side, ripping through the inside of the gun and blasting out of the pistol grip.

Miraculously none struck Pte Cole, already wounded twice in the battle, and last night he saw the remains of the weapon for the first time since it saved his life in the Taliban ambush two years ago.

The remains of the rifle is now proudly display at the 4th Battalion HQ.

[ Many thanks to Daniel E. Watters for sending me the link. ]

Gun fight on the high seas

Steve — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:59:11 +0000

The Royal Navy HMS Cumberland (Type 22 frigate) took on a pirate dhow on the high seas. No prize for guessing who won that fight!

The Times has the story

Pirates caught redhanded by one of Her Majesty’s warships after trying to hijack a cargo ship off Somalia made the grave mistake of opening fire on two Royal Navy assault craft packed with commandos armed with machineguns and SA80 rifles.

In the ensuing gunfight, two Somali pirates in a Yemeni-registered fishing dhow were killed, and a third pirate, believed to be a Yemeni, suffered injuries and subsequently died. It was the first time the Royal Navy had been engaged in a fatal shoot-out on the high seas in living memory.

By the time the Royal Marines boarded the pirates’ vessel, the enemy had lost the will to fight and surrendered quietly. The Royal Navy described the boarding as “compliant”.

The last time a Type 22 frigate was in “action” was that incident when the the Iranian Revolutionary Guards captured some sailors in the Gulf.