SA80 Replacement on the distant horizon ?

[Cold_Collation]

.280" for the EM2, abandoned when the US opted for 7.62x51 and force fed it to NATO.

4.85mm was for feeding the precursor to the SA80 the IW, and I believe used a necked down 5.56mm case (almost as if they knew they'd have to go with what Uncle sam said).

Edit: beaten to it by @Kitmarlowe ,damn him!

.280in for the original SLR, too. It was rechambered when 7.62 NATO was standardised.

 

[Cold_Collation]

H and K retain a UK subsidiary, after it was flogged back to them by BAE.

It worked for Diemaco and they were initially only supplying the Canadian Military after after receiving the contract via Canada's Small Arms Replacement Program.

It's unlikely that HMG will want to find themselves beholden to Foreigners for the supply, maintenance, and development for the British military's main personal weapon. So it will be either home grown (Sterling, SA80, LE No.4and L115A3) or manufactured under licence here (Bren, HP35, L1A1, MP5). Am I correct in saying that the only personal weapon that isn't manufactured here is the L129A1?

BAE are probably not in an ideal position to ask for a 'mahoosive fortune' from the same Government that unofficially lobbied on their behalf during a certain recent legal unpleasantness (one of a few). The SFO have other quarry now it seems.

They will also be in a position to improve upon the original by, for instance, installing GPS trackers (via the technology from recently acquired UTC). Adapting the platform to produce a replacement 'marksman' rifle for the L129 and a whole lot of other stuff which, to be fair, I probably don't have a clue about.

They also have existing trading partners in the Middle East who can be persuaded to take large quantities of the product off their hands (assuming the SFO keep their snouts out of it)

I really don't think you're right. Like others here, I think we'll be buying from a foreign source.

 

[stoatman]

Link?

Last link I can find is 2016 when the US were still trying to extradite him. I'd heard on the grapevine he'd been packed off over there, but I can't find anything more recent.

 

[Cold_Collation]

those firing pins, the sub contractor was using the factory floor sweep to heat treat them.

No, they were using a furnace.



Thank you, gentlemen, thank you.

 

[bigeye]

I really don't think you're right. Like others here, I think we'll be buying from a foreign source.

I don't really have a clue but historically HMG has always secured the supply.

 

[PhotEx]

Guy's been extradited and is currently sporting an orange jump suit, last thing I heard.

I guess I won't be getting my parts now…

I liked Guy, he was an 'interesting' character.

 

[bigeye]

any reasonably competent engineering company could do it, but the set up costs would have to be amortised over just 100-150k rifles. In the AR world, that hobby manufacturing.

we had a manufacturer here, but its owner is still wanted by the Feds.

Security?
BAE have secure sites.

 

[Cold_Collation]

I don't really have a clue but historically HMG has always secured the supply.

Indeed. But see small arms ammunition, too.

See also, in the future, when/if we can finally get our shít in one sling, CR2, WR and AS90 replacements.

 

[PhotEx]

.280in for the original SLR, too. It was rechambered when 7.62 NATO was standardised.

And originally chambered for 7.92 Kurz iirc.

 

[Cold_Collation]

And originally chambered for 7.92 Kurz iirc.

Yes. By the time it got up to 7.62 it was on its limits.

 

[incendiarycutlery]

Indeed. But see small arms ammunition, too.

See also, in the future, when/if we can finally get our shít in one sling, CR2, WR and AS90 replacements.

Which could all be based on common components.

 

[Kitmarlowe]

.280in for the original SLR, too. It was rechambered when 7.62 NATO was standardised.

Didn't know that. That would have been interesting. It appears on the basis of the figures alone that the .280 was a better round.

 

[QRK2]

It's unlikely that HMG will want to find themselves beholden to Foreigners for the supply, maintenance, and development for the British military's main personal weapon. So it will be either home grown (Sterling, SA80, LE No.4and L115A3) or manufactured under licence here (Bren, HP35, L1A1, MP5). Am I correct in saying that the only personal weapon that isn't manufactured here is the L129A1?

In terms of current personal weapons in use I think the following are non UK manufactured

L105 Glock
L129A1
L119A1/2
L128 Shotgun
L123 UGL

Whilst the UK built

L85A1 (but upgrades done overseas)
L7 GPMG

 

[CptDanjou]

No doubt, but my point was more that if the MoD decided to pay the price for on-shore production, the company wouldn’t necessarily be instantly swallowed up by BAE.

That said, how much of a modern rifle actually requires specialised tooling?

AR15 M4 variants are not difficult to produce with in small modern CNC workshops ,a 5 axis milling machine can knock out most components , the UK has at least two rifle barrel manufactures and numerous companies with injection moulding capabilities , AR15`s are already being built in the UK for the civilian sporting market as well as some sect 5 ones for export .

 

[Cold_Collation]

Didn't know that. That would have been interesting. It appears on the basis of the figures alone that the .280 was a better round.

There are people here far better placed to comment than me but 7.62 is often considered to be a bit of a compromise.

 

[CptDanjou]

Guy's been extradited and is currently sporting an orange jump suit, last thing I heard.

Also, given the reasons why he was extradited, I suspect he never produced a complete rifle from UK-made parts.

Is that recent ? his alleged offences were a long time ago.

 

[jagman2]

Indeed. But see small arms ammunition, too.

See also, in the future, when/if we can finally get our shít in one sling, CR2, WR and AS90 replacements.

Small Arms Ammunition

BAE Systems can produce over one million rounds per day of Small Arms Ammunition in 5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO calibres including ball, tracer and blank natures. Packaging configurations include carton, link and clip to suit operational and training requirements.

www.baesystems.com

 

[stoatman]

Is that recent ? his alleged offences were a long time ago.

Last news online is 2016. My info is from the grapevine, but you can take that FWIW

 

[stoatman]

AR15 M4 variants are not difficult to produce with in small modern CNC workshops ,a 5 axis milling machine can knock out most components , the UK has at least two rifle barrel manufactures and numerous companies with injection moulding capabilities , AR15`s are already being built in the UK for the civilian sporting market as well as some sect 5 ones for export .

None of the UK bbl mfg's could produce the quantities of bbls required for a sensible price compared to importing them.

And I don't think any of the civvy mfg's are making all the parts in-house or locally.

 

[CptDanjou]

Last news online is 2016. My info is from the grapevine, but you can take that FWIW

I cant remember what he was supposed to have done ? I dont recall it being too bad , at least no where as bad as what the U.S do in the name of assisting foreign countries .