http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/SA80.htm
After various attempts at denial, and years of applying minor fixes
that eased some problems but failed to solve the big ones, the
Ministry of Defence bowed to the inevitable in 1997 and
commissioned HK to undertake a thorough revamp of the SA80 (HK was
by this time owned by Royal Ordnance, so was in effect a British
company - it has since been returned to German control). The
changes were expensive (£92m - about 145 million dollars/euros) and
comprehensive, as follows:
- internal machining to clear feed and extraction paths
- new breech block and bolt
- new extractor and ejector with spring
- new recoil springs
- new firing pin
- new cocking handle
- entirely new magazine made from pressed steel
- new gas plug and cylinder
- new hammer
- new barrel extension
- new barrel (LSW only).
Some 200,000 weapons were converted to the A2 specification between
2000-2002. The MRBF (Mean Rounds Between Failure) test scores
achieved by the L85A2 in a variety of environments averaged 25,000,
although dropping to just under 8,000 in the hot and dry conditions
of Kuwait. The L86A2 was subjected to a tougher test and achieved a
much lower overall average (just under 13,000) but performed
slightly better than the L85A2 in Kuwait. Much confidence was
publicly expressed that the problems had been resolved and the
British Army now had a rifle to be proud of. Details are provided
on the British Army's official website at:
http://armydev.dera.gov.uk/presscentre/database/showPR.asp?id=2382
as follows
