Shooting Britain’s Last Mag-Fed LMG
In the early 1980s – just after the Falklands War – the British government moved to ditch the combat-proven inch-pattern semi-auto-only FN FAL (dubbed the L1A1) and the 7.62 NATO-chambered Bren gun (L4A1) with a new and radically different platform, the SA80 family.
Adopted in 1985 was a bull-pupped Enfield select-fire rifle in 5.56 NATO that accepted standard 30-round magazines. Fielded with the 4x fixed-power SUSAT (Sight Unit Small Arms, Trilux) optic, this new series of guns was designated the L85 rifle – with a 20-inch barrel – to replace the L1A1.
Whereas 350,000 SA80 pattern firearms of all types were made, the lion share were L85A1s, most later updated to L85A2 standard by HK, and finally to L85A3– the current standard. Besides the standard rifles, there was a comparative handful (2,500) of shortened L22A1/A2 Carbines for use by aircrew and the like produced. Training aids in the form of the L103A2 Drill Purpose, L98 Cadet Rifle, and L402A1 0.22 Small Bore Rifle were also made.
One of the more eclectic variants is the comparatively rare (22,000 made) L86 Light Support Weapon. Designed to replace the 7.62 Bren L4A1 in squad service, it had a longer 24-inch barrel, a rear grip, and a folding bipod.
The SUSAT-equipped L86 LSW (top) and the L85 rifle, are compared. Note the longer barrel with a shorter handguard and outrigger support, the rear grip, and the folding bipod on the LSW. (Graphic: MoD)
Among other features are a folding butt strap that flips up to assist with stability. (Graphic: MoD)
Now withdrawn from British service and replaced by a proper squad automatic weapon, the belt-fed FN Minimi, we recently were able to go hands-on with a retired (but still functional) L86 at BFV earlier this year.
The L86 is a beefy weapon, hitting the scales at 16 pounds with the SUSAT installed and a 30-round magazine inserted. However, it is still “light” compared to the L4A1 Bren it replaced, which hit the scales at 19 pounds, unloaded. Plus, the L86 is only a little over 35 inches long, or about the length of a Mini-14!
The L86 is probably one of the oddest Enfields ever produced.
The chunky L9A1 SUSAT, which was cutting-edge when introduced in the early 1980s, has since been phased out by the Trijicon ACOG and the Elcan Specter in British service. Note the fixed iron backup sights located atop the sight body. The SUSAT uses an illuminated inverted aiming point that looks something like the Washington Monument.
More after the jump in my column at Guns.com.
I’m assuming the ENFIELD (R) marking on the upper body is a local requirement? I’ve never seen such a marking on a weapon before. A very strange looking mount that SUSAT is mounted on, not the standard UK service fitting.
The SUSAT is still the most common sight fitted to L85A2s in reserve and regular service, only certain infantry/”teeth” units use the L85A3. The ACOG was an Urgent Operational Requirement during Operation Herrick and Operation Telic (Afghanistan & Iraq) and has long since been withdrawn from service having been supplanted by the Elcan LDS where required.
The FN Para Minimi was also withdrawn from service as the standard UK LMG in 2019 and was ironically replaced by the L7A2 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun being brought back into the infantry section having been replaced by the L86A1 LSW in th Eighties.