|
Modern Firearms |
Machine gun - the book
Machine guns introduction
Austria
Schwarzlose M07 M07/12
Steyr-Solothurn MG 30
Steyr AUG /Hbar
Belgium
FN Model D
FN Minimi
FN MAG
FN BRG-15
China, People's Republic
Type 67 GPMG
Type 88 GPMG
Type 95 LMG
Type 77 HMG
Type 85 HMG
W-85 HMG
Type 89 HMG
Type 02 / QJG 02 HMG
Czech Republic
ZB 26
ZB 53 / Vz.37
ZB 60 new
Vz.52, Vz.52/57 upd
UK Vz.59 upd
Denmark
Madsen LMG
Madsen-Saetter
Finland
L/S-26
Valmet KvKK 62
France
Chauchat CSRG M1915
Hotchkiss Portative
Hotchkiss M1914
Hotchkiss M1922 LMG
Hotchkiss M1930 HMG
MAC M1924/29
AAT Mod.52
Germany
MG 08, MG 08/15, MG 08/18
MG 13
MG 34
MG 35/36 Knorr-Bremse
MG 42 and MG 3
HK 21 and 23
HK MG 4
Great Britain
Vickers Mk.I
Hotchkiss Portable Mk.I
Lewis
Vickers-Berthier
Bren
L86A1 SA-80 LSW
Israel
Dror
Negev
Italy
Fiat-Revelli M1914 M1935
Breda M1930
Breda M1937
Japan
Type 03 & Type 92
Type 11
Type 96 & Type 99
Type 62
Mexico
Mendoza
Russia / USSR
Maxim M1910/30
Degtyarov DP DPM RP-46
Degtyarov DS-39
Degtyarov RPD
Kalashnikov RPK
Kalashnikov RPK-74
Gorjunov SG-43 SGM
Kalashnikov PK / PKM
Pecheneg
DShK DShKM 12.7
NSV 12.7 'Utes'
Kord 12.7
KPV 14.5
Singapore
STK Ultimax 100
CIS .50 MG
South Africa
Vector SS-77 / Mini-SS
South Korea
Daewoo K3
Spain
CETME Ameli
Sweden
Knorr-Bremse m/40
Switzerland
W+F Lmg 25
SIG KE-7
Steyr-Solothurn MG 30
SIG MG 50
W+F MG 51
SIG MG 710
USA
Benet-Mercie M1909
Lewis
Browning M1917 M1919
Browning M1918 BAR
Johnson M1941 M1944
M60
M16 LSW / LMG
M134 Minigun
XM214 Microgun
Stoner 63
M249 SAW
M240
Mk.48 mod.0
Browning M2HB .50 cal
XM312 .50 cal
LW50MG
all texts and some pictures
Contact E-Mail
copyright © 1999-2009
by Max R. Popenker
and can not be used without author permission
ICQ:
L86A1 - SA-80 Light Support Weapon (Britain)
Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
Weight: 7.3 kg empty, with SUSAT optical sight
Length: 900 mm
Length of barrel: 646 mm
Feeding: detachable box magazines, 30 rounds
Rate of fire: 610 - 775 rounds/min
The development of the SA-80 (Small Arms family for 1980s) was started in Britain by the late 1960s, with the search for the "ideal" small-bore ammunition. By the mid-1970s British designers developed a 4.85x49mm cartridge, intended for the SA-80 system, and consequently designed a SA-80 IW rifle and SA-80 LSW light machine gun for this ammunition. The 4.85mm LSW appeared in the prototype form circa 1976, but the NATO trials, held in the 1978-1979, resulted in adoption of the 5.56mm cartridge as a common NATO ammunition, so British designers from the RSAF Enfield redesigned their weapons for 5.56mm NATO rounds. The LSW was based on the SA-80 IW design, which is covered in the Assault Rifles section on this site under the L85A1 topic. The final version of the SA-80 LSW was adopted by the British Army in 1986, and total slightly over the 22 000 LSW weapons were manufactured before the production of both L85 IW and L86 LSW was ceased.
The L86A1 was plagued by the same problems as its sister, L85A1 rifle. In fact, the L86A1 was more suitable as a semi-automatic para-sniper rifle, than the LSW / LMG, due to the poor reliability in full automatic fire, relatively small (by machine guns standards) magazine capacity and the lack of quick detachable barrels.
Current British troops prefer much heavier and belt-fed 7.62mm L7A1 GPMG (a license-built copy of Belgian FN MAG general purpose machine gun), and at the present time the existing stocks of L86A1 are complemented with the 5.56mm FN Minimi belt-fed LMG in the short-barreled Para configuration. The L86A1 will be used mostly as a longer-range aimed fire weapons, while the suppressive fire functions will be conducted using more effective FN Minimi.
Technical description.
General design of the L86A1 is mostly similar to the design of L85A1
rifle, except for the following. The L86A1 has longer barrel, with the steel
stock extension under it, that carries the folding bipods. The bolt and trigger
system are modified, so the gun can be fired from open bolt. The butt is fitted
with folding shoulder support. The vertical grip is attached below the receiver,
behind the magazine housing. The L86A1 could not be fitted with bayonet.
--
|
Advertising |