SA80's "Blowing Up" In Combat?

[Keith]

Saw a blurb on the little CNN ticker going across the bottom of the screen that British "Assault Rifles" were "blowing up" in Iraq.

I've done a pretty thorough search on all the standard news sites and found nothing on this.

Anybody heard anything?

Keith

 

[El Tejon]

Yes, it's true. They are soooo kewl-looking, they sometimes blow up because they are packed with REMF-tacticality.

 

[Coronach]

To Do list for all British Soldiers in Basra:

1. Kill or capture an Iraqi

2. Grab AK.

3. Grab mags and ammo

4. Check for zero and, well...I guess check for function.

5. Ditch the SA80

Mike

 

[mparris71]

SA-80

What is the problems with the SA-80? I have heard about the Brits haveing trouble with them in the past.

 

[Keith]

British troops must be pretty tough. Story yesterday said that their cheap plastic boots were falling apart and they were taking the boots of Iraqi prisoners! How bad is it when you have to cadge equipment from the Iraqi's?

Keith

 

[Marko Kloos]

The Brits had no time to issue tropical gear or spare uniforms to some of their troops. The temperate zone leather boots seem to lose their soles due to the heat, and at least one Brit said he was embarrassed to have to scrounge Iraqi army boots...and that they are actually lighter and more comfortable than the British ones.

 

[Slick]

Are we such sterling allies that we can't scrounge up some desert boots for our best buddies, the Brits?
That's pathetic!
I can only hope they didn't ask, and we didn't know.

 

[P95Carry]

IIRC the current SA80 is a heavily revamped version of the original ..... which was almost uniformly detested.

I read somewhere that this second version is still very unpopular despite huge expense involved with re-issue. Many Brit grunts will wish to get hold of an M16 .... obviously!

 

[Coronach]

I guess this might just hasten the switchover to the G36, huh?

Mike

 

[El Tejon]

Wow, the HK50 looks EVEN kewler! It must work.

 

[Coronach]

Well, we can DREAM that they'll go back to the L1A1/SLR and Margaret Thatcher, but it'd just be a dream.

Mike

 

[Chipperman]

So, have any of them blown up? Or is it just their boots that self-destruct?

 

[geekay]

Not that I've heard. In fact they seem to be giving a good performance by all that I've seen on the telly. Any soldier worth his pay will make sure his rifle will work and IF they were swapping them for AKs and M16s don't you think the media would be shouting about it.
By the tone of the post about I think there are few here who have taken their countries shilling.

 

[Tamara]

Coronach,

Well, we can DREAM that they'll go back to the L1A1/SLR and Margaret Thatcher, but it'd just be a dream.

No, El T thinks those "look kewl", too. The only rifle which doesn't draw "Iwannacoolgunvirus" derision from him is the M-16.

Personally, I think the US Army succumbed to Iwannacoolgunvirus when they ditched the trapdoor Springfield for those newfangled magazine-fed smokeless repeaters.

 

[Coronach]

Huh. I thought LT was stuck on the M14/M1A series. El Tejon, what say you?

Mike

 

[El Tejon]

Tamara, as I have said, well, at leasted typed, the M16 is the epitome of the "Iwannacoolgun" virus. Whatever weapon (the HK50 or the C7 or whatever) the Ingerish replace this sordid piece of work with, I hope they test it to death, and then some more. Of course, this means money for R&D instead of flagpoles or to buy votes from sofasitters.

Cor, don't know if I'm "stuck." I'm slowly reducing my armoury to the M14 to allow focus. The mechanical musket is a solid weapon as well (it had problems too which were not tested Tamara). However, all swords have two edges.

I hope our allies get squared away soon. When you have a weapon that works, your confidence improves and you can focus on the mission--killing Iraqis.

 

[Car Knocker]

Read somewhere that the Service nickname for the SA80 is "The Civil Servant" because.....



it won't work and you can't fire it.

 

[M67]

El T.

However, all swords have two edges.

All swords have two edges? Or is this just another example of the "Iwannacoolsword" virus?

 

[SodaPop]

I wonder how many of those guns have sand in the barrels when they pull the trigger.

 

[El Tejon]

M67, forgive the American slang. Pros and cons to everything.

Maybe a better analogy is snow brings good and bad things?

 

[M67]

El Tejon, I just tried to make a joke. You know, single edged vs. double edged swords. They probably had the same discussions back then too. Not to mention the bronze vs. iron debate. And the "Iwannacoolclubvirus". I don't know what's wrong with the world, nobody understands my jokes.

 

[El Tejon]

M67, sure those sword schools in Italy and France had to make a living.

 

[Gordon]

I too heard a Brit calling it the "civil servant" 'because it costs the Gov. too much and you can't fire it!':