SA80/L85 Butt pad, a question for those who have served

[Gundoc]

And in its 'theatre entry standard' guise is just fine as far as reliability and use on ops goes.

[David TS]

Hey, Charlotte, you got it :goodjob:

I have been meaning to PM you to see if the LEI L98 came off, but you have saved me the job, well done clapclap .

[David TS]

I finally got hold of one of the L98s on Friday. Took it to the range Sat and discovered that I've grown since last firing one 20+ years ago. Louise in particular struggled with stock length hence this question: Is there more than one option for the butt pad or is the rifle one size fits all? I don't know how/where I'd get one from but knowing the answer will save me from a possible futile quest.

sign92

Charlotte.

BTW, if you need L98 furniture, I know your man :cheers: .

[David TS]

Wait, civvies can own L98s?

I seem to remember it's a convoluted story (that's slightly suspect, IMHO) about a school CCF that somehow ended up actually owning their L98s and these are the ones that appear on the open market.

Since the L98 went to the A2 (semi auto) version they're probably the only ones that'll ever come on the market. Hence the bonkers prices.

Nope, the CCF story is a myth.

When the L85 came into service on handover day on 02 October 1985, Michael Ryan and the 1987 Hungerford massacre, and the subsequent Firearms Amendment Act 1988 that banned semi auto centrefire rifles, were long in the future. Accordingly, the L98A1 was fully Section 1 compliant in 1986/7, and were openly sold to the public by RSAF Enfield.

Hell, even S5 were still legal then, and a famous dealer up north, Pat Walker, would happily and legally sell you an L98, an LSW, or even a semi auto L85 .

Some L98's escaped this way, and in 1986/7 RSAF Enfield, hungry for overseas sales, sent a batch of L98 rifles to Canada for evaluation. These were subsequently declared foul of the Canadian firearms regulations, and returned to the UK where some, if not all, found their way on to the public market.

Accordingly, those available in the UK are either the UK sold ones, or the Canadian rifles.

It is fairly easy to define between the Canadian rifles and UK sold ones, due to a modification to the front of the lower around the cross bolt safety catch for those that went to Canada. Mine is one of the former.

There are also a few rifles that escaped direct from RSAF Enfield into private hands, or via people in the trade, and I expect Charlotte's is one of those.

I doubt if there are more than around 10 or 12 surviving L98's in private hands in the UK, and I know I (and probably Charlotte, and a number of others) will never sell. It took me near on 4 years to find mine.

[zanes]

Wait, civvies can own L98s?

I seem to remember it's a convoluted story (that's slightly suspect, IMHO) about a school CCF that somehow ended up actually owning their L98s and these are the ones that appear on the open market.

Since the L98 went to the A2 (semi auto) version they're probably the only ones that'll ever come on the market. Hence the bonkers prices.

Nope, the CCF story is a myth.

When the L85 came into service on handover day on 02 October 1985, Michael Ryan and the 1987 Hungerford massacre, and the subsequent Firearms Amendment Act 1988 that banned semi auto centrefire rifles, were long in the future. Accordingly, the L98A1 was fully Section 1 compliant in 1986/7, and were openly sold to the public by RSAF Enfield.

Hell, even S5 were still legal then, and a famous dealer up north, Pat Walker, would happily and legally sell you an L98, an LSW, or even a semi auto L85 .

Some L98's escaped this way, and in 1986/7 RSAF Enfield, hungry for overseas sales, sent a batch of L98 rifles to Canada for evaluation. These were subsequently declared foul of the Canadian firearms regulations, and returned to the UK where some, if not all, found their way on to the public market.

Accordingly, those available in the UK are either the UK sold ones, or the Canadian rifles.

It is fairly easy to define between the Canadian rifles and UK sold ones, due to a modification to the front of the lower around the cross bolt safety catch for those that went to Canada. Mine is one of the former.

There are also a few rifles that escaped direct from RSAF Enfield into private hands, or via people in the trade, and I expect Charlotte's is one of those.

I doubt if there are more than around 10 or 12 surviving L98's in private hands in the UK, and I know I (and probably Charlotte, and a number of others) will never sell. It took me near on 4 years to find mine.

That makes an awful lot more sense than the CCF "story"....

[polemass]

Some parts for sale on flybay america now-bolt,firing pin,spring and rods for carrier,more is coming according to seller...-he?

[saddler]

Some parts for sale on flybay america now-bolt,firing pin,spring and rods for carrier,more is coming according to seller...-he?

...or they're AR180 parts. Not a lot of difference given that 85% or thereabouts of the SA80 budget went on designing the external "look"
The internals were a rush job...hence the very many problems in use.
Want to design a gun? Work from the inside out, not the other way around.

Want a DECENT bull-pup rifle firing a battlefield capable round? Rifle, No.9 (the earlier mentioned EM-2)

Need a LOT of information on bullpups? Collector Grade have 3 excellent titles on th EM-2, bullpup rifles & the SA80

Want an early manual on the SA80 ? Not for sale

[Rburro2]

Wait, civvies can own L98s?

I seem to remember it's a convoluted story (that's slightly suspect, IMHO) about a school CCF that somehow ended up actually owning their L98s and these are the ones that appear on the open market.

Since the L98 went to the A2 (semi auto) version they're probably the only ones that'll ever come on the market. Hence the bonkers prices.

Nope, the CCF story is a myth.

When the L85 came into service on handover day on 02 October 1985, Michael Ryan and the 1987 Hungerford massacre, and the subsequent Firearms Amendment Act 1988 that banned semi auto centrefire rifles, were long in the future. Accordingly, the L98A1 was fully Section 1 compliant in 1986/7, and were openly sold to the public by RSAF Enfield.

Hell, even S5 were still legal then, and a famous dealer up north, Pat Walker, would happily and legally sell you an L98, an LSW, or even a semi auto L85 .

Some L98's escaped this way, and in 1986/7 RSAF Enfield, hungry for overseas sales, sent a batch of L98 rifles to Canada for evaluation. These were subsequently declared foul of the Canadian firearms regulations, and returned to the UK where some, if not all, found their way on to the public market.

Accordingly, those available in the UK are either the UK sold ones, or the Canadian rifles.

It is fairly easy to define between the Canadian rifles and UK sold ones, due to a modification to the front of the lower around the cross bolt safety catch for those that went to Canada. Mine is one of the former.

There are also a few rifles that escaped direct from RSAF Enfield into private hands, or via people in the trade, and I expect Charlotte's is one of those.

I doubt if there are more than around 10 or 12 surviving L98's in private hands in the UK, and I know I (and probably Charlotte, and a number of others) will never sell. It took me near on 4 years to find mine.

Apparently Lei have a few more that there bringing to market slowly to keep the prices inflated.
I think they are working on a .22lr version

[polemass]

ha,it is getting more interesting-look on flybay uk for "cadet GP plastics",and read sellers description-if you want to now for how much this rifle was sold...

[David TS]

ha,it is getting more interesting-look on flybay uk for "cadet GP plastics",and read sellers description-if you want to now for how much this rifle was sold...

Which rifle are you talking about?

I know Phil at Project X quite well as I have bought various cosmetic bits off him for my L98, I wouldn't take much notice of that £5,500 figure as that isn't the price I paid for mine - and, in any case, the rifles are worth what someone is prepared to pay for one and what the seller is prepared to sell it for. If one goes for £5,500, so what? I looked for one for two years and it is now sitting in my cabinet