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Enfield SA80
The SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a series of 5.56x45mm bullpup assault rifles and light support weapons designed on the operation of the Armalite AR-18 and SAR-87 (An advanced AR-18 made by the rival company Sterling Armaments of Dagenham), and produced from 1985 to 1994 by the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock.
In 1988 production of the rifle was transferred to the Royal Ordnance’s Nottingham Small Arms Facility (later British Aerospace, Royal Ordnance; now BAE Systems Land Systems Munitions & Ordnance).
Unlike other bullpup weapons like the FAMAS and AUG series, the L85 series has no ambidextrous ejection port, forcing it to be used right-handed only.
The SA80 can be seen in the following films, television series, anime and video games used by the following actors:
Specifications
(1985-1994)
- Type: Assault Rifle
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
- Capacity: 20, 30-round STANAG Magazines
- Fire Modes: Semi/Auto (safety is separate from fire selector)
L85
L85A1
The original variant of the SA80 series issued to the British forces. These were manufactured by Royal Ordnance (Formerly known as Enfield) from 1985 until 1994 after the notorious faults of the weapon in battlefield conditions.
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Days Later | British soldiers | With SUSAT scopes, with and without bayonet | 2002 | |
| Aliens | Seen on gun rack on Sulaco in extended edition | 1986 | ||
| Patriot Games | British Army Guards | With covered SUSAT scopes and bayonets | 1992 | |
| Patriot Games | British Army soldiers | With SUSAT scopes | 1992 | |
| Police Story 3: Supercop | Royal Hong Kong police officer | 1992 | ||
| The Devil's Own | British Army soldiers | With SUSAT scopes | 1997 | |
| Dog Soldiers | British Army soldiers | With blank-firing adaptors and SUSAT scopes | 2002 | |
| Underworld | With SUSAT scope, seen on gun rack | 2003 | ||
| Resident Evil: Extinction | Linden Ashby | Chase | With M68 Aimpoint red dot scope | 2007 |
| Doomsday | British Army Guards | Appear to be old airsoft toys (due to mini Union Flag near butt plate) | 2008 | |
| Punisher: War Zone | Seen on gun rack | 2009 | ||
| Kick-Ass | Seen on gun rack | 2010 |
Television
| Show Title | Actor | Character | Note/Episode | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dempsey and Makepeace | Mark Ryan | "Extreme Prejudice" (S03E05) | 2002 - 2006 | |
| British soldiers | "Extreme Prejudice" (S03E05) | |||
| Soldier Soldier | Robson Green | Dave Tucker | w/ SUSAT scopes, w/ and without bayonets and protective covers | 1991 - 1997 |
| Soldier Soldier | ??? | British Army soldiers | w/ SUSAT scopes, w/ and without bayonets and protective covers | 1991 - 1997 |
| Midsomer Murders | UK Territorial Army soldiers | "Days of Misrule" | 1997 - Present | |
| Firefly | ??? | Alliance soldiers | w/SUSAT scopes | 2002 |
| Firefly | ??? | Browncoats | 2002 | |
| Ultimate Force | British MOD police | w/SUSAT scopes | 2002 - 2006 | |
| SAS troopers | w/SUSAT scopes, only used for ceremonial occasions | |||
| Red Cap | Tamzin Outhwaite, others | British Army | W/SUSATs or Iron Sights | 2003 - 2004 |
| Zero Hour | ??? | British Army soldiers | 2004-2007 | |
| Battlestar Galactica | ??? | Honor guards | w/white-painted handguard and lower receiver | 2004 - 2009 |
| Battlestar Galactica | ??? | Caprica Resistance fighters | w/ SUSAT scopes, "Resistance", "The Farm" | 2005 |
| Situation Critical | ??? | British Army soldiers | w/SUSAT scopes | 2007 |
| The Day of the Triffids (2009) | British Army soldiers | 2009 | ||
| Caprica | ??? | Caprican police officer | 2010 | |
| Occupation | Stephen Graham | Danny | w/SUSUAT scope | 2009 |
| James Nesbitt | Mike Swift | |||
| Adam Beresford | Richard Swift | |||
| Warren Brown | Lee Hibbs | |||
| British Soldiers |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear | w/ SUSAT scope | 1999 | ||
| Ghost Recon | SA80 | w/ SUSAT scope | 2001 | |
| Battlefield 2 | w/ SUSAT scope | 2005 | ||
| Black | Stock footage | 2006 | ||
| Combat Arms | 2008 | |||
| Rainbow Six: Vegas (PSP) | 2007 | |||
| S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl | IL86 | w/optional M203 grenade launcher and suppressor | Erroneously shown with controls inverted onto the lefthand side | 2007 |
| Jagged Alliance: Back in Action | L85 | 2012 | ||
| S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky | 2008 | |||
| War Inc. Battlezone | 2011 | |||
| ZombiU | SA80A2 | 2012 |
Anime
| Film/Series Title | Character | Notation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akira | Neo Tokyo Police troops | w/SUSAT scopes | 1987 |
| Spriggan | British (?) troops | 1994 | |
| Upotte!! | Eru | 2012 |
L85A2
The L85A2 is a revamped version of the L85A1 with improved components, most notably the external 'Comma' shaped combined charging handle/brass deflector and stronger internal parts. The upgrading of L85A1 rifles to the L85A2 standard was carried out by Heckler & Koch (which, at the time, belonged to BAE) between 2002 and 2006; since then further improvements have been made in response to operational requirements, including new RIS/RAS equipped foreguards and the adoption of the ACOG sight by some units in Afghanistan. The new foreguards and the adoption of the Elcan Spectre as the official replacement of the SUSAT will be applied to all British Army units over the next three to four years.
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children of Men | British soldiers | With SUSAT scopes | 2006 | |
| Flood | British soldiers | 2007 | ||
| The Mark of Cain | Shaun Dooley | Corporal Gant | With SUSAT scope | 2007 |
| The Mark of Cain | Leo Gregory | L/Cpl Quealy | With SUSAT scope | 2007 |
| The Mark of Cain | Matthew McNulty | Pte Shane Gulliver | With SUSAT scope | 2007 |
| The Mark of Cain | Gerard Kearns | Pte Mark "Treacle" Tate | With SUSAT scope | 2007 |
| The Mark of Cain | British soldiers | With SUSAT scopes | 2007 |
Television
| Show Title | Actor | Character | Note/Episode | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherlock | ??? | British Army soldier | w/SUSAT scope, S01E01 - "A Study in Pink" | 2010 |
| Doctor Who | ??? | British Army paratroopers | w/and w/out Surefire weaponlights | 2005 - ???? |
| Ultimate Force | ??? | British Army soldiers | w/SUSAT scopes | 2002 - 2006 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. 2nd GIG | British soldiers | With futuristic furniture, cybernetic sights and underbarrel M203 | 2004-2005 |
| Upotte!! | 2012 - ???? |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Söldner: Secret Wars | 2004 | |||
| Battlefield 2 | With AG36 grenade launcher | 2005 | ||
| Project Reality | With grippod foregrip and optional L123A2 grenade launcher, ACOG or SUSAT scopes | 2005 | ||
| Battlefield 2: Modern Combat | w/M203 grenade launcher | 2005 | ||
| Ghost Recon 2 | SA-80A2 | w/SUSAT scope | 2004 | |
| Counter-Strike Online | 2009 | |||
| Alliance of Valiant Arms | With EOTech red dot sight or ACOG scope | 2007 | ||
| Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 | w/various optional accessories | 2008 | ||
| 7.62 High Calibre | w/ various attachments | 2008 | ||
| SOCOM: Confrontation | IW-80 A2 | 2008 | ||
| Delta Force: Task Force Dagger | Sa-80 A2 | w/SUSAT scope | 2002 | |
| Contra 4 | 2007 | |||
| ArmA II | L85A2 | w/ RIS, SUSAT, EOTech sights; also can be fitted with L123A2 grenade launcher | 2010 | |
| Battlefield 3 | L85A2 | w/ various accessories | 2011 | |
| Battlefield Play4Free | With black furniture and optional EOTech red dot sight or M145 MGO scope | 2011 | ||
| Sleeping Dogs | Fictional/futuristic version fitted with L123A2 grenade launcher | Part of Tactical Soldier Pack DLC | 2012 |
L22
L22 Prototype
Converted from L86A1 Light Support Weapons, These are issued to AAC, RAC and some REME Crew as a personal defence weapon. Often wrongly refered to as the L22A1, this gun was never given an L designation, known only as an SA80 AFV or Armoured Fighting Vehicle.
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killing Floor | Bullpup | w/EOTech red dot sight and 40-round magazine | 2009 |
L22A1
Converted from L86A2 Light Support Weapons, These are issued to AAC Crew as a personal defense weapon. Often wrongly labelled the L22A2. The L22A1 has the same internal modification as the L85A2 and L86A2, but as the modification were done before the L22 was officially introduced it is designated the L22A1. New upgrades are now available such as the 20rnd magazine and picatinny rail systems.
Video Games
| Game Title | Referred as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Reality | With SUSAT scope | 2005 | ||
| 7.62 High Calibre | w/ various attachments | 2008 | ||
| Ghost Recon: Future Soldier | L22A2 | w/ various attachments | 2012 |
L86
L86A1
The L86A1 Light Support Weapon is the sustained fire variant of the SA80 series. Many have been replaced by the FN Minimi in this role or converted into L22 Carbines for AFV/Chopper crew members as a personal defense weapon.
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Sound of Thunder | Apartment Resident | Lacks either iron sights or optics | 2005 |
Television
| Title | Actor | Character | Note/Episode | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soldier Soldier | British Army Soldiers | w/various optics, w/ and w/O BFAs | 1991-1997 | |
| Red Cap | British Army Soldiers | w/SUSAT optic | 2003-2004 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallout 2 | Light Support Weapon | converted to a sniper rifle | features tan plastics, lengthened barrel | 1998 |
| 7.62 High Calibre | 2008 | |||
| Modern Warfare 2 | w/ RIS foregrip, suppressor, red dot sight, EOtech holographic sight, SUSAT, thermal sight and/or extended magazine | 2009 | ||
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | L86 LSW | 2011 | ||
| Ghost Recon Online | 2012 | |||
| Battlefield 3 | Available in Close Quarter expansion | 2012 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Lagoon | Seen on wall, with SUSAT scope | 2006 |
L86A2
A revamped L86A1 LSW. The L86A2 is in limited usage along the FN Minimi, only for DMR purposes as it has superior accuracy/range. The L86A2 is also used by the ACF but only 3-Star+ Trained Cadets are allowed to use this weapon. As of 2009/10, further modifications have been made to L86A2s used in Afghanistan. These have the current foreguards replaced with the DD-quad RAS foreguard (with the ability to add various extras on all surfaces, such as foregrips or flashlights). The outrigger under the barrel can been removed (but bipod retained) or replaced with a RiS/RAS rail system. SUSATs retained, with the intention of replacing them with Elcan Spectre optics. These modifications have only been made to a select few units L86A2 DMRs. Those units not in, or immediately going to Afghanistan have yet to receive the upgrades.
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Reality | optional SUSAT scope | 2005 | ||
| ArmA II | Trijicon ACOG | Added in Operation Arrowhead: British Armed Forces | 2010 | |
| Battlefield Play4Free | As the "L86A2" | With black furniture and optional EOTech red dot sight or M145 MGO scope | 2011 |
SA80 Prototypes
Various prototypes made by Enfield for the British Government, starting in 1969. Various models, earliest using NATO 7.62. However, both of those listed below used the experimental British 4.85mm round. When NATO adopted the US 5.56 round, the XL70 series was redesigned to fire 5.56 and renamed under the SA80 programme - Small Arms for the 1980's. This project also included an LSW (although that version had a changeable barrel). Originally, the weapon had only a SUSAT - which was built in to the rifle, and non-removable - however, there was a folding foresight (visible).
XL64E5
Television
| Show Title | Actor | Character | Note/Episode | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Professionals | Lewis Collins | Bodie | "Wild Justice" (S04E02) | 1980 |
| The Professionals | Martin Shaw | Doyle | "Wild Justice" (S04E02) | 1980 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | Enfield | w/ various customization options | 2010 | |
| Fallout Tactics | "XL70E3 Enfield" | fires 5.56mm rounds | 2001 |
Anime
| Film/Series Title | Character | Notation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upotte!! | w/SUSAT scope | 2012 - ???? |
XL65E4 LSW
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallout 2 | "XL70E3" | Bipod removed | fires 5mm rounds | 1998 |
See Also
- Royal Small Arms Factory - A list of weapons produced by RSAF Enfield