SA80 Enfield

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	Weapon: SA80 Enfield Type: Assault Rifle Country of Origin: United Kingdom Caliber: 5.56x45 NATO Action: Select Fire

The Enfield SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a family of British assault rifles developed in the 1970s and officially introduced into service in the mid-1980s. Designed in a bullpup configuration, with the magazine located behind the trigger, the SA80 series was chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and aimed to offer compact size without compromising barrel length. The initial model, the L85A1, was designed for use as an infantry rifle, while the L86A1 variant served as a light support weapon with a longer barrel and bipod for sustained fire.

Production of the SA80 rifles was managed by Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield, with over 350,000 units produced initially. However, the L85A1 faced numerous reliability issues and complaints from British soldiers, especially under harsh conditions in the Gulf War and other deployments. As a result, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Heckler & Koch, a subsidiary of BAE Systems at the time, conducted an extensive upgrade program to improve the rifle's performance, resulting in the much-improved L85A2 and later the L85A3, which addressed many of the weapon's initial flaws.

Despite its problematic early history, the SA80 series is now considered a reliable service rifle following its upgrades, and it continues to be used by the British Army and other UK forces. The L85A2 and L85A3 variants have gained a reputation for accuracy and durability after the enhancements by Heckler & Koch, though the rifle's initial notoriety has left a lasting impression. The SA80 family remains one of the most recognized modern bullpup rifles and a key part of the British military's small arms arsenal.