Gallery No 40 - Weapons - Rifles
No. 4 Mk I Enfield Rifle
This infantry rifle was also one of the first, full production, standard issue, weapon to utilize the aperture style rear sights, now seen on all modern military rifles. Combining a "ghost ring" style (large aperture) battle sight preset for 300 yards and a flip-up micrometer sight (small aperture) graduated from 200 yds to a very optimistic 1300 yds. The larger "battle sight" made for easier target acquisition in fast moving battle situations, fighting in built up area's (towns and buildings) and in low light conditions. Whereas the micrometer sight provided for more accurate timely, known distance shooting.
Other changes were, the direct to barrel, attachment of the "spike" bayonet, an improved bolt securing catch that required a spring loaded plunger, located behind the charger bridge, to be depressed while inserting or removing the bolt head into or out of, it's raceway. As well as a superior design for adjusting headspace, by use of 4 different lengths of threaded bolt heads. Headspace could now be checked in the field and adjusted by the unit armourer, simply by threading in a larger or smaller bolthead as required. Issued to all airborne forces.
No. 1 Mk III (S.M.L.E.) Enfield Rifle
The Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle, or SMLE,was in use in the 1940s (Dunkirk) battles and the North Africa campaigns (however, the No. 4 Mk. I was used by airborne forces in Tunisia).
No. 5 Enfield (Jungle Carbine)
Late in World War II, jungle warfare brought home the necessity of light equipment and simplicity. Though the No. 4 rifle was extremely resistant to rust, mud and rough treatment, it was still heavy and long. It was decided that a light, short carbine was needed to suit the demands of jungle fighting, the quick answer was to cut down the No. 4.
Bren LMG
A gas operated weapon, it fired the same .303 British rounds as the standard Lee Enfield rifle at a rate between 480 and 540 rpm, depending on the model. A disadvantage of the weapon was that its rate of fire was much slower than that of its German counterparts. Also, it only accepted magazines, and so demanded more frequent reloading than did belt fed machine guns. The Bren was typically used with a 30 round magazine that in practice was filled to 28 rounds to prevent jamming. There was also a 100 round drum available for Brens in an anti-aircraft role.
Some considered the Bren too accurate because its cone of fire was extremely concentrated. Its weight also stretched the definition of "light" machine gun, because it was often partially disassembled and its parts carried by two soldiers when on long marches.
Despite these seeming shortcomings, it was popular with British troops who respected the Bren for its high reliability and combat effectiveness. Re-barrelled to 7.62 mm NATO and renamed the LMG, it was used by the British Army until the late 1970s.
Standard FN - SLR 7.62mm
The FN rifle is gas operated, and works on a tilting bolt locking principle. The bolt has to be locked at the moment of discharge in order to contain the pressures generated when fired, and this is achieved by the bolt riding inside a carrier and being tipped down at the rear to lock into a shoulder in the receiver. The “gas operated” designation means that the mechanism is worked by a gas piston within a tube above the barrel, utilising gas bled off from behind the bullet as it passes the gas port. Feed is by means of a 20 round detachable box magazine
EM2 - 1947 forunner of current S80
SA80 Mark2.
SA80 is the designation for a revolutionary family of assault weapons. On its introduction, the L85 Individual Weapon (IW) proved so accurate that the Army marksmanship tests had to be redesigned. The British Army uses the L85 Individual Weapon that replaced the rifle and sub-machine gun, and the L86 Light Support Weapon (LSW) that produces higher volumes of fire and is effective at longer ranges. An infantry section consists of two four-man fire teams armed with SA80s: three IWs and one LSW
L86 Light Support Weapon
Calibre 5.56 mm
Weight 6.58 kg (with loaded magazine and optical sight)
Length 900 mm
Barrel Length 646 mm
Muzzle Velocity 970 m/s
Feed 30 round magazine
Effective Range 1000m
Cyclic Rate of Fire 610-775 rounds per minute.
L96 Sniper Rifle
Calibre: L96, AW, AW Police, AW Folding: 7.62x51mm NATO
(.308 win); Super Magnum: .338 Lapua (8.60x70mm), .300 Win Mag, 7mm Rem
Mag
Operation: Bolt Action
Length: 1270mm
Barrel length: 686mm (.338 Lapua), 660mm (.300 and 7mm)
Weight: 6.8kg empty without telescope
Magazine Capacity: 5 round box magazine
Maximum Effective Range: ca. 800 meters for 7.62mm NATO variants, 1100+
meters for Magnum variants
In early 1980's British Army started the search for the replacement of the
aging L42 Enfield sniper rifles. Main compettitors were British companies
Parker-Hale with their model 82 bolt action rifle, and Accuracy International,
with their PM rifle. Eventually, PM rifle won the competition and was accepted
by the British Army under the designation of L96
One of the most notorious features of the PM rifle was design of the stock.
Instead of the solid polymer or wooden stock, PM/L96 used hollow polymer
stock, made from two halves and assembled around aluminium bedding block,
that extends to whole stock length. L96 also was equipped with backup iron
sights.
AW50F - Bomb Blaster
Made by Portsmouth-based Accuracy International, the new rifle will be used by specialist snipers to dispose of large unexploded bombs from a safe distance. It fires a bullet half-an-inch wide and five-and-a half-inches long – even bigger than the bullet fired by the 19th century Martini-Henry rifle immortalised in the epic film Zulu.
The AW50F fires a range of sophisticated incendiary ammunition which can pierce bomb casings and ignite the explosive filling which then burns harmlessly away. Its advanced design means it has pinpoint accuracy up to three quarters of a mile.
Around 70 of the new rifles will be delivered to specialist units of all
three Services as part of a £5 million contract.
The Minister for Defence Procurement, Lord Bach, said: “This new rifle
is one of the largest calibre British-made rifles ever purchased for our
Armed Forces, even dwarfing the famous Martini-Henry, which was a stalwart
of the British Army for more than 30 years.
5.56mm Light Machine Gun -FN Minimi
Minimi belt fed 5.56mm Light Machinegun (LMG), is entering service on a scale of one per four-man fire team. The Minimi has been used operationally by British troops in Afgahnistan and Iraq. The Americans use a similar weapon the M249 [SAW] Squad Assault Weapon.
Calibre 5.56mm
Weight 7.1kg
Length 914mm
Feed 100-round disintergrating belt
Effective range 800m
Cyclic rate of fire 700 to 1000 rounds per minute