Training Major: 'It weighs less than the SA80 you say? So you're telling me they can carry more radio batteries?'. Yeah, this thing is more fancy than a C7. I used to carry a CWS that was never zero'd lol and you had to screw your SUSAT zero by replacing it with the CWS. I have a fun story about nearly getting into a firefight in Iraq with one. Against an Ambulance. I had the control and ability to light a 3 vehicle convoy up that stopped in a sensitive area in 2003 as Patrol Commander. The problem? I was the senior Ranger (Private) at the time. I only realised when we were in the wagon driving out and someone asked who the most senior guy was. It was....me. Well shit. No idea where I was, what was happening or what we were going to. Brilliant. We hopped out at a VCP that called it in and got briefed by some Sgt that hasn't ran a day in his life, flapping like mad about an 'Iraqi convoy.' We pushed over the desert until we saw a static convoy on the road, which is what I was told. I had to get the CWS off another guy in the QRF, as I didn't have one. I observed for 10 mins and glad I kept telling the lads to 'fuck up, I'm watching'. Turned out it was a British Army medical convoy lost, trying to find the camp they were right beside ffs (the thing that got my interest was how much one of the vehicles looked like a Land Rover BFA). I walked out of the desert and explained I'm a British soldier and have 2 GPMGs and 5 riflemen watching them from the shadows (who couldn't see shit!). We'd barely got our night vision from being woken up on the call and got quick orders from the mong who called it in. Got them home, and they shit a brick when they realised they were being watched for so long, and how close they came to getting zapped. My initial briefing was they were a suspected Iraqi patrol...I am glad to this day I delayed to observe. Oh, I got into a shouting match with the Sgt who called the QRF as well. Fucking asshole Logistics Sgt playing soldier on a VCP. Nearly got a load of folks fragged. My OC had to tell them where to go, as he had an 'issue' with how I told him he resembled a lady's particulars.
Fellow Canadian vet here...here's my 2 cents on this... - It doesn't look as similar to our C7A2 as Tigger seems to suggest, other than it's a carbine AR base design - The scopes used on the C7A2 are the C-79 Elcan scope, mag x 3.4. (It's a floating reticle, I'm not a fan...better than iron sights at distance but the floating reticle isn't ideal for dynamic engagements) Its a far better rifle than what the Brits were using previous, and is ar more ideal for the RM mission set. All in all, big step forwards for RM personal weaponry!
@DarthTigger oh man...and I was definitely probably the least technical guy when it came to firearms in my unit. Some of those guys I swear could build an AR out of scrap metal if you left them alone long enough! (See? Us infantards do more than just eat crayons...) It's a HUGE improvement over the SA-80 primarily because, to be blunt, the SA-80 sucks as a combat rifle. (Still in use by the British Army, now in its A3 variant...apparently they've worked the bugs out now, but I'd still take a typical AR carbine rifle over the bullpup SA-80 any day) The adjustable buttstock & ability to pull it into different firing positions quickly will be ideal for the small confines of ships, rather than a big rifle that requires folks to get creative. (Ever try house cleaning with a C9? One has to get creative if they don't wanna be smashing their barrel into a wall every 2 seconds...) I'm with you on the sights. Honestly I'm a huge fan of iron sights more than anything, as it's faster and easier to acquire and engage targets. I only find a scope useful if i need to see potential targets a long ways off, but when targets are closer I find a scope is just in the way. The Brits much prefer our C7A2 and C7A3, over their SA-80. They should have just adopted the C7 series of rifles like the Dutch did - more common users, more available spare parts when in theatre, more reliable, etc There was at least one medal winner (Victoria Cross I believe) who died while serving in helmand province. He took out several taliban before passing, one of which he literally THREW his SA-80 at him, knocking the taliban off the roof! They make for better melee weapons than they do actual rifles...
Training Major: 'It weighs less than the SA80 you say? So you're telling me they can carry more radio batteries?'. Yeah, this thing is more fancy than a C7. I used to carry a CWS that was never zero'd lol and you had to screw your SUSAT zero by replacing it with the CWS. I have a fun story about nearly getting into a firefight in Iraq with one. Against an Ambulance. I had the control and ability to light a 3 vehicle convoy up that stopped in a sensitive area in 2003 as Patrol Commander. The problem? I was the senior Ranger (Private) at the time. I only realised when we were in the wagon driving out and someone asked who the most senior guy was. It was....me. Well shit. No idea where I was, what was happening or what we were going to. Brilliant. We hopped out at a VCP that called it in and got briefed by some Sgt that hasn't ran a day in his life, flapping like mad about an 'Iraqi convoy.' We pushed over the desert until we saw a static convoy on the road, which is what I was told. I had to get the CWS off another guy in the QRF, as I didn't have one. I observed for 10 mins and glad I kept telling the lads to 'fuck up, I'm watching'. Turned out it was a British Army medical convoy lost, trying to find the camp they were right beside ffs (the thing that got my interest was how much one of the vehicles looked like a Land Rover BFA). I walked out of the desert and explained I'm a British soldier and have 2 GPMGs and 5 riflemen watching them from the shadows (who couldn't see shit!). We'd barely got our night vision from being woken up on the call and got quick orders from the mong who called it in. Got them home, and they shit a brick when they realised they were being watched for so long, and how close they came to getting zapped. My initial briefing was they were a suspected Iraqi patrol...I am glad to this day I delayed to observe. Oh, I got into a shouting match with the Sgt who called the QRF as well. Fucking asshole Logistics Sgt playing soldier on a VCP. Nearly got a load of folks fragged. My OC had to tell them where to go, as he had an 'issue' with how I told him he resembled a lady's particulars.
Good job man. In the First Gulf war I had a similar confrontation with a Doctor Captain. I will put it into a Video sometime.
Fellow Canadian vet here...here's my 2 cents on this...
- It doesn't look as similar to our C7A2 as Tigger seems to suggest, other than it's a carbine AR base design
- The scopes used on the C7A2 are the C-79 Elcan scope, mag x 3.4. (It's a floating reticle, I'm not a fan...better than iron sights at distance but the floating reticle isn't ideal for dynamic engagements)
Its a far better rifle than what the Brits were using previous, and is ar more ideal for the RM mission set. All in all, big step forwards for RM personal weaponry!
You have far more technical details than I do. :) I am more of the Point it and Shoot it guy. ;)
@DarthTigger oh man...and I was definitely probably the least technical guy when it came to firearms in my unit. Some of those guys I swear could build an AR out of scrap metal if you left them alone long enough! (See? Us infantards do more than just eat crayons...)
It's a HUGE improvement over the SA-80 primarily because, to be blunt, the SA-80 sucks as a combat rifle. (Still in use by the British Army, now in its A3 variant...apparently they've worked the bugs out now, but I'd still take a typical AR carbine rifle over the bullpup SA-80 any day)
The adjustable buttstock & ability to pull it into different firing positions quickly will be ideal for the small confines of ships, rather than a big rifle that requires folks to get creative. (Ever try house cleaning with a C9? One has to get creative if they don't wanna be smashing their barrel into a wall every 2 seconds...)
I'm with you on the sights. Honestly I'm a huge fan of iron sights more than anything, as it's faster and easier to acquire and engage targets. I only find a scope useful if i need to see potential targets a long ways off, but when targets are closer I find a scope is just in the way.
The Brits much prefer our C7A2 and C7A3, over their SA-80. They should have just adopted the C7 series of rifles like the Dutch did - more common users, more available spare parts when in theatre, more reliable, etc
There was at least one medal winner (Victoria Cross I believe) who died while serving in helmand province. He took out several taliban before passing, one of which he literally THREW his SA-80 at him, knocking the taliban off the roof! They make for better melee weapons than they do actual rifles...
This rifle way better than the sa80
Agreed
So you’ve used both right?
Garand thumb channel has really good gun reviews. It will be very good if u would react to his videos
I will take a look. Thanks!