L22A2 Carbine
When the SA80 was initially adopted a carbine variant was not offered. The L85A1 rifle was believed to be short enough to be suitable for troops in all roles. Subsequent attempts to create a carbine were made in 1989 and 1994 but neither of these proved successful.
It became clear over time that troops in specialist roles needed a shorter carbine as a personal defence weapon and the British Army’s Armoured Trials and Development Unit called for the development of a dedicated carbine. The Sterling L2A3 submachine gun had originally fulfilled this role but these had been retired from service by 1994. Heckler & Koch, who also performed the extensive refit of the SA80/L85, developed the L22A2. HK built several thousand using parts from redundant L85A1 rifles, although other sources suggest L86 Light Support Weapons receivers may have been used.
The SA80 in its current configuration, the L85A2 (source)
Heckler & Koch made only minimal changes to the base weapon, altering the gas plug by lengthening it and reducing its diameter to accommodate the shorter gas system and balance the carbine’s pressure curve. This allows the weapon to cycle reliably. A specifically designed aluminium heat-shield with Picatinny rails was added to the front of the receiver to mount accessories and a forward grip. A folding grip is increasingly is being issued, this makes the carbine even more compact for storage. The L22A2 has no backup sights and is generally fitted with a SUSAT sight.
The weapon is 57cm (22.5 inches) in length with a 33cm (11.2 inch) long barrel and weighs 3.5kg (7.7 lbs) unloaded. One of the ergonomic shortcomings of the SA80 series is that they are difficult to quickly fire from the hip, a feature the L2A3 Sterling it replaced was designed for. The L22A2 is issued to a number of branches of the British military. Armoured vehicle crews with the Royal Armoured Corps and helicopter crews of the Army Air Corps are often equipped with the carbines as are Royal Navy and Royal Marine boarding parties.
Sources:
Images: 1 2 3 4
‘Centrefire automatic carbine - Experimental L22A2′, Royal Armouries, (source)
‘British Enfield SA80 Part 6: Carbines’, ARES, J. Ferguson, (source)
The Last Enfield, S. Raw (2003)
SA80 Assault Rifle, N. Grant (2016)
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