Gerster

Saddler, agree with all your points! I should have been more concise. By “lighter and more compact” I meant portable. By optics I meant the ability to mount what became a standard unit. The concept of the EM2 was indeed ahead of its time and had the project been pursued in the post war period then it might have been a different beast and we would have been at the forefront for awhile in terms of our issue rifle. The appeasement to the US and the subsequent change of direction in terms of calibre, along with the later domestic political agenda of the Thatcher government that contributed to an inferior product being put into service, is the issue I was referring to. The SLR may not have been the ideal rifle to remain in service but it was not improved on by what replaced initially replaced it.

Yes Dellboy, including the missus. But trust me, the Uzi and Sig are the better part of the deal! Both more reliable and cheaper to feed. Gluv, respect your opinion as everyone’s experience is to some extent different and therefore equally valid. I have some mates who did not have the same opinion of the SA80 as I and took it for what it was - lighter, more compact with some improved features over the SLR, optics being the main one. Trading off proven long term reliability for these features in a platform that was not fit for purpose when initially rolled out and which took too long to make it finally function at a basic level of reliability in the field was a tad frustrating at times for me! The British Army works well no matter what it’s got and often we don’t have the best that’s available but seldom IMHO have we been made to endure a personal weapon platform, outside of total war conditions, that under performed for so long. In that department we have historically usually been the better equipped over our enemies. Even in WW2 our main battle rifle was better than our enemies and in some respects could even hold its own with the ’newer’ technology out there - Enfield held more rounds than the Garand and could be operated at a high rate of fire. During the Falklands both sides used the same basic rifle. The US had their difficulties with the M16 in Vietnam initially which was even more inexcusable in terms of what their troops had to endure but they fixed it and the platform has endured and proven itself admirably. I very much doubt the SA80 platform will endure as long in military service and my hope is that the next weapon system we go with will be the best one available and not something pushed on the armed forces for political reasons and which I maintain was not the best option out there at the time, Forgive me but I wouldn’t even want one in 22lr today, even if it was free.....well maybe if it was free......but I can’t say how often I’d end up actually taking it out of the cabinet to use. Sorry if I’ve let my jadedness overcome me!!,

Each to their own Gluv and ultimately I suppose it’s all relative. Just as you preferred it compared to the LSW I would take an SLR over it in most circumstances. But then my period of service began when the L1A1 was still in service, so I’m aware that I automatically sound like one of the blinded by nostalgia brigade. Yes it was heavy and long in comparison but I never felt the same confidence in the SA80 system or for that matter in the 5.56 round. My period of service ended with Telic 4 and I am therefore unfamiliar with any subsequent developments done to the system. Did it improve over the course of my career? Yes...incrementally. Did my opinion of it improve dramatically overall? No. Would it be my first preference if going on ops again? Definitely not. Is my opinion susceptible to subjective bias rather than objectively? Yes, as is everyones. But as you are aware, a soldier should be confident in his personal weapon above everything else and compared to my experience with its predecessor the SA80 just did not engender that confidence in me in the same manner.

Now?...maybe not so much. It has finally crossed the finish line. Problem is how long it took and how patient squaddies were expected to be in waiting for it to be right. The ‘finish line’ has now also been moved from when it was conceived of to when it was finally fit for purpose and it is simply is not the best platform for current ops never mind future ones.

Plenty wrong with the SA80 though. Keep thrashing a donkey hoping it will turn into a horse. Would have been better going with the Bushmaster M17 from the off...or go the Austrian route!

So if it fair to say that a rimfire SLR would be somewhere near the top of many of our lists then why isn’t someone making them? Bound to be more popular than some of the models so far release here. And if s/auto 22WMR are doable in an AR style platform, such as NWCP and now Guncraft do, why not one in SLR guise? Ive got a Hammerli Tac R1 and a Walther Uzi while the missus has a Sig 552. Swap all of them for a SLR.

Alan, if your club has two, any chance of them parting with one? Come on, share the love!

Given the history of the FAL and it’s variants and the degree of respect it has earned over its service across the world - it does beg the question why Umarex or anyone else for that matter has not yet done a version. Anybody know why not? Licensing? Much as I would love to rekindle my own service memories of the SLR I would personally prefer a RF one, ideally in WMR, than the straight pull. It must be viable surely?

In light of the suggestions provided....I may have been under ambitious in my list!

Anyone ever do a Lewis gun in RF?

Hello all, New member and first post. By way of intro, I enjoy a few shooting disciplines and shoot shotguns, rimfires, centre fires, air guns and when the weathers good I enjoy a bit of archery too. I’ve managed to introduce the missus into the joys of shooting - wasn’t that difficult as it happens, plenty of blingy guns out there to catch her eye and she’s now been fully licensed for the last 15 years or so. While my bank balance moans now and again, as she tends towards having an expensive taste, I have no regrets as it’s a pastime I enjoy sharing with her - except when she beats me at a round of clays. As we are all presently stuck at home no doubt all wondering when we can get out to shoot again, I’ve been wondering about what guns I would love to see available in a semi auto format that aren’t currently available. I mean of course rimfires, including military clones but not limited to them - anything really that would be your ideal fantasy rifle in either LR or WMR. Heres my list : 1) SLR/FN FAL - 22WMR 2) Bren Gun - 22WMR 3) Remington Model 8 - 22WMR 4) Swedish K smg - 22lr 5) Mas 49 - 22WMR what would your top 5 semi autos be or what one gun that you may never get to shoot for real would you like to see available in a RF ?