L98A1

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L98A1 Cadet GP
Type Cadet training rifle
Place of origin United Kingdom
Service history
In service 1980s–present
Used by UK Cadets (ATC ACF CCF)
Wars None
Production history
Produced 1985–1994
Variants L98A1
Specifications
Length 785 mm
Barrel length 495 mm
Cartridge 5.56 x 45 mm NATO
Caliber 5.56 mm
Action Bolt action
Muzzle velocity 940 m/s
Effective range 400 m
Feed system 30 round detachable box magazine)
Sights Telescopic sight

The L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle (GP - General Purpose) is the standard rifle for British Army, Air and Sea cadet shooting. This weapon was introduced alongside the SA80 series from 1989 onwards for cadet use, as at the time cadets were not permitted to fire semi- or fully-automatic weapons.

Contents

[edit] Difference to SA80

The main difference between the GP and the SA80 IW is that the GP is a straight pull manually-operated weapon and cannot fire in automatic or in semi-automatic. Visually, the absence of a flash suppressor and fire selector lever plus the addition of a cocking handle extension piece differentiate the two. The absence of a flash suppressor also means the weapon cannot fire rifle grenades nor mount a bayonet. The GP rifle is based on the L85A1 SA80 rifle (standard service rifle with the British Army), but with absence of gas parts (as above). It is a 5.56 x 45 mm calibre weapon, and has a muzzle velocity of 940 m/s. The GP also has a weighted trigger since it was designed as a target rifle. This is not dissimilar to the 'snowcutter' trigger on the SA80A2. The GP uses the standard 30 round magazine (as SA80). There is also a DP (drill purpose) version of the L98A1, designated L103A1. This weapon can not chamber rounds due to the fact that the firing pin has been cut short and the barrel has been filled with cement and it is easily identified by two white stripes with the letter DP being painted on the hand guard and trigger mechanism housing (TMH). In addition, the bolt is painted red. The DP rifle is normally used for parades and ceremonial parade drill training at individual units.

[edit] Breakdown

The GP rifle strips for cleaning in a similar way to the IW, without the gas parts. It consists of: barrel and receiver, trigger mechanism housing (TMH), cocking handle and extension, bolt carrier containing the bolt, firing pin and cam stud, and the recoil rod assembly, all of which can be removed and reassembled relatively easily without tools. The sight and foregrip can also be detached with the aid of the combination tool; because there are no gas parts venting carbon fouling into the handguard this item need not be removed as frequently as on the other SA80 weapons.

[edit] Working parts

The GP is a manually-operated, straight pull rifle and cannot fire automatically or in repetition. The SA80 IW and LSW are cocked via a cocking handle attached directly to the bolt carrier. The GP rifle, however, has a cocking handle extension piece, and is cocked with the right hand as opposed to reaching across and cocking with the left. The drills for the other SA80 weapons mandate a "forward assist", a tap of the cocking handle to ensure the bolt is properly closed. This procedure is not (theoretically) required on the GP, the extra weight of the cocking handle assembly giving the bolt carrier sufficient inertia to close reliably under its own power, although as dirt gets trapped in the locking lugs frequently a forward assist is required to ensure a proper lock, especially after many rounds have been put through the weapon.

[edit] Training

Before using the weapon with either blank or ball ammunition, cadets receive training in the safe use of the weapon. Drills that are taught include:

  • Normal Safety Precautions (ensuring that the weapon is an unloaded state prior to use).
  • Stripping (and reassembling) the weapon for daily cleaning.
  • Filling magazines
  • Loading the weapon
  • Make Ready (cocking the weapon to move a round into the chamber)
  • Make Safe (reversing the result of a "make ready", after which there will no longer be a round in the chamber.)
  • Immediate Action (IA) Drill (Drill to be performed if the weapon should stop firing unexpectedly)
  • Stoppage Drills (Drills that are performed rectify what has caused the weapon to stop firing)
  • Unload (removing the magazine from the rifle and ensuring there is no round in the chamber)

Cadets are also asked to learn the five characteristics of the rifle. These are:

  • The L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle is a Magazine fed, hand operated, single shot rifle based on the British Army L85A! Rifle.
  • It can only be fired from the right shoulder
  • It has a magazine of 30 rounds
  • It is robust, yet light and accurate
  • Its low recoil and high adaptability for firers of differing physiques makes it a practical rifle for cadets.

A standardised Weapon Handling Test (WHT) covering the above points must be passed before a cadet may shoot.

On exercise cadets will use the GP rifle to fire blanks in fieldcraft scenarios. Because the L98 does not have a flash eliminator a Blank Firing Attachment (BFA) cannot be fitted to the Weapon, hence a greater safety distance is required for blank-firing exercises (50m) than when operating with the SA80 (1m). Due to the lack of Gas Parts on the weapon there is no need for the BFA, because there are no propellant gasses used to cock the weapon back. The weapon seems to produce a louder sound than the L85 and L86 also due to the lack of a flash eliminator (that is fitted as standard to the other members of the SA80 family) the reports are accompanied by a substantial flash.

[edit] Sights

The L98 is fitted with adjustable Iron Sights. It consists of a backsight and a foresight. The foresight is mounted on a protrusion extending from the barrel upwards through the foregrip which would be the gas block on the SA80 IW or LSW. The foresight assembly is clamped to the top of this and carries the foresight blade with protective fins either side. Zeroing in elevation is carried out on the foresight by turning a wheel that raises and lowers the blade. The backsight is fitted at the rear of the carrying handle, with zeroing in windage performed using a wheel on the side. This, like the elevation wheel on the foresight, is locked in place by a spring-loaded pin, and is best adjusted using the combination tool.

The backsight has a seldom-used emergency battle sight,zeroed to 25m, which flips over to reveal an adjustable leaf sight - by turning a range dial differently-placed apertures are moved into position behind a slot. Ranges from 100 to 500 metres are available, though because the zeroing settings are shared between all of them they can only be correct at one chosen range (usually 300m). The battle sight is nominally zeroed for use at 300m; since zeroing is important only when firing live ammunition, which cadets do only on a range with plenty of time to flip up the main sight, this is largely irrelevant.

If available, the SUSAT can be fitted to the GP, though larger units such as the CWS night-sight and the original SAWES laser-training projector would foul the GP's larger cocking handle and cannot be used. In day-to-day live firing exercises only the iron sights are used.

[edit] Problems

The L98 has a number of features which can cause problems, particularly for smaller cadets.

[edit] Recoil

The 5.56mm NATO round gives the L98 a far greater recoil than other weapons used by cadets, such as the 0.22-inch Lee Enfield No.8. This can result in smaller and lighter cadets being pysically pushed backwards each time they fire the weapon.

[edit] Magazine

It can be difficult to secure the weapon's magazine - this can lead to a change in the loading drill requiring cadets to place their left hand above the magazine housing and lean on it to ensure it was secure.

[edit] Cocking handle

Failing to pull the cocking handle fully rearwards (again, a particular problem for smaller cadets, with shorter arms) often results in the ejected case being caught between the breech and the working parts as they come forward, resulting in time-consuming stoppage drills

[edit] Replacement

The weapon now is a number of years old, and in dire need of replacement. There has been talk of the GP being replaced by a version of the L85 with no automatic mode (repetiton only). This will create a weapon which can produce tighter groupings (without the need to recock after each shot). Upgrading to repetition would also reduce the most common cause of stoppages when firing the GP, namely incorrect operation of the extended cocking handle. This would cause the weapon to fall within Section 5 of the 1968 Firearms Act, although the 1988 Amendment to the Act specifies that cadets may use Section 5 firearms when on duty with the cadet forces. Army Cadets can only use section 5 firearms at training 3 star level, and must be over 16, whereas ATC cadets only need to be 14, have completed dry training for the L98 and hold a current weapons handling test for the weapon, also previous experience on the No.8 rifle is preferable. Cadets in the Sea Cadet Corps must pass test and training for the L98A1 before they are allowed to take part in blank or live firing. There has also been talk (frowned upon by many) of rifles for cadet use being sidelined, in favour of clay pigeon shooting (shotgun), though many argue this is restricting cadets from improving on marksmanship principles. For the time being, however, cadets must stick with the L98.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

Modern (post Korean War) UK infantry weapons
Side-arms (Self-loading Pistols)
Browning L9A1 | L105A1 | L107A1 | L102A1 (Compact)
Rifles, Carbines, & LSWs
L1A1 SLR | SA80 series (L85 IW, L86 LSW, L22A1)
L108A1, L110A1 (Para) | L101A1 | M16/A1/A2 | L119A1 (Diemaco SFW) | L100A1
Sniper Rifles
L42/A1 | L96/A1 | L115A1 | L82A1 | AW50F
Submachine guns
L2A1 to L2A3, L34A1 | L80A1, L90A1
L91A1, L92A1
Shotguns
L32A1 | L74A1 (Remington 870 Wingmaster)
Machine-guns & other larger weapons
L4 | L7 "GPMG" | L1A1 Heavy Machine Gun | L17A1/A2 | LAW 80 | L14/A1
L2A1 (ILAW) | L9A1 51 mm Mortar | L16/A1 81mm Mortar | MILAN | Javelin
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