Burnt and bang! 5.56mm blanks

[pointblank0]

Thought it was quite interesting myself. Went for one of my usual walks round Camberly training area and was looking round an area that had recently caught fire. Found these two unfired blanks that had obviously burnt in the fire and exploded. One is sheered in half but the other formed a shape a little like a windmill. Very exciting!!!

I also found an 87 dated 5.56mm, which I believe was the first year of use for the L85?

 

[smle2009]

Hi pointblank,
The first SA80 L85(IW) was issued to a Sergeant Gary Gavin of the Sherwood Foresters on 2nd October 1985.

Cheers
Tony

 

[TonyE]

You beat me to it Tony, but pointblank0 is partly right. Although the L85 was on issue in limited numbers from 1985, it was not formally approved until 1988.

1987 was the first year of Ball L2A2 production, but the Ball L2A1 round had been introduced in 1984 and the Ball M193 in 1980.

Prior to that small batches of 5.56mm had been made in the UK either for weapon trials or for trial issue to special forces armed with the M16. The earliest rounds were made at Radway Green in 1966 (unheadstamped) and the earliest headstamped one I have is 1969.

Regards
Tonye

 

[smle2009]

Hi TonyE,
would the approved date,1988,have anything to do with production at RSAF Enfield ending in 1988 and taken over by RSAF Nottingham??,not sure about the Nottingham bit,but what became BAE.

Cheers
Tony

 

[pointblank0]

Thanks for the info. I had no idea that rifle had been around so long. How long was the L85 trials?

 

[smle2009]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SA80....would seem it was ready for trials in 1976 in 4.85mm but had to be rechamberd to 5.56mm.........

Tony

 

[TonyE]

Tony - I think the date of approval as the L85A1 and the date of the move to Nottingham (which was BAe/Royal Ordnanceby then) was purely coincidental. Some minor changes had been made to the safety, ejection cover and other components before formal approval.

Pointblank0 - the very first prototype of what eventually became the L85 was made by cutting about an Armalite AR15 that had been captured from the IRA in Northern Ireland. I remember handling that at Enfield in about 1974 and I think it was still in 5.56mm calibre. The first 5mm ammo (45mm case) was made in 1975 and the first 4.85 x 49mm in 1976 I believe.

Picture shows (l. to r.)
5.56mm h/s "RG 69"
5 x 45mm - no headstamp
4.85 x 49mm transitional made from 5 x 45mm case with 4mm brass collar to lengthen case, no headstamp
4.85 x 49mm no headstamp probbaly late 1975/early 1976

Regards
TonyE

 

[hangarman]

5.56 in 1966

Prior to that small batches of 5.56mm had been made in the UK either for weapon trials or for trial issue to special forces armed with the M16. The earliest rounds were made at Radway Green in 1966 (unheadstamped) and the earliest headstamped one I have is 1969.

Regards
Tonye

If RG only made small quantities of 5.56 in 1966 who else supplied ammunition to the British Army for the M16 in the 1960's ?
Cheers
Hangarman

 

[Bonnex]

If RG only made small quantities of 5.56 in 1966 who else supplied ammunition to the British Army for the M16 in the 1960's ?
Cheers
Hangarman

According to technical regulations of the period the first buy (commercial of the shelf type procurement) for 'special to theatre use' was from the US [headstamped REM-UMC 223]. FN also provided an M193 Ball equivalent. Tracer M196 was also acquired and Rifle Grenade cartridges are listed.