
When NATO standardised on the 7.62mm rifle cartridge as the standard calibre for its service rifles, further development of these rifles was discontinued and the British Army adopted the 7.62 mm L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle semi-automatic rifle, a licence-built version of the Belgian FN FAL.

The latter was brought into service briefly as "Rifle, Automatic, Calibre. Two 7mm (.280 in) prototypes were built in a bullpup configuration, designated the EM-1 and EM-2. The idea dates back to the late 1940s, when an ambitious programme to develop a new cartridge and new class of rifle was launched in the United Kingdom based on combat experience drawn from World War II.

#SA80 RIFFLE UPGRADE#
The A2 variant came to be as the result of a significant upgrade in the early 2000s by Heckler & Koch and remains in service as of 2020. The first prototypes were created in 1976, with production of the A1 variant starting in 1985 and ending in 1994.

The L85 Rifle variant has been the standard issue service rifle of the British Armed Forces since 1987, replacing the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle. The SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a British family of 5.56×45mm NATO service weapons used by the British Army. Telescopic SUSAT, ACOG and ELCAN LDS scopes, aperture iron sights L85A2 with ELCAN LDS and 2009 upgrade suiteĤ.98 kg (11.0 lb) (L85A2 with SUSAT sight and loaded 30-round magazine) ģ00–1,200 m depending on weapon on usage
