Gulf War SA80 Homemade Foregrip
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- čas přidán 16. 09. 2023
- I went down a bit of a rabbit hole with this video. After spotting an L85A1 with an ad hoc front grip in some footage from the Gulf War I did some digging. There's a rich history of British soldiers fashioning home made foregrips so we take a look at a few of those too.
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Music - Hackers by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio - Zábava
I went down a bit of a rabbit hole with this video. After spotting an L85A1 with an ad hoc front grip in some footage from the Gulf War I did some digging.
Check out our accompanying article for this video here -
armourersbench.com/2023/09/15/gulf-war-homemade-sa80-l85a1-front-grip/
What happened to our old boy Vic? Seems you can't consider yourself above firearms legislation for too long before they get you eh.
He was ahead of his time also when it comes to painting the weapon. 😅
I think painting weapons has been around since at least the use of M16 in e.g. Borneo and Malaya?
Way before the M16's existence lmao.@@Oligodendrocyte139
@@hellcatdave1 Depends how picky you want to be. The SAS used AR-15s at that time.
The Aussies were painting their Owen machine guns around ww2
@@muddyhotdog4103 I had a feeling they did and that I’d seen one in a museum but wasn’t sure 😀
We had someone in my platoon, attach a LSW (L86) rear grip on the front of his rifle in Afghanistan 2006
I've also seen some footage of some British forces during the Troubles in Northern Ireland with ad-hoc foregrips on their FAL's.
Oooh I haven't seen that, I'd had included it too.
@@TheArmourersBenchtheirs a few both NI and other theaters mostly second pistol grips and completely improvised ones.
Soldiers in the gulf grabbed there SLRas sa 80 jammed its junk 😊
Love the Tab synth wave edit at the start! A great video mate, one I know you’ve been researching for years 🎉❤
Really???? I skipped through because it was so annoying!!!!
Each to their own! :)
@@williamperry01 nice to change up the format every now and then x
It was very world cup 1990
@@Ukraineaissance2014 you've got to hold and give, but do it at the right time...
More British army synthwave videos are never a bad thing
Noted for the future. Don't forget to check out Robbie's new video too. youtube.com/@RMMilitaryHistory?si=aEqobz0ODc_KtYYA
@@TheArmourersBench saw it yesterday, absolute class
The whole "use a spare pistol grip bolted to the handguard" approach just has that fun little aesthetic to it. I feel like more movie or game armouries should have it done, just to make a little bit of individualism come across on background characters.
Agreed! Thanks for watching
I had an improvised one on my rifle in NI and Iraq, I used an LSW grip as it was smaller and felt better than using a standard pistol grip, I also drilled a hole for a small maglite but that didn’t survive the test of time!
Ahhh great to hear from more guys who did this mod!
In 1977 I was using a forward hand grip ( a pistol grip without the trigger) on my SLR in Northern Ireland. Yes, I have a photo.
I've love to see it, drop me an email if you like to share it armourersbench@gmail.com thanks!
Made my own for Herrick 8, was nearly laughed out of the country….. until they started issuing us DD RIS hand-guards and grip pods that very same tour.
You were ahead of the game and ally at the same time!
As everything goes in the army
“They hate us cos they ain’t us”
Hey Wee Man! Got a big stick in yer hand?
Thanks i recall seeing a fore grip on a Gurkha's Bren gun during the Indonesian confrontation 😊
Those were genuinely issue equipment. They are just hard to come by.
@3:28 Let's talk about the practice of sticking cylumns in helmets.
Love the opening music.
Yeah it's a banger! Had to be done. Thanks for watching!
I did that too! I had a surplus handguard I acquired of a friendly armourer. I used a standard issue pistol grip for the A2, it took some carving out and filling as it was shaped at the base to fit around the trigger mechanism housing (TMH). I used a long bolt to secure it to the hand guard as you described through the vents on the underside of the hand guard. I had to remove it and replace the original hand guard every time it went into the armoury as these mods were unauthorised and frowned upon. Strange how it is now standard issue! great video, rekindled some memories 👍
I found this very interesting as I'd looked at photos of this chap previously and not noticed the foregrip. Another example can be found with the Argylls in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s, there are multiple photos of SLRs with an extra SLR pistol grips attached to the forward hand guards using the same method the SAS used with the AR15, a jubilee clip.
Isn't it, I thought you'd like this. Yes, I slipped up finding a photo of an SLR with one on Ireland a few people have mentioned it since. Jubilee clips really do make the world go round.
Great video as usual. But it’s occurred to me that there isn’t much info on the SUSAT sight on CZcams. As an American owner of two SUSAT optics (for my pair of Marcolmar built Spanish CETME LV/Ss) I’d love for you guys to do another video on the SUSAT optic!
Vic did one on SUSAT a while did you see that one? Definitely want to do more SA80 and earlier British sights content.
@@TheArmourersBench I did. It’s really the only video on them. Any time I bring up SUSATs I always recommend that video.
I seen it a couple of times in NI early 90's.. the rear grip from an LSW used
I saw so many British units there, mostly in convoys (I was in US Transportation), and have always thought I missed out not being able to meet some of them. Having a look at their small arms would have been interesting.
Are you joking? We love esoteric subjects.
Thank god hahah, thank you for watching!
I remember those foregrips when I went on tour to Afghanistan in 2010. We were issued them and I remember absolutely despising the thing. It was so awkward that I only ever used it as a stand. I'd have taken it off if I could, but I remember getting a bollocking for even thinking about that!
This video is basically an eight minute Ally Tally from GW1. Brilliant!
Haha it really is. Love it when that Milan fires.
DPM is still king. Exceptional for its time and is still the best today.
Give me DPM any day.
The Staffords bloke must of been a NCO friendly with the Armourer to get away with that.
Reminds me of the Pistol Grip Foregrips you see in photos of Vienam era SF, such as MACV Recon teams.
Yeah, definitely same sort of vibe!
Im sure I have seen the odd LSW support grip being reused as a pistol grip at some point. Interesting choice of sling being used by the chap at the back, cant tell if its a used GPMG sling or one robbed off the discarded LAW 94 laying in the back ground.
Definitely seems to have been a thing.
Don’t know what you would call that intro but I live videos like that.
I wonder what the stoppage rate was like with all that sand and dust blowing around the A1s.
probably easier to document the working rate!!!
That intro 👌
Glad you liked it! 🤙
I find it interesting.. these little esoteric things make my day
I'm glad I'm not the only one, thanks as always for watching! :)
Amazing video!!! Love the obscure service rifle content!
Glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for watching
I remember in the late 90s i've been seeing these forward hand grips on airsoft rifes i thought these where standard issue. Only now have i realzied these hand grips are actually home made!
I guess i've had my learning for today!
Finally someone does some cool videos on some lesser known SA80 knowledge. Absolutely adore how these things look and I'm always hunting for cool new trivia to learn. Never used a real one myself cause you Brits won't sell them to us Americans, but I've got an Airsoft one and I personally find grips on these to be essential. Most bullpups benefit from one really.
Definitely won't complain if you do more videos like this :p
I will see what I can do! Glad you enjoyed it.
@@TheArmourersBench If you're looking for ideas, I've seen a couple pictures of people bolting torches to their plastic handguards, usually on the side. Optic setups on the L22A2s also may or may not be an option. There are a couple images floating around the internet of EoTechs on them and I swear I even saw one with the emergency procurement ACOG setup on it, but I have no other info unfortunately. Been looking for a while and can't seem to find anything on it. Then again I'm not really sure where to look.
1:03: It kind of looks like an Armalite AR-18 grip. A bit ironic, considering the derived internal working of the SA80.
Was watching some old US ww2 footage and saw a BAR with a front fore grip was wondering if anyone else knows of other examples of this
That's interesting, haven't seen that!
@@TheArmourersBenchdid some additional research and turns out this was a pretty common modification particularly in the pacific theater
Esoteric information is what got me subscribed to your channel - thank you!
Love to hear that!! Thank you
Not only did I have an LSW rear grip on my stock it was also painted.
Very ally Pete!
There's a department in the army which deals with r and d. This would have been Issued in order to see if it was compatible and could be used on the ground.
A few of us had the unit armourer attach LSW rear grips to the hand guards of our rifles for herrick 5
Did you find it helpful?
Just realised you’ve referenced it in the video. The person in the video was our troop SGT (11Tp M coy 42Cdo). I ended up with the UGL so never deployed with mine and unfortunately it’s been lost at some point.
Ahhh wow, small world!
When I was training with 1 Staffords in Kenya in 99 one of the jungle warfare instructors had the LSW rear grip on the hand guard thing.
Definitely seems to have been a popular thing. Don't see it too often in photos but definitely ally.
@@TheArmourersBench I think that's because you needed to obtain a spare handguard, or you'd have to take the grip on and off every time you signed it back in.
You'd see NCOs with painted or modified handguards in their rooms.
@benmcdonagh4574 that makes complete sense, have heard that before about lads having their handguard/forend set ups that they could slip on issue rifles.
@@TheArmourersBench yeah, you'd take it off for the deep clean before handing it in.
I'm also thinking the none SA80 sling might be a sterling one, people would sometimes use the clips off them, clip it onto the sling swivels and put the sling through them so it could come on and off quickly.
@@MIFWIC666 ooh could be, definitely would have been about
One looked like a plastic L1A1 grip attached with a big zip tie.
Yes on that MP5!
Thanks for great video mate
Glad you enjoyed it mate, thank you.
I see L85 content, I press like :D
Outstanding stuff, as usual
Thank you very much, I need to do some more L85 stuff!
When we were equipped with the L1A1 SLR in the 1980’s I had an SLR pistol grip that I attached to the fore grip of my rifle with a large bulldog grip when deployed to Northern Ireland. Everyone thought that I was a cowboy…..
Very ally, a couple of people have mentioned that, I would have included it if I'd known.
Also if you have any photos would love to see them!
COOL!
This is some real forward thinking.
Any chance of doing something on the shortened SA 80 of armoured crew etc . Thanks.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Yes, definitely will try, the L22? I might go and get some footage of one for a video on it.
"Tank" Stalker giving the Republican Guard the good news there with White Phos. There is a video of The Staffords in Kuwait that was edited together to a soundtrack of "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. Its mostly night fighting. Someone out there may still have a copy.
I had an ex Staffordshire reg Sgt maj in training, fella carried in his webbing an ak 47 bayonet he'd taken off someone he killed in the Iraq War. Scary fucker, you could tell he'd killed some blokes, and probably enjoyed it.
Was that Jack Kenelly?
The start was *aesthetic af*
You wonder why it took them so long to stick it on the improved SA80.
Manz went all out with the intro on this one!
Haha thank you, thought I'd do something a bit different!
Nice video. I like a VFG myself. Those guys should have been issued sunglasses!
Good point about the sunglasses!
I was there for the sequel. Went on for too long.
Is that part of the CLAW bullet catch rifle grenade system purchased for granby
I wonder if there's any more obscure photographs we have never seen before❤❤❤😮😊
Oh a ton I'm sure!
Fascinating, it is interesting to think that Gentleman could possibly still be alive. Does the regiment still have an association?
He probably (hopefully) is, I think they do. Perhaps he'll see this video.
The Staffords still exist as a battalion of The Mercian Regiment. The regimental museum is in Lichfield.
Great vid! What’s the dope music playing in the start?
Thank you, thought I'd do something a bit different. It's Hackers by Karl Casey! Thanks for watching Ken.
For a second, I tought I was watching a War Aesthetics video over the intro!
In 2003, I put the rear stock handle off of a LWS and drilled and screwed is to the foregrip or my sa80. The rest of the LSW should have gone in the bin.
Haha, have heard that before. Seems like it was a semi-common mod! The rear handle is definitely perfect for it!
I really thought this would go into detail, like any at all
Was about to ask if I was listening to White Bat... Yes I am!
It just fits so well!! Thanks for watching.
This is making me wonder why sten foregrips wernt a lot more common.
Check out my video earlier video on them for a few other examples. It's a wonder they weren't more widespread
I understand that early versions of the L85 / SA80 have gotten a lot of flak over reliability issues. What is the assessment of the newer A2 and A3 variants? Do they still get the job done?
I've never fired an a1, but a2 was a decent rifle,
The A2 and A3 are decent, if a little heavy.
I didn’t catch the full name of Robbie’s military history channel. What is it?
Here you go youtube.com/@RMMilitaryHistory?si=aEqobz0ODc_KtYYA
Nice tunes and edit. I wonder if he received permission to do it or if it was a case of "I didn't see and you haven't told me'?
Haha, thank you. Basically I think they would be issued a rifle and they would fit a spare handguard with the foregrip and then when they returned the rifle to the armory they'd put the issue handguards back on.
I'm more interested in the fixed bayonet.
I knew a guy with a B&D drill handle on his weapon.
Must have been in the Guards...
Boom... Boom...
The only thing a LSW was good for.
Ally be sure.
On a related note, bayonets have been spotted in combat yet again by an Aussie in Ukraine.
the AR15 doesn't like ice, the Kalashnikov doesn't like mudd and the SA80 doesn't like ammo.
Have to say most of the problems I had with the A1, were mag related. The RG made mags were absolute crap. The A2 was good it worked well for me in Afghan, had just left when the A3 rolled out. Mind you still prefer the AR platform, for me just feels right.
@@daveg202 I personally own the semi auto Version of the HK416 A5 (HK MR223 A3 with an 11"barrel) and the FN SCAR L (FN SCAR 16S). Those are my favourite rifles but I never had the chance to fire an SA80. I just never heared alot of good things about it.
I think a lot of the problem was it had no real development time when fielded & going for the cheapest supplier of bits. The AR had similar problems when fielded with reliabilty but with money pushed at it they were solved. With the SA80 the government didn't bother spending on it, till it was so bad something had to be done, the result the A2 which did the job. Don't forget in the UK very few folks fire any form of firearm so they dont have to learn the strangeness of using a bullpup when compared to a more traditioal firearm layout, if it's all you've ever known!!
All I can hear (in a Stafford accent) is... "Why doesn`t this POS rifle work???" and "STOPPAGE!!!".
Hahah
Stokie accent. Possibly a yim yam. There's no such thing as a singular Staffordshire accent.
@@zoiders My rifles yammed aaaah 😂
@@MIFWIC666 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The bayonet was vital.....because there was zero chance of the SA80 actually firing a round with all that dust and sand!!
Sa 80 was a pile if junk ugly and hard to clean😮
Why they have attached their baionettes to the barrels?
In case they need to close with the enemy.
Bull pups are lame sauce but very cool
Maybe next time you'll actually do some investigative work on the matter.
What do the armorers think about this DIY stuff? What is the national stance on this?
Be a real journalist. Remember the 5 W's and the H.
Well it's not easy to find armourers who were around or made these handful of grips. Efforts were made. I've since spoken to one of the Royal Marines featured and he got his from an armourer in theatre. Anyway, no need to be so rude in your request. I do my best with these videos. Thanks for watching.
I heard "STEN machine carbines" and immediately stopped watching.
Why? That's what they called them at the time.