Enfield L86 LSW (Light Support Weapon)

Light Machine Gun (LMG) [ 1986 ]

The L86 Light Support Weapon features some 80-percent commonality with the British L85 Individual Weapon assault rifle series.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/11/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image copyright the British Army / Ministry of Defence imagery database.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The L86 LSW (Light Support Weapon) was developed concurrently with the L85 IW (Individual Weapon) of the British Army. Both systems were adopted as standard issue weapons in the mid-1980s, seeing combat actions across the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the Balkans Wars and - more recently - in Afghanistan and Iraq. The L86 utilizes some 80% commonality of parts with the L85 assault rifle but is classified as a fire support weapon for squad-level engagements, offering accurate, ranged voluminous fire that outmatches that of the base L85 automatic weapon.

The L86 makes use of the same 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge of the L85 and operates from the same gas system. However, to coincide with its fire support role, the weapon is fielded with a longer, heavier barrel which increases muzzle velocity and, therefore, increases the cartridge's range and accuracy at range for engaging targets beyond the scope of the base L85 system. The barrel is furthermore fixed and not readily changeable. The L86 also features a rear vertical hand grip as well as a shorter handguard with lightweight bipod. The L86 does, however, retain the magazine-fed quality of the L85 and can accept its 30-round forms. A 60-round magazine is also available. The weapon can fire in semi-automatic mode or in full-automatic as the situation requires - the former through a closed breech and the latter holding the bolt by a rear sear. The SUSAT (Sight Unit, Small Arm, Trilux) optic is retained as standard.©MilitaryFactory.com

The L86 initially debuted in the original L86A1 production form. These then gave way to the improved L86A2 variant which attempted to remedy the ongoing issues that proved disastrous to early L85/L86 units. The mid-life upgrade was handled by Heckler & Koch and occurred in the early 2000s.

The L86 in the squad support role has since given ground to the L110A1 (Fabrique Nationale FN Minimi), relegating the L86 to something more of a marksman's platform.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Basics [+]

Manufacturer(s)

Royal Small Arms Factory / BAe Systems / Heckler & Koch - UK

Operators

United Kingdom

Service Year

1986

National Origin

United Kingdom

FIRE SUPPORT
Capable of suppressing enemy elements at range through direct or in-direct fire.

Overall Length

900 mm / 35.43 in

Barrel Length

646 mm / 25.43 in

Weight (Empty)

13.98 lb / 6.34 kg

Action

Gas-Operated; Selective Fire

GAS-OPERATED
Gas-operated system is featured, typically involving a gas cylinder and rear-driven piston directing energy to the bolt component.

Caliber(s)*

5.56x45mm NATO
*May not represent an exhuastive list; Calibers may be model-specific dependent; Always consult official manufacturer sources.

Feed

30- or 60-round detachable box magazine

Sights

SUSAT optic; backup iron

Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information.

Max.Effective Range

3,280 ft / 999.7 m | 1,093.3 yds

Rate-of-Fire

775 rpm

Muzzle Velocity

3,200 ft/sec / 975 m/sec

L86 LSW ("Light Support Weapon") - Base Series Designation developed from L85 IW (SA80) assault rifle.

L86A1 LSW - Initial Production Models

L86A2 LSW - Improved Production Models

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Image of the Enfield L86 LSW (Light Support Weapon)

Image copyright the British Army / Ministry of Defence imagery database.

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