SA-80's Last Hurrah?

[Bringer]

With the SA-80 back in the news for continued malfunctions and lack of reliability, has the SA-80 already had its last chance at redemption?

http://www.janes.com/defence/land_forces/news/jiw/jiw020712_1_n.shtml

Replacing it with the G36 would make sense, sort of. H&K is owned by BAE now, and H&K was responsible for the SA-80A2 revisions.

Anyone had practical experience with the A2? Is it as bad as the reports from Afghanistan make it appear, or is it just standard equipment griping? Does it matter at this point?

[The Brit Git]

The A2 is better than the A1 but it's still not as good as it should be. We've got 2 in our armoury that the RAF Reg use alot (I've only fired 60 rds with one yet) and they still whinge about the same old problems happening, just with a slightly longer gap inbetween. The new mag is alright though.

[cobolt]

What's new about the new mag?
Not used or even seen one yet.

[The Brit Git]

It's made of a different, stronger metal (Steel I think). It's definately heavier and is "supposed" to be less fragile than the old one of which I managed to dent two, 1 taking cover during IDT training and 1 due to my poor weapon handling skills at the time (well, we were all recruits once)

[cobolt]

Only probs I had with the old ones was them getting filled with sand and dirt and me forgetting to clean them :p

[baboontwozero]

Which rifle grenade is used with the SA80?

[Squire]

Thought the A2 mag kept falling out if you got it dented too much and that it still had feed problems???

Another thing HK is supposedly going to be sold by BAe Systems to some german people

[beachbaby]

Should give it the name 'the civil servant' - doesn't work, can't be fired. ;)

[Vance]

Virtually everything I've heard about the A2 has been good. 2 PWRR spent a couple of weeks in Kuwait trying to destroy the bloody things and found it pretty hard. Considering the A1 averaged 99 rounds in the same terrain before breaking and the A2 several thousand, I think that's a pretty big improvement.

[cobolt]

Apparently when 45 Commando returned from Afghanistan they said they refuse to use the piece of junk again.
Talks to get M16's as the new Individual Weapon have been pushed forward because of this, I understand.