Three new AEG versions of the British L1A1 SLR rifle on the way
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A bit of a cross over news item, being of interest to 'old soldiers', re-enactors and airsofters alike. Certainly, my brother - who was in the British Army in Germany during the Cold War- has always said he would like one of the following...
Having recently marked the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War, it was rather apt that several airsoft gun makers decided to release 1:1 scale airsoft replicas of the famous British L1A1 Self Loading Rifle.
Above: The STAR L1A1
While the availability of a 'toy' gun version of the principal rifle used by the British Army during the Falklands War might not be everybody's cup of tea, it will allow historical and airsoft re-enactors to immortalize the heroic deeds which took place during the liberation of the islands from the Argentinians.
Additionally, there are a lot of ex-'squaddies' involved with airsoft in the UK who have fond memories of the venerable L1A1 SLR, which was in service with the British Army from the late 1950s to the mid-1990s (seeing active service in Kenya, Borneo, Aden, Northern Ireland and the first Gulf War, as well as with Australian/New Zealand Army during the Vietnam War).
THREE VERSIONS TO CHOOSE FROM...MAYBE!
Three AEG manufacturers have produced their own version of the Self Loading Rifle (itself a British licenced version of the Begian FN FAL).
King Arms, STAR and the custom manufacturer 'Gun Workshop' have all thrown their hats in the ring, and the STAR SLR has already hit the marketplace at £300. The Gun Workshop custom version, a beautifully made and finished collectors piece will set you back $759.
Above: Stunning quality and detail of the Guns Workshop custom L1A1
Strangely, although King Arms was the first to announce their intension to release their SLR - off the back of their successful FN FAL range - this version has gone underground somewhat. After inquiring to King Arms they told me that this was due to some slight modifications in design after seeing the STAR model.
Quite why this is is something of a mystery. Having based their L1A1 on their already reliable and popular FN FAL, one presumes the mechanism and design are already proven.
Finally, and in a somewhat controvercial move, all three manufacturers have undertaken to replicate the British SLR's semi-automatic ONLY fire mode. Additionally, it looks like the STAR model, at least, with be firing at a FPS of somewhere between 460 and 500, which makes this rifle - in principal - an airsoft sniper weapon (?).
(Incidently, the Scottish custom airsoft manufacturer 'Shoot'n'Scoot' has been offering a conversion of the King Arms FN FAL into a faux-L1A1 for a while now. The main advantage of this is it retains the KA FAL's full-auto setting, for general skirmishing.)
SLR FACTOIDS:
- Ironically, The Argentine forces themselves also used a version of the 7.62mm FN FAL infantry rifle during the Falklands War (the British L1A1 being a licensed built FN FAL itself).
- The Australian Army used the L1A1 during their involvement with the Vietnam War
- I fired the real L1A1 in the late 70s while on my Army induction course - it was a beast!
- The British Army nickname for the SLR was the 'Stupidly Long Rifle'!
USEFUL LINKS:
> STAR Airsoft L1A1 product page
> The Guns Workshop website
> King Arms FAL series product page
> Scoot'n'Shoot website
Milgeek
KING ARMS L1A1 UPDATE: Coincidently, I received an email from King Arms who said the following about their perpetually 'pending' L1A1:-
"Since Star Released their L1A1. Our engineer finally change their mind and add features. So , the release date is postponed again. Last nite I talked with them. They said L1A1 is really under massive production period. Hope that the L1A1 will be released before Easter.
King Arms Sales"
I am somewhat confused as to why King Arms would delay this long. Maybe they got cold feet about releasing an 'semi-auto only' AEG - a bit of a brave move - and wanted to wait to see what STAR were doing. Or maybe the stresses of a semi-auto only mechanism caused some additional technical problems they had to overcome.
But, whatever the reason, I think it's good news King Arms have finally decided to release their version of the SLR. I happen to be more in favour of owning the KA version to the Star one. King ARms already have a proven track record with the FAL design, they are also a very good accessories manufacturer and their magazines are already readily available in the UK (presuming they use the same mag as their FN FAL).
Additional update: Airsoft Armoury (UK) has told AirsoftNews.EU that *should* receive the King Arms L1A1 in about 6-8 weeks time!
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Reader Comments (5)
If only this had been released before the VCR Bill I'd of had one in a shot!
The L1A1 was semi-auto only because in full auto it was uncontrolable and couldn't hit a barn door, and possibly because the UK government never liked to spend money on anything but expenses!
I still remember taking a shot at 600m with one of these on Whitburn range (closed years ago :o( ), it seemed like an eternity before the target fell but what a feeling! To reproduce it in full auto would be dis-repectful to the thousands of British soldiers who came to rely on it's hard-hitting abilities.
I served in the Royal Green Jackets for 6 years using both the L1A1 and then the absolutely sh*te SA80.
what impressed me most when firing the SLR was the fact that it would penetrate through breezeblock or brick walls to hit an IRA terrorist behind it....a much loved weapon by us troops who served in NI except when dismounting from vehicles / helicopters as the barrel length was `MASSIVE' but exceptionally accurate.
It didn't could when faced with the Barret .50. Now it could go through walls in South Armagh! It was an old rifle, never used by the Provisionals here.
I seem to remember at the height of the Troubles the army had a problem with 'a' PIRA sniper using a Barret .50 - there was a lot of conjecture at the time whether the sniper was an American mercenary or not. But that was hear say.
To b honest, in the confined urban areas a rifle like the Barret would be (literally) overkill. Only in the 'bandit country' near the border would a .50 have the space to justify it.
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From an airsoft point of view I'm afraid we haven't seen any hint of a budget L1A1 - I think it's just a bit too niche.
What I've just bought - as a 'stand in' - is a budget JG G3A1. That's a German 7.62mm G3 replica in the Cold War olive furniture. A contemporary of the SLR the G3 is another long rifle - and for airsoft will give me good range on woodland sites.
Ahhh the old SLR which replaced the dreded Le Enfield 303.
I liked both weapons and give the edge to the 303. Probably because I had more problems with the gas regulator on the SLR than whould have been required.
As for a fully automatic SLR, Rob Pollack is correct you couldn't hold it, I saw a Capt on Otterburn Ranges wedge the firing pin with a match stick and it was worse than firinging a GMPG with one hand from the hip........... more people ducked for that than they did a pineapple!