| L98A1 Cadet General Purpose Rifle | |
|---|---|
 A Cadet using an L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle |
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| Type | Cadet training rifle |
| Place of origin |  United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1987–2009 |
| Used by | United Kingdom Cadets (CCF, SCC/MCD, ACF, ATC) |
| Wars | None |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | BAE Systems |
| Produced | 1985–1994 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 4.9 KG |
| Length | 785 mm |
| Barrel length | 495 mm |
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| Cartridge | 5.56 x 45 mm NATO |
| Caliber | 5.56 mm |
| Action | Straight Pull bolt action |
| Rate of fire | Single Shot |
| Muzzle velocity | 940 m/s |
| Effective range | 300 m (individual) 500 m (section) |
| Maximum range | 500 m |
| Feed system | 30-round detachable STANAG magazines |
| Sights | Iron Sights |
The L98 Cadet GP Rifle is a general purpose (GP) rifle used by the Combined Cadet Force and Sea, Marine, Army and Air Cadets in the United Kingdom. The L98A1 Variant has been replaced by the L98A2.
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The weapon was introduced in 1987, as part of the SA80 series, replacing the .303 Lee Enfield No 4 rifles and .303 Bren guns (used by the CCF and ACF for automatic weapons training).
The GP rifle strips for cleaning almost identically to the L85A1 but without the gas parts. It consists of: barrel and receiver, trigger mechanism housing (TMH), cocking handle and extension rod, bolt carrier assembly and the recoil rod assembly. All can be removed and reassembled without tools. But the sights and hand guard can only be detached with the aid of a combination tool.
The GP is a manually-operated, single-shot rifle which cannot produce semi- or fully-automatic fire. The SA80 IW and LSW are cocked via a cocking handle attached directly to the bolt carrier. However the GP rifle, which has a cocking handle extension piece, is cocked with the right hand as opposed to reaching across and cocking it with the left hand.
Before using the weapon with either blank or ball ammunition, cadets receive training in the safe use of the weapon. These weapons drills are assessed through weapon handling tests (WHTs) carried out as part of regular training or at the discretion of range staff.
The L98 is fitted with adjustable iron sights. This consists of a rear battle and leaf sight and a front blade sight.
The front sight is mounted on an extension from the barrel known as the foresight mounting block. The front sight assembly is clamped to the top of this block and carries the front sight blade with protective fins on either side. The foresight facilitates adjustment of elevation in increments of 2 minutes of angle.
The rear sight is fitted to the rearsight mounting bracket (which doubles as a carrying handle). It is also adjustable in 2 minute increments . The rear sight has a battle sight zeroed to 300m. But this can be flipped over to reveal an adjustable leaf sight. Ranges from 100 to 500 metres are available by turning the adjustable range dial.
A SUSAT can be fitted to the GP rifle. Although larger units such as the CWS night sight and the original EMMAS laser training projector cannot be fitted because they foul the cocking handle.
Two conversion kits exist which enable the L98A1 to fire .22 rimfire cartridges instead of the standard 5.56 mm NATO cartridge. This allows the weapon to fire live rounds on .22 ranges when full size military ranges are unavailable.
Both kits consist of modified working parts (springs etc), a special magazine that is the same size and shape as the standard 5.56 mm magazine and a special adapter, shaped like a 5.56 mm cartridge, which is fitted into the L98A1's breech. This adapter contains a smaller breech into which the modified bolt inserts the .22 cartridge. The modified magazine locks into the magazine housing exactly as a normal one would.
The first kit is fitted with the standard GP cocking handle and works in exactly the same way as a single-shot L98A1 cadet GP rifle.
The second kit (the L41A1 sub-calibre adaptor) is fitted using a L85A1 cocking handle. It allows .22 rounds to be fired semi-automatically using direct blow back against the bolt to cycle the next round.
The conversion is not permanent and either kit can be removed from the L98A1 in the time it takes to normally strip and reassemble the weapon.
The L98A1 has a number of design features that cause problems, especially for inexperienced cadets.
For instance a common stoppage occurs if the cocking handle is not fully retracted and released because the spent round fails to eject cleanly fouling the breech and preventing the loading of the next cartridge. This fault is often caused by poor cleaning as dirt, grit and rain easily foul and remove the oil from the exposed cocking handle slide making a smooth action harder to cycle.
A stoppage also often occurs when a cadet "rides" the cocking handle forward instead of releasing it smartly.
The removal of the flash suppressor on the L98 also prevents the fitting of the blank firing attachment (BFA) (or, for that matter, the fitting of a standard issue British army bayonet) for the L85A1 series or the use of the safe blank firing attachment (SBFA) for the A2 series. This increases the safety distance when firing from 2m to 50m and increases the opportunity for injury.
The L98A1 rifle began a phased decommission in early 2009 and is now no longer officially in use by the Army Cadet Force. Most UK cadet forces have now received the new Heckler and Koch modified L98A2 rifles and Light Support Weapons (LSW's).
| L98A2 Cadet General Purpose Rifle 5.56MMx45 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Cadet training rifle |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2009–present |
| Used by | United Kingdom Cadets (ACF, CCF, SCC/MCD, ATC) |
| Wars | None |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Heckler & Koch |
| Manufacturer | BAE Systems |
| Produced | 2009-Present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 4.9 KG |
| Length | 785 mm |
| Barrel length | 495 mm |
|
|
|
| Cartridge | 5.56 x 45 mm NATO |
| Caliber | 5.56 mm |
| Action | Gas-operated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | Semi automatic |
| Muzzle velocity | 940 m/s |
| Effective range | 300 m (individual) 500 m (section) |
| Maximum range | 500 m |
| Feed system | 30-round detachable STANAG magazines |
| Sights | Iron Sights |
The L98A2 has now replaced the L98A1[1]. The new rifle (DP pictured - see below) is very similar to the L85A2 except that the weapon is only capable of semi-automatic single shots, not fully automatic fire. Modifications by the German defence manufacturing company Heckler and Koch[citation needed] have been made to the trigger mechanism, including removing the change lever thus fixing the interceptor sear in its working position, to prevent full auto fire or unauthorised modifications to enable such.
The main differences with the L98A2 rifle compared to the L98A1 are the gas parts. These parts allow the weapon to be fired Semi-Automatically, rather than single fire with the A1. Another noticeable difference is the cocking handle and the way the rifle is cocked, with the A1 the cocking handle was attached to the Bolt Carrying Assembly via an extension piece, whereas the A2's have a smaller cocking handle attached directly to the BCA which is designed specifically to be cocked with the left hand rather than the right.
The new cocking handle's full name is an 'Ergonomically Designed Cocking Handle', its construction is of tough rubber with a metal plate insert. The function of the cocking handle is to not only cock the weapon but also ensures that when a round is ejected it strikes the metal plate forcing it to fly off away from the firers face ensuring no injury is caused.
The new A2 magazines are noticeably heavier than the A1 magazines, this is due to a sturdier construction and stronger materials. They still accept 30 rounds but the spring inside the mag has a stronger guide plate and stronger base plate.
Before using the weapon with either blank or ball ammunition, cadets receive training in the safe use of the weapon and are taught Normal Safety Precautions (NSPs). These weapon drills are assessed through weapon handling tests (WHTs) carried out as part of regular training or at the discretion of range staff. These tests must be carried out every six months and cadets who do not pass them are not allowed to fire the weapon with either blank or live ammunition.
The A2 requires the fitting of a Blank Magazine designed specifically for Blank rounds with a lip at the top of the mag to ensure that no live round can be placed into that mag. These mags are painted yellow for easy identification during training.
The A2 also uses a Blank Firing Attachment (BFA) which clips on to the flash eliminator, another Heckler and Koch Modification. This reduces the effective range of a blank round from 50m to 5m to the front and 1m either side, and allows the weapon to use the gas parts to automatically cock.
The L98A2 DP is used by cadets for practising rifle drill and weapons handling tests. During rifle drill practise it is common for cadets to remove the foresight as it often gets in the way and is unnecessary in that application, empty magazines are fitted.
The DP weapons are also used in Weapon Handling Tests, even though the weapon is not capable of firing a round, whether that be live or blank, it does contain all the same working and gas parts as the standard live firing weapon.
Key distinguishing features and marks on the DP show that it is not capable for live firing:
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