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Leftie's, the SA-80 and the RIR Home Service
Posted: Fri 02 Jan, 2004 7:15 pm
by Scooter
Being left Handed, am I going to encounter any problems trying to operate an SA0-80?
Planning to join the RIR Home Service (3rd Batt.) Would love to hear from anyone currently serving.
Posted: Fri 02 Jan, 2004 7:48 pm
by lew
I'm left handed and I havnt had any problems...
lew
Posted: Sat 03 Jan, 2004 9:08 am
by mercury
Being a "leftie" myself I never encountered any problems converting from the ambidexterous SLR to the "righty" SA80
Indeed many people said I could shoot just as well with either hand
Still trying to work out if thats an insult or not
Seriously , I have known people have problems with being left handed and using an SA80 , but these are the same people who get mysterious knee injuries a mile into a patrol or get equally strange stomach upsets on CFT day
Unless you have spent years shooting left handed there is no real problem, the level of instruction in the British Armed forces is second to non
Posted: Mon 05 Jan, 2004 3:43 pm
by RobT
Doesn't the left hander usually get handed the Minimi?
Rob
Posted: Wed 07 Jan, 2004 5:28 pm
by mercury
bit of a dab hand with the gimpy meself , didnt I see in the news that the british armed forces are getting minimi's ?
Lefties and Minimis
Posted: Thu 08 Jan, 2004 3:56 am
by df2inaus
Mercury,
How was the SLR ambidextrous? The cartridges must have come out somewhere?
Is the LSW history now?
Posted: Thu 08 Jan, 2004 9:33 am
by rabby
Its not that they didn't come out, just they came out further down the weapon, ie not right next to your face. Also were they ejected downwards?? The old and bold will tell us!

Hopefully, if we ask nicely...

Posted: Thu 08 Jan, 2004 6:33 pm
by mercury
Well you young whipper snappers ...in my day the empty cases were ejected further down the weapon on the right, these days the emptys still come out of the right hand side but because of the bullpup configuration you run the risk of getting the cocking lever in your mush and a cartridge in your face
SLR's were longer and normal config so no problem
I believe it was also possible to rework them so the cocking lever and ejection port were on the left but never saw it dome in the UK armed forces
Posted: Fri 09 Jan, 2004 3:45 pm
by Bash
I was told recently that the army is phasing out the LSW and replacing it with the Minimi (2 per section). RAF Regiment have no such luck, not sure bout the RM though.
Posted: Fri 09 Jan, 2004 3:55 pm
by lew
Yea i had heard the same thing, all infantry sections are to get the minimi, i think the RM and the Para's have already been issued them in Iraq...
lew
Posted: Fri 09 Jan, 2004 6:15 pm
by voodoo sprout
This has come up a few times before, but the LSW will be retained in addition to the minimi, one of each per fire team. Theoretically at least

.
Posted: Fri 09 Jan, 2004 8:22 pm
by mercury
Oh good , now we can have that age old quandry
Do we give the nice heavy fire support weapon to someone who can use it
Or do we give it to the section idiot to teach him a lesson
hmmmmm

Posted: Fri 09 Jan, 2004 11:09 pm
by AdamR
Do Rifle Platoons still get issued with GPMGs? Also, how are weapons dished out amongst Combat Engineer units?
Posted: Thu 15 Jan, 2004 10:46 pm
by TinCanMan
Although probaly none of you will care i am left handed and left footed but do everything else with my right like shoot and throw a dart etc just out of interest anyone know the name for this
Posted: Fri 16 Jan, 2004 7:33 am
by mercury
Post modernistic positive dexterity conditioning