Shooting a Falklands mint condition surplus SLR L1A1
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- This SLR was obtained legally into France as a Category B fire-arm. It has been in storage in its original factory wrapping since manufacture. The last 25 years were in storage in the Falklands. We are shooting it for the first time in France.
My first shot an SLR for over 40 years. enjoy!
![L1A1 🇬🇧 SLR [British FN FAL - Iron Sights] to 600yds (Feat. Bloke on the Range) Practical Accuracy](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/q0j3AAfte2w/mqdefault.jpg)
Even after half a century could still strip/ reassemble with my eyes closed. Loved the SLR
I can do a field strip and clean no worries but did you ever remove the buttstock? I've had mine for a long time and i'm starting to worry about that spring. Any tips you can give me? Many thanks.
@@Stiglitz_H you need a stock removal tool to compress the dual recoil springs. Otherwise you'll never be able to get it back together. Check DSA or Brownells. They are about $15-20 US.
Best rifle the army ever had
yeah but to be fair - it is the EASIEST firearm in the history of fire arms to strip and reaseemble.
@@tomchappelow9602 You what? - i'll give you the benefit of the doubt in case we are thinking of different things but please explain? AFAIK the recoil spring is a single spring and at no point in assembly or dissassembly is it compressed.
The finest rifle ever to serve in the British Army.
Most of our weapon systems are amazing, but the SLR didn't really do it for me, either the M82 or our L85A2 for their ability to get rounds down quickly while not sacrificing accuracy, the SLR just seemed like a rifle that wasn't quite finished but still did a hecking good job at being a rifle.
Nah the Brown Bess musket
Could hit a Hermann 15 out of 20 at 400 yards. 7.62 long everytime over the Nerf rounds they use today.
Its coming back ss SLR a2 after 35 years the sa 80 should have been used to deal with the lugs that introduced it and buried with them.
How about the Lee Enfield MK4, two world wars and the Korean war.
Best rifle I ever used. You can keep 5.56 and give me 7.62mm every time! All hail the L1A1 FN SLR, a thing of beauty! 😎
And less parts easier to strip down
7.62 all day long
Fabrique Nationale or whatever, it was (the action) still a copy of Paul Mausers self loader...& The Llungman (Swedish Mauser in 6.5mm) & countless others.
Some American soldiers in Vietnam swapped their M16 for its predecessor the M14 which fired the 7.62. If an enemy soldier was behind a tree, a bullet from an M16 would be stopped by the tree. A bullet from an M14 would go through the tree and hit the soldier on the other side.
I prefer a metric FAL... The L1A1 is a tad long for my liking!
Superb. What a trip down memory lane this is! Haven't fired an L1A1 SLR in 30 years now, I hadt o forfeit the SLR for the inferior SA80- which came with a tool kit that looked like it could be used to carry out a major service in a NASA Space shuttle! Meanwhile, the SLR tool kit consisted of a pull through, combi tool, oil bottle and some scotchbright. Awesome rifle- superb build quality, extremely tough and durable. Hits like a sledgehammer, inspires confidence. Shoulder launched arty! I'd give my left one to have another go with an L1A1! Thanks for posting! :)
Never seen issued scotchbright, indeed we weren't allowed to use it as it was to abrasive....
Really enjoyed your video. The SLR was my father’s favourite, he was issued it in Northern Ireland. Although he shot every weapon the British forces used up until the early 2000s he maintained that the SLR was the best. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
As you were firing it , a flood of memories washed over me , feeling the kick and smell
This weapon is also called "hathimaar" in Indian counter insurgency units. Literally translated to " elephant killer". Very reliable
@@chriswilde7246 Well they obviously did have a shoot to kill policy
Thanks for this mate, takes me right back: that distinctive crack, even the sound of loading the mag. My first issue was wood furnished, and was an old sweat even when I got it in '83... Never let me down in all the years I had it... Great weapon, and completely 'Jock-proof...' 👍😂🏴
When he clears the rifle at the end there was still a round in the chamber you see it fly out. Safety safety safety. So many memories of this rifle.
Not unusual .The mag is not always empty when doing an unload.Usual cycle after firing a round the normal cycle of a semi auto rifle is for it to reload as long as rounds remain in mag .The operator should be aware by counting rounds used .Correct sequence on unload is safety catch .Remove mag .Tilt weapon 90 degrees .Pull back cocking lever .Hold Open .Look In chamber..If empty.Release working parts..Safety off.Pointing in safe direction .Click trigger.Apply safety.Recover ejected round.
He removed the mag ,racked the rifle 5 times and cleared the round in the breach then aimed the rifle down range and pulled the trigger, can't get much safer than that.
He obviously can't count to 10 😂
Memories:From the click of the rounds going into the Magazine to the actual firing - So much coming back to me even though I haven’t fired one since 1981.
...and that's when I started firing the SLR, @baron1595, for the next six years anyway.
I left just before everything moved over to the SA-80.
Well described; I'd love to be able to fire, strip, and clean that weapon once more.
Loved that rifle, such a distinctive "ping" on each shot! happy memories indeed!
I was an RAF armourer from 69 to 96 most of that time servicing or shooting this rifle at Bisley. We found that with 5his rifle it was important get it down the range zero and make sure you take the kinks out of if, as you found out, but once it’s ironed out it’s a brilliant weapon for any shooting to 600 yards. If you used it for Bisley shooting don’t unlock it and break it open not good for the zero, so we used moline grease inside the top slide and gas plug while in competition. Then you can crack it open and give it a good clean. There were lots of tricks for using it especially using the strap such as connect the strap under the barrel but the other end of the strap around the upper part of the left arm, to make a solid hold put the strap around the magazine, carful of the magazine catch, put your left hand under the fore end furniture but above the strap, (put your watch on your right hand out of the way). This will make a three point hold which is locked on the left arm and right shoulder, it’s. A bit of a bodge job but it did work at longer ranges.
Or you could just use a Lee Enfield which was extremely accurate to 1000 yards. It was the long range rifle of choice for well over 50 years both in competition and in the field. That's why a number of Lee Enfields with scopes were issued/used in the Falklands. Nothing fancy or new about using a sling properly either. It wasn't just there to carry the thing. The .303 flat tailed bullet was/is vastly more stable than the 7.62mm boat-tailed bullet. I've used both. The 7.62 was loved because a squadie could get more rounds off faster but, for properly placed shots the Lee Enfield, in a decent pair of hands was far more accurate and you could still achieve 10 rounds/minute with them being better placed hits. Loved them both, and both were better than the SA80 and all it's subsequent modifications.
A fine rifle.
Sure progress has seen things move on, but that shouldn't take away from the fact that in its day the SLR did what it needed to. Like the Lee Enfield and the Garand, the SLR is one of the finest battle rifles ever made to defend our freedoms.
I won the Tobacco Trophy for best young soldier with one in the 1980's; just shows how things have move on! Loved your video.
made me smile. Likewise, I won an all schools shooting competition with the No 4 Lee Enfield as I was in the cadets at the time. Was so proud of my marksman badge. Both the SLR and No4 are still very lethal. Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of either!
@@Bader1940 I miss that: "sun on one's back" when lying on the point on Bisley Century Range, as many who have done such competitions do. I once had a HPS with the No:4 at 600m there too. The smell of Aquaoil and brass brush!
Later, I was issued the SA80, so one of that generation that shot all the last three British Service Rifles.
Good times.
My comp SLR had front wood furniture. We rested the mag in the prone. Used the sling as a one point sling. Lastly the Bren Gun had a fine front post that fitted the SLR; they were like hens teeth then. Just gave a better sight picture for the longer range shots. Oh, and Gun Black!
Still miss my L1A1. Had it stolen in 84 by the Uk Govnt. Was an excellent weapons system.
Why was it stolen?
@@johnnunn8688 In 1984 a person who had no reason to own a firearm murdered a number of people in a town named Hungerford UK. The response of the UK Government was to move all centre fire self loading rifles from Section 1 to Section 5. Effectively banning them for civilian use.
Love it, I was RCT in Germany in the 80’s , the bizarre thing was, we had a much higher amo allocation than the infantry, absolutely no idea why but we were never off the range firing this rifle, was known as the “man stopper”.
Now now, you are telling porkies, we all know RickshawsCabs&Taxis only ever got smuge guns 😂😂
@@Beauloqs No, really not telling porkies, 10 Reg RCT had a massive ammo allocation, we literally lined up every lmg available to get rid of ammo, the barrels were glowing red, also once a year a large amount of 66 anti tank we had to use up, 8 Regt RCT were the same I believe. 10 reg were also shit hot boxing regt , no infantry could touch us in 70’s and 80’s, fact!
Sigh, brings back memories. Seeing it reminds me of the days when we were forced to “admire our weapon” Standing to attention with arms outstretched and weapon held in front of us, admiring it as it got heavier, and heavier, and heavier and you ended up leaning further and further backwards in an attempt to keep your arms outstretched….What memories.
Good old pokey drill first thing in the morning, before a 5 miler.
SA Infantry days 🧐
@@AmenYeshua Ja - nee! Remember “Min dae, vasbyt!
@davidyoung5830 Haha most likely, but back in my days in RSA (1975) we used the Belgian FN with a wooden stock and forestock which is a lot heavier than todays “plastic” weapons.
I loved this rifle. It looks purposeful and is. I honestly never had a single stoppage in all the time I used it. The SA80 had inherent accuracy WHEN IT WORKED but the SLR had reliability and stopping power. If you had some skills, putting rounds on target was not a problem.
Only Rifle I ever used in the British Army whilst serving for the Light Infantry before I left in 91, beautiful rifle and precise
Used these in the Australian reserves in the early 80's. Heavy but packed a punch.
Back in the day, you could buy a "surplus" FAL kit here in the US that was a complete rifle, with the rifle rendered inoperable with 2 cuts in the upper receiver, for somewhere between $50 and $100. You could get a brand new Imbel receiver for $150 and a new barrel for another $100 or so. All you needed at that point was the right size locking shoulder and you had a hell of a rifle. The trick was getting 5 or 6 folks together for a build party, and if you got lucky someone had the locking shoulder you needed and you were good to go :). South African battle packs were cheap and plentiful too...ah, the good old days. Then the ATF came along and said you couldn't build "new" rifles with parts kits, which ended the fun. You can buy complete rifles now, but they're a WHOLE lot more than what it cost to build 'em back then.
Great piece of kit. Even with open sites no optics I could get a 80mm group at 200m. Proper man stopper.
The man stopper! Just recalled the first time Colour Sergeant threw one of these at me during a training session. I remember thinking, christ that's heavy! It wasn't until he asked me to pass it to my mate and the tossed a gpmg at me that I realised how much I preferred the SLR.
Had some kick. As a spectacles wearer cracked a lens on the range back in 79. Moved on to contact lenses made life easier!!! Happy days.
I remember meeting a dads friend and his son at the pub. The friend was a Falkland’s vet and his son served in Afghanistan. They started debating on whether the SLR or SA80 was superior it was great
One only needed a daily pull through while the other required H&K rework as a little snow in the flash suppressor was enough to cause a stoppage. Boom :)
Now THAT is a visit to the pub.
@Mike Morris damn grammer
In the Australian Army cadets i still remember someone from the SASR come in to our hut , stripped & rebuilt an SLR on a ground sheet with a blindfold on, awesome !
Being a south paw I was given extra range time when we switched to the SA80 to build up muscle memory to shoot right handed. Loved shooting the SLR with the added benefit of being able to switch between left and right shoulder.
Such a unique noise. No mistaking an SLR
Such a beautiful sound
Unmistakably ...nothing quite like it John
Brings back memories of my time in the RAF in 1980 learning to strip and assemble and fire on the range Fantastic rifle
That's given me goosebumps.
It's been such a long time since I've heard that sound 😢
Was TA loved the slr as a lefthand shooter it was great loved it 👍
One off the best rifles ever made , loved it you know when you fired it with a nice kick and spot on target every time ,Starting to Drool over the SLR, Australian X infantry.
Good old 762 SLR. You can hide behind a brick wall and she’ll still punch through it.👍
5 years serving with a SLR. Like yourself, first few shots to get the gas setting right and a damn heavy clean to get rid of the packing grease and oils. I never had another stoppage after firing thousands and thousands of rounds. Loved it and 7.62 !!!
Thats a proper battle rifle, I pity those having to carry the SA80 after these. That 7.62 full fat round had some punch to it..
loved it ! when i was in cadets, we went from enfield to SLR, and in army, the transition from SLR to SA 80 was just happening.
I went to annual camp when I was a cadet ( we went in a 4 ton we thought we were so cool ) and they made a cadet GP which was a single shot version of the SA 80 but older cadets talked about the SLR ….looking back I wish I got to fire one
That was my rifle, in the NZ army, in the seventies, but I had the wood stocks. Now they have the MARSL, go figure.
Love that rifle, used it in Vietnam. In my opinion it's the best ever. I would buy one but it's illegal to own one in Australia. The SLR is a heavy weapon but bloody reliable. Saw a video on RUclips some years ago of an American Nam Vet, saying he preferred the SLR to the American armalite rifle. The Belgians really knew how to made a great weapon.
By 1986 99% of SLR rifles were worn out after over 30 years of service.
One in mint condition is as rare as rocking horse manure !
While many other units had adopted the SA80 by the late 80s / early 90s we still had these up until about 93 in our unit...I was ashamed at the SA80...what a load of crap...
@@truthjunkie2325 Yep, took mine to Gulf War 1. They wanted to "upgrade" us to SA80 prior to deployment, but luckily we didn't have time to fit in the conversion training.
@@siras2 Took them 40 years to design a bullpup and it was still crap shame the dsa sa58 wasnt around in the 80s
My personal weapon was a 1958 model and I used it in the late 80s but still accurate
This and your knitted top brings back some fantastic memories.....thanks.
A Damn good Rifle and effective out to 900 yds
Great rifle. I served in the RAF from 84 to 93. All came flooding back watching him. Could even smell the gun oil and cordite. Trained on the SA 80 in 1990, no comparison.
A pleasure to watch! Thanks for uploading this video, and of course we are all jealous. Final Thought section 5 should be rescinded in the UK.
Picked up a straight pull conversion L1A1 a few weeks ago. not shot one in 30 yrs, love this rifle so much. Pity we can't get gas operated in the UK
The UK seems to have some of the strictest gun laws in Europe. I’m an American (full blooded Briton and double checked that) and every time I’m convicted to leave the USA to go back to the homeland I don’t think I could live without my gun freedoms.
@@Genevasuggestions1 background check, justification for weapon (target, hunting etc), storage and a club to shoot at regularly. As long as you are an upstanding citizen there is no issue being awarded a licence. No handguns, all weapons must be at least 24" , semi auto only permissable in .22lr. I shoot .22, .44 and .308. got my ticket at 18. America's "right to bear arms" was written around smooth bore muskets, not modern military weapons. Reform is required in the USA. Only 1 school shooting ever in the history of the UK (Dunblane), and that was a long time ago.
@@OmarKhanUK in a polite wyte society that sounds good. But it isn’t. And I want the very same thing I used overseas to defend my life Liberty and loved ones. Damn near Napoleonic era guns just won’t do. I don’t want relics I want weapons.
@@blitzwing1 yeah. I sure hope your pop gun toys are doing it for you tho. Either way I’m not taking that shit from anyone who’s country forbids lawful self defence.
@@OmarKhanUK I’m a brit but I’m well versed on the us constitution. 2A rights say “a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” At that time they didn’t mean just “smooth bore muskets”, they mean everything. When the 2a was written the US didn’t have a standing army, the army was the militias, the people. This means the 2a protects the rights of the people to own any weapons including but not limited to, cannons, warships, muskets, rifled muskets, horses and weapons used by cavalrymen and so on. The current US gun laws that prohibit full-auto weapons, short barreled rifles, shotguns and suppressors already is in breach of the 2a rights that SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. I wish we had something like the 2nd Amendment here in the UK but mixed with the current laws. Same process of getting your firearms license to stop all the crazies and criminals but no prohibited firearms and concealed and open carry rights. Meaning semi-automatic weapons of all kinds, pistols of all kinds. Basically, if it shoots then we should be able to have it, with the right licenses ofcoarse.
I loved that rifle. Got the Rifle Brigade Cup (best young Soldier) and 55th in the Army Hundred at Bisley with one...(19 years old)
Had a permanent bruise on my right cheek when training/competing, - I liked the rear sight as close to my eyeball as possible...
This guy must have been an officer? You can tell from his weapon handling…..?
What a beautiful sound the voice of the rifle
Those were the days many moons ago .having this weapon by my side in 2 para.truly the best weapon by far and still is.
Was that a flinch I saw at the first "click" instead of bang?
Cannot forget the sound, super rifle.
That's an extremely satisfying sound.
A miscount at the end there, but hey, so long as you enjoyed it.
Well spotted :) you could see the surprise on my face eh?
Brings back great memories of my time in the army. 😊
You will never mistake the sound of that rifle you can just see the stopping power from the recoil. There are perhaps a lot more sexy looking rifles out there now. But for me and I am sure many of the people that have had the pleasure of firing it, it will always be the best.
Best battle rifle ever made. Hearing that sound again gave me Goose bumps
Beautiful piece of kit. Brings back some wonderful memories.
Although I nearly hit the deck when you swung the muzzle across the cameraman’s chest 0:16
Maybe a range safety refresher is in order?
Lovely noise, the ring as it cycles after each round, still relevant.
My favourite toy !! I loved the SLR it taught you to aim and shoot !! Not like today's spray and pray or scoped sights !!
Friend of mine bought one years ago for $125.00 Canadian. He sold it off without even telling me. Since then they are now prohibited in Canada and all our Canadian ones were rusting in Winnipeg I heard if they haven't been cut up. Best rifle ever. Loved the one I was issued in the Canadian army, CAL serial number 6L2781 and her name was Patricia. Didn't tell my mates that part though but she never let me down and I easily qualified every time with her on the ranges.
Oh how I loved that rifle even after all these years
Great to see - i last fired one back in 1991 before my unit transitioned over to the SA80
First round stoppage. Dead man's click 😂🇬🇧
Carried one all over wales and scotland while on selection training and continuation training we realy needed this wonderfully powerful and accurate weapon in iraq and Afghanistan but we had the SA80 and the de Marco could not stop a squirrel at ten feet either of them the SLR would take lumps out of an enemy at 400 meters plus it never got a stoppage if you cleaned it properly and got the gas setting right it was heavy at 10 pound and ten mags fully bombed up was also heavy but my word what a cracking weapon ,after I was med discharged due to injuries they brought in a 7.62 weapon that I have been told was very similar in killing power at distance that must have put the willies up the tally ban man as he usually strolled about knowing the 5.56 crap we had was just out of range hence there fear of the GPMG belt fed single shot or tear em up beast , this was my weapon and so happy with it was I ha ha trouble was you were the target they were after every time ha ho hence you never had the legs down so it looked like a rifle god I miss that job that life me mates it’s shit being a spazz getting older and falling to bits ha ha
I have not fired one of those for a very long time. Great to hear it again.
The unmistakable sound of the working parts of an SLR
Great to see the old slr firing again, carted one around in Canada, Germany, UK, Singapore and the Malaysia jungle and cursed it out often but the only weapon I’ve seen that penetrated the metal plates used in the falling plate competitions, still remember the bruised shoulder from firing hundreds of rounds.
Carried the C1A1 version in Canadian service many years ago. As fine a battle rifle as could be asked for.
sweet sounding weapon I loved the SLR and Jimpy
Just love that ringing sound as the rounds are fired off. A brilliant rifle, very good in the open but a bit of a bugger when doing FIBUA (Fighting In Built Up Areas).
In 1971 I was issued with the wooden stock and butt, a brilliant weapon and a real stopper.
Reading everyone’s comments. Now, the SLR, what a rifle. Funny, I used gas setting 6 too otherwise kickback knock your bloody shoulder out. Did you know they’re re issuing the SLR and the 7.62 rounds. The SA80 is on its way … although never used this rifle as it was being trialed by the guards who I believe had first issue. I did read some issues with it.
On the cartridge, I used to use a touch of oil on the springs and always made sure the gas rod was free too from carbon as used to cause issues as you had.
I have no life rounds or blank cartridges in my possession Sir too… you forgot that bit 😝
Takes me back. Slept with it in army in my sleeping bag. Became a extension of me. Great gun.
That noise…brings back many memories…I can smell the cordite thank you
It is a shame they did not keep them for ceremonial duties. The latest incarnation of the SA-80 is probably better for urban/close quarter combat, but for me it does not cut it on a parade ground. Great to see, many thanks.
SA -80 doesn't cut it ,open country 750 M SLR will easily .
Happy days spent on Sennybridge, Tidworth and Sennelager ranges
I was in 1 Wessex Regiment TAVR, a part-time Territorial Army unit from south-west England around 1977-79, and loved my SLR. ...... I was raised on a country estate, so grew up shooting pigeons and rabbits with shotguns, and fired my SLR the same way. ...... It seemed to work, as I was battalion rifle champion ( to my surprise ).
Sadly the army began insisting that rifle butts be kept in the shoulder, not swung into the shoulder from the waist. ...... I saw this as guaranteeing poor posture, as the butt is bound to slip downwards. ...... The hierarchy were socialist bureaucratic, and we parted company.
A TA Bummer who thought he was a Soldier and knew better than the Regulars telling him what to do, No wonder you left ya Melt 😂😂😂😂😂😂
@Billy Gilmour Some regulars are excellent soldiers. ...... Some are not.
No good soldier ever attacks without being in possession of good intelligence - it is the sign of a poor soldier, regardless of being regular or part-time.
/
My family have fought in wars for a thousand years, so one might say it is in the blood.
My father was awarded the DSC in submarines in WW2, my grandfather was at Jutland, and my great-grandfather was awarded the DSO in the Boer War at the Battle of Nooitsgedacht.
My mother served in FANY attached to French Section SOE, and my grandfather's estate had an Auxiliary Unit underground base on one of our woods, as well as a 600 yard rangle in our meadows.
Her brother was a 19 year old regular army officer in the 15/19th Hussars, commanding an armoured car in Recce Troop from Holland to Hamburg in 1944-45. ...... He once went looking for eggs, and came back with six German prisoners, armed with a Webley revolver with one round in the cylinder.
On the wall of his house hung a portrait of his uncle, my great-uncle, who fell leading his company of the 39th Garhwal Rifles, Indian Army, at the Battle of Neuve Chappelle in 1915. ...... The Garhwalis are hillmen of the Himalayas akin to Gurkhas, and won so many medals in Gurkha regiments, the Garhwal Rifles was formed in 1887. ...... The Indian Army has 20-25 battalions of Garhwalis today. ...... I was invited to India for the 125th anniversary of the founding of the regiment, but sadly it was beyond my means.
Considering my ancestor fell a century ago, the link in blood endures.
/
Our TA army. ...... I could see where the bureaucratic politically correct hierarchy were headed, and that is not the kind of 'freedom' I wish to live under.
A friend of mine's father was executed by the Russians at Katyn in 1940, and our own government system looks more and more communist by the day - just look at the Great Covid Panic. ...... Old ladies arrested for sitting on a park bench in the sunshine.
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I was hitting the target. ...... The Second Lieutenant telling me to keep butt in shoulder was a poor shot, and a poor commander. ...... Many soldiers are poor shots, which is why training is geared to the lowest common denominator.
/
In open country, I could tell where enemy were simply by watching wildlife. ...... I was ignored.
In advance to contact as radio operator to the platoon commander, I was looking at terrain, and knew what orders I would issue were I platoon commander. ...... On enemy opening up, he was on the radio to the OC asking for advice.
It is better to do something, be wrong, and learn from it, than do nothing, be right, and learn nothing.
The platoon commander worked in a legal office shuffling paper, and did not possess the kind of mind that could assess a situation instantly, and issue appropriate orders. ...... No doubt he possessed more paper qualifications than I, but he was that slow, men would die while he dithered.
/
They recruited 2 brothers, Jones Long & Jones Short. ..... They were obviously substandard. ...... As an example, Jones Long was on the rifle range with a jammed SLR, which he then pointed directly at the platoon sergeant's stomach, saying 'My gun's jammed!'
The sergeant went white.
Such people are a menace in peacetime, let alone in battle, yet effort was expended on them even after it was clear they were dangerous.
Yet when I asked if I could have a copy of the manual on the GPMG to study, I was told that it was only for Lance-Corporals and above.
/
It was clear to me that intelligence and intiative was not what they wanted.
On north Dartmoor, a fighting patrol at night, led by an ex-Parachute Regiment Captain, went 3 miles due east to recce an enemy camp. ...... As soon as we set off back, I knew intuitively that we were off course, heading more south. ...... Stops to read maps became frequent. ...... I got my own map out, looked towards the south-west, then looked at the terrain.
I went to the Captain, and said 'We are 2.5 miles south-west'. ...... They laughed. ...... 'Ridiculous!' ...... I said 'If we carry on down this valley, we will come to where two streams meet, with a hut circle to our right, and a tor up to our left'.
We went down the valley, and sure enough, that was precisely where we were.
/
The reason? ...... Parts of the north moors are magnetic and affect compasses.
Whereas they were trained to look at maps, read a compass, and count paces - as a drill - I was doing what my ancestors have done for countless generations - looked at the ground, and smelt the air.
Some of my ancestors were Highland chieftains, linked through the Vikings to Macleod of Raasay, and over centuries to Aardreck, Cadboll, and Invergordon castles.
A Macleod of Cadboll was a Scottish MP who signed the Act of Union in 1707, while his son fought in the Glengarry Regiment for Bonnie Price Charlie in 1745, while his son built the port at Invergordon that was a base for the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet in WW1, when the family spent a fortune entertaining naval officers.
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One might have thought a man such as myself would have value in reconnaisance, for example. ...... I even had WW2 German Luftwaffe 7 x 50 aluminium binoculars, which could see much further than the standard issue British army glasses, plus they were excellent at night. ...... I could see when everyone else was blind.
However, the hierarchy were so rigidly up their own back-sides, they could only see as far as the end of their noses.
/
This rigidity lead to the British Army being locked in foolish wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq - an utter waste of time, treasure, and blood.
The same rigidity means that the same kind of people no longer know what a woman is.
@@zen4men Utter Pish
@@weerangersbloke As you wish
A blast from the past, I too used to love the L1A1
‘Weapon fires one or two shots, weapon stops…’ I want one!
Brilliant video, thank you for sharing!
Loved this rifle. Proper rifle to tab with as well.
Beautiful rifle! Wow! Yes, these kinds of things make people smile.
One of the finest rifles ever made!!!! That smile are the end, priceless!!!!!! Good show, well played sir well played.
Beautiful. I called them Action Man guns before I knew better. Memories. Too young for the Falklands but remember watching Hanrahan's tense wait on the mountain with the Gurkhas under mortar fire and the ringing sound of the British 105's shelling the Argentine forces. I was obsessed with anything military. Thank you for anyone who Served . If I remember the FN FALS / SLR'S had night scopes but we're HUGE. also you were given a boll**** if u used the carry handle like a fookin handbag ..actually I think that's a quote from Alan Clarke's brilliant "Contact" set in Armagh if I'm right said by the Lieutenant? It was on RUclips but got removed, rightly so if u want to see it buy the DVD.
A true soldiers weapon, accuracy, reliability and real stopping power, the SA80 was gash until H&K got hold of it. What a find, nice one.
Great bit of kit, proper gun
What a beautiful peace of kit. I used to call mine Madonna !
I agree I served from 80 to 86 and loved my SLR ❤
Had the pleasure of putting quite a few cartridges through one of those Both traveling down to the Falklands on the HMV Caren . and on the ranges in the Falklands on invite by the army whilst working on Mount Pleasant Airfield . Awesome gun no wonder it was so well respected
I've fired on of those in South Africa when it was called the R1.Quite a recoil to 7.62mm and I think that it's the second most powerful rifle I've fired .375 Holland and Holland Magnum being the most powerful.
Lucky enough to get to fire this weapon when I was in the Army Cadets, absolute beast.
a man stopper one of the best rifles ever
I was pretty excited to fire the SLR back in 88 at Raleigh (basic training). After the first shot i knew it was a serious bit of kit.Years later the SA80 didnt give me quite as much feed back. Great video thx.
The Arch Nemesis of the AK-47, the Right arm of the Free World, and one of the Finest weapons to ever be made!
I liked the SLR (used in NI and Falklands) as I found it to have a better balance than the A1, which, albeit compact, was just a weighty lump. Not much difference in accuracy between iron sights on the SLR or A1, but the SUSAT made a big difference. I was 104th and 101st at Bisley.
Love this weapon. Rifle of the 'free world.' They also used to call it and the 'Elephant Gun,' because of it's kick. It sure does have some power behind it. Cool demo - good to be back firing it after so long. Mark
I'm glad the SLR is going back into the British Army soon
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What?
@o2 Yh the SLR was but the British Army is bring the SLR back is to service called the SLRA2
Served in ulster defence regiment for 11 years in northern ireland..company shooting team and battalion shooting team..later served in ruc for 10 years the 7.62 slr was thee weapon to carry..superb accuracy and we knew if we hit the enemyanywhere on the body he was a gonner
My elder brother was in the Paras and he said it was a really good Rifle, great stopping power. 👍
i saw a video on youtube and they said it was a really good rifle with great stopping power!
@@Abensberg I sent it to my brother the ex para and he said the same thing. 👍
@@andrewkerr3836 haha well, thank him for his service ;)
@@Abensberg I certainly will. 👍
@@andrewkerr3836 We don't say 'thank you for your service' in Britain. The military here pledges an oath of alliegance yo Elizabeth II--not the people of Britain.
Had a toy one of those as a kid.Collecters item now.
Was it made by Airfix? I seem to remember seeing one in a local Woolworths, must be over 60 years ago!
I always loved the SLR. I loved the weight because I could keep the barrel steady. When my unit transferred to the M16 I thought the plastic fantastic was rubbish. Little did I know, ten years later we moved on to the styer. I still think the SLR was the better rifle.