Correction - (edited) as pointed out by a helpful commenter this is *arguably* not truly "integrally suppressed" as it has no ported barrel. However, the term "integrally suppressed" existed at that time (hence the nickname of 'PMSD') whereas the "reflex" suppressor is a later invention intended for us with standard barrel lengths and to be removable for unsuppressed use. This rifle has a specially adapted barrel designed for use *integrally* with the rifle, which is not intended for use without it. The suppressor threads in place at the REAR like the DeLisle and the SPR300 (also not ported - I previously stated the DeLisle isn't either - it is in part, it just has a sleeve over the ports). Thus it is "integral" even if the barrel is not ported like an MP5SD.
So, not only it the first time I hear about this L96 variant, it's also the first time I'm encountering this bit of suppressor classification. Truly educational video, thanks a lot! @RoyalArmouries Pin the man!
@@tommihommi1 I've been mulling this over and I do think there's a difference. Not to mention "integrally suppressed" was a thing in the 1980s whereas the term "reflex" hadn't been invented. I'll edit my comment, thanks.
@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries A complicated matter indeed. It just occured to me, however, that there's yet another perspective in this matter. Just how integral is integral sound suppression? One might be tempted to say that the name is only deserved with cartridge-based solutions, like in the Soviet and US special purpose handguns (BraMit-suppressed Nagant, QSPR etc.), and everything outside the barrel is external, be it requiring a barrel swap to undo the effect like here or a sleeve like on the Agram. Besides, there is a degree of similarity between a ported barrel and a short barrel with a large suppressor hanging over the muzzle like on the rifle we've discussing. A longer ported barrel can impart spin on a bullet for a longer period of time, sure, but just how much does it have to do with classification of suppressors is not that obvious.
Showing of the neat suppressed rifle and casually pulls out L96 serial number 1. That's like showing off your comic book collection just to pull out Superman #1 to compare the artwork. Awesome flex.
3:34 for those wondering, Jonathan is referencing the amazing film Ronin. One of the characters is testing another character to see if they were really SAS or not by asking about the boat house in Hereford (where SAS trains). I've seen Ronin a dozen times and i didn't even recognize the reference. i had to look it up lol
@@mandowarrior123 not really no. The way the arms industry works in the UK, especially for military items, the first one off the line almost always gets kept and almost always ends up in the hands of the royal armouries. I bet there's hundreds of pieces that are the first off the line in there
I have one of these and its no louder than standard ambient conversation, I have fired it at a range with people having a convo behind me and they didn’t know I had fired it
I do love the background story of Accuracy International, one of those classic British start ups, designing something great and punching above their weight.
It's a very inspirational tale, couple of talented men who got to really show what they were made of and build an enterprise around it, even having to defend it from sabotage and takeover, and finally becoming a world class name in the industry.
Only 35 ever made? That's pretty rare. Would love FPS games to include this type of info more often, to make you feel like you are using a very special weapon.
I'm sure, but I'm used to spotting minute differences and I still can't see any actual modification compared to the stock, er, stock - even with a loupe.
being a machinist (one who works with the precision cutting of metals) I can say that the loosest tolerances you'll get for a job like this are the specified dimensions plus or minus about .0002 of an inch. that is about as close to perfect as possible.
I was very surprised how short the barrel is, I had always assumed sniper rifles had long barrels for range and accuracy. I guess this was not intended for roles where long ranges were required.
Interesting I wish an acquaintance of mine was still with us. As he was a royal Marine commando sniper and for a time seconded to the SAS in Northern Ireland You might have been able to answer if this rifle was ever used in service by either. RIP Anthony.
I really didn't know that the Royal Armoury was in Leeds. I gotta visit Leeds one day when i'm over in the UK, both for the museum and for the whole "Birth town of The Sisters of Mercy" thing :)
I've certainly visited as a result of seeing these and the series Jonathan Ferguson, Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK, home to a collection of thousands of iconic weapons from throughout history, does with Gamespot. Went for the M41a Pulse Rifle, stayed for, and got totally obsessed with, their gift shop. My wife had to drag me out by my collar before I beat our credit card to death 🤣 Seriously, it's the most amazing gift shop on the planet if you're a weapons/Sci fi/fantasy nerd. They had Star Wars christmas tree decorations 🤓
Our visitor data is not really set up to capture this unfortunately but maybe 2-3%? It might actually be less. But it's very rewarding when someone bumps into me or asks to see me and says they're visiting because of RUclips, which has happened quite a few times now. US, Scandinavia, even China :)
A lot of this stuff is hidden away in the actual armoury, not on display at the museum. But the museum itself is a really cool place to visit, with a good few hours worth of things to look at and experience, taking you through the history of warfare. There's not a whole lot of typical tourist chaff in Leeds to give a lot of people reason to visit for long, but it is a city full of history, going back to before the Danes settled here.
I trained on the AW with Irish Army in 1993. On the course our SF instructor showed us the suppressed Meanie, with folding stock, removable barrel (I think.) and briefcase type ..
I see that the theme of unusual suppressed arms continues! 6:00 Now in Smell-O-Vision! 😁 8:46 I have to say I'm quite puzzled by what standard of accuracy & precision this rifle was held up to with the supersonic rounds. Barrel being so short doesn't strike me as supporting any sort of even medium-range performance, and the sight reticle needs to accomodate both trajectories. 9:04 Certainly back then there still were people around who might've remembered this logic being quite prominent, one only has to look at the M16 suppressors during the Vietnam war to see its manifestation.
The short barrel length may be an idea similar to the H&K MP5SD in that it will limit velocities even of standard 7.62mm rounds and result in a quieter report. That said the MP5SD barrel is both short AND ported to get velocity of standard 124gr NATO FMJ down so it's more likely just a practicality. Without a short barrel the thing would end up being stupidly long and unwieldy. Remember this is not really a long range rifle given it's CRW role. It doesn't need high velocities to reach out to 1000 yards.
@jleano609 1000 yards is absolutely long range for even a standard 7.62x51 rifle, no way you'd be firing this over that sort of range in anything other than desperation. The barrel length would compromise the velocity of full power rounds but it clearly isn't intended to function like the mp5sd because users were instructed not to use supersonic ammunition. I do agree with the length being primarily about handling characteristics.
Did I see a protective cover on the muzzle of the stock rifle ? I sometimes wonder if such a big collection makes use of VPI corrosion inhibitors to protect bores and other inaccessible spaces from tarnish and rust .
As a complete numpty my initial thought was that the shortened barrel would reduce the 'oomph' of the round, reducing muzzle velocity, etc., etc., but I am not sure how that'd affect overall range.
This has been one of my favorite guns based on looks for a long time. I can't explain why, it just looks so damn cool. I own an Airsoft version of this and it's great :D
I am surprised by the 12 inch barrel of the suppressed version. What sort of range were they intended to be used and were considered effective and accurate?
Very nice, never worked on a suppressed L96 but the earliest serial number to come across my bench was around 00170. Noticed the LSW's in the rack behind appear to be early A1s without the 3rd generation triggers fitted
The rounds for these had the headstamp removed in a lathe by machining a groove in them.. A lot of the barrel work on the original batch of green meanies was done by a Scottish gunsmith as AI didn't have the capabilities at the time being men in a shed at the time. Also the best gun at the SF trials wasn't the green meanie but a gun by Thomson and Campbell from Cromarty , when asked why they didn't win the guy bringing the weapon back to them said politics.
If the first rounds are subsonic and the later rounds are full loads, were there two different scope reticles to account for the different trajectories? Or some on-the-fly conversion to recalculate the drop?
@@senilestix If the barrel is long enough to stabilize the bullets they are using the length wouldn't have anything to do with accuracy. I would bet money their standard is higher than four or five MOA for that rifle.
.22 i do not think would be terminally sufficient nor would it fare well in any wind. I suppose that might be all they had, but yeah, i imagine the toob (whats next, threeb?) would been a welcome upgrade
The IDF (!!😕) use suppressed Ruger 1022 rifles for 'riot' control. They apparently discovered that you can selectively take out 'ring leaders' from a crowd with supposedly 'non-lethal' shots to legs etc and disrupt a large group of stone throwing protesters.As a regular user of a suppressed 1022 and 15:02 many other .22LR rifles, I can well imagine how demoralising that would be! I have heard stories however, that other target areas were used at times and were absolutely lethal. There is certainly a major problem with .22LR ammo for so many reasons, but if you are in a location within effective range, your target will be 'just enough dead' if struck in a vital area. Effectively known as being 'lightly killed'. Depressing thought.
Surprising that an SLR with the the H&K .22LR conversion kit was being used as a suppressed rifle for SF work as late as the 1980s when the silenced Sterling was in service and there must have still been De Lisle 45 ACP rifles lurking somewhere in the system (considering that WELRODs were - apparently)
Armies are loathe to use equipment "off the street", even for high speed low drag units. There is a trust factor that equipment would have been accepted after professionally supervised trials. A sub-cal SLR makes more sense than a borrowed Cadet .22 single shot target rifle.
@@TheWirksworthGunroom Think back to less martial designs. The CNo.7 and UK No.8 .22 rifles hung around Cadet arsenals for years. Target shooters also had plenty of BSA rifles and others. I know the differences between a Delisle, and a Welrod. I've held a genuine Welrod too.
Curious about this as well. It being the military they could be using some heavier than lead core to keep the length down, since the stability issue with heavier rounds has to do with the increased bullet length to allow for higher weights.
Just on the very last point, what exactly was the .22 that the SAS were using in their converted L1A1s? .22LR or .22 Long are quite different to .22 Win Mag and .22 Hornet which are different to .22 swift.
Unfortunately not - all Houghton says (which I left out as too obvious) is the usual thing about hearing the ring of the steel over the report of the weapon.
@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries Jonathan thank you for replying. Well, I know that sound well! I have never fired subsonic 7.62mm but I have fired some very quiet 7.62mm suppressed rifles! I would love to have had a crack with one of these though!! 😊 I love your videos. Hoping to get a trip to Leeds before too long....🤞🏻
I did the first SASC Sniper Course with the ordinary infantry version of this rifle. They tended to break quite a bit. I bust mine by dropping it from about 1 foot putting in its rack in the armoury. The plastic furniture was not squaddie proof 😬
You may very well ask, given the Sh1t & Shovel Corps aversion to "Downloaded Ammunition". RG couldn't boil an egg never mind anything out of the ordinary.. I would gently suggest that it would have been made in a shed somewhere with untraceable components using a Rockchucker and a tub of something like.. Oh let's say something Unique!
It’s referencing the movie “Ronin” where 'what colour is the boathouse at Hereford?' is asked by Robert DeNiro’s character to Sean Bean who claims to a former SAS member.
Strickly speaking they are based down the road (near Abbey Dore) but used a base in Hereford for transport etc. Used to hear the helicopters take off in the morning when I lived in Hereford, south of the river in the 80’s. You can find it on Google Maps, complete with a airplane for training.
Question for Ian: What is your opinion as a professional gun nut of the concept of a CIWS featuring a 5.56 "microgun" instead of a 20mm Vulcan, for use as anti-drone defence? Potentially useful, or still too weak? Do you know of any such systems being conceived and tested? Yes, I know the question is off topic, but I couldn't find a better place to ask it.
Saw one once in 88/89. Was in the Wilts Army Cadets and a lot of units where in garrison towns on salisbury plain so Army brats had Dads in interesting units come help at cadets . One An RQMS in the SASC git lots of kit to show and brought one if these and a snub nose SA80 ( for tank crew) to a county range day . We didnt get to fire them but cool to see
I have heard that early accuracy international rifles used Australian barrels... Madco made in Toowoomba is anyone able to confirm this cheers from Australia
Is it just me, or do all the names of these rifles sound like DLCs for a tactical game? _Accuracy International: Arctic Warfare,_ in particular, sounds like one I'd have played.
This makes me wanna fit one to my L115a3, issue is that's in 300 win mag, sooooooo yeah. I doubt a suppressor would last very long with that, now I have tried mounting some but even muzzle threaded ones tend to expand a bit if I fire past think the most was 12 shots so yeah. I load 300s pretty high as I love long range shooting but I'd love a L96a1 honestly? In 300 blackout or 7.62x35mm To me it would be a brilliant cartridge for a medium range suppressed rifle even bolt action it would be pretty darn effective if you ask me. But let me know if a 300 blackout L96 is a good idea
It's always cool when the creators of well-known designs are still around and can provide clarification. So much of Colt and Browning history is guesswork, but then you can just *ask* modern designers, what was this hole drilled for?
My understanding is that in terms of mechanical accuracy shorter barrels actually tend to be more accurate due to their increased rigidity. Of course there are other compromises, primarily velocity, but accuracy should be excellent.
I know machines like this are designed with no thought about aesthetics at all, but isn't it amazing that it just happens to look good? All the proportions look 'right', almost minimalist and industrial, but nonetheless 'handsome'.
Excellent point, designers spend a lot of time trying to ape that cool, 'industrial aesthetic'! I think it's partly ergonomics, partly materials - the rest is function. Hex screws, rivets etc. always help. How many bits of kit have I seen over the decades with those moulded, with no purpose other than to look 'industrial'!
I must have seen every one of your incredible series. I have to comment Jonathan your knowledge is quite simply extraordinary. I loved reading about guns as an avid fan at my grand old age. However you are simple stunning Wow Wow I can’t tell you how happy these make me but could you possibly do one thing and I don’t think you’ve reviewed but the old sig sauer pp26 would be so good to hear your opinion on what Andy Mcnab called the best ev4 side arm but he was a little bit naught6. However I’d love to shake your hand And adding Dave is INSPIRED What a team you to are. Thank you sir. ❤️.
😀 I had a reasonable idea what a reflex suppressor/moderator was. I made one for my Spring Air rifle about 25 years back - only to confirm that most of the 'crack' was from the piston hitting the end of the pressure chamber. 😕 I (still!) haven't gotten around to putting a buffer pad of some sort in. 🙄 Anyway. Where today's 'research' on said suppressors took me was - to the HSE info pages on them being a legal requirement for those 'who use firearms at work' 😅 Now that was unexpected. 😉
I would think a buffer pad might affect your velocity though, the piston would have slightly less stroke to compress the volume and that last little bit makes a big difference in pressure.
Correction - (edited) as pointed out by a helpful commenter this is *arguably* not truly "integrally suppressed" as it has no ported barrel. However, the term "integrally suppressed" existed at that time (hence the nickname of 'PMSD') whereas the "reflex" suppressor is a later invention intended for us with standard barrel lengths and to be removable for unsuppressed use. This rifle has a specially adapted barrel designed for use *integrally* with the rifle, which is not intended for use without it. The suppressor threads in place at the REAR like the DeLisle and the SPR300 (also not ported - I previously stated the DeLisle isn't either - it is in part, it just has a sleeve over the ports). Thus it is "integral" even if the barrel is not ported like an MP5SD.
So, not only it the first time I hear about this L96 variant, it's also the first time I'm encountering this bit of suppressor classification. Truly educational video, thanks a lot!
@RoyalArmouries Pin the man!
however it is integral into the construction of the rifle, is it not? Unlike a reflex suppressor that fits under the handguard of an AR15
@@tommihommi1 I've been mulling this over and I do think there's a difference. Not to mention "integrally suppressed" was a thing in the 1980s whereas the term "reflex" hadn't been invented. I'll edit my comment, thanks.
@@F1ghteR41 The plot thickens - I think "integral" is arguable here... I will edit my comment.
@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries A complicated matter indeed.
It just occured to me, however, that there's yet another perspective in this matter. Just how integral is integral sound suppression? One might be tempted to say that the name is only deserved with cartridge-based solutions, like in the Soviet and US special purpose handguns (BraMit-suppressed Nagant, QSPR etc.), and everything outside the barrel is external, be it requiring a barrel swap to undo the effect like here or a sleeve like on the Agram.
Besides, there is a degree of similarity between a ported barrel and a short barrel with a large suppressor hanging over the muzzle like on the rifle we've discussing. A longer ported barrel can impart spin on a bullet for a longer period of time, sure, but just how much does it have to do with classification of suppressors is not that obvious.
Showing of the neat suppressed rifle and casually pulls out L96 serial number 1.
That's like showing off your comic book collection just to pull out Superman #1 to compare the artwork. Awesome flex.
Here's a SN 000001, nbd.
except there is only one serial number 1 instead of multiple #1 comics
@@WayStedYou Sure, it isn't a perfect analogy, but it's the flex that counts.
You might say it's a collection fit for a king.
I saw a picture of this once, i had never seen an integrally suppressed L96, so I assumed it was fake or an airsoft thing, but no. It's real
3:34 for those wondering, Jonathan is referencing the amazing film Ronin. One of the characters is testing another character to see if they were really SAS or not by asking about the boat house in Hereford (where SAS trains).
I've seen Ronin a dozen times and i didn't even recognize the reference. i had to look it up lol
Bro just casually flexed the L96 serial number 1
He's in a museum lol but it's a pretty big flex lol
Yes that was an understated megaflex.
@@scrappydoo7887it's a big deal even for a museum.
@@mandowarrior123 not really no.
The way the arms industry works in the UK, especially for military items, the first one off the line almost always gets kept and almost always ends up in the hands of the royal armouries.
I bet there's hundreds of pieces that are the first off the line in there
'There's no record of it ever being used'
That's right Jonathan. Keep to the script, or Mister Tiddles won't be coming home tonight.
The "boathouse" quip was priceless. Loved that movie
But what colour is the boathouse?
@@DrCoolHands a nice shade of lavender I believe....😅
@@DrCoolHands Lol. They're about 4 miles from the nearest jetty on the River Wye
Not the boathouse in HEERFORRRRD :o
@@WanderlustZeroOh god, I was shouting at the TV 😂
Oddly enough, I would love to hear how an integrally suppressed one sounds vs the common "suppressor on barrel end"
Quieter, I would imagine 😂
Very much quieter. With these, the bolt makes more noise than firing one.
Like the little girl in the Taco commercial once said "Porque no los dos?"
I shot the modern equivalent. Like an AX series, but don't know the exact designation
I chuckled every time I pressed the trigger. Insanely quiet
I have one of these and its no louder than standard ambient conversation, I have fired it at a range with people having a convo behind me and they didn’t know I had fired it
Aww, look at how cute it looks without the suppressor 😊
Smol Boi
It looks like it's taken a dip in cold water :P
@@AnnaVahteraI WAS IN THE POOL
It's a cute widdle wifle with no supwessor!
@@AnnaVahteraIT’S SHRINKAGE!
Being able to flex #1 rifle is really cool
I do love the background story of Accuracy International, one of those classic British start ups, designing something great and punching above their weight.
It's a very inspirational tale, couple of talented men who got to really show what they were made of and build an enterprise around it, even having to defend it from sabotage and takeover, and finally becoming a world class name in the industry.
Usual story of British inventors struggling against adverse conditions, the big story is they succeeded
every great british invention always starts with a man and his shed
@GTChucker86 many of them continue in their shed...basically anything British Leyland.
A man, his shed, and a pub.
Only 35 ever made? That's pretty rare. Would love FPS games to include this type of info more often, to make you feel like you are using a very special weapon.
funny thing is that there's 15 or so original barrels sitting around just waiting for a receiver.
I heard of this variet from Ahoy once and glad to see it being covered
I get the feeling that the term "ground off" probably means different things to the folk who make precision rifles than it would to everyday folk
Me: dremel.
Them: graduated feathers and a microscope.
I'm sure, but I'm used to spotting minute differences and I still can't see any actual modification compared to the stock, er, stock - even with a loupe.
being a machinist (one who works with the precision cutting of metals) I can say that the loosest tolerances you'll get for a job like this are the specified dimensions plus or minus about .0002 of an inch. that is about as close to perfect as possible.
@@justanobadi66555 microns? That's nats danglies territory.
@@justicar5 I'm not making that up. The first machinist job I interviewed for said that was their standard for tolerances.
I was very surprised how short the barrel is, I had always assumed sniper rifles had long barrels for range and accuracy. I guess this was not intended for roles where long ranges were required.
what was the color of the boathouse at heriford?
Before or after the fire?
You'd better ask Soap, or De Niro
@@yyy-875 Anybody who pronounces it "here ford" has never been there.
Interesting I wish an acquaintance of mine was still with us. As he was a royal Marine commando sniper and for a time seconded to the SAS in Northern Ireland
You might have been able to answer if this rifle was ever used in service by either. RIP Anthony.
Sorry to hear that. I think it's unlikely because it seems to have gone AI>Donington>Pattern Room>us, and it never got the SAS scope setup.
Going through and matching the lever with your inventory is what makes me SO HAPPY we have you as a custodian for these iconic British weapons ❤️
I absolutely hate that I now instinctively recoil from the initialised abbreviation of Accuracy International.
I really didn't know that the Royal Armoury was in Leeds. I gotta visit Leeds one day when i'm over in the UK, both for the museum and for the whole "Birth town of The Sisters of Mercy" thing :)
Genuine question; Do videos like have any impact on foot traffic for the museum? Or, as I suspect, more a supplementary stream?
I know it's not on topic, but I'm curious out of academic curiosity.
I've certainly visited as a result of seeing these and the series Jonathan Ferguson, Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK, home to a collection of thousands of iconic weapons from throughout history, does with Gamespot.
Went for the M41a Pulse Rifle, stayed for, and got totally obsessed with, their gift shop. My wife had to drag me out by my collar before I beat our credit card to death 🤣
Seriously, it's the most amazing gift shop on the planet if you're a weapons/Sci fi/fantasy nerd. They had Star Wars christmas tree decorations 🤓
Our visitor data is not really set up to capture this unfortunately but maybe 2-3%? It might actually be less. But it's very rewarding when someone bumps into me or asks to see me and says they're visiting because of RUclips, which has happened quite a few times now. US, Scandinavia, even China :)
I bought a sword from them due to these videos. Saw video, went website, saw they sold sword I wanted.
A lot of this stuff is hidden away in the actual armoury, not on display at the museum. But the museum itself is a really cool place to visit, with a good few hours worth of things to look at and experience, taking you through the history of warfare.
There's not a whole lot of typical tourist chaff in Leeds to give a lot of people reason to visit for long, but it is a city full of history, going back to before the Danes settled here.
Oooohhh...Bendy barrel LSW`s behind you...that brings back a few memories...
The barrels don't bend unless you do something stupid like shoot bullets through them.
@@robertsneddon731 🔥🚒
@@robertsneddon731 🤣🤣🤣
6:38 oh i like the sawn off version, is that for when you carry it in a holster under your coat?
There was a briefcase/travel case version for discreetness
I have handeld a PSG-90/L118A1. this one looks even more fun to play around with.
I see that your background weapon rack is filled with some (presumably all of them) machinegun variants of L86. Nice (it isn't, never was)
Just standard old LSWs arnt they?
@@weronikazalewska2098look like LSW’s to me. Horrid bit of kit
I trained on the AW with Irish Army in 1993. On the course our SF instructor showed us the suppressed Meanie, with folding stock, removable barrel (I think.) and briefcase type ..
An incredible rifle ❤️. And, an even more incredible success story about Accuracy International!
I see that the theme of unusual suppressed arms continues!
6:00 Now in Smell-O-Vision! 😁
8:46 I have to say I'm quite puzzled by what standard of accuracy & precision this rifle was held up to with the supersonic rounds. Barrel being so short doesn't strike me as supporting any sort of even medium-range performance, and the sight reticle needs to accomodate both trajectories.
9:04 Certainly back then there still were people around who might've remembered this logic being quite prominent, one only has to look at the M16 suppressors during the Vietnam war to see its manifestation.
Is there something on the end of the barrel on the unsuppressed version of the gun? Like a storage protection plug?
Does the suppressor offset the short length of the barrel or is 12 inches actually just sufficient for a rifle like this?
The short barrel length may be an idea similar to the H&K MP5SD in that it will limit velocities even of standard 7.62mm rounds and result in a quieter report. That said the MP5SD barrel is both short AND ported to get velocity of standard 124gr NATO FMJ down so it's more likely just a practicality. Without a short barrel the thing would end up being stupidly long and unwieldy. Remember this is not really a long range rifle given it's CRW role. It doesn't need high velocities to reach out to 1000 yards.
@jleano609 1000 yards is absolutely long range for even a standard 7.62x51 rifle, no way you'd be firing this over that sort of range in anything other than desperation. The barrel length would compromise the velocity of full power rounds but it clearly isn't intended to function like the mp5sd because users were instructed not to use supersonic ammunition. I do agree with the length being primarily about handling characteristics.
Did I see a protective cover on the muzzle of the stock rifle ? I sometimes wonder if such a big collection makes use of VPI corrosion inhibitors to protect bores and other inaccessible spaces from tarnish and rust .
the unsuppressed barrel looks normal size to me
*Chortle*
What do you mean, that's big! (Pain)
That 'Ronin' reference out of nowhere, haha. Thanks for the laugh @royal_armouries Johnathan!
As a complete numpty my initial thought was that the shortened barrel would reduce the 'oomph' of the round, reducing muzzle velocity, etc., etc., but I am not sure how that'd affect overall range.
How does the short barrel under the suppressor perform vs the longer barrel with no suppressor?
The .22 conversion of the SLR was useful out to 20 metres.
This has been one of my favorite guns based on looks for a long time. I can't explain why, it just looks so damn cool. I own an Airsoft version of this and it's great :D
I am surprised by the 12 inch barrel of the suppressed version. What sort of range were they intended to be used and were considered effective and accurate?
@4:52 for the very first serial numbered L96A1! So cool
Very nice, never worked on a suppressed L96 but the earliest serial number to come across my bench was around 00170. Noticed the LSW's in the rack behind appear to be early A1s without the 3rd generation triggers fitted
The rounds for these had the headstamp removed in a lathe by machining a groove in them..
A lot of the barrel work on the original batch of green meanies was done by a Scottish gunsmith as AI didn't have the capabilities at the time being men in a shed at the time.
Also the best gun at the SF trials wasn't the green meanie but a gun by Thomson and Campbell from Cromarty , when asked why they didn't win the guy bringing the weapon back to them said politics.
Yep.. Still a man in a shed, except this shed is in the highlands..
I lust after his DSG lathe.. a thing of beauty!
If the first rounds are subsonic and the later rounds are full loads, were there two different scope reticles to account for the different trajectories? Or some on-the-fly conversion to recalculate the drop?
I'm traveling to Leeds this summer from Norway, and can finally visit the Royal Armouries Museum. I just had to brag about it.
Really surprised at how short the barrel is
Not gonna want all that acceleration for shorter range subsonics anyway.
Ye...but accuracy would be dog shit, as 7.62 NATO twist rate is 1/12! That rounds going everywhere...at a guess, I'd say 4 - 5+ MOA
@@senilestix If the barrel is long enough to stabilize the bullets they are using the length wouldn't have anything to do with accuracy. I would bet money their standard is higher than four or five MOA for that rifle.
@@randyhavard6084 ?.."The barrel length has nothing to do with accuracy" ...You sure about that statement buddy!?🙄
@@senilestix absolutely. Why do you think a longer barrel would be more accurate?
.22 i do not think would be terminally sufficient nor would it fare well in any wind.
I suppose that might be all they had, but yeah, i imagine the toob (whats next, threeb?) would been a welcome upgrade
*chewb
The IDF (!!😕) use suppressed Ruger 1022 rifles for 'riot' control. They apparently discovered that you can selectively take out 'ring leaders' from a crowd with supposedly 'non-lethal' shots to legs etc and disrupt a large group of stone throwing protesters.As a regular user of a suppressed 1022 and 15:02 many other .22LR rifles, I can well imagine how demoralising that would be! I have heard stories however, that other target areas were used at times and were absolutely lethal. There is certainly a major problem with .22LR ammo for so many reasons, but if you are in a location within effective range, your target will be 'just enough dead' if struck in a vital area. Effectively known as being 'lightly killed'. Depressing thought.
Surprising that an SLR with the the H&K .22LR conversion kit was being used as a suppressed rifle for SF work as late as the 1980s when the silenced Sterling was in service and there must have still been De Lisle 45 ACP rifles lurking somewhere in the system (considering that WELRODs were - apparently)
Armies are loathe to use equipment "off the street", even for high speed low drag units. There is a trust factor that equipment would have been accepted after professionally supervised trials. A sub-cal SLR makes more sense than a borrowed Cadet .22 single shot target rifle.
@@terrywarner8657 Not sure where your notion of a single shot cadet .22 target rifle comes from based on the weapons I mentioned....
@@TheWirksworthGunroom Think back to less martial designs. The CNo.7 and UK No.8 .22 rifles hung around Cadet arsenals for years. Target shooters also had plenty of BSA rifles and others. I know the differences between a Delisle, and a Welrod. I've held a genuine Welrod too.
@@terrywarner8657 I really have no idea what your point is.
Any idea of the spin rate of the 12” barrel compared to the conventional full length barrel to accommodate the subsonic 200grain 7.62 bullet?
Curious about this as well. It being the military they could be using some heavier than lead core to keep the length down, since the stability issue with heavier rounds has to do with the increased bullet length to allow for higher weights.
Been a shorter I'd assume custom barrel did lothar Walther make it a faster twist rate?
Just on the very last point, what exactly was the .22 that the SAS were using in their converted L1A1s? .22LR or .22 Long are quite different to .22 Win Mag and .22 Hornet which are different to .22 swift.
On a suppressed rifle, it would be subsonic .22 LR.
Very common in the UK then and now for small game, vermin, and target shooting.
what was the rifling twist rate?
Awesome. How 'quiet' was it? Any stats on that??
Unfortunately not - all Houghton says (which I left out as too obvious) is the usual thing about hearing the ring of the steel over the report of the weapon.
@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouries
Jonathan thank you for replying. Well, I know that sound well!
I have never fired subsonic 7.62mm but I have fired some very quiet 7.62mm suppressed rifles! I would love to have had a crack with one of these though!! 😊
I love your videos. Hoping to get a trip to Leeds before too long....🤞🏻
@@lawrencemartin1113 Thank you!
It would be amazing to reord a firing test, so we can hear how quiet it really is.
Is there any possibility of Jonathan firing these side by side at the range? Just for an audio difference
3:07 I also was made in July 1997.
Sorry partner he said 1987 not 97.
I’ll bet you weren’t made in a shed by 3 guys.
You never know these days 😂
I did the first SASC Sniper Course with the ordinary infantry version of this rifle. They tended to break quite a bit. I bust mine by dropping it from about 1 foot putting in its rack in the armoury. The plastic furniture was not squaddie proof 😬
A bevy of LSWs casually behind...one of my favourites.
Would this use off the shelf subsonic ammunition, or did RG cook something up for it? Thanks.
You may very well ask, given the Sh1t & Shovel Corps aversion to "Downloaded Ammunition". RG couldn't boil an egg never mind anything out of the ordinary.. I would gently suggest that it would have been made in a shed somewhere with untraceable components using a Rockchucker and a tub of something like.. Oh let's say something Unique!
"Something something boathouse..."
and we still didn't learn what color is it ...
There is no boathouse.
I had to giggle--even in the US I'd heard about using this to catch fakers.
@@darklighter66 I don't like yer attitude
Please someone explain what does "herefort something something boathouse" means
It’s referencing the movie “Ronin” where 'what colour is the boathouse at Hereford?' is asked by Robert DeNiro’s character to Sean Bean who claims to a former SAS member.
Would love to see a Breakdown of the L115 if you guys have one in the armoury. Otherwise Known as AWM
So, Salient Green Meanie eh? Could you transform it to another kind of gun? Does it made out of people?
If you run out of ammo, you can always use the suppressor as a club!
Got to love the podgy barrel.
It has secrets that are whispered
looks like a lasgun were it not for the bolt
Would be great to get a demo comparing it to the non-suppressed version.
Wait what does Hereford mean?
It's where the SAS are based and in this case he's referring to the movie Ronin.
Strickly speaking they are based down the road (near Abbey Dore) but used a base in Hereford for transport etc. Used to hear the helicopters take off in the morning when I lived in Hereford, south of the river in the 80’s. You can find it on Google Maps, complete with a airplane for training.
@@paulmcneil9971 thanks for adding to my knowledge!
Question for Ian: What is your opinion as a professional gun nut of the concept of a CIWS featuring a 5.56 "microgun" instead of a 20mm Vulcan, for use as anti-drone defence? Potentially useful, or still too weak? Do you know of any such systems being conceived and tested?
Yes, I know the question is off topic, but I couldn't find a better place to ask it.
Saw one once in 88/89.
Was in the Wilts Army Cadets and a lot of units where in garrison towns on salisbury plain so Army brats had Dads in interesting units come help at cadets .
One An RQMS in the SASC git lots of kit to show and brought one if these and a snub nose SA80 ( for tank crew) to a county range day . We didnt get to fire them but cool to see
Got the chance to see two rare variants of badass guns, good stuff!
My father used the same rifle. I showed him the video he says he used it while serving in Northern Ireland and Bosnia.
I have heard that early accuracy international rifles used Australian barrels... Madco made in Toowoomba is anyone able to confirm this cheers from Australia
isn't this the one with the rumored "taped" mount?
edit: the tape is a lie. I should have known
I'm sure it isn't, it's just that this one never made it to Hereford so didn't get the special scope plus tape :D
@@JonathanFergusonRoyalArmouriesi own the one from Steve Houghtons book where the tape is referenced and can confirm the tape is present!
Is it just me, or do all the names of these rifles sound like DLCs for a tactical game? _Accuracy International: Arctic Warfare,_ in particular, sounds like one I'd have played.
@@nemesis2264 I know they're in games, what I'm saying is that their names also sound like they _are_ games. :)
Conflict: Desert Storm for one which actually had this in the 2nd one
This makes me wanna fit one to my L115a3, issue is that's in 300 win mag, sooooooo yeah. I doubt a suppressor would last very long with that, now I have tried mounting some but even muzzle threaded ones tend to expand a bit if I fire past think the most was 12 shots so yeah. I load 300s pretty high as I love long range shooting but I'd love a L96a1 honestly? In 300 blackout or 7.62x35mm
To me it would be a brilliant cartridge for a medium range suppressed rifle even bolt action it would be pretty darn effective if you ask me. But let me know if a 300 blackout L96 is a good idea
What color is the Boat House in Hereford? Sean Bean has been dying to know for 25 years and countless movies 😊
I have seen this in mini version such as 1/6th scale.
Good job Fergie we all love your content ❤
And 3 LSWs in the background seems fitting
It's always cool when the creators of well-known designs are still around and can provide clarification. So much of Colt and Browning history is guesswork, but then you can just *ask* modern designers, what was this hole drilled for?
Be nice to hear it firing. Maybe compared against a standard one.
#WhatColourIsTheBoatHouse?
I'm wondering how accurate a rifle with such a short barrel would actually be?
My understanding is that in terms of mechanical accuracy shorter barrels actually tend to be more accurate due to their increased rigidity. Of course there are other compromises, primarily velocity, but accuracy should be excellent.
Wow '' Integrally Suppressed L96 , Another Great Video Jonathan 💯💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
Interesting. So technically this is the predecessor to the AWS rifle? That's pretty neat!
What is the AI serial number on the scope?
Olive green meanie! Very intresting firearm Appreciate you Jonathan!
Cool video…was really hoping we would get to hear it though…
On the barrel end / crown of the stock L96 - is that a stool's foot, Jonathan? It is, right?! What a resourceful lad you are... :)
12” barrel must be super detrimental on accuracy with a 1/12 twist rate on 7.62 nato! Must be easy 4+ MOA!
Praying for a pre-1900 firearm next week
i love this type of videos
That is bloody awesome.
Looks like one of these green soldier toys
Its kinda like ai's answer to the vaime or the Steyr ssg 69 sd
Use différent ammo make a huge shift of bullet Impact
I know machines like this are designed with no thought about aesthetics at all, but isn't it amazing that it just happens to look good? All the proportions look 'right', almost minimalist and industrial, but nonetheless 'handsome'.
Excellent point, designers spend a lot of time trying to ape that cool, 'industrial aesthetic'! I think it's partly ergonomics, partly materials - the rest is function.
Hex screws, rivets etc. always help. How many bits of kit have I seen over the decades with those moulded, with no purpose other than to look 'industrial'!
Youngs 303 has been banned from the house for that exact reason!
Basically the Rifle version of the Land Rover defender series.
That's an excellent analogy. Built for a task with rugged service in mind; how it looks is secondary but it is inherently cool, just because of that!
@@TheCatBilbo exactly
I must have seen every one of your incredible series.
I have to comment Jonathan your knowledge is quite simply extraordinary.
I loved reading about guns as an avid fan at my grand old age.
However you are simple stunning
Wow
Wow
I can’t tell you how happy these make me but could you possibly do one thing and I don’t think you’ve reviewed but the old sig sauer pp26 would be so good to hear your opinion on what Andy Mcnab called the best ev4 side arm but he was a little bit naught6.
However I’d love to shake your hand
And adding Dave is INSPIRED
What a team you to are.
Thank you sir.
❤️.
😀 I had a reasonable idea what a reflex suppressor/moderator was. I made one for my Spring Air rifle about 25 years back - only to confirm that most of the 'crack' was from the piston hitting the end of the pressure chamber. 😕 I (still!) haven't gotten around to putting a buffer pad of some sort in. 🙄
Anyway. Where today's 'research' on said suppressors took me was - to the HSE info pages on them being a legal requirement for those 'who use firearms at work' 😅 Now that was unexpected. 😉
I would think a buffer pad might affect your velocity though, the piston would have slightly less stroke to compress the volume and that last little bit makes a big difference in pressure.
3:32 - Haha, that Ronin reference!