British Standard Rifle:

This will be a well informed thread with plenty of contributors who have extensive experience of the rifle, so make sure to relay their comments on to the selection staff and anyone else you encounter as they'll be glad to hear it.

>>33698695
Thanks for the info.

>>33698676
What regiment? I'm only a Cadet but I've already signed up. OSB in a few months, joining in 3 years after Uni.

They're pretty heavy compared to other assault rifles, but you get used to it. Bullpups trade weight for a longer barrel, which means more stopping power.

Generally what most people think they know is true for the A1. It was shite apparently, weird cocking handle fucked up round ejection, it jammed if you fucking looked at a sand dune and bits would fall off if they felt like it.

A2 is much better. I've used it pretty much once a week for 4 years, for up to 3 days. I've had 1 stoppage and that was because the sling caught the cocking handle.

A3 is apparently even better. Nice foregrip, fancy new sights, new fire selector and all in a nice new green that matches modern cam.

The A2 is a near flawless piece of re-engineering, a joy to shoot. Lefties have problems obviously but that's to be imagined. Either way, the MoD is replacing it soon enough. I believe it's a Canadian M16 variant.

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>>33698775
>Forgot image

>>33698775
I'm joining the Royal Engineers as an Electrician. You get to chose a specialization and I'm hoping to get into the Royal Commandos.

>>33698676
The A2 and A3 are great rifles, but it's reputation will always be bad because of the A1.

I find it odd that the M16 wasn't as good until the A1 version came along but nobody shits on it as hard compared to the L85A1

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>>33698775
>stopping power

>>33698793
Yeah, it's right handed only or you get hot brass in the face and down the cleavage.

>>33698802
I swear you've posted this topic like 4 times already.

>>33698816
This is the first time I've posted on /K/.

>>33698775
>>33698804
>L85A3

Are these new rifles or upgraded A2s? The L85 hasn't been produced since 1994. So that'd be interesting if they were making new ones again.

>>33698806
>longer barrel
>same overall weapon length
>more goodness???

I don't know bro, I shoot the thing not analyse it. There must be some ballistic reason we use it, that extra weight has got to be for something.

>>33698851
Does it reduce recoil, most surface area results in a more equal distribution of force.

>>33698828
Yeah sorry, I'm pretty sure it's an upgrade package from the A2. The Cadet variant we use is a bastardisation of the original A1 but with A2 parts.

>>33698870
Sort of wish I did Cadets. I went once and had a shit experience. Didn't really want to join up till I was 18.

>>33698851
More barrel length means high muzzle velocity, thats literally it.

"stopping power" is a meme

>>33698869
Well the only other assault I've fired is an AKM in Poland, which kicked like a motherfucker. Compared to that it's got loads less recoil. With blanks you feel nothing, with live it's a good kick but nothing that really interrupts your aim unless you're in a weird position.

>>33698802
There are no Royal Commandos. You posted it on /pol/ earlier.

>>33698870
The Cadet Rifle has little to nothing in common with the current service rifle, aside from its outward appearance.

>>33698775
>OSB in a few months, joining in 3 years after Uni
Well then you haven't attested, then.

>A2 is much better. I've used it pretty much once a week for 4 years, for up to 3 days
You haven't used it once.

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>>33698851
>>33698895
This thread is getting good...

>>33698885
Yeah, the unit I'm with is shit. Funding cuts along with commies in local government mean it's getting worse and worse and probably won't last the decade.

>>33698909
That wasn't me about the Commandos, I know who you're talking about. Isn't there a specialisation which allows you to join the berets? I watched an Army video which said you could so something like that.

>>33698885
The Cadets are an after school club with a watered down military theme. It doesn't teach you to do anything of value. Some Cadet Forces are good, in that they're run by well meaning people and have fun activities for the kids but it has no bearing on your military career whatsoever.

>>33698934
I guess, I just wish I wasn't so anti-social when I was a kid, and actually did something.

>>33698775
>I'm only a Cadet

UNDERAGE

>>33698934
>but it has no bearing on your military career whatsoever.

Not that anon, but I was asked if I attended directly at my RAF interview, said it "ticked a lot of boxes".

>>33698945
18. CSgt, leaving in 3 months.

>>33698828
There's no such thing as an A3 in service. They added a rail system to the A2 so it looks different but there are no fundamental changes to the internals. The MoD has been messing with A3 prototypes that defence companies have proposed, but the army has no money so I doubt they will be introduced.

The L85A2 is fine. It's reliable, and the M16-equivalent range in a rifle the length of the M4 proved handy in Afghanistan. I like the new sight as well, once it's set up the way you want it anyway.

It's too fucking heavy for what it does though. If you have a loaded magazine, LDS, rails and an LLM fitted it's way heavier than an M4. If you have blank-firing kit like the BFA and DTES as well then it must be getting close to the weight of the old SLR.

I'd rather we used M4s or some other AR-15 variant. But the army has no money so this is what we have, and it does the job alright.

>>33698775
If you go to OTC try not to be a know-it-all cunt because you were a CSgt or some shit in the Cadets.

>>33698945
Come on, I've been posting on /pol/ since I was 15.

>>33698928
If you want to become a Commando, join the RM. It's the most straightforward way of doing it. Yes, there are Army Commandos but I don't see why you're making it more complicated than it needs to be.

I'm being a tad hypocritical, here, as I joined the Grenadier Guards and later went Guards Para - but if you want to become a Commando join the RM.

>>33698962
I've got Spark qualcs and want to use them. I'm doing my L3 before I join up, but want the second one. https://re-cpd.org.uk/courses/electrician/

>>33698960
heavy means reliable fagget

>>33698949
It won't effect your promotion, pay or training. You might be a bit ahead on ironing but that's about it. They're not going to let you miss anything or swan about because you already did it in the Cadets.

Are there worse things you could do as a child? Yes. Does it have any bearing whatsoever on your service? No.

>>33698893
Unless you are talking about .45 ACP that is

>>33698945
>talks about and believes in stopping power
>underage

Well no shit.

>>33698960
Yeah I know, Cadets taught me "NO POINT GUN AT FACE" and not much more. It's alright for common sense and looking good on a CV though.

>>33698949

Yes but you're never supposed to mention it after your interview.

NEVER, EVER.

>>33698957
>CSgt

Meaningless. It means nothing. Listen to exactly what >>33698960 says.

I was in the SCC when I was younger.

>>33698986
Have to get in first to have promotion, pay or training.

They care. You can make it up in many other ways, but they give a shit.

>>33698973
If you have electricians qualifications then the Army really isn't going to teach you much more than you already know, they're just going to teach you it again and on their systems. If you're well sorted with a trade and want a few years off, go Infantry or RM.

Don't get suckered in to believing that the Army's way of doing things is the best - particularly when it comes to the things that are close to civvy quals. Civilian quals are nearly always better if an equivalent exists.

>>33698994
I know. See >>33698992
If you think I'm gonna go around at Sandhurst saying "hurr durr I was a cadet guys I'm technically senior", you're wrong. I don't want to get correctively sodomized or stabbed.

>>33698928
>>33698802

You can indeed join 3 Commando Brigade with the Royal Engineers. It doesn't make you a Royal Marine, but you get an 'Army Commando' badge on your shoulder and that's nice. I doubt it gives you the green beret but not sure on that one - 16 Air Assault Bde give maroon berets to their attached arms guys now.

Basically 3 Cdo Bde need Engrs, Artillery, Logistics etc to function as an independent unit and so they source those troops from the Army. I'm not 100% on this but you need to pass an All Arms Commando Course (not as difficult as the Marines' own commando training/tests) and then probably some Commando Engineer specific training. Then if you succeed you will join an Engineer unit that's permanently attached to 3 Cdo Bde.

>>33698995
No one gives a fuck and if you spin cadet dits in front of the lads you'll be constantly referred to as Cadet regardless of your rank, name or other features and people will get tired of you extremely quickly.

The only thing worse than hearing what you did in the Cadets is hearing what people did in OTC, because they should be old enough to know better.

>>33699005
RE is really good for my CV, and I'm interested in becoming a Clerk of Works eventually in the Army.
It just means I can get Uni qualcs without having to go.

>>33699025
Thanks for the info.

>>33699025
AACC is the Commando bit of the RM training, broadly speaking, you miss out on the rest of it because you're already a trained servicemen in whatever trade.

>>33698995
Maybe ONLY when looking at your enlistment papers

>>33698962
>>33699005
I'm a massive REMF but for what it's worth I think this guy is right.

>>33699017
Strong start. Best of luck!

>>33699028
>No one gives a fuck

I literally just told you I was ASKED by an interviewer if I had and that it was a good thing, dippy

>>33698909
What's your experience then? There's no need to be so negative all the time.

>>33699029
Mate, you won't get university qualifications without going to one. Again, I know where you're getting this from but it's not accurate.

The Army like to advertise things they do as equivalents, but they're not. If you want a degree you need to go to university, it's as simple as that. You will not cut it professionally if you go after jobs based on what the Army told you were equivalents.

The Army recruits and trains people based around its own requirements. It takes the minimum required and trades you to that level, with the rest filled in by experience. It will not make you the equivalent of a graduate engineer, not even close. When I left the Infantry I took the A-Levels I had done on a part time basis and went to get a Mathematics degree. Best way.

>>33699049
Thanks m8

>>33699072
Are the BTECs they train you in equivalent? Here's my source for the Electrician qualification.

>>33699064
21 years in the Infantry, Regular and Reserve. I've done P Coy, Junior and Senior Brecon and was on the staff at Household Division and Parachute Regiment Centralised Courses. I've also completed various foreign courses.

They love me so much the OC calls me mate and has to ask me how the wife is before pulling in a favour.

I lied about the last bit.

>>33699086
https://re-cpd.org.uk/courses/electrician/

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>>33699064

He's passed his Communication, Universal Naturalisation Training.

>>33699086
Potentially. What I'm driving at is that the Army, especially the support arms, train you to do a job that fits their requirements. They'll train you well, and you'll be good at it, but it's not the same as doing it as a civilian.

Think about it. A company has to choose between you and a bloke with the same amount of time, same basic quals but he's done it as a civilian. He knows all their systems - you know ones only used by the Army that are probably 10 years out of date at best. Now, if you got into specialist work it's a different story but if you're wanting a mortgage and that new Ford like 99.99 percent of service leavers you're better off getting civilian quals.

If you're smart enough to be a graduate engineer, go to university and become one. Deadly serious, it'll work out better in the long run. Get your green fix in the Reserves and commission afterward if it's your bag.

>>33699072
>>33699029
Minor point, but the Army is actually pushing a lot now for its courses to give you civilian certificates (city and guilds, certificate of efficiency etc).

I still wouldn't recommend trying to use the army to get around uni, though. You won't get qualified to the same level and the army will fuck you about as you try to go on courses.

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Rifle is fine. It's a little heavier than its counterparts but man the fuck up.

A2 rarely jams. Only time its done it on me is with blanks, which are inherently less reliable and when something like a branch has caught up in the action.

It's accurate. The issues with control placement are irrelevant once you trained with it enough, its easy to clean once you know how. Lefties are screwed but again it will be trained out of you.

Once you've finished basic and if yoh have a non remf trade picking up one up and using it will be as natural as riding a bike.

Underage cadets in this thread, shut up.

>>33698676
It's fine

If you fire at the target and you miss, it's entirely your fault, it's extremely accurate and the new LDS sights are fantastic

The only annoying thing is the weight, but you get used to it.

>>33699119
Is there away to get into University with BTECS and experience. I've got 5 GCSEs 2 English one Math one IT and one Media. Doing level 2 2350 in electrical installation, predicted dis and doing the level 3 next year. I've heard that people have been able to do HNDs with just experience alone.

>>33699155
I got into University with a BTEC mate, did Electrical Engineering with Triple Distinction and got onto a Physics degree.

I was going to wait until I finished by degree then join as an Officer but I couldn't be arsed to wait so I joined as a bod in the reserve in 1st year

Might still go to Sandhurst but only to join the Army Air Corps

>>33699155
I did A-Levels through the National Extension College. This involved me doing distance learning, then sitting the examinations in a local secondary school. There are other ways, but that was how I did it.

University level mathematics and engineering is way, way beyond practical exams like the HND. HND is great, but it's not university level stuff. You'd need the A Levels to keep up, no other way about it really.

>>33699177
My issue is only got Cs. I could've got Bs and As but I have really bad dyslexia and never got support because my school was shit. Asked multiple times and never got any.

>>33699177
>You'd need the A Levels to keep up, no other way about it really.

Yep, even though I got into my Physics degree with a BTEC I was behind on the maths big time, didn't take my long to catch up

Protip: KA Stroud Engineering Mathematics, bought it for 6 pence on Amazon, also Wolfram Alpha, does pretty advanced maths and walks you through the working out step by step

Fantastic stuff

>>33699192
My understanding of the NEC and other independent A Levels is that as you're paying, you can take any one you want.

Every unit will have someone responsible for education and non trade courses. Some, depending on size, will have multiple. They'll be broadly split into physical and academic, so try your luck with them.

>>33699206
Got any decent material for A level Maths? I'm not going to college to do it but I can probably self-teach.

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>>33699095
For all you know one could be the Commander in Chief having an evening shitpost

>>33699212
Thanks for the suggestion. I guess one alternative is doing an Engineering BTEC with an advanced mathematics module, but I'd rather get fully qualified as an electrician.

>>33698987
D E L E T

>>33699213
The Wolfram Alpha is amazing, It's a £40 subscription but I can't stress enough how useful it is, get your ma or da to fork out for you.

I imagine you'll be doing a lot of differentiation in A-Levels but I'm well out of the loop on the current curriculum, know this though, A-Level exams have always been written to fuck you over, don't be surprised if the question doesn't make sense 10 times after you read it.

My advice, aside from your own learning, contact some colleges and ask if they'd be willing to send you some Past papers in PDF or something, or even the exam board itself.

Going through past papers over and over again can do wonders for you

>>33698676
I served for 8 years in the Infantry so hopefully I can as experienced. The L85A2 is accurate as fuck, feels solid, is reliable and back heavy meaning you can shoulder it all day. Downsides are it is a bastard to clean, right handed only (everyone gets taught to fire right handed anyway so fuck it) and it is heavy for a 5.56 rifle.

Anyone that slags it off has never used it, it is far from perfect but no other 5.56 rifle exists that can justify the cost to switch over.

No idea. I'm an aircraft engineer in the Royal Navy.
I'm due my annual range time soon. Last time it was an A2 i think. They made us fire about 50 rounds. Couldn't tell you if it's good or bad, to be honest. I squeezed the trigger and bullets came out the pointy end.
Lets be honest, if i end up holding a gun in a real word situation, something has gone horribly wrong.

>>33699244
I can go onto Edexel's website, and get them. It's how my Polish mate passed his, just revised that materials.

>>33699225

Well, I know for a fact there's some smarty pants or navy boffins that stalk around /k/. Like in this thread >>33697367

There was a fella who got a tour of the new carriers on here a fair while ago (will provide link if anyone is curious).

>>33699249
>feels solid

TMH wobble triggers my autism though lad

>>33699273
Yeah it can be a tiny bit wobbly but even so it feels solid, I would feel confident hitting a tree trunk or a sprog with it.

>>33699370
>>33699273

Some of the rifles are getting old and worn so the wobble can be bad.

A decent armourer can sort it out pretty easily but most of them can't be arsed.

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>>33699095
always watching

>>33699464
To some the weight may be a downside but for me it is a comfort, I have fired M4's and M16's and they feel like toys in comparison. The only weapon I have fired that has been comfier than the L85A2 has been the Steyr AUG, I laughed at the Austrian rifle until I got to fire one and now it may be my fave weapon.

If you're young and have decent qualifications you should look at the Royal Navy.
Even if you don't have decent qualifications, you should look at the RN.
They have some fantastic apprenticeship schemes in engineering.
If you're under 18 they do a bursary scheme where they'll pay for you to go to Uni and get an engineering degree.
The senior service is good in that way.
If you have potential, and you put in the effort, they recognise it and will help you realise it.
For example, all the engineering roles have fast tracking in trade training. If you do well in your exams and the lecturers like the cut of your jib, you'll get put on fast track stream and come out of your professional training as a leading hand.

>>33699485

Lets not bring cancer into this thread please, you Boston Irish larper.

t. NI catholic

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''You ain't infantry, you ain't shit''

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>>33699513
South Armagh reporting in here

>>33699493
I posted>>33699144

The weight is a non issue if your body has enough muscle mass to be capable of passing infantry training. When things the ugl start being strapped on then its a issue. The rest is just non combat arms complaining

>>33699485
>>33699555

Dont you have some livestock to smuggle or a family to murder for being the wrong sort of Christian

>>33698893
This. All guns should be chambered in .22CB.

>>33699744
Glad you're a hard cunt but there's nothing wrong with calling out a design flaw for what it is. If you're doing a 36hr live fire exercise in Kenya, or - god forbid - on prolonged combat ops, it's better for a soldier's performance to have a lighter weapon system.

>>33699493
The A2 is pretty balanced (that's why the extra weight is built into it, to keep the centre of gravity around the pistol grip). Until you stick rails and LLM and whatever else to the front, then it all gets a bit fucked I'd say.

I know what you mean though - the M4 / M16 feel really front-heavy at first. I got used to it quickly though and would prefer to use that over the L85 any day.