Monday 13 September 2010

Service Weapons of the British Army

This is an approximate list of which weapons were generally issued in which era. Naturally, many weapons continued in service for years after their official replacement date and some even continued to be issued at the same time as their replacements, especially to second-line and reserve units.

Infantry Musket/Rifle
*Long Land Pattern Musket (Brown Bess) [.75 flintlock, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1722-1768
*Short Land Pattern Musket (Brown Bess) [.75 flintlock, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1768-1797
*India Pattern Musket (Brown Bess) [.75 flintlock, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1797-1839
*Pattern 1839 Musket (Brown Bess) [.75 percussion, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1839-1842
*Pattern 1842 Musket (Brown Bess) [.75 percussion, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1842-1851
*Pattern 1851 MiniƩ Rifle-Musket [.702 percussion, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1851-1853
*Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle-Musket [.577 percussion, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1853-1866
*Snider-Enfield Rifle [.577 cartridge, single-shot], 1866-1871
*Martini-Henry Rifle [.577/450 cartridge, single-shot], 1871-1888
*Lee-Metford Rifle [.303 bolt action], 1888-1895
*Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle [.303 bolt action], 1895-1904
*Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle [.303 bolt action], 1904-1941
*No.4 Lee-Enfield Rifle [.303 bolt action], 1941-1957
*L1 Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) [7.62mm semi-automatic], 1957-1985
*L85 SA80 Assault Rifle [5.56mm selective fire], 1985-present

Sniper Rifle
*Pattern 1776 Infantry Rifle [.62 flintlock, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1776-1801
*Baker Rifle [.625 flintlock, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1801-1837
*Brunswick Rifle [.704 flintlock, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1837-1851
*Pattern 1851 MiniƩ Rifle-Musket [.702 percussion, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1851-1853
*Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle-Musket [.577 percussion, single-shot, muzzle-loading], 1853-1866
*Snider-Enfield Rifle [.577 cartridge, single-shot], 1866-1871
*Martini-Henry Rifle [.577/450 cartridge, single-shot], 1871-1888
*Lee-Metford Rifle [.303 bolt action], 1888-1895
*Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle [.303 bolt action], 1895-1904
*Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle [.303 bolt action], 1904-1941
*No.4 Lee-Enfield Rifle [.303 bolt action], 1941-1970
*L42 Lee-Enfield Sniper Rifle [7.62mm bolt action], 1970-1982
*L96 Accuracy International Sniper Rifle [7.62mm bolt action], 1982-present

Sidearm
*Beaumont-Adams Revolver [.442 double action, muzzle-loading], 1856-1880
*Enfield Revolver [.476 double action, top-break], 1880-1887
*Webley Revolver [.455 double action, top-break], 1887-1932
*Enfield No.2 Revolver [.38 double-action, top-break], 1932-1954
*L9 Browning Hi-Power [9mm Parabellum semi-automatic], 1954-1995
*L105 SIG Sauer P226 [9mm Parabellum semi-automatic], 1995-present

Medium/Heavy Machine Gun
*Gatling Gun [.30], 1865-1888
*Maxim Gun [.303], 1888-1912
*Vickers Machine Gun [.303], 1912-1968
*L7 General Purpose Machine Gun [7.62mm], 1968-present

Light Machine Gun
*Hotchkiss MkI Machine Gun [.303], 1909-1915
*Lewis Gun [.303], 1915-1935
*Bren Gun [.303], 1935-1957
*L4 Bren Gun [7.62mm], 1957-1968
*L7 General Purpose Machine Gun [7.62mm], 1968-1985
*L85 SA80 Light Support Weapon [5.56mm], 1985-present

Submachine Gun
*Sten Gun [9mm Parabellum], 1940-1953
*L2 Sterling Submachine Gun [9mm Parabellum], 1953-1988

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