Faugh-A-Ballagh

L119 tactical carbine を使う Royal Marines 43Commando 兵士　L119 に載せている光学機器はTrijicon ACOG　TA01B

The Colt Canada C8 tactical carbine now equips the Royal Marines' 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group instead of the SA80. Source: Colt Canada

A high-profile UK Royal Marine unit has been re-equipped with the Colt Canada C8 carbine to enhance its ability to protect the Royal Navy's nuclear deterrent submarine base and nuclear weapon convoys.

The move makes the unit the first British non-special forces unit to completely drop the bullpup L85A2 (SA80) rifle used by the rest of the regular forces. Various UK special forces units already use the C8, which is designated the L119 in British service.

Details of the re-equipment effort were revealed by the commander of 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines, Colonel Graeme Fraser, in a briefing document to service members distributed in February.

He said all of the unit's operational squadrons, which have the task of protecting UK nuclear weapons at HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane in Scotland or when they are being move around the UK, had been equipped with the Canadian weapon. The 790-strong commando unit also serves as the Royal Navy's specialist naval boarding unit. The "roll-out of the weapon" had been completed by the end of 2015, said Col Fraser.

43 Commando already used small numbers of L119s, as well as other specialist weapons such as the H&K MP5 submachine gun, but the move now confirms the L119 as the unit's standard weapon. A senior Royal Navy source told IHS Jane's that 300 more C8s had been purchased to fully equip 43 Commando. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) was unable to provide IHS Jane's with the cost of the acquisition.

The logic behind the move was because the L119 has "reduced ricochet, limited collateral damage" features. Both the L119 and L85A2 are chambered in the NATO-standard 5.56x45 mm round, indicating that 43 Commando will be using a low-velocity round for its L119s.

The Royal Navy said this was a "one-off" purchase and was not a signal that the Royal Marines 3 Commando Brigade was going to be re-equipped with new weapon.





43sCommandos Fleets Potections Group は既にL119 をパカスカ使って訓練しています


ところでL119 の光学機器は以前からTA31FIST ではなくてELCAN でもなくてTrijicon Acog Ta01 を使っていてわざわざ集光チューブのないACOG を選ぶ必要があるのか依然謎なのですが、最近のFPGRM が使うL119 には英軍お得意のウィングマウントではなくてTrijicon 社製のダットサイトであるRMR を載っけているのが目立ちます。ボディ自体が強化され、その上点灯スイッチが側面に来ていることもあってか防護用ウィングマウントを使わなくなってきています

ACOG TA01B と呼ばれているスコープです　横に突きだしたフロントアイアンサイトに切り替わっています


ドットサイトは同じTrijicon 社製のRMR 　　　LaRue のマウントと言い少し英特寄りのアクセサリーも目に付きます

ELCAN SPECTER OS4X の製作で些か食傷気味の光学機器ネタですが、実は今月に京都は丹波にあるNESTでCQB 戦をやると言うことで急遽、仕上げることにしました。元ネタは6､7年前に手に入れたTA01 のレプリカです。購入当初は刻印入りの一見リアルな仕上げに大いに有難味を感じたのですが、よく見るとTA01 なのにTA31RCO の刻印だし、ACOG の文字が浮き出しではなくて彫り込んであったり見れば見るほどアラが出て来、そのうえラバーコーティングが加水分解でべとべとになったと言うトンでもスコープです。※加水分解したラバーコーティングはアルコールで拭き取ればキレイに剥がしとることが出来ます


【左】軍用を示すMatrix Code は無いし刻印文字もTA01 とは全く違います　　　　　　　　　　【右】字体はリアルですが彫り込んだ刻印で、大いに萎えます


＜Part.2 TA01B でっち上げ編に続く～＞