Infantry Weapons used in Borneo

Please note that this not a complete list of all weapons deployed in Borneo. We will add to the list as more information becomes available. If you have information on weapons that are not listed below, please feel free to email us Also please e-mail if you find any of the information below to be incorrect. We appreciate your input.

Armalite AR15
7.62mm L1A1 SLR
L7A2 GPMG
L4A4 Bren Light Machine Gun
Lee Enfield .303
9mm L2A3 Sterling SMG
Remington 870 Shotgun
Owen Sub Machine Gun
Sten Gun
Vickers Machine Gun
Claymore mine

Armalite AR15
Calibre	5.56mm
Length (m)	1.0
Weight empty (kg)	3.4
Muzzle velocity (m/s)	991m per second with M193 round.
Magazine capacity	20 or 30 round detachable box magazine
Rate of fire	700-900 rounds per minute cyclic
Maximum effective range (m)	400 metres
Adopted for jungle fighting, this weapon served with the SAS in Borneo, Aden, Oman and the Falklands. The lightweight M193 bullet was found to have insufficient power in Borneo and was prone to deflection by foliage.

7.62mm L1A1 SLR
Calibre	7.62mm
Length (m)	1.143
Length of barrel (m)	0.5334
Weight empty (kg)	4.337
Weight loaded (kg)	5.074 with 20 round magazine
Muzzle velocity (m/s)	838
Magazine capacity	20 or 30 rounds
Rate of fire	40
Maximum effective range (m)	600+
Known as the SLR (Self Loading Rifle) and is known for is straightforward field stripping and robust nature. The L1A1 is the British version of the Belgian FN FAL rifle. The L1A1 is a reliable, hard-hitting, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle.

L7A2 GPMG
Calibre	7.62mm NATO cartridge
Length (m)	1.23
Length of barrel (m)
Weight empty (kg)
Weight loaded (kg)	10.9
Muzzle velocity (m/s)	838
Magazine capacity	Belt feed
Rate of fire	Cyclic: 750-1,000 rounds per minute; Practical: 100 light role; Sustained firerole 200rpm
Maximum effective range (m)	800 (light role); 1,800 in sustained firerole
Known to the troops as the " jimpy "A successful development of the Belgian FN MAG machine gun. Effective range of the GPMG light role is 800m. In the SF role it is 1800m and using map predictive fire 3000m. A two-man team operates the weapon and a number of weapons are normally grouped in a specialist machine gun platoon. The GPMG is used at Battalion level in the fire support role.

L4A4 Bren Light Machine Gun
Calibre	7.62mm
Length (m)	1.156
Weight (kg)	8.68
Muzzle velocity (m/s)	838 metres per second
Magazine capacity	30-round box magazine
Rate of fire	520 rounds per minute cyclic
Maximum effective range (m)	600
A World War II machine gun, which was revised to refit the 7.62mm NATO round after the war.

Lee-Enfield .303 Rifle
Calibre	.303
Length (m)
Weight (kg)
Muzzle velocity (m/s)
Magazine capacity	10 detachable box magazine
Rate of fire	8
Maximum effective range (m)
.

9mm L2A3 Sterling SMG
Calibre	9mm
Length (m)	0.482 with folded butt, 0.69m with extended butt
Weight (kg)	2.7
Muzzle velocity (m/s)	390 metres per second
Magazine capacity	34 rounds
Rate of fire	Cyclic 550, Practical 40
Maximum effective range (m)	200
The Sterling. Replaced the Sten gun gradually from 1954 when it was adopted as the standard British sub-machine gun; Main users were second-line support services, tank crewmen, engineers and artillerymen.

Remington 870
Calibre	12-gauge
Length (m)	1.06
Weight (kg)	3.6 (loaded)
Magazine capacity	7-shot tubular magazine
Maximum effective range (m)	40
Used by SAS teams in house-assaults and counter-terrorist operations, Malaya and Borneo.

Owen Sub-machine gun
Calibre	9mm
Length (m)	0.806
Length of barrel (m)	0.2474
Weight empty (kg)	?
Weight loaded (kg)	4.21
Muzzle velocity (m/s)	420
Magazine capacity	32 round detachable box
Rate of fire	700
Used by Australian units in theatre, including Sqn of Australian Field Engineers in Kengingau, Interior Residency, Sabah.

Sten Gun
Calibre	9mm
Length (m)	.760 (Mk II)
Length of barrel (m)	0.196
Weight loaded (kg)	3.18 (Mk II)
Muzzle velocity (m/s)	365, non-suppressed versions
Magazine capacity	32 round detachable box magazine
Rate of fire	Dependent on version, around 500 rpm
Deployed with RAF Helicopter crews in Borneo.

Vickers .303in Heavy Machine Gun
Calibre	.303 inch
Weight (kg)	60lb (loaded)
Magazine capacity	96 round drum magazine
Rate of Fire	500
A water-cooled machine gun.

Claymore Mine
Warhead	350 metal balls thrown out by explosive detonation in a fan shape.
Maximum effective range (m)	100 metres
An oblong weapon first used by the SAS in Borneo, the mine can be fired electrically or mechanically using tripwires or by hand.

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