Knight's Stoner 1 (KS-1) - New Rifle for British Army

[Sampo]

Special operations elements of the British Army and Royal Marines are getting a new rifle - the KS-1.

An order for 1,640 Knight's Stoner 1 (KS-1) rifles, designated the L403A1 in UK service, has been placed, with an option to acquire a further 10,000 falling under a new £90m contract over the next decade.

KS-1: All the gen on the British Army and Royal Marines' new rifle

 

[Longstrider]

As this is an AR based weapon I'm guessing it will still be in 5.56mm ?

 

[Bowland blades]

As this is an AR based weapon I'm guessing it will still be in 5.56mm ?

It very well might be 6.5mm as it mentions Royal marines and special forces . Very much doubt it will be their version of the 308

 

[Sampo]

Seems like 5.56mm according to the manufacturer's website - KS-1



Not sure why they didn't consider KS-2 or KS-3 which seems to be 260g and 330g lighter respectively all of the same caliber.

 

[Longstrider]

Do you mean 6.5mm or 6.8mm ? If 6.8 (.277") then it would definetly be a 'stopping gun' ! I've seen what a mates .223 does to foxes .. and I've seen what my .270 does to them and deer, and I know which I'd rather be relying on to stop a determined enemy in his tracks.

 

[.25-06]

It very well might be 6.5mm as it mentions Royal marines and special forces . Very much doubt it will be their version of the 308

Cause you wouldn't want to kill them just leave them 'Fwriggling' (flapping + wriggling and shouting) about

 

[User00040]

Malaya or Borneo conflict/konfrontasi

 

[jcalleja91]

It is a .223

Edgar Brothers have done a video on it.. I will find standby

 

[jcalleja91]

Can't find the video now.. but definitely .223/5.56mm

Edit:
Found one.. not the one I originally saw but has all the details of the tender.

 

[User00040]

If Edgar Bros is applying the same markup that they do to with Alliant Powders...

 

[Dave_45]

Comes with inbuilt GPS incase you leave it lying at your arse on Dartmoor.

 

[jthyttin]

Not sure why they didn't consider KS-2 or KS-3 which seems to be 260g and 330g lighter respectively all of the same caliber.

KAC doesn't want to give full specs and I didn't bother to dig them out. Maybe different KS models are made for different tender processes around the world?

11.5" in KS-3 is kind of short for overall use. KS-2 seems to have more of a regular barrel instead of KS-1 dimpled heavy profile. It also might be just a little bit over some imaginary length requirement (with mod), specified in the UK tender process?

 

[Shrike]

Not being up to date with military rifles, what is the reason for the change if they are sticking with the same caliber?

Could this rifle be converted to the new round the Americans are using. .277 fury I think.

 

[jthyttin]

Could this rifle be converted to the new round the Americans are using. .277 fury I think.

No. It's different form factor, Fury is the size of 308 / 7.62x51.

 

[LeftHandGuy]

Not being up to date with military rifles, what is the reason for the change if they are sticking with the same caliber?

Because the SA80 series of rifles were poorly conceived, not very well built, expensively fixed, overly heavy and on the whole a very bad purchase. And now worn out and approaching the end of their service life. And 5.56 is still the official NATO Standard.

Could this rifle be converted to the new round the Americans are using. .277 fury I think.

No, that requires an AR10 sized platform (same case head as 7.62 NATO etc).

 

[Len the dog]

£90M for 11,640 rifles, that’s over £7.7k each!
They could buy them a Blaser and a set of Viperflex for less and still have enough left for a tray of primers.

 

[Andy RV]

It’s 5.56 and much more pleasant to shoot than the SA80! I’ve had a couple of chances to play with it on the range over the past year or two.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm. So what about all the reports saying that the Yanks were concerned that the new Russian body armour will stop the 5.56 so were going up in chambering then?
Maybe someone should tell the MoD?

 

[jthyttin]

£90M for 11,640 rifles, that’s over £7.7k each!

10k is a small batch by military standards, KAC needs to keep the price up to absorb costs in R&D etc.

Actual rifle including sights, mags, mod etc. is more likely about half that figure maybe bit more. Rest is (or should be) spare parts, armorers' training, setting up the logistics chain... and there could be some wiggling room. They can always spend less, but spending more causes trouble.

 

[Dave_45]

Typical MOD

Approached H&K to sort out the SA80, H&K told them with the money they were willing to pay they could pick any one of the platforms off the shelf ,but the mod insisted on polishing a turd.

To be fair H&K made the rifle into a reliable system that was since proven in combat.

It was still a polished turd albeit reliable.

And now that time has elapsed they do what they should have done the first time round.


Not at all surprised