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  4. Murdoch & Co Brings British SA80 to the Americas

 

The SHOT Show basement is always the place for amazing firearms innovation, and it did not disappoint at the 2026 event. The Murdoch & Co booth was one of the best kept secrets of the show. While visiting with the folks from Shield Sights and discussing a trip to London to visit the factory, they informed me of an ambitious young fellow at SHOT with a new company and a goal of bringing the SA80 to the American market. 
 

SA80 History


The SA80 is an iconic bullpup rifle that has served the British military since 1985. This rifle immediately conjures up scenes of the royal guard marching around Buckingham Palace, shouting, “Make way for the queen’s guard!” Although it was one of the first widely adopted bullpup rifles in the world, the SA80 sadly is extremely rare. 
 

British Royal Marines Corporal Allum looks over his SA-80 rifle before a training exercise at Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island of Hawaii.
(Photo: Lance Corporal Simon Martin/USMC via National Archives)


Due to the UK’s strict export laws and anti-gun policies, the SA80 is incredibly scarce in the United States. Outside of my incredible experience at Battlefield Vegas, I probably would have never encountered it. 
 

The author holds Murdoch & Co's collector's edition EM85 at left, while Evan Murdoch shows a more modern EM85 at right. (Photo: Seth Rodgers/Guns.com)
This EM85 is chambered in 5.56 NATO. (Photo: Seth Rodgers/Guns.com)


Thankfully, the folks at Murdoch & Co have come to the rescue. Evan Murdoch hails from England and has always wanted to own his own SA80 to honor his nation’s heritage. As the SA80 is largely unavailable in the U.S., Evan began a quest to build his own for personal use. After an outpouring of support and a lot of begging from those around him, he decided to found a company to manufacture a domestic copy of the iconic British rifle. 
 

The EM85


Fast-forward a few years, and Evan is at SHOT Show 2026 with the Murdoch & Co EM85. This rifle is the only domestic copy of the iconic British service rifle, and Evan has made sure that it will be available to the American market. Murdoch & Co even has a special-edition collector series rifle built on actual Enfield receivers. 
 

Murdoch & Co is offering a collector's edition rifle built on actual Enfield receivers. (Photo: Seth Rodgers/Guns.com)
The USA-made EM85 honors its British roots. (Photo: Seth Rodgers/Guns.com)


There will be several offerings for the Murdoch & Co EM85, from early carry handle versions to later ACOG and ELCAN optic patterns. While these will be pricey, this is truly a one-of-a-kind rifle and a to-spec replica that preserves the history of an iconic British service rifle.  
 

With this rifle, you too can own a piece of British military history. (Photo: Seth Rodgers/Guns.com)
From early carry handle versions to later ACOG and ELCAN optic patterns, Murdoch & Co has a few versions of the EM85 up its sleeve. (Photo: Seth Rodgers/Guns.com)
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