hk sl81 User Guide

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Operators Manual

In a world of compromise, some don’t.

HK SL8-1 Rifle

Caliber .223

(5.56mm)

SL8-1

Sporting Rifle

Operators Manual

CAUTION: Read the safety notes before handling the

SL8-1 Rifle!

HK, Inc., 21480 Pacific Blvd.

Sterling, Virginia 20166-8903

United States of America

Telephone (703) 450-1900

Specifications and models subject to change without notice.

Maintenance and Service ..................................................................38

Troubleshooting Guide ........................................................................41

Parts & Exploded Diagram..................................................................42

Specifications ......................................................................................44

Firearm Service Record ......................................................................45

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Safety Notes on the Use of the SL8-1 rifle ..........................................6

General ................................................................................................8

Assembly Groups ................................................................................10

Description of Assembly Groups ........................................................11

Group 1 Receiver with barrel, buttstock and attaching parts ........11

Group 2 Bolt Assembly ..................................................................12

Group 3 Buttstock Assembly (with trigger & safety mechanism) ..14

Group 4 Handguard ......................................................................16

Group 5 Magazine ..........................................................................16

Handling and Operation ....................................................................17

Operation of Parts ..............................................................................22

Disassembly of the SL8-1 ..................................................................24

Assembly of the SL8-1 ........................................................................28

Disassembly and Assembly of the magazine ....................................30

Adjustment of the Stock and Cheekpiece ..........................................31

Adjustment of the Sights ....................................................................33

Optical Sights ....................................................................................35

SAFETY NOTES

• Always point the rifle in a safe direction.

• Before handling and before cleaning it has to be checked to ensure that:

- The bolt is locked to the rear

- The rifle is unloaded (cartridge chamber empty)

- The barrel is free of obstructions

- The magazine is empty.

• Keep your finger off the trigger when loading, unloading or otherwise handling the rifle. Always place the trigger finger outside of the trigger guard.

• Place your finger on the trigger only when your sights are aimed at the target.

• Never use force when handling, disassembling, cleaning and assembling the rifle.

• Disassemble the rifle only as far as described in this manual.

• Always wear eye and hearing protection when using the rifle.

• Take into account the fact that bystanders are also endangered. Ensure bystanders are also wearing ear and eye protection.

• Only use factory-loaded and undamaged cartridges of the correct caliber.

• Always mind that the muzzle area is free of obstacles during firing.

• Store the firearm and ammunition in separate places.

• Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas, cleaning firearms, or handling ammunition may result in exposure to lead, a substance known to be associated with birth defects, reproductive harm, and other serious injury. Have adequate ventilation at all times. Wash hands thoroughly after exposure.

• Heckler & Koch does not assume any liability for events due to disregarding this manual, improper handling, negligence, improper treatment, use of improper or reloaded ammunition, unauthorized exchange of parts or manipulations of the rifle.

• Remember, firearms safety begins with you. Read this operators manual and be familiar with the safe handling of this firearm before using it. Store all firearms in a safe and secure location. Keep firearms away from children. Always be a safe shooter. Keep this manual with the rifle.

Safety Notes on the Use of the HK SL8-1

Clear the rifle! Before handling the firearm, “clear it!” Do so by:

1 • Make sure fingers are outside of the trigger guard and the

firearm is pointed in a safe direction at all times!

2 • ON SAFE – Rotate the safety/selector lever to the “Safe”

position (the white “S” adjacent to the safety/selector lever)

3 • REMOVE MAGAZINE – Depress the magazine paddle release

lever and remove the magazine from the magazine well.

4 • COCKING LEVER – Rotate the ejection port towards the

ground and fold out and pull the cocking lever rearward one or more times to insure the chamber is empty. Watch for a live round or empty case to be ejected. Move the cocking lever upward slightly and lock it into the indent in the cocking lever housing to lock the bolt open.

5 • BOLT CATCH – While holding the cocking lever fully rearward

use the trigger finger to press upwards on the bolt catch button located in the front top corner of the trigger guard to lock the bolt rearward.

6 • INSPECT CHAMBER – Inspect chamber for the presence of a

live round or empty case. Visually – View chamber through open ejection port. Physically – Insert index finger through magazine well or ejection port and feel for the presence of a round or cartridge case in the chamber.

7 • Remove any live rounds or empty cases from the chamber or

from within the firearm or magazine before handling the firearm further.

The HK SL8-1 is now considered “Clear.

WARNINGS

• Carefully read this operators manual before handling the rifle.

• Only use the rifle after you have fully reviewed and understand these instructions.

• Observe all notes on handling and operation. Failure to do so may result in injury or death of the operator or bystanders.

• Do not use the rifle if you have previously ingested alcohol or drugs.

• When passing the rifle between persons, the firearm must be clear and the bolt should be open.

• Always treat the rifle as if it were loaded and ready to fire.

• Never point the rifle at anyone during handling.

GENERAL

Figure 2 SL8-1 with mechanical sights (right side view)

Figure 3 SL8-1 Accessories

The HK SL8-1 semiautomatic rifle is a caliber .223 Remington civilian sporting arm based on the G36 rifle currently used by the German Army.

The SL8-1 rifle is gas operated with a rotating bolt head. Its receiver, pistol grip, buttstock, and handguard are all made of a high-strength polymer material, resulting in a tough and lightweight rifle.

A mechanical sight is mounted on the Picatinny long rail found on the top of the upper receiver. This sighting system can be easily replaced by other sighting systems, including optical scopes.

A movable buttplate and cheekpiece are other features that can be adjusted to the individual needs of the user.

The heavy barrel and the chamber are cold hammer forged and hard chrome plated for durability and accuracy. The barrel is fastened and centered to the receiver by means of a hex nut.

A cocking lever on the front end of the bolt head carrier can be swiveled to the left and to the right for actuation by both left and right handed users.

The magazine holds 10 rounds.

A bolt catch locks the bolt rearward (open) when the last round is fired or an empty magazine is inserted and the bolt is retracted.

Figure 1 SL8-1 with mechanical sights (left side view)

Group 1 Receiver with barrel, buttstock and attaching parts

The receiver is made of high-strength fiber-reinforced plastic. It houses all the other assembly groups. Inside the receiver there are guideways for the bolt as well as contact surfaces for the pistol grip, the buttstock and the magazine well. The barrel is fastened and centered to the receiver by means of a nut.

CAUTION: The barrel nut should not be removed by the operator. Only HK certified armorers should attempt to remove the barrel.

On the right side of the receiver is an ejection port with an integral cartridge case deflector. The cartridge case deflector directs the ejected cases (at an angle of approximately 45° to the muzzle) away from the shooter.

Handguard and magazine well are fitted to the bottom of the receiver by means of removable locking pins.

The buttstock with trigger mechanism is fastened to the receiver by means of two hex head screws. To fasten and unfasten them use the HK special tool provided with the rifle.

Figure 5

Receiver with barrel, gas system, mounting rail with mechanical sights

1. Barrel

2. Front sight

3. Mounting rail

4. Rear sight

5. Receiver

6. Magazine catch

7. Magazine well

DESCRIPTION OF ASSEMBLY GROUPS

ASSEMBLY GROUPS

Figure 4 SL8-1 Assembly groups

1 Receiver with barrel, gas system, magazine well,

mounting rail with mechanical sights 2 Bolt assembly with recoil spring assembly 3 Buttstock assembly complete 4 Magazine 5 Handguard

The firing pin is retained by the firing pin retaining pin.

A cocking lever on the front end of the bolt head carrier can be swiveled to the left and to the right for actuation by both left and right handed users. It can also be locked in a 90° position to the left and right for use as a forward assist.

Figure 7 Bolt assembly with recoil spring assembly

The recoil spring guide rod with the recoil spring is a separate unit and fits into the bolt head carrier. Rearward movement of the bolt assembly is stopped by a buffer in the buttstock.

Figure 8 Bolt assembly

1. Cocking lever 4. Retaining pin

2. Bolt head carrier 5. Cam pin

3. Firing pin 6. Bolt head

Figure 9 Bolt head

DESCRIPTION OF ASSEMBLY GROUPS

Gas block

The gas block is fastened with a cross pin to the barrel; do no attempt to remove it. After the bullet has passed the gas vent hole in the barrel, a portion of the propellant gases are guided into the gas cylinder within the gas block and actuate the gas piston.

The gas piston drives the bolt assembly rearward via the push rod. The return spring on the push rod returns the rod to its starting position.

Figure 6 Gas system

Magazine well

The front of the magazine well engages into two support studs on the receiver. For fastening the magazine well is swiveled upward. A locking pin fastens both the pistol grip and the magazine well to the receiver. When the locking pin is removed the magazine well is retained by the magazine catch.

Group 2 Bolt assembly

The bolt assembly with the rotary bolt head is guided into the receiver by metal guide rails molded into the polymer receiver. The bolt assembly is driven rearward by the gas piston and forward by the recoil spring.The bolt assembly serves multiple functions including; feeding the cartridges, locking of the chamber, cartridge ignition, case extraction and ejection, as well as for cocking of the hammer.

The bolt head is retained in the bolt head carrier by the cam pin which also controls its rotary movement. Locking lugs are machined onto the front of the bolt head. The spring-loaded extractor is located in a gap between the locking lugs. Adjacent to the extractor is a spring-loaded ejector.

1. Extractor

2. Ejector

3. Locking lugs (6 total)

Trigger and Safety Mechanism

The trigger and safety are integrated into the buttstock assembly.

At the front of the trigger guard there is a bolt catch button which is used to hold the bolt open on an empty magazine or when fired “dry.” There are safety selector levers on both sides of the grip. The safety/selector levers can be placed in two positions:

“S” = Safe (white index line on the safety/selector

lever pointing to the white “S”)

“F” = Fire (semi-automatic white index line on the

safety/selector lever pointing to the red “F”)

Figure 13 Trigger and safety mechanism

1. Bolt catch button

2. Hammer

3. Safety/selector lever

4. Trigger

5. Bolt catch

Figure 14A Safety/selector position Figure 14B Safety/selector position

“safe” “fire” (semi-automatic)

DESCRIPTION OF ASSEMBLY GROUPS

Buttstock Assembly, complete

The buttstock is fixed to the receiver by the means of two hex head screws which can be opened and closed with the HK Tool. The buttstock includes an integral rear sling attachment point.

Butt plate and cheekpiece can be adjusted to the individual requirement of the user by the means of spacers.

The trigger and safety/selector lever is located at the front end of the buttstock.

Figure 10 Buttstock assembly complete

Figure 11 Figure 12

Cheekpiece Buttplate with

interchangeable spacers

+ 17 hidden pages