Sterling SAR-87
The Sterling SAR-87 is a military assault rifle of the late 20th century. The Sterling Assault Rifle (SAR), which included elements from Sterling's earlier Light Automatic Rifle (LAR) design, was jointly engineered by Sterling Armaments Company and Chartered Industries of Singapore in the early 1980s as an advanced version of the AR-18 for the export sales. It was also offered to the British Armed Forces, who declined it because they were already in the process of adopting the SA80 bullpup design manufactured by Royal Ordnance Factories.
Sterling SAR-87
- Name
- SAR-87
- Field
- assault rifle
- Period
- 1980
- Region
- United Kingdom · Singapore
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Documentary summary
The Sterling SAR-87 is a military assault rifle of the late 20th century. The Sterling Assault Rifle (SAR), which included elements from Sterling's earlier Light Automatic Rifle (LAR) design, was jointly engineered by Sterling Armaments Company and Chartered Industries of Singapore in the early 1980s as an advanced version of the AR-18 for the export sales. It was also offered to the British Armed Forces, who declined it because they were already in the process of adopting the SA80 bullpup design manufactured by Royal Ordnance Factories.
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wikidata · Q1544273 · wikipedia · Sterling SAR-87
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — SAR-87 • Origin — United Kingdom/Singapore • Type — Assault rifle • Is Ranged — Yes • Design Date — 1980s • Manufacturer — Sterling Armaments Company • Production Date — 1987 • Number — Less than 100 • Variants — Fixed/Folding Stock, 9mm submachine gun • Weight — 3.7 kg • Length — 0.95 m, 0.75 m for folding stock variant • Cartridge — 5.56×45mm NATO, 9×19mm Parabellum • Action — Gas-operated • Rate — 650 rpm • Range — 400 m • Feed — 30-round detachable STANAG magazine • Sights — Iron sights
Design
Design
The SAR-87 was a robust weapon based on the well tried AR-18 with the versatility of the M16 rifle. It could also be converted from 5.56×45mm NATO to 9×19mm Parabellum by changing the barrel and bolt assembly, to provide a submachine gun for police forces. Sterling Armaments tried to push the rifle, renamed SAR-87, for some more years, but at the end of the 1980s, it was bought out by British Aerospace/Royal Ordnance and closed. Fewer than 100 SAR-87 rifles were manufactured.
Chronology
Dated record
Chronology
The full dated record · 2 entries
1980
Sterling SAR-87 first recorded.
1980
Sterling SAR-87 is recorded from 1980.
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United Kingdom and Singapore
Country
Sterling SAR-87 is associated with United Kingdom and Singapore.
Country
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1- assault rifleTerminology
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Sterling SAR-87 is associated with United Kingdom and Singapore. Classified as a assault rifle. Recorded from 1980.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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