Bren L4 / .308 build

[cal50]

Some Bren guns were cut up with a passion of them never firing a shot ever again. It takes time to reverse the process. Not a lot of L4's around in firing condition full or semi. I did manage to get enough L4 mags to fill a mag case.

[browningautorifle]

Nice, I had two for a while for my C1 rifle...they worked perfectly.

[Flying10uk]

to fill a mag case.

Do you have a L4 mag case?

[cal50]

Do you have a L4 mag case?

Just a beat up 303 mag case I will have to fix and modify.
I bid on one listed in the UK but got sniped at the end of the auction since I could not watch it.

[cal50]

Nothing more irritating than going to use your shop equipment and something does not work.

Went to use my tig welder ( I have a water cooled torch ) and noticed coolant on the floor....... return coolant hose blew and leaking.
Could not find a stand alone replacement hose so I removed the part from the welder and tapped it to a standard 1/8 NPT pipe thread and made a line.
Ended up flushing the old coolant , cleaning the pump filter and adding new coolant.

Blue hose is the original / leaker.




Back in action.





Its nice having the receiver back into one piece.
Checking the target print dimension after welding I am .010" short which should not be an issue. I added around .020" which got me close but had I added .030 " I would have been right on the money. If the magazine fits and my bolt stops do not hit the frame I should be able to set the headspace.

I underestimated how much filler metal was required in the larger sections by the frame rails and got a little more weld shrink.
Need to look at it with fresh eyes this week and fill anything I missed , then give it an over ride @400 F and remove it from the fixture.

[Peter Laidler]

The addition of the cocking handle stop block on the Mk2 guns was a standard Base workshop and FTR work-over. There were two methods to retain it. The dovetail with braze or two horizontal pins through the block and into the body and braze.

The two pin method was the better option as I recall.

You are doing a fantastic job too.

The L4 gun mag boxes were initially simply converted Bren mag boxes with a wood batten 1"(?) thick and the width of the raised part that runs along the top of the box. It was screwed in from outside the box, through the recess and into the wood batten. Painted to suit and a strip of horsehair felt glued to it.

Later boxes were new-made. Similar. but approx 1" shallower to accommodate the L4 type magazines

[cal50]

The addition of the cocking handle stop block on the Mk2 guns was a standard Base workshop and FTR work-over. There were two methods to retain it. The dovetail with braze of two horizontal pins through the block and into the body and braze.

Whomever that did the cocking handle re-work did an excellent job.

I enjoy seeing craftmanship and things done correctly.

[Peter Laidler]

What you think of the Mk2 cocking handle stop modification is JUST what I thin k of your workmanship Cal50! It's a true pleasure to see your kind of workmanship. And on a trusty L4 gun, it makes my day.

There has always been a bit of friendly dispute about the A3 gun and the A5 gun. Indeed, even the EMER's, the parts lista and the Navy BR's (their Book of Reference) seem to differ. This is what I say.

The A3 gun followed the A2 gun - with two early barrels that were soon shot-out. The A4 gun did away with both the early barrels in place of ONE chrome lined barrel that was very successful. It necessarily follows that the A3 gun should follow that natural progression.

Otherwise you''d have the absurd siruation of the A3 gun being an improvement on the A2 gun............ but the A5 gun being a downgrade of the A4 gun. And since Enfielkd had ceased the manufacture of the early two barrel barrels, where were they going to get these barrels for the newly introduced A5 gun?

I don't understand it either. A2 and 3 guns, 2 barrels. Upgraded A4 and 5 guns, 1 barrel

[newcastleadam]

Just picked this up locally for a good price, your build is a solid inspiration. Now to either find a builder or make a new great friend

[browningautorifle]

Just picked this up locally for a good price

At least you know there's a source of info for your build.