Bren blueprints...

[MarkDevCanada]

Hello all:

Has anyone ever come across the blue prints for the receiver of the Bren gun? The only one I've seen is a partial posted on weeponear.net.

The reason I ask is the Americans have come up with a nifty semi auto Bren, which except for the fact they re-weld the old cut up receiver, should be legal up here in Canada.

Cheers
Mark

Ps I have full access to machine shop and a CNC.

Information

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[jmoore]

There are several internal changes to the semi-auto BREN, none of which are improvements, but are required for firing from the closed bolt position. Don't know if the fellow who ended up building them in Franklin, Ga would be free w/ his prints, but it might be worth a try. I suspect he'd SELL them...

[Peter Laidler]

speak to BDL in SC. He knows of a bloke doing them in sensible 7.62mm cal if I remember correctly. I sent him a load of the conversion detail. But even with a hangar full of machinery, it's a tough job getting it past the BATF

[jmoore]

You wouldn't believe how much the gas port in the barrel and regulator are opened up!

[MarkDevCanada]

Thanks guys. I have all the information I need re the semi modifications.

The problem is that they (the Americans) re-weld up an old receiver. Up here in Canada we are not legally allowed to do that. In order to have a legal semi only bren, we need to machine a COMPLETELY NEW receiver. As I have access to a CNC machine shop, I believe I can do that.

I have a CAD model (Solid Works) of an Mk II receiver I’ve drawn up based on measurements I’ve taken from a cut up receiver. However my model has two flaws. First actual engineering blue prints used for production will also have tolerances to the measurements. Second as my measurements are taken from a cut up receiver, I can only guess how much material removed during the cutting process.

[infidel]

Thanks guys. I have all the information I need re the semi modifications.

The problem is that they (the Americans) re-weld up an old receiver. Up here in Canada we are not legally allowed to do that. In order to have a legal semi only bren, we need to machine a COMPLETELY NEW receiver. As I have access to a CNC machine shop, I believe I can do that.

I have a CAD model (Solid Works) of an Mk II receiver I’ve drawn up based on measurements I’ve taken from a cut up receiver. However my model has two flaws. First actual engineering blue prints used for production will also have tolerances to the measurements. Second as my measurements are taken from a cut up receiver, I can only guess how much material removed during the cutting process.

The problem in Canada (legally) is that a reworked (bren) receiver is considered a converted auto (prohibited), which if you do not already have a license for a prohibited weapon, you can never have one. The answer as you said is to make a brand new semi-auto receiver from scratch. If accepted as legal, it would not even be registered as a bren, but as perhaps a markdev? It would in all liklihood be considered non-restricted, since it is a brand new weapon, and is not on the list of restricted weapons.
I own a semi-auto MG34, but on the registration certificate, it is called a TNW, the company that made the semi-auto only receiver. It is not even restricted, and the restriction on magazine capacity doesn't apply to belts. It is always a crowd pleaser at the range.
But a bren would be cool!

[Stevo]

I have a MkII Bren in 8x57. If it's any helpsI can measure it up for you though I don't have the tools for real precision measurements.

[jmoore]

I can measure a semi MkI for lengths and such if you can tell me what areas you need measured.

[Claven2]

LOL - I have the same problem. I have a personal machine shop capable of producing a receiver, but only if I had good drawings.

[Dan Wilson]

There out there but they are really damned hard to find.
Here are a couple that I found on other sites that may help a small bit.

Dan