Stripping the Bren Gun

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

Ah, Trooper and Beerhunter.... If you have a Mk1 gun, then an obstruction on the butt slide prevents you removing the butt slide until the barrel nut is lifted. BUT, for the Mk2, 3 and L4 guns, the butt slides were modified so as to eliminate the little obstruction. This allowed the gun to be stripped in any order in order to simplify production and training.

The original barrel nuts also had a little external obstruction that prevented something else that....I won't go on. BUT, the Pilkington Committee on the simplification of small-arms got rid of all surpflous crap and the cheap Mk2 and later lightened Mk3 emerged.

You're giving your ages away if you remember the old drum-sight Mk1 Brens. Trooper, I was one of the Armourers with 4 and 8 RAR

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I only had the good fortune of using the L4 BUT did a history of the aussie infantryman (live fire demo) at singo and we where cross trained on the following, Vickers, lewis bren Mk3 , thompson, owen, SMLE, SLR and the then new Steyr or F88. Armourer was John Land who is curator at small arms museum at singo.
And Peter you are showing your age when you mention 4 and 8 RAR as seperate Battalions. I remember them as 2/4 RAR and 8/9 RAR. They have done a complete circle now and 4RAR is seperate and the regular commando Battalion and 8/9 is being re-raised in Brisvegas.

Cheers
NED

And then there's the job of changing a gas cylinder. Uggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a set of special tools for changing the gas cylinders. We would remove the original 'double vented' cylinders as a matter of course and replace them with the Mk2 single vented cylinders. BUT, be warned....., if they're tight, they're VERY tight. Get them cherry red before you start to undo them (standard thread) to melt'soften the carbon and metallic fouling that's been there for 50 years. If they are xxxxxxx tight, then weld a hexagonal nut onto the top and use a spanner.

I don't suppose many will be replacing gas cylinders though Brian! We had an alignment gauge for the new one but it wasn't really needed providing the gas plug and barrel mated up with the gas cylinder alignment bar.

If the gun won't function correctly with the gas plug at its largest setting, then you can be sure that it's a worn 1st type gas cylinder allowing gas to vent from under the bipod sleeve

I might try to post some pictures of last months project soon if I ever get caught up here. Maybe Badger can help since I'm electronically challenged.

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Originally Posted by Brian Dick

I might try to post some pictures of last months project soon if I ever get caught up here. Maybe Badger can help since I'm electronically challenged.

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Let me know what you need Brian ... :thup:

Regards,
Doug

Klunk, could you tell me the number on your gun, it looks like a N serial from 1942?

Cheers, Chris.

This is the photo of the live fire demo we did. everyone was cross qualified on each weapon in case someone had to pull out.One not shown was the Vickers.

cheers
NED

Nice pic. I remember the second from right era very well

Yes peter, Thats my first time around, the era of the greens and SLR, second time was the steyr
Another pic, this one is some trials I was involved in. Bullet trap grenades. this was to find out max range.

second pic is my Aslav in the first few days when we went into East Timor.

Third one is a day out jumping with the boys!!
Cheers
NED

I still cant see the logic of jumping out of a perfectly servicable aircraft!! But on the other hand, I wouldn't fly in an aircraft I'd just worked on!!!!

:-)