Bren Gun Reweld

Peter,

My understanding of the pre/post-86 definition is that 1986 was the year after which no additional fully transferable machine guns were to be licensed. Therefore the classification, as it pertains to foreign manufactured firearms, is not a function of when it was produced but, rather, when it was imported. Post-86 MGs are supposed to remain in the hands of dealers, law enforcement and the government only.

Again, this is my understanding so, guys, if I've got any portion of this wrong, please feel free to correct me.

Cheers!

You're exactly right. The ban was implemented in May 1986.

Last fall I was at a show and a guy was walking around carrying a Bren, sold it to someone I know for $1,500.00 and the buyer has the ability to do the necessary repairs to make it operable. Big thing was it needed a barrel, well the new owner has a spare so no problem there. Interesting way on how to sell something without paying for a sellers table. The seller obviously went back to his vehicle and then walked around with a old Gevelot .22, I can't remember the model # (possible a E 1??) of the Gevelot but I do know it could be converted to FA but once the trigger was pulled it wouldn't stop 'till the mag was empty.
I know here in Canada the owners of Prohib. licenses are few an soon will be virtually none so getting big money for any Prohib. firearm is very difficult. Just visited a gun store in Ontario and the owner had many prohib. handguns at virtually give away prices, no one to buy them. Selling a Bren or any FA for big money just isn't going to happen and in a few years the only Prohib. licenses will be owned by gun shops or museums, the CFC is just waiting for all the current Prohib. owners to die.

I didn't think the L4A3 I bought was that cheap! Certainly not compared to the trusty Inglis Mk.II. I suppose if it was a pre '86 or fully transferable gun the sky would be the limit for price. I don't think there are many originals in the USA, either restricted or otherwise. That's why I bit the bullet and dropped the cash for it. In my eyes they're simply government rentals if post '86 samples. The good part is that as long as you're licensed and own them, you might just as well shoot the living s--t out of them. They certaionly aren't "safe queens" worth a mint and life is short! I was involved in a demo in the mountains of Virginia in May and we put 1040 rounds down range out of a post sample Bulgarian AK-74 with the owner and staff of GE Fulton & Son from Bisley. We had to set it down, disassemble and remove the bolt assembly frequently to let it cool. It was a nightmare cleaning it when I got home but worth every second for the fun that was had by all with it. Accurate little devils they are too, even on full auto!

Brian,

I hear you, $9K is certainly out of my league, however when I first started looking into getting a Bren in the early 1990s I was told that, when they could be had, expect to pay upwards of $30K. By way of comparason, 9 looks like a steal, especially as I want an L4 more than a .303 to begin with!

Cheers!

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

Book signings.......... It's a thing I'll need to think about but the book is being published and distributed in the USA and I'm here. Leave it with me for a few days.................

Back to L4A3's. How can they be post 86 when the UE serial numbers show them to be PRE 1986. Or, once again, am I missing something?

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Peter, it has nothing to do with the date of manufacture but rather the date of importation. Actually pre- and post-86 have nothing to do the "transferability" (i.e., to non-licensees) of imported machine guns. As far as non-dealers were concerned, no machine guns (or receivers thereof) could be lawfully imported into the USA after 1968. The distinction between pre- and post-86 is of significance only to licensed dealers; essentially it addresses the conditions that attach to acquisition and disposal, and their retention if the license is dropped.

The bottom line is that a non-dealer is limited in choice to buying a foreign-made gun imported before 1969, or one that was domestically manufactured before May 1986. Those that were properly registered as "unserviceable" (thus exempt from tax) before those cut-off dates may be re-activated upon application and payment of the $200 tax.

Now that I have thoroughly confused you....

M

MG Mike,

That's honestly the simplest explanation of the pre- and post- that I've ever seen.

Thanks!

NS

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

As yet another aside, Dan Shea and Robert Segal from SAR have my Bren Gun Book up and ready for a final preview in August and they hope, ready in September. It's a MONSTER tome and has truly made them earn their keep in producing it.

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FINALLY!!!!! I have something I can tell Ian Kurring and John Land. I owe John, he introduced me to the gentleman I bought that last Lithgow sniper from. Both of them have been asking me to find out if you'd finished it.