Stripping the Bren Gun

Stripping the Bren Gun (by klunk)

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A nice healthy Inglis MK1 BREN
Unload and clear gun (but you knew that, right?)
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren1.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


Lift up the 'barrel nut'....
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren2.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


...and remove barrel
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren3.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


Turn bipod 90 degrees clockwise and withdraw from gas tube...
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren4.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


Push captive 'take down' out and upper and lower receivers can be seperated
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren5.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


upper and lower separated
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren6.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


bolt and bolt carrier can now be withdrawn rearward along with gas piston
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren7.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


bolt and carrier separated
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren8.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


Extractor and firing pin are easily removed for cleaning...
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...cons/bren9.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


The MK1 butt features a recoil buffer under the butt plate
Press the butt-plate 'in' and depress butt plate catch located on top of butt
Round thingy in centre of butt is the spring loaded buffer
The other item is the 'return spring tube cap'
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...ons/bren10.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


Depress and turn the 'return spring tube cap'...
it can now be removed along with return spring and return spring rod
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...ons/bren11.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


the 'piston post' can be removed
it is a spring loaded assembly intended to reduce stress on the moving parts
compress the piston post and withdraw the 'transverse cotter pin'
the transverse cotter pin has an extension on the right side which engages with the cocking handle
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...ons/bren12.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


The ejector and magazine catch are retained by the same pin...
remove this pin (it is captive) and wiggle the ejector/mag catch out
the ejector and mag catch can then be separated along with their spring
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...ons/bren13.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


Depress the little plunger and remove the barrel nut
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...ons/bren14.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)


an interesting pic showing a MK1 barrel along with a cut-away training barrel
the cut away shows the gas plug functioning-barrel/bore and spring loaded carry handle
the carry handle can be swung to the side to provide a fore-grip for 'from the hip' assault fire
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...ons/bren15.jpg
(Click PIC to Enlarge)

That the carrying handle is extendable to the left for hip firing is not quite correct. Try it to see. If you do, it'll pull your left arm from the socket within a minute,especially on automatic fire.

The actual reason is for directional stability during anti-aircraft fire from the tripod.

For hip firing, the pistol grip should be well back and if possible, rested on or level with the waist belt. The left hand should grip the folded bipod

Then get to the stage where you are blindfolded, can't see and get given a sandbag with ALL the components stripped and get given a time that seems unachieveable to put it all back together and fire a burst of 5 blanks. Whilst I never carried the 303 version, i certainly did the 7.62mm version and this was the final test we had to do.

Cheers
NED

I am afraid that the sequence is a little out.

First is the Body Locking Pin. (The Barrel Locking Nut is left locked at this point because it prevents the butt group from sliding all the way to the rear, thus allowing the body group to fall.)

Having slid the Body Group to the rear as far as it will go (Remember the Barrel Locking Nut stops it going too far.), give a quick jerk on the Cocking Lever which should move the Piston Group to the rear. (If it doesn't one puts a finger in the Ejection Opening and slides it to the rear in that fashion.) Now take the Breech Block off the Piston.

Now undo the Barrel Locking Nut and slide the Barrel Group forward.

Now take the Bipod Group from the Body Group.

Source: umpteen years of doing it an teaching it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beerhunter

I am afraid that the sequence is a little out.

First is the Body Locking Pin. (The Barrel Locking Nut is left locked at this point because it prevents the butt group from sliding all the way to the rear, thus allowing the body group to fall.)

Having slid the Body Group to the rear as far as it will go (Remember the Barrel Locking Nut stops it going too far.), give a quick jerk on the Cocking Lever which should move the Piston Group to the rear. (If it doesn't one puts a finger in the Ejection Opening and slides it to the rear in that fashion.) Now take the Breech Block off the Piston.

Now undo the Barrel Locking Nut and slide the Barrel Group forward.

Now take the Bipod Group from the Body Group.

Source: umpteen years of doing it an teaching it.

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beerhunter,
you are correct
barrel is last thing stripped i.e. gas reg removed.

what unit/corps you with?
me?
3RAR (paras) and 2CAV

cheers
NED:beerchug:

Combined Cadet Force (School), Royal Engineers, Honourable Artillery Company.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beerhunter

Combined Cadet Force (School), Royal Engineers, Honourable Artillery Company.

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I understand the cadets and gingerbeers, but honurable arty?
Could you explain?
Cheers
NED

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

I just be going nuts Peter because I could have sworn that the L4s were the same as the MK1s. (The DP guns that we had at school.) Mind you, they do say that as one gets older one remembers one's childhood better than one's later life. Plus of course I have a MK1. (The one that I have arranged with RobD to bring to the IWM in June of next year.)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by trooper554877

I understand the cadets and gingerbeers, but honurable arty?
Could you explain?
Cheers
NED

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On this one occasion, the Wikipedia entry is quite good Honourable Artillery Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Quote:

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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.

Quote:

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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!!!!

:-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

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.

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I assume you are talking about the little block which prevented the piston group from going all the way forward if the nut had not fully locked the barrel. This prevented firing on an insecure barrel and having the barrel head downrange.

That's the thing SC. But my understanding of this thing was that it prevented the gun from being stripped in the wrong sequence....., in that you couldn't remove the barrel until the breech block and piston had been removed. But also, you couldn't tighten the locking nut with the piston extension in place.

The gun just has to be cocked to remove the barrel, the piston/breech block group did not have to be removed.

Not sure what the technical name is for the safety device is on the early barrel locking nuts but I'll call it a restrictor. I'm loathe to call it a cam as T.D. called it in the BGS because it doesn't act as a cam.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...0/01/nut-1.jpg

With the early nuts with the device the barrel can only be removed with either the working parts forward or removed.

With the nut uncatched from the body the working parts are blocked by the restrictor from being retracted to cock the action.
With the working parts to the rear and the action cocked if an attempt is made to uncatch the barrel nut the leading face of restrictor will foul the working parts and stop the nut from rotating and being uncatched from the body.

A very simple design by Vaclav Holek on earlier ZB's to stop the barrel accidentaly being shot off after a barrel change/assembly when the barrel nut has not been locked properly afterwards.

KG

We got rid of this thing, called the interlock lever in mid 1940 at the insistence of the Pilking comittee. I don't now why it was called an interlock lever. It was an interlock something or other but not a 'lever'. I've only ever seen a few but the Bren EMER gives instructions that if encountered, they should be removed with a hacksaw and the metal made good. I don't know what sort of hacksaws and files that had in the 1940's but they must have been blxxxy good because the steel is diamond hard and a hacksaw won't touch hem. Maybe they meant a grinder!

I've a number of the barrel nuts/levers and they have definatly been ground off. I feal for any bloke who was told to "Hack saw" it off, and then do the other 200 while your at it.

I tried to retro modify a Mk2 barrel nut to Mk1 spec on the milling maching....... but only once! It certainly made short work of the milling cutters. Talk about hard..............., phew!

Well met!

I am about to start my build of a semi-automatic Bren gun.

I am a little puzzled over the magazine catch and ejector removal. It looks like the pin cannot be knocked out as the head seems to be in a recess. Am I bonkers? Do I just pound this out?

Also, any idea how to remove the block in the receiver that the rifle headspaces on? I am not 100% sure I have to remove this yet.

Many thanks for your time!!!

/edited to add...
Nevermind, I figured it out!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stimpsonjcat

Well met!

I am about to start my build of a semi-automatic Bren gun.

I am a little puzzled over the magazine catch and ejector removal. It looks like the pin cannot be knocked out as the head seems to be in a recess. Am I bonkers? Do I just pound this out?

Also, any idea how to remove the block in the receiver that the rifle headspaces on? I am not 100% sure I have to remove this yet.

Many thanks for your time!!!

/edited to add...
Nevermind, I figured it out!!!

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The Ejector Block retention pin SHOULD push out from left to right. It is held in position by a spring loaded plunger. Some are tight, a light tap with a drift & a hammer should move it. You DONT have to POUND it!
Then the ejector block assembly can be lifted out.
Underneath this you will encounter a staked screw. this retains the Locking shoulder you are on about. This componant is what adjusts the headspacing by selective fitting with head spacing gauges. (.064" - .074" H/S Gauges If I remember correctly for a .303" weapon.)