L4 A3 7.62

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ren_7621-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...en_762_2-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...en_762_3-1.jpg

[IMG]http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...bren_762_8.jpg[/IMG]

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...en_762_4-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...en_762_5-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...en_762_6-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...en_762_7-1.jpg

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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...n_762_11-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...n_762_10-1.jpg

A work of art. Shame it's a dewat. :crying:

Deactivated 7.62 Bren - Modern Deactivated Guns - Deactivated Guns

Out of interest, there was a minor error put out about the L4A3 and 5 guns. The A3 had 2x barrels while the A5 had one fully chrome lined barrel.

Not all of the converted Mk2/L4A3 and 5 guns had a folding cocking handle either. Those that were converted from Mk2/1's had them of course and so did (?) those converted for the UK Military. BUT it's not as simple as that because some converted for the UK MoD clearly didn't have folders. Some Navy ones were non-folders, based on unmodified Mk2 guns. Accordingly, the parts lists were emended later to show the non folding cocking handle annotated with the 'either/or' mark!

The person who took this matter up with the Ordnance bods came back that during the late 60's/early 70's, some Commonwealth nations couldn't afford the full works so they just had the basic 7.62mm conversion done. Their clapped out heaps of tat went into Ordnance and they got virtually brand new FTR guns back. Eventually their heaps of tat went through the system and the Navy got them ......... It's a long convoluted story but interesting none the less

Circa 1972, my own L4 A?

We were talking of the Interarm L3 and 5 conversions on another thread. This is one of their conversions and you can tell this by the barrel configuration. Note on the 3rd and 7th pictures down, the 45 degree angle chamfer between the larger and smaller diameters along its length. This was a quick tell-tale of their barrels. The standard Enfield barrels (and all others) barrels have a distinct radiussed curve between the different diameters.

Interarm barrels, pistons and refurbished breech blocks have the words INT within a circle.

Dince Hill also fitted Interarms made barrels to their L4A3's.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...dhh20add-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...markings-1.jpg

ATB Kevin

Did they utilise the round magazine well strengthing inserts KG?

Yes Peter

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

They still have L4A3's in stock if you are ever interested in your own retro small war :D

ATB Kevin

*Drool!* Is that an upside down C broad arrow below the equally terrible engraved markings?

Well I never.......... It certainly looks like it. Probably an Inglis Mk1 cocking handle.

As a matter of interest, not all of the L4A3's and 5's had the folding cocking handle (Mk2/1) mod of the shielded L4 type gas cylinder sleeve (the SLEEVE, Bipod to you and me). Some nations wouldn't pay for the extra work. Some nations, like Ghana to name but one, tried to get their old Brens rebuilt under the Crown Agents scheme. But as there were insufficient funds, they just sent the Mk2 and 3 gun bodies to the UK for conversion in order to save money but they came back as L4's wth barrels fitted plus new 7.62mm breech blocks.

You can imagine the situation ten years don the line with a mixed fleet without the infrastructure to cater for it!

Enfield owned the Intellectual property rights to the 7.62mm conversion and wouldn't allow it to be utilised by any other nations Arms Industry so as to keep it all in house and profitable. Alas, nobody bothered to tell wise India or not so wise South Africa who went alone without regard to the 'rights' issue. India followed the sensible L4A2, 3, 4 etc path while S Africa followed the fragile L4A1 path

Now, where were we before I digressed............?

I've been examining my post sample EFD L4A3 as received a couple of weeks ago after transfer. It has a few Inglis parts fitted but is mostly Enfield. It's one of the Interarms guns as it's got a INT marked rear sight and barrel. The wood is dry as popcorn fart and sure enough had a crack developing under the cocking handle cover from the prior owner shooting it with a loose stock. I've repaired it and the wood is soaking up raw linseed oil like a sponge "as we speak". It's virtually identical to the deact L4A3 pictured at the top of this thread. Special thanks to Kev G for mailing me a new magazine catch as the one installed is bent and twisted from being dropped at some point. I'll do some pictures of it and my trusty Inglis Mk.II when I get the L4A3 up and running. ATB.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kev G

Dince Hill also fitted Interarms made barrels to their L4A3's.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...dhh20add-1.jpg

ATB Kevin

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Gives new meaning to the term "Sloane Ranger" :lol:

BTW Peter, I thought you said the markings were pantograph engraved? Surely that mess can't have been done with a pantograph?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brian Dick

I've been examining my post sample EFD L4A3 as received a couple of weeks ago after transfer. It has a few Inglis parts fitted but is mostly Enfield. It's one of the Interarms guns as it's got a INT marked rear sight and barrel. The wood is dry as popcorn fart and sure enough had a crack developing under the cocking handle cover from the prior owner shooting it with a loose stock. I've repaired it and the wood is soaking up raw linseed oil like a sponge "as we speak". It's virtually identical to the deact L4A3 pictured at the top of this thread. Special thanks to Kev G for mailing me a new magazine catch as the one installed is bent and twisted from being dropped at some point. I'll do some pictures of it and my trusty Inglis Mk.II when I get the L4A3 up and running. ATB.

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Hi Brian,

I've just bought a EFD L4A3 based on a Inglis, its also a Interarms refurb, bought it off a fellow Bren enthusiast last week. Would you mind telling me the serial number of the conversion and the original barred out number for the register. In fact, i'll put a new post up asking for numbers.

Cheers, Chris.

Chris,
Here you are:
UE66A7082 / R6930, (42 EFD Mk.II)
Regards,
Brian

Hi Brian, thanks for the number I have UE66A6754 which is quite close to yours, can you confirm the date of 1942 because Enfield never made the Mk2, If its marked D (Which it should be) then this was produced by the Daimler group in 1941. Its the 6930th Mk2 made.

Cheers, Chris.

Oops; you're right, it's a Daimler. To think I thought I'd go all day and not learn anything! I'm waiting for a fantastic reference book on the Bren to be published. I'm struggling with Skennerton's Small Arms ID Series and generalized publications like Small Arms of the World and Jane's Infantry Weapons. I'm just starting to learn about these wonderful pieces of engineering. ATB.

Thats cleared that one up, is it a 1941 also? I've also noticed that the L4A3 has (From my limited number observed) a Mk1 lower slide. Does your L4A3 have a Mk1 lower slide also?

Cheers, Chris.

It's dated 1942 and has the Mk.1 butt slide.

Well that throws thing out a bit! I can't work this one out, for 1941, Daimler production I've got seial numbers R1 to S2047. But I've just noticed I've some more R prefixs for 1942, very strange.

Cheers, Chris.

An uneducated guess would be that some receivers/bodies were set aside for whatever reason and then completed at a later date. We've seen the same thing with Lee Enfield production.

I was thinking the same thing untill I relaised that the date is pantographed on at the machining stage, usually before the serial number. I can only assume it was the serial number range that was retained for some reason.

Here's a picture of a very rare bird indeed.

Its my L4A3 Semi-Auto Bren.

It was made by Len Savage at Historic Arms down in Georgia. It started as an Inglis Mk II , but len was able to "convert" it with a 1980's imported L4 conversion kit that I had stashed away 30 years ago.

I set it up on my Mk I tripod for the Wounded Warrior Belt Fed charity shoot last year, where it was the sole box fed gun on the line. Strangely enough everyone loved it !!

http://photos.imageevent.com/gazzavc...and%20bren.jpg

This is the inscription on the side plate
http://photos.imageevent.com/gazzavc...e/DSCF0489.jpg

The gun, with "California" mandated gripless nub. (Don't ask)
http://photos.imageevent.com/gazzavc...e/DSCF0490.jpg

And my personalized license plate..........
http://photos.imageevent.com/gazzavc...en%20plate.jpg

Cheers

Gaz

Good on ya doing the Wounded Warrior charity shoot!!!

Woweeeeee............, what a numberplate to have!

Your man has done very good job of the conversion from .303" to 7.62mm. Does it take UK spec magazines or the FN interface type?

Peter, I'm sorry but this is the best I could do, and its £600. What a bargain, you can get to 2 deac Brens for that price!

BREN number plate Brendan Brendon Brenda TRANSFER PAID on eBay (end time 24-Apr-10 14:06:52 BST)

You would have to be dyslexic to go for that ! :-)

Very nice Cali plate though.

Peter

It uses L4A1 magazines, of which I have 24 squirreled away.
I'll get some more pictures of her in use , and some closeups for reference.

Gaz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kev G

Yes Peter

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

They still have L4A3's in stock if you are ever interested in your own retro small war :D

ATB Kevin

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Yes, And they cost £1,500 each! :yikes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tankhunter

Yes, And they cost £1,500 each! :yikes:

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That's actually a bargain, as far as Squad Automatic Weapons are concerned these days. The M249 SAWs on my books were $4,500 or so.

---------- Post added at 04:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:26 PM ----------

Would anyone have detailed photos or drawings of the L4A3 magazine well inserts?

Orin did a working drawing quite a few years ago,I'll have a look to see if I have it somewhere.

ATB Kevin

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4magwell-1.jpg

ATB Kevin

Kev,
Thanks, that's brilliant.
Didn't the Indians and South Africans have different approach to the magazine well issue? Are those inserts even *necessary*?

I think the SA went down the root of the L4A1 with the small lip FN type magazines leaving very little support to the mag lips. The Indians went down the L4A2/4 root with the inserts but whey they ran out of Mk3 bodys to convert, they made new bodys without the inserts, as they could machine the new mag well dimensions from scratch.

As BP has said.
The SA and L4A1 conversions didn't leave much material left after machining the magazine support lips......they are as thin as razor blades !
Underneath picture of an SA conversion with a FAL mag in situ.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...almagbtm-1.jpg
The inserts (on L4A2 >) once attached to the body and machined to the correct profile add allot more material to support the mag lips.

ATB Kevin

Hi,
This is my first official response... hope I'm not too foolish. I've seen several Brens lately and have apparently ot the "bug", but no bren. I am overwhelmed by the L4A3 and all the beautiful pics (hate to say that, sounds like a girl) but they are great pics. Just a second, let me wipe the drewl off my chin. I've seen several Brens on Gunbroker lately and have thought about them... one person will make me one in 5 weeks...:confused:
The question.... (finally) what can I do to make a L4A3 or equivalent semiauto? Buy a MK2 and convert it (can I get parts somewhere) or what? How about if all else fails, just convert to 308.:bash:
Hope I haven't hijacked this thread... I'm just overwhelmed by the pics and the idea of the project!:dancingbanana:

Update:I found I can get a 308 barrel but the barrel does not have a flash-hider on it but has holes, I guess to act as a muzel stabilizer. Can I put a L4 type flash on? Is it a L4 barrel? The big question, now that I have potential barrel, what about the bolt face etc. It's the ETC. that worries me.
I'm trying... got to give me that!
thanks for any response
global trader

Hi Global,

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you're looking to build an L4, the .308 barrel on GunBroker isn't going to get you there. It's a South African one & looks nothing like the British L4 barrel.