Talking of blank firing........

While on the subject of firing blanks with the Bren, has anyone had any success using the Canadian Bren BFA kit that utilised the short nose crimped blanks. It came with a box of special/modified magazines that would only accept the short rifle type blank, a file to slightly modify the gun feed ramp by chamfering off a sharp 'directional' edge. The barrel was restricted, as was the chamber, to prevent the insertion of a ball round.

Not a UK Army issue, these were available in BAOR from mixed UK/Canadian Ordnance stock piles where the short blanks were more common. These are mentioned in the Bren EMER's but only in passing with reference to Canadian EMER's

I have never been lucky enough to find a set even in all the years of getting quantities of surplus brens and equipment through.Or seen any on tender lists.Never say never.

stencollector has a kit I believe.

I seem to recall that the L4 blank barrel idea of the high tensile 1/4" bolt through the barrel, ahead of the gas port, came from the Canadian BFA barrel.

I ask about this kit because a film props supplier asked us about the adapted magazine dimensions

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

I seem to recall that the L4 blank barrel idea of the high tensile 1/4" bolt through the barrel, ahead of the gas port, came from the Canadian BFA barrel.

I ask about this kit because a film props supplier asked us about the adapted magazine dimensions

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The canadian BFA barrel has 2 hardened steel pins through the throat of the barrel.

I'll see if I have any dimensions on the mags...

I have the barrel and two or three mags with the inserts. The pins (to prevent the chambering of a live round) were a modification after the fact. My kit, nor any of the other barrels I have seen around, had the mod done. The few opportunities I had to try it out, they worked just fine.

If no-one else beats me to the punch, I'll show some pics in a couple weeks when I get back to civilization.

I've got about 3000 rds of theCanadian crimped blanks. I'd sure like to find a couple of the blank magazines to be able to use them.
Sarge

Watch this space Sarge.............. It looks as though SC will show us all the shortened magazine detail.

Gents

I have an entire chest of 12 of the special magazines. I obtained one many many years ago and a machinist friend of mine made a dozen of the inserts for me. I may have some more floating around here in the shed. If anyone wants one of the mags I can get another run of inserts made.

We used them with various types of short blanks with a shot out barrel and some internally threaded restrictor's.

Gary

While on the subject of blanks, in Australia, preparing to go to Malaya at the Shoalwater Bay training area (Ugh.....) with 8 RAR, (where we were going to use pooled pom Ordnance stockpiles) we had 7.62mm L4A2's with .303" barrels BUT, the chamber area had been bored out and a 7.62mm chamber insert had been pressed into place.

The Mk2 type .303" barrels were painted yellow at the muzzle and had a bolt to choke off and divert the gas in the usual way. The muzzles retained the cone type flash eliminators of course. I understand that these were a proper ADE/Lithgow modification.

Any Australians aware of this Aussie mod to use shot-out .303" barrels as BFA's for the old, early 7.62mm L4's. Waste not, want not I suppose

Got any old EMEI's on these Son?

Home at last and started to dig into the gunroom for that blank fire stuff. Found the barrel, still looking for the mags. I think I have either too much stuff or too small a room. Me thinks it is time to commandeer one of the larger rooms downstairs but she who controls all thinks otherwise.

More to follow on the blank stuff.