Just got it back today. It had been torched up but now lives again as a semi-auto. The builder did a fantastic job!
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Just got it back today. It had been torched up but now lives again as a semi-auto. The builder did a fantastic job!
Here are a few picture to show the modifications to the bolt and carrier. The builder also upgraded the gas cylinder to a MK3 type by welding up the forward holes and machining it. I suppose that is easier that trying to unscrew the thing. The gas regulators in the MK1 barrels were also reamed out to provide more gas pressure to drive the extra striker and striker spring back.
Nice job, You Cant' see the Join! LOL.
I notice the piston is a much lightened replacement as well. This will be to lighten the load of the backward thrust of the recoiling parts. Thus ensuring positive cocking of the 'Hammer' Block, for the striker. I assume?
Good Finish & workmanship as far as I can see. well done!
Ah forgot to mention the piston... yes its a replacement, but for legal reasons having to do with import restrictions, not really for function. I will have to ask but I believe the builder made that part himself. There is a legal requirement limiting the number of imported parts you can build an A-salt rifle with, the trigger is also a new made part for the same reason.
I added the pictures from a previous thread I posted about the cut receiver I had in my parts kit. This is what I looked like before I sent it out.
I take it they used a 1942 rear (Serial number is 1942) and a 1943 centre section to get a good overlap. Worked a treat, looks perfect, could you post a photo of how the hammer and springs are set up? I was thinking about it last night and I assume the piston extension/bolt carrier uses the original spring and guide rod and then there are 2? springs and rods for the hammer/striker?
Great looking Bren. Who built it for you?
Here is the striker and spring set-up. The parts kit did have some mixed receiver sections, the front of the receiver was marked 1942 as well, so the center section is incorrect, but all of the pieces could be mixed up. Complete parts kits with "good" cut locations are almost a thing of the past. Not many of these old girls left out there any more.
This gun was built by Lyndon Yates at Kiwi's Custom Guns. Very talented gunsmith, and a nice guy to deal with.
https://www.facebook.com/kiwiscustomguns
Well done, nice save.
That looks good
I like BREN guns and I like to see them in working order
That NZ chap is a real craftsman. I have seen some of his other work and its all impressive
That is one of the best conversion for a SA Bren I have ever seen! It seems that Minimum extra parts have been added, making the original components. That were designed for Rugged usage, still able to Soldier on.
I can see that the set up has been excellently converted from being fired by the piston post head. That was originally designed to hit the head of the firing pin. To being machined through, to accept a Longer version, that is struck by the addition of the Hammer Block. The simple addition of a hammer block operating spring. Slipped over the original piston post driving rod. is an excellent idea, & does away with a complicated firing mech!
I see machine marks on the side of the Breech Block also. I assume this is to clear Denial Pins, added to the receiver to prevent an original unmodified block being used?
& I would hazard a guess & say that the piston extention, has had the sear bent machined away. so that ONLY the Hammer block is held back on the sear. & the piston post can travel forward to chamber a round. So it will be closed breech firing.
Departing from the original open breech method. VERY well executed. & SUPERB Craftsman like finish to the welds & refinish to the outside surfaces.
You have an Excellent Legal Semi Bren Sir, & you are SO lucky to be able to own a shooting example in ANY form over there! We sadly, through the Actions of only TWO Evil People in the UK. Have had Hand guns & ANY semi auto longarm's over .22" Calibre. Totally Banned from Ownership & being able to shoot them. as Private Citizens. Enjoy your Excellent Choice of Firearm My Friend!
Great piece of technical description there Tankie. I was looking at it, pondering how it was all going to work until I read that! I agree that it's a good bit of work and the builder has kept it as close as possible as allowed. 17th Airborne has done the same with a Mk5 paratroopers Sten and Vince is about to start the same with an early Patchett. Good projects chaps
You certainly carried out your civic duty and given new life in such a grand piece. I also love the parkerizing job, just what I will be doing to my Bren when I sort out my blast cleaning facilities. How do you parkerizing the welded areas that would otherwise show up in the process, was the action re-tempered?
With a new barrel and the gas piston/cylinder removed/closed. This would make a good UK straight pull rifle.
The spring over the original guide rod is genius. Brilliant idea.
Making a straight pull Bren crossed my mind a LONG time ago! :D.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brit plumber
There MUST be a stop of some sort to prevent the breech block/piston extension and hammer part being pushed as far as the buffer plate - as happens on a standard gun. We can confirm this because the buffer plate on the standard gun is recessed to allow the raised part of the return spring rod recess (on the rear of the piston extension (the PE)......) to seat snugly into the buffer while the full surface of the PE strikes the flat surface of the buffer . Hence the name 'buffer' as it buffers the reciprocating heavy breech block and piston extension assembly(the BB&PE).
If the new hammer block on this gun reciprocates rearwards with the BB&PE the new almost 6" long hammer return spring must surely become coil bound during the last inch or so of its travel rearwards! Why............ Well, we know that when the BB&PE is fully to the rear there is/can only be about 1/2" of return spring rod protruding from the buffer. And that ain't a lot of support for a long spring!
Try it on your guns to see!
The manual of arms has indeed changed by quite a bit, firing form the closed bolt in semi-auto.
Assume the striker is cocked and the action closed and the bolt in lock up. Pulling the trigger releases the striker forward and it strikes the new firing pin. The gun fires and gas pressure begins to cycle the action. The striker spring rests on the base of recoil guide rod and its extended length remains the same as the carrier pushes the guide rod and recoil spring rearward. The front face of the new striker is shaped to seat against the back of the bolt carrier, just after unlocking the carrier now pushes the striker and guide rod to the rear until it contacts the buffer. The recoil springs push the action forward as usual, but the new sear will grab the sear notch on the bottom of the striker and hold it back, the carrier continues forward pushed by the recoil springs and guide rod, chambering a round and locking the bolt, during this time the striker spring is now compressed. The gun is again ready to fire from the closed bolt.
I don't know who first came up with this design, Project Guns in Florida builds this type of semi, and the builder of this gun has refined it some. Other designs such as those built by SMG Guns in Texas fix the receiver rigidly to the butt slide and add the striker spring in a separate tube the stock. This changes quite a bit more of the gun.
I see, so the hammer spring remains at full length on the return spring guide until the return spring guide is forced forward by the return spring and this causes the hammer spring to begin to compress as the hammer is now on the sear. So effectively the return spring will lose some of it's power by having to compress the hammer spring. Does this mean the return spring is now stronger? Or that the cycle is now a little slower than original?
I was able to get the gun to the range yesterday. Fired standing, from the prone, off the bench and from the tripod. Ran about 100 rounds or so with no issues. I brought both MK1 barrels out with me to sight them in, as luck would have it bot barrels were on target with no adjustment of the front sight. I changed the barrels from time to time to see if it affected the point of impact, couldn't really see any difference. I was shooting at steel between 100 to 300 yards. Next time I go out I will put some groups on paper.
One thing that really surprised me was how easily the Bren is to fire from the hip. I was able to direct fire very easily at the 50 to 100 yard ranges. I imagine that as an automatic the Bren was very effective this way.
Firing from the prone using the bipod is where the gun really shines. Easy to operate the action, change magazines, find your target, and very soft recoil too... just fantastic.
The receiver is annealed after welding. The gun is parkerized and then painted and cured. I believe this one is Duracoat over the Parkerizing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Topfmine
Yes it seems to slow the action as it moves forward, but the gun has no problem chambering the next round, the striker spring is quite small compared to the recoil springs.. The action feels very smooth, actually almost fluid like. Having a MK2 butt it has the double recoil spring, don't know if that helps things out...Quote:
Originally Posted by Brit plumber
Question, has the piston post cross pin been welded in place, or is the piston post removable for cleaning and maintenance ?
Yes it is removable.Quote:
Originally Posted by csmarcher
Quote:
Originally Posted by tankhunter
Not to be argumentative here, but it wasn't JUST the two evil people, but the MILLIONS who didn't care enough about their firearms rights to stop the laws from being passed. The "two" were only the catalyst.
You are correct there. One of the biggest reasons we have kept most of our firearms rights in the US is not from a lack of people trying to take them (trust me plenty of elected people at the state and federal level would like to see a total fire arms ban) but because the general population remains skeptical of our government. More so now than ever. "They" can't win the argument that more fire arms laws are "for our own good" when "they" have no trust from the general public. Even people who support more restrictions on guns personally are hesitant to give that power to the government, especially a government that has been caught spying on its people, lying about policy, and flying drones over every inch of the country.Quote:
Originally Posted by djandj
Lyndon Yates is great to deal with and can build a excellent semi-auto Bren Gun . He has provided help to many and is great to deal with !!
Looks like that outfit's in Cali, wonder how much longer he'll last out there?Quote:
Originally Posted by tr63
Russ