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Plenty of people appear to quote "Bren MK1m" online but I haven't seen anyone actually confirm what the "m" actually stands for. Therefore, I'm curious to know what the "m" after the "1" in Bren MK1m means, please? I assume that it stands for "modified" but I haven't seen this confirmed anywhere. I realise that the MK1m came after the Mk1 and modifications to the Bren.
Many thanks
I think that the m designation was an indicator to Armourers and Quartermasters that the gun was of Canada origin and might come with certain parts or more likely, a combination of parts with which they are not familiar. It was made known in the equipment regulations that regardless of this, that where a PART might not be interchangeable, ALL the main sub assemblies are fully interchangeable. A couple of parts that I do recall were barrel nuts/latches and spring and bipods
Here is the explanation from the Canadian EME Precis on the Bren dated 11 Oct 1944.
Attachment 131185
Thought the m was for BREN MkI made w/o scope bracket.
Thanks for the replies chaps.
The enlarged gas port in the barrel was developed long before the Mk1m gun. This didn't change the actual GUN designation. It did change the BARREL designation from Mk1 to Mk1*. But I could be wrong.....
The enlarged gas port was the beginning of a long sorry saga that plagued the Bren reputation for reliability. Designers did not take on board at the time, the bigger picture and that with all/most things mechanical, a change here......., for the better (?) inevitably had an effect further along the chain. In this case, several DIRE effects further along the line.
A classic example was changing the design of the flash eliminator from a straight venturi as designed at Brunn, to a 'choked' or stepped venturi............. and then back to how it was designed!
Peter, what was the cause & effect here?Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
M
Very briefly, the gas would gather in the 'choked' part of the original stepped flash eliminator, to such an extent that it would very quickly close up. This affected the accuracy of the gun because the escaping gas travels faster than the bullet - and upset its flight. That's the reason why the flash eliminator scraper was incorpoorated into the original Bren multi/combination tool. By the time the crunchies got around to cleaning the flash eliminator, the residue was a diamond hard mass!!!!!
The later flash eliminators solved the problems. That is until the Mk4 short barrel came on stream (for the Mk3 gun...). It had a big flash and you'll notice that eliminator had a long choke point. But this didn't seem to be affected by carbon build-up.
Thank you, Peter. You've given me a new chore. Now I need to spend some time closely examining the insides of flash hiders! I have a barrel with the early stepped flash hider, but I never gave much thought before to build-up or to scraping it.
M
So although not explicitly stated, the "M" presumably refers to "Modified", as per the modifications that text refers to?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Enfield
Is the text correct in implying that the Czech-built guns also had the dovetail for the Sight. Fixed Line & No.32?
"Is the text correct in implying that the Czechicon-built guns also had the dovetail for the Sight. Fixed Line & No.32?"
Here is a ZB pic in another thread. page 5 bottom
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=75006&page=5
Later 42rocker
As far as I recall, the Czech front dovetail was a true dovetail, Whereas the Bren dovetail was a partial dovetail - in that the front edge was square to the body while the rear edge was angled rearwards at - I seem to recall - 3 degrees. The paperwork for the lensatic sight said something along the lines that this made all of the lensatic sights interchangeable as the first action of leveling the sight to angle of the gun was already established. Not being an OHF understander, I don't understand this bit either!
Unfortunately I'm working from a memory now 20+ years old. Before I moved from Canada to Texas I had to dispose of much of my collection due to differing demilling/DEWATing laws between the two countries. I had a museum worthy DEWAT Inglis Bren MkI display complete with tripod, wallet, magazine box, spare barrel case, lensatic sight and the binocular case with the wooden insert for the sight. Every time I set up the display I mounted the sight. My memory is that the Bren had a true dovetail for the sight. As I said this is a 20+ year old memory so take it for what it's worth.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
I moved the pic over. Click on with mouse to enlarge pic. Check out the dovetails. Note how the sight arm folds to the front.
Might also notice ZB tripod.
Attachment 131607
Later 42rocker
Peter,Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
So just to confirm, are the barrel nuts/latches and springs and bipods all interchangeable between all marks of the Bren? Just trying to confirm because I am trying to piecemeal a Mk1m but can not find a Mk1 barrel nut. Thanks in advance.
raexcct2
While Brian does not show a Mk1 barrel nut listing it does not mean that he might not have one in the back.
CALL them and ask.
BREN Barrel Nut
Later 42rocker
Barrel nuts. Be advised - as all Armourers already knew, the barrel nuts are interchangeable AS ASSEMBLIES. BUT different catches and springs are not necessarily interchangeable with certain barrel nuts.
Can I just confirm. BREN guns, the dovetail is tapered. ZB the dovetail is parallel