Zgb

[Luis Bren]

Hi Fellows
I found this web page Vypadá to jako Bren, ale... :: Zbranì :: Války - diskuse and dont understand that what light machine gun are speaking???













Any idea?

Thanks in advance!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Luis Bren]

In the year of 1930 British army decided to organize a large comparative trials for a new light machine gun, which included weapons of both domestic and foreign origins. Those included: American Browning Automatic Rifle in .303 caliber, French Darne LMG in same caliber, British Vickers-Berthier LMG, Swiss KE-7 and Danish Madsen LMG. The last entrant, which also was the only one chambered in non-standard caliber (7,92x57 Mauser rather than .303 British) was the Czechoslovak ZB-26 LMG. The ZB-26 was brought to attention of Small Arms Committee during the last minutes before trials by the British Military Attaché in Czechoslovakia. First round of trials resulted in ZB-26 coming the first, and Vickers-Berthier second. As the Darne LMG came to late for these trials, it was included into the second stage of trials, which included Vickers-Berthier and an improved Czechoslovak ZGB-30 LMG in .303 British caliber. Final conclusion of the testingcommission was that “ZB gun is of such outstanding design, workmanship and materials as to warrant further serious consideration”. During 1932, the test ZB gun was brought back to Brno for further modifications, which eventually resulted in ZGB 32 light machine gun.According to British requirements, this weapon had a 30-round magazine(earlier prototypes had 20-round magazines) and receiver which could recoil against a special buffer – a feature that significantly decreased felt recoil of the gun. The ZGB 32 was tested, and this resulted in more requirements from the British side, including lower rate of fire and slightly abbreviated barrel. The modified ZGB 33 LMGwere tested in January 1934 with great success, and final trials between ZGB 34 (next improved model) and a heavy-barreled Vickers-Berthier were held in August 1934. The net result of this 50000-round endurance test was the recommendation of ZGB 34 for adoption by British army. The licensing arrangements with Československa Zbrojevka Brno permitted the manufacture of a new gun, designated as BREN (for Brno and Enfield), at Royal Small Arms factory in EnfieldLock. Production preparations were commenced late in 1934, and by early1935 all manufacturing documentation was converted from metric to inch scales. First Bren Mark 1 light machine gun left the Enfield factory in September 1937.

Maybe my question was not understood....

This LMG is a ZGB?

[Brit plumber]

This is a Bulgarian ZB39, quite a few of the members here own some. This example has had the Bulgarian crest scrubbed off post war by the Communists.

[Luis Bren]

Hi Brit Plumber!
Thanks for your reply!
You have any ZGB pics?
Regards

[Brit plumber]

Hi Luis, You posted a photo of a ZGB on your other thread,

Attachment 60510

I'll see if I have some others

[Luis Bren]

OMG!



and this one?



From what little I've read, I have not understood that changes between a ZGB and Bren ..

[Luis Bren]

Ian Skenerton Book pics....

[tankhunter]

I would have thought that the most visible features are: the Barrel & the rear sight position!

I haven't had the chance to strip a ZGB down, so cannot comment on the internal changes, if any? The original ZB series, Butt slide assemblies. HINGED down for removal of the internals. The Bren variant, SLIDES right out.

[Peter Laidler]

The most obvious feature is that a Bren has the words BREN engraved on the side. This was condition 5(?) of the contract to manufacture. In large unambiguous letters - together with the manufacturers name or identifiable trade mark.

[Brit plumber]

OMG!

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2/large-38.jpg

and this one?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...10/large-9.jpg

From what little I've read, I have not understood that changes between a ZGB and Bren ..

In the top photo, if you enlarge it you will see the butt doesn't have the same rear Tripod mounting that the Bren does, also the rear sight is a little further forward than the Bren. If you look back at the ZB39 and the ZGB33 and look at the rear tripod mounting (Or Mono pod in the case of the ZGB33) you can see the same mounting as the top photo. There's also many variations on the ZGB too, the one in the top photo being the last as far as I know.

Peter will recognise these.

Attachment 60552Attachment 60553