Gas Regulator Reamers

[peregrinvs]

Hi,

Quick question: were the set of reamers for cleaning the gas regulator part of the standard cleaning kit for each Bren, or were they armourer tools?

I ask as I was looking through an equipment list and didn't see them mentioned.

Thanks,
Mark

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[Peter Laidler]

That's a good question Peregrine! We certainly had them in the Armourers shops but I don't think that they were part of the gunners kit. They MIGHT have been initially but not in my time. There were actually two different sets the early and later set. The trouble with giving these sorts of hard, reaming tools to the gun crews is that they use them for, well, a bit of hard over zealous reaming!

The modern day equivalent is the drill bit - as in the SA80 combination tool. Just long enough to do the job but NOT long enough to do any damage. But, alas, just long enough and snap off in the gas block!

[gravityfan]

Just long enough to do the job but NOT long enough to do any damage. But, alas, just long enough and snap off in the gas block!

Made me chuckle, and made my day; thank you.

Obviously spoken from experience, and I can just imagine the language that accompanied each instance.

Cheers.

[Kev G]

Depends on period and country

Reamer pic from Tom Readys redbacks.

[peregrinvs]

Thanks for all the replies. I was asking on behalf of a friend who is catching the Bren bug. He's putting together an accessories set with a view to acquiring a Bren when the right one turns up at the right price. Neither of us knew where the reamers went.

Mark