Bren Gun Pistol Grips

[Peter Laidler]

This little article isn’t going to concern many people but it might one day, so here goes……..

You are all aware that there are two types of grip and screw, the Mk1 and 2 types which correspond to the Mk1 and 2 butt slides.

The Mk1 type grip has a large .6” or so diameter hole through the grip through which passes an equally large bolt – or the SCREW, grip, pistol (Don’t ask me why is it called a screw when it’s really a bolt!). There are TWO basic types of SCREW too! There’s a hollow version and a later wartime solid version. I understand that this grip is the only one available, certainly in the UK and hence the reason for this article.

The Mk2 grip has a smaller 3/8” dia hole through the grip and is retained by a simple 3/8” BSF threaded bolt. Both are easily identifiable and that’s all you really need to know except that the Mk2 grips and bolts are NLA – or No Longer Available, certainly in the UK.

Both are shown in Photo 1

PHOTO 1
Attachment 61043
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(Mk2 butt slides in UK service being converted to L4 spec FOR UK SERVICE were converted in the interests of standardization to take the Mk1 type grip and screw. They were also lightened to Mk3 spec too but that’s going off at a tangent!)

So what do you do if you’re a Mk2 gun owner needing a replacement Mk2 grip. Help is at hand. The FIRST thing you’ll need to do with your newly acquired Mk1 grip is with the aid of a sharp chisel, to ‘square-off’ the top inside rear section of the Mk1 grip. You’ll see this simple ‘squaring-off’ feature identified in photo.

The next thing you’ll need to decide is this:

a) Do you want to just bush to length the existing .6” dia hole to a depth of 2.8”* in the Mk1 grip to accept the original Mk2 3/8” screw (as shown clearly in PHOTO 2), or

b) Do you want to simply machine down your newly acquired SOLID Mk1 screw to fit the Mk2 butt slide

PHOTO 2
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It’s really up to you……… Both methods are clearly shown in the photos

PHOTO 3 clearly shows the bushed hole. Don’t forget this bush is turned to suit, a comfortable fit and glued into the grip. The bush is 2.8” long so as to retain the important large diameter of the internal hole at the top (see PHOTO 2), where it locates over the butt slide

PHOTO 3
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PHOTO 4 shows left: The Mk2 grip screw. Centre: The standard Mk1 screw and right: a modified Mk1 grip screw to fit the Mk1 grip to a Mk2 gun. The screw has been waisted for aesthetic reasons only but can be left solid. It’s a matter for you. But it’s important that if you are going down this route, you specify to the supplier that you require a SOLID screw to start with.

PHOTO 4
Attachment 61046
](Click PIC to Enlarge)

Obviously there will be other methods of cross fitting but while I tried both methods, when you’ve got a lot to do, I found simply modifying a lot of solid bolts in one hit the quickest and aesthetically, the best.

Any questions………?

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