Bren MKIm restoration

[Peter Laidler]

It could be a '34. We had a few out including the 7.62mm and 7.92mm MG42's

[tankhunter]

It could be a '34. We had a few out including the 7.62mm and 7.92mm MG42's

Propa Lush!................Lol

[Brit plumber]

Just puzzled why a Mk1 barrel nut isn't correct for a Mk1m gun BP? Maybe not a Mk1 with the interlock block but what about a bog standard later Mk1 barrel nut

Thats the one Peter, the one on clarks gun is the earlier, nicer Mk1 nut not the later Mk1 type found on the Mk1m. I've noted that the early Enfield Mk1 guns had the early nut upto around the last of the E serial number range, and then the F serial guns used a mixture of Enfield later type nuts and monotype production nuts which are subtly different to the Enfield type. The Inglis guns appear to have stopped using the earlier style around M4900 or so.

p.s. I'm in South Italy at the moment, I got a rude phone call a week last Sunday telling me to pack me bags. This is the first time I've stopped, should go to bed really, been at work since 6pm last night.

[Peter Laidler]

While we're on the subject of refurbishing old dewats/deacts. Has anyone painted one back to 'spec' with that satin black barbeque or exhaust paint? I painted and baked the exhaust manifods of my MGB GT V8 and Mini Cooper with sunkorite and it lasted very well (the V8 is now in Tasmania.....). And even though the exhaust paint might not be the spirit based sunkorite we use now, I'm sure that the heat resisting exhaust paint should be perfectly acceptable on a deact. Has anyone got any comments as to its durability after painting and baking?

[ZB26]

I too wonder what kind of paint finish can be used on the Inglis BREN. Would your average BBQ paint work?

[mrclark]

I wouldnt paint it, park or blue it, unless its an enfield refurb

[Peter Laidler]

What finish did the Canadian Army in Canada give them post war? In Germany, all the Brens from the UK/Canadian pooled Ordnance stocks were phosphated and painted. Nobody cared what mark type or manufacturer they were, they all went through the same process.

Back to ZB's question. Has anyone repainted a deact/dewat with hard bake barbeque paint? What does it come out like?

[tankhunter]

[Back to ZB's question. Has anyone repainted a deact/dewat with hard bake barbeque paint? What does it come out like?[/QUOTE]

Peter, I had a Repainted Barbeque once, & the Sausages came out Matt Black, & Hard Baked!...................

[mrclark]

If were talking about painting instead of BBQ paint I'd recommend the current stock of epoxy based paints like Armour Coat, Dura Coat etc etc. These are very durable painted finishes and come in a variety of colours, hell even some that copy the appearance of bluing and parkerising.

Most are baked on like suncorite but they are now marketing non baked product as well, which works pretty good. The difference between the baked and non baked appears to be the curing times only.

I have seen the product first hand on a duty gun that saw some time overseas and it came back pretty rough but the paint still held.

For a deact it would be more than fine.

I'd recommend a nice matte black finish for the bren perhaps Armour coat instead of dura coat as it tends to have better reviews.

[Mohawk]

Just wanted to chime in with a "WOOOOOOW". Nice job on the restore. Love these old Guns. I might add, After firing a live one, Its the best GPMG I have ever handled. Much Nicer that the 240B or the M60. Someone please tell me again why these were ever taken out of service???