Bren Mk 2 Recoil Spring Issues

[djandj]

The double spring goes in the butt and replaces your single return spring. Leave the striker spring as is for now.

The return springs should fit onto the guide so that you can hole the end of the spring and the guide will sit on the end as one complete item. I can't find a photo to show you.

HUH? What "guide" are you talking about? and what does "so that you can hole the end of the spring" mean? (this might be a translation issue from that "real" English you speak. (lol)

[Joe H]

djandj,

Here is a pic. which will show what Brit plumber described.

Clean and lubricate the new return springs. Attach the outer return spring to the return rod. It just clips on to the boss on the return rod see arrow in pic. The inner spring just sits inside the outer spring. Put the return rod and springs back in the butt-stock where you found it. Screw the plug in tight. Put the striker spring back where it was. You should be good to go.

Joe

Attachment 53415

[Peter Laidler]

Hey....... hold on a minute djandj......... what sort of way is that to speak to a person or indeed a group of people who have busted a gut to help you sort out your problem? I bet Brit Plumber wishes he hadn't bothered now. Come to think of it......................

[ActionYobbo]

Hey....... hold on a minute djandj......... what sort of way is that to speak to a person or indeed a group of people who have busted a gut to help you sort out your problem? I bet Brit Plumber wishes he hadn't bothered now. Come to think of it......................

what Peter said.... so much politer than most would have put it.

[djandj]

Hey....... hold on a minute djandj......... what sort of way is that to speak to a person or indeed a group of people who have busted a gut to help you sort out your problem? I bet Brit Plumber wishes he hadn't bothered now. Come to think of it......................

Peter - I'm afraid my sarcasm didn't come across well in print. I didn't mean to be offensive in the slightest. I was just teasing him b/c the sentence didn't make any sense. I am VERY grateful for any and all help I get here on the board. BRIT - if I came across as impolite, I do sincerely apologize. I was not meant that way.

[Peter Laidler]

No one ever needs to apologise to me but your explanation is accepted with the good grace it was given.

[Brit plumber]

No offence taken, I've got armour plate skin, the wife says I'm insensitive, Whatever darling!

What my sentence was supposed to say was 'so that you can hold the end of the spring'

[Gopher]

When I got my Bren from Len about 8 years ago, he gave me a couple of spare recoil springs. Also one of the ports on the regulator was opened up. I haven't had to replace the springs or use the enlarged gas port. However I did have to remove some metal from the inside of the of the receiver where the gas piston cylinder started because the square part of the piston, right behind the round part, struck it. I could tell because that area got very shiney real fast.

I reload for the Bren and all my Enfields and have used the Bren as my performance base. I can use the #3 port on any of my regulators and not have any feeding or ejection problems, plus it doesn't beat the brass up.

As someone said, I don't shoot the Bren a lot but when I do, I enjoy running the old girl and always get requests to try it from other shooters.

[Peter Laidler]

That's interesting Gopher - about the piston extension hitting the body at the start of the gas cylinder. That was a question regularly asked in Armourers trade tests to see whether they REALLY understood the intricacies of the inner workings of the gun. Such as 'what prevents any further movement forward of the piston, piston extension assembly and breech block during forward movement of the working parts'. The answer of course is that the breech block stops on the breech block stops (they're the solid blocks of steel below and to the left and right of the barrel). The breech block stops, the rear rises, locks and then mechanical safety takes place while the piston, piston extension assembly moce forwards a bit further to achieve absolute positive mechanical locking and THEN the piston post hits the firing pin and is stopped by the rounded part at the front of the piston post hitting the inside face of the breech block.

So the face of the piston extension should never be even close to the opening of the gas cylinder and I think Tankie and Skippy will bear this out. It just seems as though the breech block stops on your gun were VERY worn. But since it's presumably a semi re-work and safe then so be it!

Another often asked question was 'why is the butt slightly offset to the left of the gun' It's because the cocking mechanism intrudes slightly on the right side.

[Joe H]

That's interesting Gopher - about the piston extension hitting the body at the start of the gas cylinder. That was a question regularly asked in Armourers trade tests to see whether they REALLY understood the intricacies of the inner workings of the gun. Such as 'what prevents any further movement forward of the piston, piston extension assembly and breech block during forward movement of the working parts'. The answer of course is that the breech block stops on the breech block stops (they're the solid blocks of steel below and to the left and right of the barrel). The breech block stops, the rear rises, locks and then mechanical safety takes place while the piston, piston extension assembly moce forwards a bit further to achieve absolute positive mechanical locking and THEN the piston post hits the firing pin and is stopped by the rounded part at the front of the piston post hitting the inside face of the breech block.

Peter,

This has been a topic on one of the USA Forums related to building the semi-auto Bren gun. The general opinion was to prevent the breech block from smashing the barrel. No one really knew for sure. Obviously not the right answer.

With the older de-mills the block stops are not an issue since the de-mill cuts are through the mag well and the barrel nut area. Newer de-mills are cut through the barrel socket. If the weld is not spaced properly either the block stops are too far forward or worse, they prevent the breech bolt from seating on the cartridge. If too far rearward they increase headspace and have to be ground back to allow the gun to be head-spaced properly. Ask me how I know!



Joe