54R Bren Issues

[ActionYobbo]

Don't do anything yet DJ as I have an answer but it's long winded so will come in early tomorrow morning!

was this what you were refering to?

The pics were interesting for me, a total amateur when it comes to the US semi auto rebuilds. I can see now where on the US Semi's, with an extended striker you could fire the gun with the breech block forward but not quite locked.

But back to page 6(?) and locking shoulders. I have a feeling that the locking shoulders are not case hardened but are a hard tough material right through and on that basis you could dafely grind one a tad to suit. I say this as I have just put one to a grinder in a dark workshop and even well into the steel, the grinding colour hasn't changed. Yep....., I know it's not quite scientific or a lab test but to the experienced, it's a good rule of thumb.
If anyone does have a stack of locking shoulders, I'll say once again to ignore the size on them (if there is one!!!!!) and trust in the DTI. To measure them we had a small jig that you could mount a DTI onto. Then you slip the locking shoulder in LOCKING/BREECH BLOCK EDGE DOWNWARDS onto the surface of the jig and the bottom totally flat surface of the shoulder square-up against the rear edge. Hold there with finger and slide the DTI plunger across the flat REAR surface. This is the only way to get a correct reading of the actual length

went and measured my spares
786
803
822