Repairing Bren Mk 1 barrel

[Peter Laidler]

Mmmmmmm. Why we went ahead with a converted Bren........ That's a question that I really don't know the answer to Cinders - and one that I'd never thought about. But it MUST be a combination of the fact that a) the Bren was already a known quantity and in service and b) that the only real alternative was the L2 rifle. And...... anyway, that is really not a light machine gun as such, just a heavy rifle.

As for keeping the old .303 gun going while a successful 7.62mm LMG replacement was sought really wasn't an option. The very last thing you need at section or platoon level is a mixed ammo fleet although there was a mixed fleet for several years. It was during these years that the L4 Bren finally emerged. As one of the design team said to me, it didn't really fall into place until the final design of the L1 rifle magazine was finalised and after much gnashing of teeth, until a Bren body was cut in half vertically from front to rear. But even then it wasn't that simple because the magazine had to be further lowered into the body. Causing even more problems for them. But in the end they got perfection

Richard. If it is just L4 barrels you need for your L4A3 or 5 gun, the answer is, once again, simplicity itself if you already have some old .303" barrels. If you've got to make afresh then your problems making new are just starting. Think gas blocks, gas plugs, flash eliminators first. Even Enfield didn't remanufacture the gas blocks and plugs but utilised those removed from barrels removed from the thousands of .303 barrels* that came in with guns for conversion.

*Off at a tangent so look away njow if you are so minded. Because the steel quality of those thousands of old now scrap barrels was already a known and of a certifiable quality, British Steel, Firth Brown and Corby Foundry et al, who supplied the 'new' barrel steel in rolled stock took this steel back in part payment!

[browningautorifle]

Why we went ahead with a converted Bren

The same reason we went ahead with a conversion of our 1919A4s to 7.62mm. It was an attempt to cut cost of a new weapon's system. Problem is, I'm not sure how much is actually saves by re-engineering and trialing...more work and man hours. And then ours still didn't fly. You can buy off the shelf new for less, proven weapon systems.

[Peter Laidler]

Add to what BAR says. The development costs for the L4 Bren were considerable and I suspect that's the reason why the old MoS patented the design changes and set the price of spare parts high, in order to recoup some of the considerable costs. Although the L4 guns eventually became good sellers abroad. That's when the politicians of the time allowed friendly (and subsequently NOT so friendly) Countries like Lxxxx and Szzzzz etc etc to buy them.

Like BAR says. Any production engineer will tell you that when you modify something on a large scale, it means that you're paying twice. For the first time - and then the second time when you didn't get it right the first time!

[Vincent]

The same reason we went ahead with a conversion of our 1919A4s to 7.62mm. It was an attempt to cut cost of a new weapon's system. Problem is, I'm not sure how much is actually saves by re-engineering and trialing...more work and man hours. And then ours still didn't fly. You can buy off the shelf new for less, proven weapon systems.

The Krauts didn’t seem to have much trouble converting the MG-42 to the 7.62mm cartridge. I think there are still quite a few MG 3’s still in service.

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, but you're forgetting one important point Vince. They started off with 7.92 having the same base rim diameter as the new 7.62mm. No lowering the belt deeper into the feedway to ensure that the round is picked up on the forward stroke of the breech block. Same pitch too so belt feed lever and pawls remain the same and........

[browningautorifle]

converting the MG-42 to the 7.62mm cartridge

I assisted in converting a 7.92 Bren to 7.62 also. That was a doddle...just fitted the barrel. Same mags and bolt.

[Flying10uk]

Is this a genuine L4 Bren conversion (U.K. deac) that was for sale recently?

[Peter Laidler]

I stand to be corrected but the barrel looks too long to me - if someone feels inclined to scale the gas block to muzzle length against something else. The L4 barrel length was quite critical for function and accuracy. Longer than the 22.25" Mk4 barrel but shorter than the 25" or so Mk2 barrel. Simplicity itself to convert a shot out Mk2 barrel to look-a-like L4 spec. Saves destroying the original - and valuable - L4 barrel I suppose

[Brit plumber]

This is a genuine L4A4, it is a straight to A4 conversion rather than an A2 to A4. You say it was for sale recently? I think I looked at this one some years ago and noted the crap pistol grip. I think it was for sale by DandB.

[Brit plumber]

I was going through my records and this was one of the 47 1973 (UE73) Ex NZ guns imported in 1993 and deactivated by Mike Priest.