Bren gun History and development

[CGP1999]

Hello
I have taken to writing a peace on the history and development of the bren LMG. hears what i have so far could I have assistance on good references books ETC, would like to know more differences on the individual marks of bren and whether the information is correct.

Bren Gun
Weight: Mk1/ Mk2 weighs 22.134411 pounds and the Mk3 /Mk4 weighs 19.31249 pounds .
Rate of fire: 500 to 520 rounds per minute
Mussel velocity in Feat Per Second : 2440
Accurate range: 500 to 600 yards
Maximum range: 1850 yards
Manufactures: Enfield small arms factory UK, John Inglis Company in Canada and Lithgow Small Arms factory Australia.
What is the Bren gun?
The BREN is a gas-operated, air cooled, select fire light machine gun. It has a quick-detachable barrel which would be replaced every 300 rounds. It fires the .303 British round from an open bolt. The action of gun is powered by a long-stroke gas piston, which is located below the barrel. The gas block is mounted on the thin tubular sleeve which goes around the muzzle end of the barrel and forms the conical flash hider at the front. The Gas block has a manual gas regulator which is changed by moving the barrel forwards away from the shooter and moving the retainer to one of the four settings depending on the climate. The action is locked by sliding the breech block towards the shooter into the locking races in rear of the receiver. The return spring is located in the butt of the weapon, and is connected to the bolt carrier / gas piston via a long rod. there is a short spring buffer located below the return spring at the juncture of the receiver and butt, which acts against the whole receiver which is allowed to move short distance along the rails of the trigger housing. This significantly decreases the recoil whilst firing. The charging handle is located on the right side of receiver and does not reciprocate whilst the gun is firing. The rounds feeds down from a 30 round magazine which is curved to accommodate the rimmed cartridge of the .303 Soldiers would load 27 to 28 rounds in the magazine to reduce spring wear over time. A 100 round magazine was produced for the MK1 Bren. These where used when the gun was mounted on the sustained fire tripod in the AA position and when mounted on vehicles. The 100 round magazine was generally not used on the latter marks because of the complexity of its construction and its high cost. whilst the gun is not in uses 2 dust covers can by slid across the magazine well and the underside of the receiver to cover the ejector port. The sights are offset to the left because of the magazines position on the gun. The gun can be fired in semi-automatic and fully automatic, with the selector switch on the left hand side of the receiver next the pistol grip.
History
In 1930 the British army organised internal and international trials for a new section support light machine gun. several companies entered there LMGs. the American company Browning entered the Browning Automatic Rifle chambered in .303 British, the French company Darne entered there LMG witch was also in.303 British, Vickers submitted the Vickers-Berthier LMG, the Swiss KE-7 and Danish Madsen LMG were also submitted. The last weapon to be submitted was the Czechoslovakian Zbrojovka Brno's (Brno for short) companies ZB-26 LMG witch fired the Mauser .323 round. During the first stage of the trials the ZB-26 and the Vickers-Berthier LMG where favoured. The Darne LMG was entered to late for the first stage so was entered into the second stage of trials along with the Vickers-Berthier LMG and the newer improved Brnos ZGB-30 (which was now chambered in .303 ). The conclusion of the testing commission was that the “ZB gun is of such outstanding design, workmanship and materials as to warrant further serious consideration".

In 1932 the ZGB-30 gun tested by the British was brought back to Zbrojovka Brno to undergo modifications to better suit the British army's requirements. The resulting gun was the ZGB 32 light machine gun witch unlike early prototypes had a 30 round magazine capacity and a receiver which could recoil against a special buffer to reduced the amount of recoil felt by the shooter. The ZGB 32 was then tested by the British army leading to the guns rate of fire being lowered and a shorter barrel being attached. The new ZGB 33 was re tested in January 1934. The new and improved model of the ZGB 33 was tested in a trial against the Vickers-Berthier LMG in August 1934. The result of this final trial was the recommendation that the British army adopt the ZGB 33 and a licensing agreement was drawn up between the Enfield small arms factory and Brno. As part of the licensing agreement the British variant was to be designated the Bren Gun BR for a Brno and EN for Enfield, the gun produced at Enfield had to be engraved with a kings crown with " Enfield" above and the date of manufacture this took 12 minutes to do and was later omitted . In late 1934 production plans were drawn up and enacted for the production of the Bren gun and by early 1935 The design documentation had been converted from metric to imperil measurements. The first Bren was produced at Enfield in September 1937.

Description of the development during war time production of the Bren
MK1
Produced: 1937-1941 (some produced from parts until 1945).
Sights: drum/dial pattern rear aperture sight sighted to 2000 yards and a rarely used MKI Plessey Lensatic Line sight.
Overall length: 45.51181 inches.
Bipod: telescopic
Caliber Produced in :303 British.
Sustained fire Tripod Issued: yes.
Manufactures: Enfield small arms factory UK, John Inglis Company in Canada and Lithgow Small Arms factory in Australia.
Other Fetchers: The Butt plate is Bufferd and the early productions had a folding butt strap which provides a shoulder rest as well as a grip under the butt which could be detached. The cocking handle is Spring-loaded and folds forward in the closed position and does not reciprocate during operation. A sight known as the MKI Plessey Lensatic Line sight (shortened too Fixed Line Sight or FLS) was issued with the earlier production Brens to be used with the Sustained fire Tripod, this was a throwback to the original specifications of the gun and they saw limited use prier to Dunkirk .The later the production of the Mk1 Bren the more cheaper Mk2 parts where substituted, such as the Mk2 butt, butt plate and sometimes a MK1* (slightly shorter barrel) or Mk2 barrel (all though all marks of Bren gun barrels can fit into any mark of the gun). The upper receiver still retains the distinctive drum/dial pattern rear aperture sight. However the cutter ways in the body of the receiver for the MKI Plessey Lensatic Line sight where removed for ease of manufacture.
MK1M (Economy and lend lease production of Mk1)
Produced:1941-1943ish
Sights: Leaf ladder sight sighted to 1600 yards and dial pattern rear aperture sight sighted to 2000 yards.
Overall length: 45.51181 inches
Bipod: Non-telescopic
Sustained fire Tripod: no
Caliber Produced in :303 British and 8mm Mouser
Manufactures: John Inglis Company in Canada.
Other Fetchers: grip under the butt was removed along with the butt strap. on the early production Mk1Ms had buffered butt plates however the lend lease equivalent did not have a buffered butt plate. The cutter way in the body of the receiver for the FLS was removed as per later production Mk1 and as standard for Mk2 & 3.
Note: These were also produced for lend lease to the Guomindang (Chinese nationals party) and European resistance units in 8mm Mouser from 1943, 18 thousand where sent to China. Production in 303 British started from 1941 with Mk2 barrels for use by Canada and the UK .

MK2
Produced: 1941-1944 (some produced until 1950s).
Sights: folding leaf sight sighted to 1600 yards.
Overall length: 45.51181 inches.
Bipod: non-telescopic.
Caliber Produced in :303 British
Sustained fire Tripod: no.
Manufactures: Enfield small arms factory UK, John Inglis Company in Canada and Lithgow Small Arms factory in Australia.
Other Fetchers: The grip under the butt was removed and the butt strap. The butt plate was made of a sheet metal (which was not buffered) with an extended shoulder rest instead of a butt strap. The butt had a new butt swivel and plate fitted. Return spring retained by a screwed spring tube nut. The Mk2 Bren was simplified so that the body could be milled from one block of steel allowing for ease of manufacturing. The wood work was made less ornate to save on wood this sped up the manufacturing time. The barrel was also simplified by having a non-stepped flash hider and a matt finish. Recoil spring and plate removed. Unlike the Mk1 the Mk2 has a Fixed coking handle and plunger so does not fold forward.
MK3
Produced: 1944-1950s.
Sights: folding leaf sight sighted to 1600 yards.
Overall length: 42.59843 inches.
Bipod: non-telescopic and post war with a telescopic Bipod.
Caliber Produced in :303 British
Sustained fire Tripod: no.
Manufactures: Enfield small arms factory UK, John Inglis Company in Canada and Lithgow Small Arms factory in Australia.
Other Fetchers: The barrel shortened by 2 ¾ inches and the butt was also shortened to reduce weight with a flat butt plate which did not have a shoulder rest. 19.31249 pounds instead of 22.134411 pounds of the Mk1 Bren.

Information

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