Early Bren...how low can you go?

[stencollector]

The recall involved the wrap around receivers that were not built with the re-enforcing plates on the inside of the trigger housing. The faulty stens can be ID'd from the washer spot welded around the change lever to give the area the proper thickness. Ill 301 in the book shows one of these.

The stens which had the re-enforcing plates spot welded in were not effected by the recall. A photo of one is shown on the top left of page 300 (illustration 299)..

From the dozen or so single wall wrap around stens that have passed over my workbench, the tubes seemed to buckle near the front of the trigger housing, where there was the least amount of metal. It would seem that many of them continued service in Canada right until the end.

[Woodsy]

The recall involved the wrap around receivers that were not built with the re-enforcing plates on the inside of the trigger housing. The faulty stens can be ID'd from the washer spot welded around the change lever to give the area the proper thickness. Ill 301 in the book shows one of these.

The stens which had the re-enforcing plates spot welded in were not effected by the recall. A photo of one is shown on the top left of page 300 (illustration 299)..

From the dozen or so single wall wrap around stens that have passed over my workbench, the tubes seemed to buckle near the front of the trigger housing, where there was the least amount of metal. It would seem that many of them continued service in Canada right until the end.

Yes, that would be correct for the wrapped body Mk II's, however the Mk I's were made from drawn tube with trigger plates welded on. There must have been some other problem with the MkI bodies. I know my Mk I is still in good working order, and it has no additional welds at all.

[stencollector]

To be honest, any mk1 stens I have seen were behind glass at museums. They are a rare bird here in Canada. Can Peter shed any light on the mk1 recall? Were there wraparound mk1s?

[tankhunter]

TBH, I think the MKI Sten's are pretty Rare ANYWHERE in the world! I have only seen them in 'Quantity', in Films. Indicating to Me, that Bapty's (Now Zorg) in the UK have a 'Few' of them. With Restrictors in the barrel.To enable them to fire Full Auto on Blanks. & now I come to think about it. They are all Modified to MKI* Spec. By the removal of the flash hider, & Wooden Forend furniture. Just My own Thoughts!.........

[Brit plumber]

Rod, Thanks for the number, I'll make a note of it.

TBH, I think the MKI Sten's are pretty Rare ANYWHERE in the world! I have only seen them in 'Quantity', in Films. Indicating to Me, that Bapty's (Now Zorg) in the UK have a 'Few' of them. With Restrictors in the barrel.To enable them to fire Full Auto on Blanks. & now I come to think about it. They are all Modified to MKI* Spec. By the removal of the flash hider, & Wooden Forend furniture. Just My own Thoughts!.........

I think Bapty's or Zorg as it is, had a big clear out a few years ago but non of the STENs came up. I've seen them in most of the British 1950s/60s/70s films like 633 Sqn, The Guns of Naverone etc. they could have been Mk1 to Mk1* conversions or more likely they were the 3rd contract Mk1* guns that they acquired for making propaganda films in the War.

With reference to Mk1 STENs being rare, I know of the Mk1* at Warminster, 3 Mk1 and a Mk1* in the Army Museum collection, the IWM have a Mk1 and Mk1*, The Royal Armouries have some but I don't know how many, The REME museum possibly have a Mk1 (Not confirmed), There is a semi relic Mk1 (Dragged out of a UK pond), a Mk1* and a damaged Mk1 in civilian hands in the UK, There is my own Mk1, Rods Mk1 and A Mk1 and Mk1* in civilian hands in the USA. If any one knows of any others can they jump in with some details.

So I know of potentially 5 STEN Mk1 and 2 Mk1* in private collections, there are bound to be lots more but the owners are obviously very secretive!