Unusual Bren Barrel Handel

[tankhunter]

There have been a LOT of Repro's of the Bren rear handle manufactured here in the UK. There is a well known dealer not far from Me. Who has had a lot of reasonable copies done over the years.

The Gent concerned is a VERY long standing friend of mine. Who would never market copies as originals either. & this is borne out by his stamping his initials on the handle assemblies, somewhere.

[Brit plumber]

I have some of his superb replicas and I was very happy to pay what I did for them. He also told me where to find his mark and I have seen them miss quoted by other dealers which isn't his fault but it's handy being able to spot them. It would be a bit like the Mk5 Sten fore grip, I'd rather pay more money for a true replica than less for a poorly fitting piece of crap (I know Peter will chime in and tell us the originals were also an over priced cheap piece of crap anyway)!

[Flying10uk]

Tankhunter, do you know if he uses genuine spare/surplus wood handles from the barrel handle or has he had some new handles turned up? I was offered a butt handle about a year or so ago and the wood handle part of the assembly looked genuine but I couldn't decide if the metalwork was or wasn't repro. The person selling it insisted that it was genuine unissued stock but I wasn't 100% convinced and so didn't buy. I memory serves me correctly it was around £90 which would have been fine if defiantly original. Thanks for the info chaps

I like the 2" mortar and transit chest, Vince.---It's probably a stupid question but are private citizens allowed to have fully working examples in Texas or is it deactivated?

[Vincent]

The one in the picture is deactivated I believe.

Private citizens can legally own working mortars in Texas. The modern type fall under the NFA, have to be registered as destructive devices and a $200 tax paid for each one. Each exploding round is also a DD and has the same $200 tax.

Muzzle-loading black powder mortars are not regulated. Solid rounds are also not regulated. Exploding rounds are regulated as DD’s and have a $200 tax each.

Here’s a nice 81MM Mortar and a 60MM mortar that are for sale. Or maybe a 57mm Cannon? Here’s something a bit smaller, a M79, 40mm Grenade Launcher

Flamethrowers are not regulated at all in Texas.

[Flying10uk]

Thanks for that Vincent; I especially like the 57mm anti-tank gun.

I have seen deactivated 2" mortars for sale here in the U.K. but not since the E.U. deac spec came out. The examples which I saw offered for sale I believe had had the tubes cut off and replaced with a length of "any odd bit of steel pipe" probably as part of their deactivation? Does any-one know if U.K. deactivated mortars are affected by the E.U. deac specs???

[tankhunter]

Flying10uk. The wooden handles were original items. he HAD a LOAD of Bren spares in his stock. But most has now been sold on.

[Brit plumber]

Yes, mine were JI marked and NOS wood and steel washer thingy me bob.

---------- Post added at 05:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:34 PM ----------

Tankhunter, do you know if he uses genuine spare/surplus wood handles from the barrel handle or has he had some new handles turned up? I was offered a butt handle about a year or so ago and the wood handle part of the assembly looked genuine but I couldn't decide if the metalwork was or wasn't repro. The person selling it insisted that it was genuine unissued stock but I wasn't 100% convinced and so didn't buy. I memory serves me correctly it was around £90 which would have been fine if defiantly original. Thanks for the info chaps

I like the 2" mortar and transit chest, Vince.---It's probably a stupid question but are private citizens allowed to have fully working examples in Texas or is it deactivated?

At £90 it would be a repro, I'm about 99.9% sure there will be no unissued butt handles around since the early 40s. All the originals I have seen are obvious as they show signs of use.

[Flying10uk]

It would seem that the person selling the handles on eBay has now separated them into 2 Lots and now has them correctly identified.

[browningautorifle]

They've been watching here...actually, someone probably messaged the dealer.

[Flying10uk]

The starting price appears to have increased.