UK straight pull Bren?

[Vincent]

You could make a new body using another method. Two side plates, top plate, barrel support, etc. Then weld them together. No gas system, no barrel nut, just press and pin the barrel in. Mount the bipod on the barrel or on the barrel support and have it fold forward under the barrel where the gas system was. No return spring or buffer, just firing pin/striker drive spring. Striker stays on the sear when the bolt is open. Mechanically there’s not much to it. CNC would make quick work of the parts, but you could make them on a manual mill.

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[TactAdv]

You could make a new body using another method. Two side plates, top plate, barrel support, etc. Then weld them together. No gas system, no barrel nut, just press and pin the barrel in. Mount the bipod on the barrel or on the barrel support and have it fold forward under the barrel where the gas system was. No return spring or buffer, just firing pin/striker drive spring. Striker stays on the sear when the bolt is open. Mechanically there’s not much to it. CNC would make quick work of the parts, but you could make them on a manual mill.

......Even easier, why not import new-made receivers that are specified at manufacture to be "non-gas system" receivers?? Plenty FAL receivers have been made like that already.....here...Oz.....Brazil....Israel. They just leave out the (un-)machined passage for the gas piston (no hole). Usually too, they revert to using the ejector block that is designed/machined to NOT take the select-fire "auto sear"/safety-sear. Too also.....many of these were imported from their mfgr with already attached new-made barrels manufactured as such minus any gas port hole.

Awhile back, 12 years or so, they imported South African/DENEL "Galil Sporters" that were made as just that......single cocking rifles with no gas piston passage in the receiver and no-gas port barrels. Crazy stupid idea HERE, but just a data point.

-TomH

[bigduke6]

John, When I mentioned parts it was more directed to the Likes of what Roy mentions, not individuals like yourself..... I was after a rifle minus its barrel a few years back but a baby and lack of funds soon seen that one out the door.

I'm all for SP's and if I ever get the conversion kit then I,ll be looking for one ...... (did I read you were abandoning a project )

[mrclark303]

John, When I mentioned parts it was more directed to the Likes of what Roy mentions, not individuals like yourself..... I was after a rifle minus its barrel a few years back but a baby and lack of funds soon seen that one out the door.

I'm all for SP's and if I ever get the conversion kit then I,ll be looking for one ...... (did I read you were abandoning a project )

Hi Geoff, I was planning and at the initial stages of a SP L2A1 project, it was going to be my next (I like a challenge) firearm.

My last one was an ex NZ Lithgow L1 build .. Anyway, now it appears to be a dead duck due to the last UK L1 builder leaving the scene. Plus the reluctance of the only L1A1 kit supplier to sell any more to the UK market, specifically sell me another Lithgow L1A1 receiver, TMH and bolt group.

I had tracked down an L2 gas block/bipod assembly plus the unique L2 carry handle, bought and restored an old spec deac L2A1 for measurements fit and finish, all that was required was a suitable barrel turned to profile (The very expensive bit)!


As said before though, I think what appears to be an LMG might just cause me to loose support from my local Firearms team, a step too far.

In fact, when I finished the deac L2 refub, my wife looked at it, shook her head and said "no way will they except one of these as a live rifle"

It would have been a cool rifle though and very accurate with the bipod and that heavy barrel. Hay ho, onto the next project..

[tankhunter]

John, Another route, albeit very expensive! Would be to obtain another already built & licenced SP L1A1 Rifle. (Aussie receiver)

Get a new barrel made to the profile of the Aussie L2. Swap Barrels & fittings over.
Reproof (Easy) & get the MINOR 'details' altered on your F.A.C.

Job Done?........ALL you have done, is Fit a new Barrel at the end of the day. Fitting a Bipod
is merely an Accessory. & after all, the Bipod WOULD indeed. Be an Aid to accurate sustained, Long Range Shooting. Yes?.......

[mrclark303]

Hi Geoff, Mr x certainly brought the weight of the law down on himself didn't he, bizarre way to be going on.
Rebuilt Sec5 firearms to SP status, was only one of his monumental errors in judgement!

[mrclark303]

Morning Mike, it did cross my mind, but as you can imagine the cost of procurement is already moving way to the right with no more being built!

A friend of mine with a Suffolk Rifles second batch example, told me he knows of another Suffolk Rifles L1 selling for £3,000, the seller apparently said "just go find another one"

Supply and demand I guess, the minister of finance will block me Mike, know matter how slick the presentation!

[Peter Laidler]

Maybe we could stop the thread here because a straight pull Bren (or any previous machine gun) will not happen legally in the UK. £100 towards its wasted development costs PLUS another £100 to ANY UK forces charity if it happens within the next 10 years.