Bren body housed at Warminster ....

[Peter Laidler]

As a matter of interest, you budding Bren demil/dewat/deact owners might take a look at this Bren body that is housed at Warminster and another of the soppy Peter Laidlers Bren desk ornaments. It’s interesting for two reasons.

The first is that it shows the two weld cuts that you should avoid like the plague if you wish to RE-wat a Bren. The first is to make sure, if possible, that YOUR dewat is UNCUT between the front loop of the barrel nut space and the step at the rear of the magazine catch. This is because ...

a) it is against the rear surface of the FRONT loop of the barrel nut space that the front face of the barrel nut bears as it pushes the barrel back tightly against the body, to give you the tight barrel, correct feed and CHS you need and;

b) the all important locking shoulder hidden deep beneath (but seen from underneath) the magazine catch assembly that controls and allows you to adjust the CHS of the gun. This is a critical measurement in the feeding and locking of the gun too.

If this section of the gun is uncut and sound, then all is well and you have saved yourself a whole lot of work.

This particular Enfield made Mk1A gun is also unusual because it is a V- serial number. U, V and W serial number prefixes were used by Enfield in 1942 but then, inexplicably, issued to Daimler/Monotype for use in 1943. Daimler used the U, V and well into the W range when the Inspector of Armaments informed them to stop and continue with a new series commencing RA. So if you have an Enfield of a Daimler/Monotype gun with a U, V or W serial number, then it’s got a duplicate somewhere! Anyone got Daimper Monotype gun V8589?

The brass plate on the plinth reads V-8589. 1942 – 2002.

The unkindest cut…..

Happy Bren new year

Information

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[jmoore]

I'm afraid that's how just about all the reconstituted US semi-autos were originally cut! Quite the nightmare.

[Peter Laidler]

Mmmmmmmm, that's where the problems could lie because pinpoint accuracy is needed in the middle. At the outer ends, 'reasonably accurate' would suffice

[Brian Dick]

Peter, That looks familiar! It was cut in the USA and believe it or not, that's when they allowed a much neater job than they do now. Now they required a 1/4" torch cut which is very messy. Sad eh? Do you get the feeling the powers that be just don't trust us "wild colonials"? Nicely done display though.

The L4A3 is approved and will be here by week's end. I'll find time for a study on it if you guys are interested.

[Peter Laidler]

I was being a bit naive there Brian and all. I just assumed that the dealer selling you the dewat/parts kit would simply cut it into 4 parts where you asked him to cut it. And providing it was cut into 4 'bits', that would be gooid enough! Alas, not so..........

It's you wild colonial tribesmen that just can't be trusted

[Brian Dick]

There was a big stink a few years ago and BATFE clarified the rules for importation. Hence the more destructive technique involved. I have a couple more cut up receivers here, one an 1942 Inglis Mk.1M that's done like yours. The other a 1943 Enfield Mk.1 that's the later, rougher cut. I got stuck by a customer with that one but the rest of the parts kit has come in quite handy as you well know. I may try to find a competent manufacturer to restore the Inglis gun to a real registered post sample one day if my ship comes in. Well see.

[Peter Laidler]

Someone asked in a PM about the gas cylinder on this gun/photo. And, yes, it is the troublsome Mk1 gas cylinder that you'll identify from the double row of 2x 6 gas vents around the circumference (look carefully). The front row actually bleed off through the taper on which the bipod sleeve mates. This causes the bipod to jamb solid. So, to free it, you work it to the left and right and in doing so, within a few days, totally erode the outer surface of the gas cylinder, allowing the gas to escape BEFORE it's done it's job of driving the piston to the rear.

The later Mk3 gas cylinder (the Mk2 was a press fit for the Mk2 guns) was identical but manufactured WITHOUT the front set of holes. Problem solved

[Kev G]

[Brian Dick]

My 15Txxxx, 1945 Inglis Mk.II has the early Canadian type. Luckily the gun runs fine and I doubt I can wear it out in my lifetime.

[Peter Laidler]

That's an impressive collection KG. The whole set -, a full house! They amply illustrate the point though. What on earth possessed the designers to put a set of gas escape holes/vents under a taper upon which the bipod articulates? Talk about asking for trouble! Somebody forgot to tell them that carbon goes diamond hard and when it breaks up and flakes, turns into a grinding paste.

Thanks for the photos KG