UK straight pull Bren?

[mrclark303]

An interesting thread, I,ve been reading up on the Law a bit more than normal recently, (still doesn't make sense) little snippets that I've forgotten or never acknowledged are the bit's that stand out, Peter mentioned the status of a deactivated firearm and is right in saying once its deactivated it is no longer a firearm.... in fact its harder to buy an orange painted air soft than a deac, but thats the way it is.

The SP debate I can't see a problem, the thing is you need to look outside the box, Tankhunter mentioned the fact it was a Semi Auto rifle to start with and from what I was told is a lot to do with the reason we have them, 17 odd years ago L1A1's were advertised in Gunmart for £350 (sec 5).

Ship them rifle's to another country then they are what that country states they are, strip them down and you have a selection of rifle components, (no such thing as a section 5 part) so a foreign country now has a load of rifle parts, build a rifle out of them with a new barrel and do a small conversion on the bolt carrier, then they are a straight pull rifle and UK legal.

The problem lies with such persons as Roy mentions, I know some "parts" were making there way back to the UK and being re-barreled here I guess everyone was getting on the band wagon.

A lot of straight pulls out there at present, M1 carbines, M1 Garands, AK variations and other Russian rifles, to top it off we have the famous AR15........ being a previous owner of an AR15 (M4) it was a lovely rifle but in straight pull a real pain..... just my view but was very fussy on ammunition and on a cold day cocking it every round become unbearable, again just my view and the reason I sold it, give me a bolt action rifle any day, quicker to operate and easier..... and more accurate.

The problem I find is when people push there luck..... anyone in the UK would of heard of the lever release 9mm by a UK company famous for AR15's, again a nice piece of kit and it does the job but it stood out like a sore thumb..... and got noticed more for things it wasn't meant to do....

To anyone with the above then I say good luck to them and and enjoy it.....

If your looking at a straight pull then buy off the shelf, if you want a Bren Straight pull then I would do the homework, get some plans, read up on the USA closed bolt system for the parts kits and start from scratch...... and be prepared for a lot of swarf

After noon Geoff, I have the paperwork recipients for both my rifles parts kits, both stating they are Sec1 rifle parts kits, with serial numbers clearly stated. Both my L1 kits came from UK sources.

I bought one kit directly and the other paperwork is a copy from the builder.

I would suggest that anyone with one of these SP types gets paperwork from the rifles retailer, stating it is a sec1 build, it might just head off trouble from the less well informed FEO.

With regard to my local Police firearms department reaction to my L1A1's and convension kit, they have never been anything but supportive and seem to find them very interesting.

[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]

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!

[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

[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]

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.