reloads for the bren

[Peter Laidler]

This was an interesting thread that taught us all one thing. That is if it works perfectly with bog standard Mk7 NATO ball, then any subsequent problem MUST be with the ammo. Not bewing a reloader, I've never come across reloaders problems. If the Queen don't supply it, then I don't shoot it has always been my motto!

[Lee Enfield]

This was an interesting thread that taught us all one thing. That is if it works perfectly with bog standard Mk7 NATO ball, then any subsequent problem MUST be with the ammo. Not bewing a reloader, I've never come across reloaders problems. If the Queen don't supply it, then I don't shoot it has always been my motto!

What's "Mk7 NATO ball" again??

[ActionYobbo]

This was an interesting thread that taught us all one thing. That is if it works perfectly with bog standard Mk7 NATO ball, then any subsequent problem MUST be with the ammo. Not bewing a reloader, I've never come across reloaders problems. If the Queen don't supply it, then I don't shoot it has always been my motto!

reloading has its pitfalls and this was one of them
I had been using a No4 for doing the load testing and got the load and velocities on the mark then assumed that they would work in the BREN.
It turns out the chamber difference between the No4 and the bren were enough to cause the cases to stick in the chamber and cause them to be hard to extract. I was using lee dies which are oversize like the late war/American chambers so they were not sizing the base back to the size it should be on new brass. Once I sized all the brass on a tight die the problem went away.
I got in a bit more range time with a bucket of reloads and had 1 stoppage that was a mag/feeding problem. With only that 1 stoppage it was a fantastic day.

[Peter Laidler]

So was the problem that the cases were being rammed home or forced into the Bren chamber and therefore very tight to extract?

Hard extraction shouldn't actually be a problem on a Bren because there is a VERY effective primary extraction process during the unlocking phase of the Bren Gun action. It is sooooo slick that it should unhook anything. Won't explain it here as it is quite complex - unless anyone really wants/needs me to

[Brit plumber]

and had 1 stoppage that was a mag/feeding problem. With only that 1 stoppage it was a fantastic day.

Was it a rim behind rim by any chance? ;-)

[ActionYobbo]

So was the problem that the cases were being rammed home or forced into the Bren chamber and therefore very tight to extract?

Hard extraction shouldn't actually be a problem on a Bren because there is a VERY effective primary extraction process during the unlocking phase of the Bren Gun action. It is sooooo slick that it should unhook anything. Won't explain it here as it is quite complex - unless anyone really wants/needs me to

I think it was the cases and possibly to some extent the powder
I made some dummy rounds and was in the process of testing function and trying to work out the problems. I let the working parts fly forward stripping a dummy round from the mag and when I tried to pull the charging handle back to eject the round it would not move. I tried unlocking the barrel to release the pressure on the locking shoulder so the bolt would move but it still stayed locked in place. I could not pull the barrel off either.
I ended up with the gun on its butt with my foot on the charging handle applying pressure while hammering on the end of a rod inserted into the barrel so it was pushing the round out. Now If only I had relocked the barrel. When the case came free the I was left holding the barrel and the gun fell over putting a nice mark in the wall.

I think this discovery also explains why the cases were coming out so damaged. I was getting bent rims on some and a very deep ejector mark on others. now looking back I can assume the bent rims were the fatter cases and the deep ejector mark were the standard size cases.

Was it a rim behind rim by any chance? ;-)

yes