1931 Instructions for Armourers supplement

[Woodsy]

In my collection I have a complete 1931 Instructions for Armourers (book & drawings) and also Supplement No.2 (a 1944 reprint of the 1940 edition) which is a small booklet and drawings for the Bren Gun. My question is what was Supplement No.1 about, and were there any more supplements after No.2? I would be keen to purchase any that I do not have!

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

The ORIGINAL drawings in the illustrations sheet show the butt marking disc and the oil bottle that was to be included in the pistol grip screw together with the slightly different screw. Plus the original design of the ejection opening cover catch/spring which was also mentioned in the original manuscript

[Woodsy]

The ORIGINAL drawings in the illustrations sheet show the butt marking disc and the oil bottle that was to be included in the pistol grip screw together with the slightly different screw. Plus the original design of the ejection opening cover catch/spring which was also mentioned in the original manuscript

Hi Peter,
As my copy is dated 1944 the drawings don't show the oiler or butt disc but they are dated 30/7/37 and the gun shown is the double dovetail Mk I with the usual early fittings. The 5 drawing sheets show the general arrangement of the gun, all of the individual parts, accessories, tripod details, and the Mk I magazine conversion details and breech block polishing.

[Mk VII]

Supp. 1 was for the Enfield revolver. The scanned copy I have here is dated 1936.

[Woodsy]

Thanks Mk VII! I have since discovered that supplement No.3 is for the Boys A/T rifle. Now all I have to do is find them! I see that Ebay, once a good source of such items, has now banned the sale of them. God save us from PC dickheads!

[nzl1a1collector]

There's a set on TradeMe at the moment Woodsy

[Woodsy]

Thanks Kevin. I watched it close last night for $182.50. It was the book and plates, which I already have. I now need the supplements Nos. 1 & 3.

[Mk VII]

There is a CD available with the whole thing on it, and Supp. 1 at least - can't find mine at the moment.

[Kev G]

The ORIGINAL drawings in the illustrations sheet show the butt marking disc and the oil bottle that was to be included in the pistol grip screw together with the slightly different screw. Plus the original design of the ejection opening cover catch/spring which was also mentioned in the original manuscript

The earliest Bren supplement I have found (Notified in A.C.Is. for the week ending 10th August,1938) has no reference to a pistol grip oil bottle either in the illustration sheet or the appendix that covers the list of parts ?
Has anyone an earlier copy that shows it ? Or any D.D.E. drawing or sketch that refers to it ?
I can't remember seeing an ammendment to the MKI butt slide DDE that mentiond this but will have to dig it out sometime to check.

Any pointers or further info much appreciated.

ATB Kevin

[Peter Laidler]

The marking disc has also been removed. There is a gap where it was on the original drawing. There is a chance that the oil bottle thinggy and different pistol grip screw didn't make it to the ISSUED Inst for Armrs drawings, similarly, the original ejection opening cover catch wasn't shown as these were declared obsolete prior to official introduction. However, they were issued on the first 400 guns that were issued for evaluation. It was some of these guns that went to Weedon for Ordnance technical evaluation where the defective design of mag catch was identified and futility of the ridiculously small oil bottle - when there was a larger capacity oil bottle carried with every rifle in the section! The Ordnance Warrant Officer who oversaw the Ordnance evaluation was Armourer WO1(C) Bissinger, RAOC. It was he who laid down the spare parts schedule you read about for the Bn spare parts box

These items are mentioned in early documents

Added later after doing a bit of reading..... Further to this, it would SEEM that one of these first manufactured guns was used to forulate one of the small dark blue (Lahore) and later dark brown fabric covered Home Guard weapon information books because the oil bottle is clearly shown and mentioned therein. There must be some truth in this first 400 gun 'post production' trial plan because there is/was a distinct break in production at this 400 gun point