Replacing a magazine opening cover.

[blitzkrieg]

I am in the process of replacing all my Inglis marked components for Enfield/BSA parts on my 38 dated Enfield.
So far I have managed everything apart from the magazine opening cover and for the life of me can't work out how to release the old one.
Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks in advance!

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

Remove mag catch and ejector assembly by pressinbg the spring loaded pin from left to right. Slide mag catch and ejector forwards and up to remove. Mag well cover will slide out of and to the rear. Assemble in the reverse order. Next question!

[blitzkrieg]

Fantastic! Thanks Peter.I think that's it for the questions as all the Inglis parts have been replaced.
Again many thanks!

[Gopher]

That brings up a question. My MkII Bren had a Mk I mag cover which I replaced with a Mk II cover which is much plainer. How common was this and what was the reason? The Mk I cover looks better but I felt that the gun deserved the correct cover.

[Peter Laidler]

I say once again............. In the real world of working Armourers shops, outside the fantasy world of 'concourse' shows for guns and so called originality contests, an Armourer would take the next part on the shelf and fit this to a needy gun. All parts were made to be interchangeable (within the reals of some hand fitting which was the norm for the period) and the gun went out again. The only exceptions that I recall with Brens were that the barrels had to be matching mark/type and never, ever, if you can help it, use a Mk1 butt or Mk1 carrying handle if you had a Mk2 or 3 gun type on the shelf. Gas plugs, pistons, triggers, tripping levers or magazine opening covers - it made not one jot of difference to us!

I never ever in all my service saw an Armourer - ANY Armourer go to a tray of parts and select a specific make of part. That is the world of make believe, believe me. And nor did I ever hear a moan from a gunner about mixed parts either!

[MGMike]

Peter: I am gratified that you repeat this from time to time. Many just don't get it.

M

[Peter Laidler]

Thanks for the Mike. It's what I like about this forum. You can tell it as it really is without fear of or upsetting anyone. I know others have dfferent ideas about rifles and MG's being 'concourse' and getting all the 'right' parts together to falsely make things into what they probably never were etc etc. But the real irony is that in all my years of looking I have yet to see a competition that they ever take place in!

I mean....... It'd be different if there was a competition somewhere and they were judged be some expert - but there ain't! They're being judged by the people who falsify them themselves! Wierd isn't it?

Just my take on things as a complete 'outsider', based on nothing more than a bit of life in the real world Armourers shops and what my mum used to call '.......the bleedin obvious'!

[Vincent]

We display guns twice a year here at the Houston Gun Owners Association show. They don’t allow picture taking in the hall, but you can get the idea here HGCA Photo Gallery

It’s a large gun show. The gun display areas usually run the length of the hall in the center. There are also vehicles, etc on display. Last year there was Vietnam era plastic PBR (Power Boat River) on display.

There was nice Bren display a few years ago. He had made three from parts kits, a Mk1, Mk2 and a Mk3. They looked really great. The remarkable thing was he had done all the work with his left hand after losing his right arm to cancer and while going through chemo therapy.

[Peter Laidler]

All done using his left hand/arm..... That's a man that I admire. I couldn't do my L4 conversion properly using both hands!

[Kev G]

But the real irony is that in all my years of looking I have yet to see a competition that they ever take place in!

........It's called the 'market place' !
Matching numbers and as original as it left the factory will always demand a premium.

Not sure how replacing an item is falsifying it when most of the Brens in the UK market place at the momment have been made up from parts picked randomly out of spare parts bins ?
In the UK there time in the hands of gunners and armourers workshops was over a long time ago !

ATB Kevin