Wise Lite Arms semi-auto only Bren

[browningautorifle]

Very nice!

[Peter Laidler]

That's better! Is it a US made repro? I ask because the comb along the top (the step between the small of the butt and the rear section) looks as if it's been smoother out a tad whereas they were usually a distinct change in shape. Or is it just me?

The last ones we were getting through in the system were very tight where the gun buffer part of the butt slide went into the butt. If you got a bit heavy handed and tried to 'persuade' the butt onto/over the last 4" long part of the gun buffer, the butts would split along the thin wall under the cocking handle slide cover. I was one of those tasked with investigating this after the first defect reports started to come in. Existing stocks had to be bored out under local arrangements and the supplier was required to 'up his game.....' for want of a better few words!

[tr63]

How is the Wise Lite holding up ?

[tr63]

Thought I would post some pictures of a Wise Lite Arms semi-auto Bren. It is not converted the exact same way as the Historic Arms Bren, but it will give those who have not seen the modifications something to go on.

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Please look at the first picture there is no buffer plate with this conversion is that a problem ? My Wes Lite semiauto is set up this way . Should it have the buffer plate ?

[Joe H]

The pics were interesting for me, a total amateur when it comes to the US semi auto rebuilds. I can see now where on the US Semi's, with an extended striker you could fire the gun with the breech block forward but not quite locked.

Absolutely right , Peter. I don't know how the professional builders addressed the problem or if they did. My solution was to reconfigure the top part of the striker so that if the bolt was not completely locked by the carrier the base of the striker would hit the carrier and the upper would not hit the firing pin. The striker and firing pin have to be meshed properly to make it work.

Joe

[Joe H]

Please look at the first picture there is no buffer plate with this conversion is that a problem ? My Wes Lite semiauto is set up this way . Should it have the buffer plate ?

Never heard of a problem. The Wise Lite conversion uses the buffer tube for the striker spring, eliminating the buffer. Another type of conversion puts the striker spring on the return rod and keeps the original bolt buffer.

Do you need the buffer in semi at 30-40 rds/min ? Probably not. At full auto, 500 rds/min, it may be a different story.

Joe

[tr63]

Thanks for the reply on the buffer plate on the Wise Lite .

[AmEngRifles]

Never heard of a problem. The Wise Lite conversion uses the buffer tube for the striker spring, eliminating the buffer. Another type of conversion puts the striker spring on the return rod and keeps the original bolt buffer.

Do you need the buffer in semi at 30-40 rds/min ? Probably not. At full auto, 500 rds/min, it may be a different story.

Joe

Joe, is the buffer there to address full auto battering? Or strictly to soften the blow for the shooter? I suspect even a semi auto may benefit from a longer service life to metal parts that are buffered. But acknowlege that a full auto firearm, like any support weapon, would benefit from buffering.

Can’t the buffer be retained AND a striker operating spring telescope into the buffer tube? Or is there just not enough room for both?

I ask because I am in the process of trying to alter my HA Bren into a striker spring that utilizes the spring tube instead of the original large diameter spring held within the body of the firearm between the striker and the rear face of the trigger frame.

[Joe H]

Joe, is the buffer there to address full auto battering? Or strictly to soften the blow for the shooter? I suspect even a semi auto may benefit from a longer service life to metal parts that are buffered. But acknowlege that a full auto firearm, like any support weapon, would benefit from buffering.

Can’t the buffer be retained AND a striker operating spring telescope into the buffer tube? Or is there just not enough room for both?

I ask because I am in the process of trying to alter my HA Bren into a striker spring that utilizes the spring tube instead of the original large diameter spring held within the body of the firearm between the striker and the rear face of the trigger frame.

Amrifles,

Can't disagree with any of your comments about buffering.

I know of 4 different striker setups.

In Version 1 which I think is the Historic arms version and shown below as Bren Striker 1 the striker is powered by a large dia. spring that is compressed into a recess provided in the rear stock.
In Version 2 the striker spring is above the return spring and compresses into a tube in the area formerly housing the buffer spring.
In both 1 & 2 the breech block (bolt) buffer has been removed for the semi auto operation.
Version 3 uses a long small dia. spring on the return rod as the striker spring. In this version the buffer stays in place.
Version 4 is an excellent new version by "Mighty Lime" and is detailed in the link provided below.
In Version 1 & 2 as the bolt moves rearward it compresses both the striker and return spring on the rearward movement. The striker is cocked as the bolt moves to the rear. The return spring then pushes the bolt and carrier forward to the closed position.
Version 3 operation is somewhat different. As the bolt moves to the rear only the return spring is compressed. As the bolt and carrier move forward the striker spring is compressed and the striker is cocked.
Version 1 & 2 need adequate gas pressure to compress the original return spring plus the striker on the rearward motion under the gas pressure.
In Version 3 the striker spring is compressed by the return spring so that the return spring must be fully compressed and have adequate power to both return the bolt and carrier and cock the striker. Since in any striker semi the return spring cannot compress completely due to the length of the striker, a spacer equal to the length of the striker is often placed at the rear of the return spring to assure complete compression which is particularly important in Version 3.
I’ve built a couple of Version 3. It does take some tweaking to get the striker spring right. Both would work on gas setting 3 or 4 with no modification to the gas system. An original FA Bren would work reliably on #1 or #2.



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This info should help you with your project.

Joe

[AmEngRifles]

Joe, thank you for the overview on the known alterations. It would seem that most of these systems are in deed a delicate balance of spring rates and gas delivery.