New Addition: 1957 Mk3 Bren Gun

[scoobsean]

Will the later conversions still work with just the single 'outer' spring and no buffer? I can find outer springs for sale but no inners or sets of both, currently.

[Peter Laidler]

A single outer will work perfectly. In all my years, I thought the upgrading was simply an additional inner spring inserted into the original outer! The actual reason for the double springs was a sad tale of woe that plagued the early Brens.

It worries me that you mention no buffer.......... There MUST be a recoil and piston buffer in the butt slide. Do you know how to check this feature. If you ain't got it or it's fouled up, your next range day is going to be purgatory

[scoobsean]

A single outer will work perfectly. In all my years, I thought the upgrading was simply an additional inner spring inserted into the original outer! The actual reason for the double springs was a sad tale of woe that plagued the early Brens.

It worries me that you mention no buffer.......... There MUST be a recoil and piston buffer in the butt slide. Do you know how to check this feature. If you ain't got it or it's fouled up, your next range day is going to be purgatory

Thanks Peter,
I was mistaken and having looked at some diagrams now know what you mean. I still have the piston buffer spring because I did not take off the return spring tube. I thought that the butt plate buffer spring was the only buffering on offer and obviously that is absent in the later buttstocks.

[Flying10uk]

I'm guessing that if the inner and outer springs are available and used that the springs should be coiled in opposite directions to each other, as is normal engineering practice, so as not to entangle each other?

[Peter Laidler]

Nope......... Presumably the usual engineering practices didn't apply in wartime Britain! But it is an interesting point you make, not one that I'd taken notice of in Bren terms previously.

[peregrinvs]

peregrinvs, I don't know if your example has numerous broad arrow acceptance markings on the metal-work, as my example does, but does any-one know if this indicates that the weapon has had at least some U.K. armed forces service before being potentially exported; or are these markings also found on U.K. produced weapons that have had no use whatsoever by home forces before being exported?

I had a quick look last night and couldn't see any broad arrows on the receiver or butt-slide. There may be one on the barrel handle sleeve, but it's indistinct.

---------- Post added at 10:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 AM ----------

Later the last Mk3's in Cadet and DP service were modified with a sling loop at the top of the butt plate to save the constant battering to the butt at the side and to take the superior GPMG sling.

I noticed the sling hook didn't seem to be doing the butt on my one any good and have since removed it. Can examples of the modified butt plate be had?

[Flying10uk]

What made me think of the inner and outer springs coiled in opposite directions is double valve springs on motor car engines. I was told always to ensure that they are coiled in opposite directions or face catastrophic results for the engine. The modified butt plate should be a simple job for any-one who owns a welder. Peter is the new hook simply butted up to the edge of the butt plate and welded on or does it overlap the rear of the butt plate as well and welded on the rear as well as the edge of the butt plate in order to give a stronger join? The picture looks like just on the edge.

[Peter Laidler]

We used to take a few dozen at a time to the welders. He'd slit a couple of 1/8" wide x 3/16" or so slots into the rounded top of the butt plate. Fit each end of a pre cut and bent bit of welding rod into the slots and just mig over the front and rear faces. Job done in a few mts then back to the Armourers to be phosphated and painted.

It was one of those brilliant modifications.......... BUT! They used to do ALL the guns with Mk3 gun type butts and it soon came back that the now longer modified butt plates wouldn't fit into the butt plate recess in the armoury rifle racks. But you can't please them all!

[tankhunter]

There is a simple preventative solution to the rear sling hook on any MK.II or III Bren. And also the 7.62mm LMG Variants.
Damaging the Wooden Butt Stock.

The sling is of sufficient length, to VERY simply omit the REAR Hook. And fit the sling directly to the Butt Plate sling Loop! Job Done!............

[Peter Laidler]

Yes but then the gun tries to hang right side-up at the rear instead of top edge upwards. Makes it very tiring to carry. Try it!