Bren Magazine Fillers

[Flying10uk]

There seems to be very little information available on Bren magazine fillers such as how many Marks were there, was there a 7.62 version, who made them, what materials were they made of, did all Bren users use mag fillers and so on. I am aware of a Mk2 version mainly made of aluminium and so logic would suggest that there was a Mk1 version and I believe that there was a version made of mainly steel.

This is about the extent of my knowledge on Bren mag fillers, so not much. Is there some on-line information available which I haven't found or is some-one able to enlighten me on this matter, please.

Thank-you for any help.

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

In short, you don't see or hear about Bren magazine fillers because they were total crap! It took a few seconds sat with one to discover that it was simpler and a whole lot quicker to load a Bren magazine with a handful of loose rounds in your right hand, Bren mag in your left, facing forwards, resting on your left knee and load.

They were made by BIRMALOY (who also made lawnmowers) and there were two sorts. A hopper feed which used loose rounds and a clip feeder which used rounds stripped straight from a charger. So guess what used to happen? The one that was in your Bren chest was the wrong one for the ammo you'd taken to the ranges! In fact, you'd be better off if you'd taken a lawnmower instead.

The space at the left hand end of the Bren chest was there and fitted out to take the magazine filler. Even after the fillers were declared obsolete/useless, nobody thought to amend the chest drawings. So there the complicated cut-outs remained!

[Roy W]

To be fair Pete, we used magazine fillers all the time on Range Days.....................................they were called Sprogs!

[Peter Laidler]

I bet you've filled a few LMG mags in your day Roy...... And fired a few off!

[Roy W]

I've filled a few things Pete, not all of which I am proud of! Said the Actress to the Bishop

[CINDERS]

Yes and the fingers sure got very sore after a while....

[tombear]

I've got a UK mag filler for 7.62 mags which I assume fits on L4 as well as SLR mags. The Aussies made them as well I believe.

Never used it of course only having Deacs but I assume it was for stripper clips. Apart for loading the sniper rifle where the clips just to keep the rounds tidy in bandoleers? Where they part of the whole Nato supply thing? Sorry for asking what are probably newbie questions but why not boxes or packets of loose rounds?

ATB

Tom

[Aussie48]

We had rounds in strippers in Bandoliers and rounds in boxes, I imagine the UK had the same system.

[Peter Laidler]

We are getting off on a tangent a bit here I feel. The mag fillers for the old Bren were totally different from what we now regard as mag fillers for the L1 rifle and L4 Bren. Mind you some dimwit did devise a similar filler thinggy for the .303" Bren. But that never took off either because the crunchies soon learned - as it is today, that it's as simple to grab a handful of loose rounds and slip them into the magazine. On top of last round, click in and push back 32 times........ takes about 30 grief-free seconds.

I often used to think when I saw these mag fillers '.......if mag filling really needed these things, why didn't the same apply to the Sterling magazines.

Oh yes..... someone PM'd me to ask about the mag filler machine and the left side of the Bren chest story. Yep, it's true. Have a look and there you'll see the recesses and adjustable chocks and fittings

[Flying10uk]

Thanks for the information chaps which explains things and I like the bit about the lawn mower, Peter, which made me laugh. My only experience of Brens has been with D.P.s in the cadets years ago and in more recent years deacs. I seem to recall being instructed by sergeants in the cadets, after filling the S.L.R. mag, to give the back of the mag a sharp tap into the palm of the other hand in order to ensure all the rounds were up against the rear of the mag and this was suggested because it was felt that it helped with the feed??? If this is correct was similar action taken after filling the L4 7.62 mags?