ZB/Bren Firing Pins!

[TactAdv]

Okay, quick and dirty little question for the smarter folks amongst us.....

Are ALL "ZB-style" firing pins.....i.e., ZB26/30/30J/33/ZGB33/Bren/"8mm Inglis Bren"/L4-series, etc.,.......THE SAME physical dimensions??

Suddenly, I need to know for sure.

-TomH

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

The Bren, the 7.92mm Inglis and the L4 are the same. On that basis alone I wouldn't mind betting that the remainder are too especially if they are using the same ammo OR ammo with an identical base rim diameter.

There......, got 3/5 right. Does that put me in the 'almost/nearly smart' category Tom?

I bet they're all close enough to modify to fit and use

[TactAdv]

I'm with you, Peter. I realize all "Bren-type" are the same for sure, but I tend to think that since the FP never went through any variant changes (that I am aware of), it seems one of the few "ZB-style" parts that survived unchanged throughout the entire linage.

The only possible exception might be from the ZB26 to the ZB30 jump. The -26 is one I don't have, so I have to pass that on to someone who does have one or knows definitively.

Reason I am asking is......it would be nice to be able to market a single part, new made part, for use in all guns. There are actually, a fairly good number of ZB26/30/30J guns here. Swiss machines are wonderfully economic, but still would be much better to have one part for all applications, form a marketing perspective. ;-)


And, Yes Peter, I'd say your rapidly approaching the 'almost/nearly smart' category!

-TomH

[Lee Enfield]

"ovoid" firing pins were (not actually) a British invention, (some) CZ manufactured Brens used conventional round firing pins.

here is the straight poo from KevG (post #18) complete with pictures.

303 tracer round? - Weapons, Technology & Equipment - WW2 Talk

Here is another thread asking the same question:

I need help identifying these Bren parts please. Round firing pin?


NOTE: I attempted to attach pictures and my computer kept locking up...

[tankhunter]

Well, I will slip this even further, into the 'Smart Arse' category If I may?................

To be perfectly clear & Honest. NO Firing pin from whatever weapon. Is going to be: 'The same physical dimentions'......This is due to manufacturing Plus & Minus allowed Machining Tollerances.
To confirm this statement in hard evidence. That is why Go/No Go gauges are used for checking firing pin protrusion!..................There ya go! a New category on this topic! = Smart Arse!...

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, smart-arse...... but the L4, Bren and Inglis 7.92 are all within the critical manufacturers drawing criteria and therefore interchangeable.

Regarding the ZB stuff, where's ZGB abd KevG when you need them?

[TactAdv]

Well, I will slip this even further, into the 'Smart Arse' category If I may?................

To be perfectly clear & Honest. NO Firing pin from whatever weapon. Is going to be: 'The same physical dimentions'......This is due to manufacturing Plus & Minus allowed Machining Tollerances.
To confirm this statement in hard evidence. That is why Go/No Go gauges are used for checking firing pin protrusion!..................There ya go! a New category on this topic! = Smart Arse!...

Ah, Yes, indeed, spread with a light but delicious coating of sarcasm. Good, very good. Touche!

And.....right back at Ya........OF COURSE what I was inferring was were all of them specified with the same MANUFACTURING dimensions? And then, too, lets not leave out the inevitable poke at the conversion from metric to SAE dimensions, materials specification, heat treatments, tooling and fixturing commonalities (or NOT), plus the inevitable differentials in local inspection and quality control formats, practices, and acceptable variances. Local tolerance for variances of tool wear and machine capabilities. Non-specified exclusions for material substitutions. Acceptable variances for secondary tooling or machining substitutions. Plus.....probably a few more that were in play then, that I don't have to deal with today with the universal switch to DNC/CNC machining centers I work with to make parts.....TODAY.

So, other than THOSE, can we establish that amongst, say, the "ovoid-type" FPs' that there existed a unique SPECIFICATION within the manufacturing data?? ;-))

-TomH

---------- Post added at 09:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 AM ----------

Oh, and BTW.....and while we are at it....the concept, as in patentable concept, of the "non-round" (good, precise term, Eh?) FP was not limited to the "Bren-style".

Louis Stange got a Reichspatent in August of 1942 for a triangularaly-tapered FP with his "Schlagbolzen fur selbsttaetige Feuerwaffen" patent 724418 issued with the development of the Rheinmetall-Borsig MG39 LMG. It served the exact same purpose as the CZ/Bren style.....impact forming the primer cup to retain the primer in the annulus, amongst a couple other interesting claims.

Here's a nice piece on it by Ian,
Dead End: MG 39 Rh

[tankhunter]

......Wot 'E Said !................... Oh Andy, you forgot to add Minuite shrinkage due to climatic tempreture conditions on the Material !.........

I know you realise I was only Joking, Good response though. I HAVE to say! Now, stop Pontificating, & get that machine rolling!......