Bren Mags

[ZGB]

ELECTROLUX made the Mk1* bottom plate of which i have several in my collection.
The only component so far that i cannot find made by ELECTROLUX is the platform, all the ELECTROLUX mag's i have checked so far, the platforms are MA III 42 or 43 marked & dated.

[Kev G]

For ZGB -

[Peter Laidler]

I wonder if there'll ever be a day when there is an L1A1 magazine collecting fraternity......

[browningautorifle]

I wonder if there'll ever be a day when there is an L1A1 magazine collecting fraternity......

Perhaps one day even we'll be worth something Peter...regimentally speaking...

[Flying10uk]

I have an empty Bren mag box that has been converted to take the straighter L4 mags but the problem is that the L4 mags are much harder to get hold of than the .303 version. Therefore much more expensive when occasionally offered for sale.

I do plan to start a thread on the mag boxes (standard 12 mag tins) of which I have a number of the .303 version when I get round to taking some pictures. I am curious as to some of the markings on the tins and, with luck, members may be able to help identify.

[Vincent]

I wonder if there'll ever be a day when there is an L1A1 magazine collecting fraternity......

I have been gathering inch pattern and metric mags for a while, so, I guess I am in that “collecting fraternity.”

I like “Collecting fraternity member.” It has a nice ring to it and sounds so much better than “Hoarder of Guns, Mags and Ammo.”

[tankhunter]

I like 'Temporary Custodian's of History' better!..

[Peter Laidler]

A magazine box thread (thread 15)........... I feel a headache coming on! You could write a small book on the relaxations in standards and handle configurations. Add to that the repair procedures catered for! Not usually an armourers job because broken/damaged boxes were usually shipped out to the A&G tinsmiths and equipment repairers. But we did carry out the occasional modifications - and convert a few into suitable-to-type range boxes!

As I have said a zillion times, the bren is a classic example of something that encourages the bane of all authors...... mission creep. The other good example is being written as we speak. The FN-MAG 58 L7 GPMG

[ZGB]

Thank you Kev g for doing the photo image for me.
1. I hope the image of the ELECTROLUX bottom plates helps you out, next time you are at a show/fair FLYING10
2. I would be interested if anyone discovers a platform made by ELECTROLUX(anal retentive i know, but its all part of the collecting bug)
3. The image of the wrapped ELKINGTON mags takes me back to a time in the very early 90's when i started collecting Bren stuff and all i had to go on was the old BREN GUN SAGA which showed the ELKINGTON wrapped mag although not described as such, on page 132 described as an experimental magazine (light expendable magazine.) imagine my joy one day when i discovered 12 in a box thinking i had found a holy grail only to have been shot down in flames by old Herb at the pattern room tell me they were ELKINGTON made and a uncommon magazine but standard, how things have changed. Its a good thing now the amount of info that has come out since and put on forums etc by the collecting fraternity. Still got to wait and find out if hi capacity military mags are to be banned by the EU. so get Bren mags while you can! And yes i do still have that now very grubby 1st edition BREN GUN SAGA which got me started back in 92.

[Flying10uk]

The image of the Electrolux bottom plate doesn't really help me out much which Kev kindly posted in Post 12 but it may be helpful to other Forum members. The reason for this is because I posted my own image of an Electrolux bottom plate in Post 8 together with other images of an Electrolux mag, one of perhaps 2 dozen Electrolux Bren mags that I have.

Just a quick "preliminary question" to do with the mag tins which hopefully won't result in a migraine for anyone. Does anyone have any idea the reason for one of my mag tins having a bright red stripe painted down the front left corner of the tin? I only have one tin with this stripe and wondered if it was to show that the tin contained D.P./practice mags not intended for live firing use???