Bren Mags

[ZGB]

Sorry, did not zoom in on the thumbnail photo of the ELECTROLUX bottom plate you had posted earlier.

[Peter Laidler]

I don't think that colours stripes or shapes indicate anything but the Company, platoon or section.

There were a couple of recognised markings for DP magazines. Just a white band and DP markings of course but DP guns just use service magazines EXCEPT the same mags with a bright red cross. These had a semi official modification carried out. But I could never find an official explanation! But it was VERY common. The mod was that he rear of the mag platform was chamfered to prevent the HOD operating during every cycle during dry training

There were some with a yellow band that had an alloy insert down the inside front face in order to use the short crimped blank. I saw a load of these in poor condition a few years ago.

added a bit later..... I have a funny feeling that the yellow banded mags with the insert were of some foreign origin (Canada?) because the use of short crimp ammo wasn't sanctioned for use in the Bren due to the obvious feed problems and the fact that we didn't have BFA barrels to match - just the 'smasher' barrels for the wood bulletted blank type ammo. Mind you, bulletted blank ammo was always in short supply. It was reported that the training allocation was two rounds per man per year per haps!

[nzl1a1collector]

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

There is

[Kev G]

For ZGB, Ryland Brothers magazines 43 & 44 dated.

[Peter Laidler]

Somebody ought to write a book about Bren magazine collecting. I'm sure it would sell. I saw one about collecting jerry-cans, so on that basis.............

But how do you get RBA to equate to Ryland Brothers KG? Ryland Brothers Accrington?

[Kev G]

[ZGB]

Thanks kev g for posting the pics of the RBA marked mags i discovered the other week(i dont do photobucket.)
1. B.H.P.'Broken hill proprietray' company produced the steel ingots at their newcastle works
2. LYSAGHTS rolled the ingots into cold roll strip for the production of machine gun magazine's
3. I can not be 100% at this time about the manufacture of bren mag case's by Rylands,but Rylands brothers wire was set up in newcastle by Rylands warrington England. The Rylands newcastle works was taken over by B.H.P and maintained the name RYLANDS and continued to be a fabricator of drawn steel wire products. I can only assume at this time that RYLANDS took delivery of the cold roll strip from LYSAGHTS and fabricated the mag case/body,hence RBA,which also according to Skennerton may stand for RYLANDS BROTHERS Australia.
4. Research is in the very early stage, but now folks have seen the markings its another variation to collect.

[Kev G]

I'm glad the info I sent came in usefull :-)
Skennerton in '100 years of Australian Service Machineguns' P116, definitely lists Rylands Bros,Newcastle,Aust as subcontractors for Bren magazines.

Other references are 'Australia's Economy in it's International Context' Vol I 1904 -1954



And -



Hope this helps,ATB KG

[Peter Laidler]

That field in front of the factory (thread 26) looks just like my garden. Must get out there and mow it next summer.....

[Flying10uk]

Alternatively purchase a goat/sheep.