What does the D mean?

[Peter Laidler]

Nope, you're not getting cynical in your old age Cinders. It's a fact - that's what does indeed happen! You can see and hear them at the UK Arms fairs. Going off at a tangent now so..........

One gave me a quick lecture about Fazakerley and Theale Mk5 Stens at a Bisley show during the summer while my friend and I were looking at some, deciding which one he would best buy. The dealer showed the expert a good little book about them and suggest that he should buy it to enhance his already wide field of knowledge and expertise. No response or recognition...........

[browningautorifle]

One gave me a quick lecture about Fazakerley and Theale Mk5 Stens

Kind of him...and generous.

[mickyboy]

Thanks Peter.

[Peter Laidler]

No need to thank me Mike....., just saying it as it generally is on the Bren Forum. The number would be welcome (leave out the last co7ple if you feel the need) as would a couple of photos. The flock could probably tell you more about what you have

[TactAdv]

I'll stick around Peter...I only had one Bren but it was a Mk1...so long ago I can hardly remember.

Well, Peter, not everyone is afflicted with the disease to the same degree.

I do also note too that until this 'D' question popped up here......said forum was in a near month long state of silence. Primed the pump so to speak.....

Now, I do have a serious question about these Daimler-made guns (receivers); who here besides me has a still-functional machine gun with a Daimler-made receiver? I'm asking because it relates to something I am curious about that only matters to still original, uncut, receivers. Anyone who has one too I'd like to talk with you.
-TomH

[Flying10uk]

When an answer has been provided to a question that has been raised, it is just good manners to say thank-you which is dead easy to do on this Forum because all you have to do is click on the box that says "thanks". Even a person with my limited I.T. skills is able to do without too much effort.

I suspect that the "D" marking (Daimler) could/may get confused for the Enfield marking, "E" within "D". My deactivated MK2 Bren by Daimler is marked with the dispersal code rather than the "D". Does anyone know how long the "D" marking was used for before switching to the dispersal code? Was it a relatively short period?

[CINDERS]

To me the Bren Forum would be a very specialized place to post a thread due to the fact that its membership would be in the limited variety given its restrictive nature and high cost of obtaining one hence the long periods of silence, if the Lee Enfield forum was silent for a month I would be worried that the old girls are finally playing the game and all is well with the universe.

Peter I surmise you would have held your council when looking at the said rifle with your friend, wish I was the person standing next to you then again I probably would have burst out laughing with him trying to explain to you that this was the right rifle for your friend Oh Lordy what a gaff you could have had! but I commend you on your humility and good manners in not embarrassing the sales person.

[Sarge]

TACTADV - where are you at? I'm in Colo Spgs.
I've got a running Mk I, Paper work says it's a BSAF. It's burried so deep in the safe I don't feel like digging it out.
Do you have anything else besides the Bren? I've got several including a couple of Stens.
We should get together some time and "Exercise" out gunz.
Sarge

[Peter Laidler]

Brens, albeit deactivated ones are VERY common in the UK Cinders. All of the variants seem to be doing the rounds but the rare ones really are the Enfield Mk1 intermediates - Those within the 6 small sub-groups between the original early Mk1 and the full blown Mk1A's. So a serial number makes life interesting for those that are interested in this numerology stuff.

Like F-10 comments. Just a simple thanks is all that's needed so that at least you can see that the info has been taken on board. But alas, new Bren enquirers seem to come - ask - and go! Just my view backed up by the threads..............

Just remembered. The real rare ones are the Canadian intermediates. Those between the Inglis Mk1's and the Inglis Mk1M's. A very small window of change there. Canada/Inglis retained the fluted gas cylinder because this was used as an important fixture point during some internal machining operation and to delete it as per the Enfield Mk1A would have caused a major line upheaval - to achieve little. So it was agreed by the Ordnance Board that it should remain.

[Brit plumber]

TomH, what would you like to know? I've a few non functional Daimler Mk2s with original receivers but they are non runners so if it's specific to firing them...I'm not the one you are looking for.

The D to M67 change occurred around the T serial no range in 1942 (I have it written down somewhere. The MkII to Mk2 occurred in the RB1000 to RB2000 in the 3rd quarter of 44.

The Inglis intermediates are marked Mk1m and are in the range M4000 to M5000.