Bren Mk1m: Finally Reassembled

[Meerkoos]

Hi all.

This is the continuation to the "Bren Gun: Help Needed" thread. After lots of hard toiling, cleaning, breaking screwdriver tips, and swearing, the gun was put back together, with no parts left. What fun!



This is how it came, in a smallish box for around 280 GBP shipped.

This seems to be a amateur cutaway done to a mismatched Bren Mk1m. Still an interesting and fun piece to own. Serial number seems to be overstamped with "AL**".



Right side. Cleaned up really nicely I should say.



Left side. I decided to leave the metal untouched to showcase the beautiful patina. This gun has clearly been through some sort of use.



Bolt and carrier in the cutaway window. Was covered in loose rust. Easily scrubbed away after 72 hours soaked in oil.



Stock was originally devoid of finish and was badly dented. Steaming out the dents removed most of them. linseed oil was applied several times over the course of a week.



Nice and crisp roll marks. Note the cutaway portion on the slide.



Barrel and jacket have been chopped to reveal the worn rifling.



A little POV action .



The beast field-stripped.

Hope you enjoyed this beaut. Thanks for all your advice and comments on putting this thing back together!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Flying10uk]

Well done.

[mrclark303]

Great job Meerkoos, she looks great. If you ever decide to go for the sevice look, she would look great black with red edges to the cutaways..

[mmppres]

Good job nice work. Shows what a little blood sweat an tears will bring

[browningautorifle]

Looks good, now you know how.

[Meerkoos]

Thank you all for your kind words! This sure was a wonderful learning experience. Ironically, the armorer's manual just came today.... At least I have written reference now

---------- Post added at 04:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:00 AM ----------

Great job Meerkoos, she looks great. If you ever decide to go for the sevice look, she would look great black with red edges to the cutaways..

I'm sure she would. However, all the dings and scratches tell a story, and refinishing it would be a sin. I would however paint the cutaway portions in red enamel paint. This will take a bit of masking tape and a steady hand.

[Brit plumber]

The AL is a common overstamp, it's been discussed before but I can't remember the outcome. Is the original number visible? Did this come from the UK? Or have you just worked out the UK Sterling equivalent to another currency?

[Peter Laidler]

From memory and digging while I had the ear of the Indian Army Liaison officer, these ALxx JP, and several other similar marks were the identifier marks of the Princely Indian State forces prior to their being incorporated into the Indian Army as a whole. They were a real hotch-potch of kit and, so I've learned since from an old Indian Punjabi Sikh (still 6"4", 82yrs old and as erect as any 30 year old) of my acquaintance these state forces hoovered up kit sloshing around India after '45 and before '51 when they were absorbed.
This could all be wrong (except the markings) so please......, no long history lessons ....., please! I'll juts re-read that last ones again

Back to that skeletonised Bren. It's obvious that the person who started the project had a UK type SKN to start with because he's got some things such as the body buffer plate aperture pretty well exact. Not the sort of thing that a bit part amateur would consider. The butt and............. Nope, can't think of anything else. Incidentally, that overly complicated butt buffering mechanism shown partially in photo 5 was an expensive frill - if not a direct fraud which we were obliged to incorporate into production. The recoil was already taken by the body onto the body buffer during it's primary operation. It then reasserted itself and acted as a buffer AGAIN as the piston extension strikes it. The subsequent butts show what an expensive frill it really all was

While we were apprentices we had to explain why and have an answer for everything we thought necessary to sectionalise

[Meerkoos]

The AL is a common overstamp, it's been discussed before but I can't remember the outcome. Is the original number visible? Did this come from the UK? Or have you just worked out the UK Sterling equivalent to another currency?

Yes. The original number is clearly visible. I bought this object from a Swiss gunsmith who collects and makes cutaway models. I actually paid 350 CHF, which as you said, I converted to GBP.

---------- Post added at 11:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 AM ----------

From memory and digging while I had the ear of the Indian Army Liaison officer, these ALxx JP, and several other similar marks were the identifier marks of the Princely Indian State forces prior to their being incorporated into the Indian Army as a whole. They were a real hotch-potch of kit and, so I've learned since from an old Indian Punjabi Sikh (still 6"4", 82yrs old and as erect as any 30 year old) of my acquaintance these state forces hoovered up kit sloshing around India after '45 and before '51 when they were absorbed.
This could all be wrong (except the markings) so please......, no long history lessons ....., please! I'll juts re-read that last ones again

Back to that skeletonised Bren. It's obvious that the person who started the project had a UK type SKN to start with because he's got some things such as the body buffer plate aperture pretty well exact. Not the sort of thing that a bit part amateur would consider. The butt and............. Nope, can't think of anything else. Incidentally, that overly complicated butt buffering mechanism shown partially in photo 5 was an expensive frill - if not a direct fraud which we were obliged to incorporate into production. The recoil was already taken by the body onto the body buffer during it's primary operation. It then reasserted itself and acted as a buffer AGAIN as the piston extension strikes it. The subsequent butts show what an expensive frill it really all was

While we were apprentices we had to explain why and have an answer for everything we thought necessary to sectionalise

Very interesting insight, thanks for sharing. It is safe to say that this Bren Gun has been well used. The sights are bent, deep gouges in the wood, and almost a smoothbore barrel.

I have no idea of the context behind the particular cutaway job. Since this has been bought from Leon Crottet, master gunsmith, he must've known what he was doing.

The butt really was a pain the butt . Took two guys, one pressing the spring cap against a wall, and me slipping in the screw to hold it in place. The Mk1 and Mk1ms really were a bit on the complicated side. At least there is more to talk about!

[Peter Laidler]

The return spring should NOT have been that difficult to replace. It's not even a knack. Press butt slide onto the floor muzzle end downwards, steady the butt, drop return spring rod attached to outer spring(s) in, press down with thumb and half turn cap. Done about 1/3rd of a zillion of them. I think that you have the wrong springs there. Both springs should be 13.4" max length. But generally speaking SKN guns had reduced spring weights for obvious reasons