Bren Gun Mag. Loader ?

[tr63]

Anyone seen a Bren GUN mag. loader ?What did it look like ? How did it work ?

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[Peter Laidler]

I have seen them. Can't really describe what they looked like except that they looked like they'd never work in a month of Sundays. How did it work...... Badly! There were two sorts. One with a hopper for loose rounds and one for loading rounds in chargers. Others will hopefully come in with pictures and how their examples work flawlessly but the Army decided that they were totally crap so withdrew them very soon after introduction. They worked perfectly in the dry, warm classroom but were severely hampered if you were in a hurry, it was dusty, rainy, wet, cold, sandy, uneven, cloudy, dark....... you know the sort of thing. There has been a fair bit written about them on this forum and where the loader was located within the chest (yes...., it really was). Made by Birmaloy and Qualcast who also made lawn mowers and cast alloy parts for the Boys rifle etc etc. The Boys rifle worked a tiny bit better than the mag loaders

To be really honest, during your basic training you were required to fill a Bren magazine with 30 rounds in 1 minute. After a bit of practice among the recruit squad you had this time down to 30 seconds or so and all passed the TOET's easily. So I'm bound to ask what on earth was the use of a magazine loader. There was another drawback too. If you had hopper type loaders you can bet your last penny that your ammunition came in bandoliers/chargers and vice verca

[Flying10uk]

There was someone selling "genuine" Bren mag loaders on eBay out of Bulgaria a while back so I purchased one. I then decided, after it arrived, to consult the chaps here; it turned out not to be actually for the Bren although it does look very similar.

[Brit plumber]

Yes the plentiful ZB39 loader. I'm waiting for my numbers to appear! Oh and some AA sights to, wish the seller would hurry up and find them!!

[Flying10uk]

Yes the plentiful ZB39 loader.

Probably, I thought about complaining, but the chances of me getting a Bulgarian to understand that the "genuine" mag loader he had sent me wasn't actually for the Bren but for something else were probably about zero. (No disrespect to Bulgarians)

[tankhunter]

Pete, RE: 'Chocolate tea pot's'.....

I much prefer carrying handles for Main Battle Tanks. or an Ashtray on a Motorbike!

Nah, the chocolate teapot thing wouldn't work for me. As I only drink Coffee!......

[Brit plumber]

Probably, I thought about complaining, but the chances of me getting a Bulgarian to understand that the "genuine" mag loader he had sent me wasn't actually for the Bren but for something else were probably about zero. (No disrespect to Bulgarians)

Their English is good enough to list on eBay and he/they KNOW what they are!

[Peter Laidler]

Bren mag fillers........ Have you ever heard of chocolate tea pots? The trouble with the original Bren idea that it was meant to be all things to all men...., a sort of jack of all trades but master of none. Heavy MMG/support weapon on a tripod and dial sight, AA gun on its stand, SMG from the waist, defence on a fixed line tripod super-dooper accurate* 'rifle' with its telescope etc etc. I've said this before and will probably say it a thousand times again. But it only ever really excelled at ONE thing. As a section support weapon at section and platoon level. And at that, it reigned supreme. The only thing that could replace it was the 7.62 Bren until the early 80's when the GPMG was finally integrated into every Infantry regiment.

I've got my nostalgic clouded rose tinted spectacles on now and am back on the ranges. Fire orders time......... 'DOWN BEHIND THE GUNS, test and adjust your positions. Range 500...... Make sure your gun is aligned and sighted with the target number to your right. With a magazine of 30 rounds......... LOAD!
* i wasn't even as accurate at the most mediocre rifle of the time!

[Brit plumber]

I have a good photo of Bren/ZB etc. mag loader comparison thanks to KG, it will be somewhere on this forum I'm sure. I would post but I don't want to steal Kevs thunder so I'm sure he'll be a long at some point. If not do a forum search for Bren mag loaders and see what you find.

[Vincent]

Try looking in The Bren LMG (Light Machine Gun) forum.