Bren MK1m

[Flying10uk]

Plenty of people appear to quote "Bren MK1m" online but I haven't seen anyone actually confirm what the "m" actually stands for. Therefore, I'm curious to know what the "m" after the "1" in Bren MK1m means, please? I assume that it stands for "modified" but I haven't seen this confirmed anywhere. I realise that the MK1m came after the Mk1 and modifications to the Bren.

Many thanks

[Peter Laidler]

I think that the m designation was an indicator to Armourers and Quartermasters that the gun was of Canada origin and might come with certain parts or more likely, a combination of parts with which they are not familiar. It was made known in the equipment regulations that regardless of this, that where a PART might not be interchangeable, ALL the main sub assemblies are fully interchangeable. A couple of parts that I do recall were barrel nuts/latches and spring and bipods

[Lee Enfield]

Here is the explanation from the Canadian EME Precis on the Bren dated 11 Oct 1944.

[green]

Thought the m was for BREN MkI made w/o scope bracket.

[Flying10uk]

Thanks for the replies chaps.

[Peter Laidler]

The enlarged gas port in the barrel was developed long before the Mk1m gun. This didn't change the actual GUN designation. It did change the BARREL designation from Mk1 to Mk1*. But I could be wrong.....

The enlarged gas port was the beginning of a long sorry saga that plagued the Bren reputation for reliability. Designers did not take on board at the time, the bigger picture and that with all/most things mechanical, a change here......., for the better (?) inevitably had an effect further along the chain. In this case, several DIRE effects further along the line.

A classic example was changing the design of the flash eliminator from a straight venturi as designed at Brunn, to a 'choked' or stepped venturi............. and then back to how it was designed!

[MGMike]

A classic example was changing the design of the flash eliminator from a straight venturi as designed at Brunn, to a 'choked' or stepped venturi............. and then back to how it was designed!

Peter, what was the cause & effect here?

M