+ Reply to Thread
Page 9 of 9 FirstFirst ... 7 8 9
Results 81 to 88 of 88

Thread: Bren L4 / .308 build

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #81
    Advisory Panel
    Peter Laidler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    12-09-2024 @ 02:10 PM
    Location
    Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The home of MG Cars
    Posts
    16,585
    Real Name
    Peter Laidler
    Local Date
    12-11-2024
    Local Time
    03:35 PM
    There were problems with the conversion of the Mk1 Bren to 7.62mm. That's because some of the internal and external machining configurations differed over the life of its production. We know about the external ones but they differed internally too.

    The Mk2 gun was standardised internally and externally. But even better, the Mk3 gun retained the same internal bodywork so BOTH were ripe for a standardised conversion progress and both were very successful.

    There was a proposed Mk4 gun, that was a Mk2 gun, lightened into pretty-much Mk3 spec. It seems that several hundred were converted and it was codified with a C1/CR xxxx type part number. The project was shelved because all the now redundant Enfield Mk1 production capacity was changed over to producing Mk3 guns. That meant that the Mk3 production was full steam ahead and the converted Mk2 - to Mk4 - was abandoned. But you could still occasionally find the lightened Mk3 gun butts (they were actually called, BUTT, Mk5) that started their lives as Mk2 butts, patched where necessary and lightened to Mk5 spec.

    Difficult to get your head around the VAOS nomenclature sometimes, but there you go!

    Generally speaking, Ordnance tried to ensure that the post war European based armies in Germany/Europe had the Mk2 guns, alongside Canada (and the allies such as Belgium and Holland who were also equipped with UK and Canadian stores). The Far East, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong and India (until 1947 ?) got the Mk3's

    My friend, an Army Ordnance liasion officer based at Enfield, Warrant Officer told me that many African - and others if a similar ilk - sent their Brens to Britain in exchange for as-new, reworked, converted L4 Brens. He said that we got thousands of crates of pure thrashed to death scrap that was only fit for the crusher or some spares and they got like brand new L4's

    There a bit of Bren history

  2. The Following 5 Members Say Thank You to Peter Laidler For This Useful Post:


  3. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Posts
    All Threads
    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  4. #82
    Legacy Member Daan Kemp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 07:02 AM
    Location
    Centurion RSA
    Age
    74
    Posts
    1,424
    Real Name
    Daan Kemp
    Local Date
    12-11-2024
    Local Time
    03:35 PM
    Must say in South Africa we used 7,62 Brens for some time from about 1972 onwards until they all disappeared, replaced by MAG, which were already in service by that time. IIRC local conversions using normal FN mags. All our FN mags were withdrawnin 1973 IIRC for Bren use and replaced with whatever.

  5. Thank You to Daan Kemp For This Useful Post:


  6. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  7. #83
    Advisory Panel
    Peter Laidler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    12-09-2024 @ 02:10 PM
    Location
    Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The home of MG Cars
    Posts
    16,585
    Real Name
    Peter Laidler
    Local Date
    12-11-2024
    Local Time
    03:35 PM
    I have seen several SA Brens, converted locally. They didn't have the magazine well inserts. Not a wise move! The original magazine guides suffer badly and as a result, the FN and L1A1 type magazines get eaten away without the support given to them by the mag well inserts.

    Our own L4A1 gun didn't have them either - and used the FN magazines with the small front knib instead of the big hefty block at the front that we use on our L1A1 type magazines. That said, the L4A1 didn't last very long but a few were still around and a whole lot of them ended up as 7.62mm DP L55A1 guns. Correct me if I'm wrong about the DP designation. But it was around that number!

  8. Thank You to Peter Laidler For This Useful Post:


  9. #84
    Advisory Panel
    Peter Laidler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    12-09-2024 @ 02:10 PM
    Location
    Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The home of MG Cars
    Posts
    16,585
    Real Name
    Peter Laidler
    Local Date
    12-11-2024
    Local Time
    03:35 PM
    Just another thing about the L4 Brens and the remaining 303 Brens with Mk3 gun butts fitted Cal-50 and others that might be restoring them. A late modification was to put a sling loop on the top curvature of the butt plate. A GOOD idea but it was a good example of the office bound senior people not getting the whole picture. That's because when the guns were returned to workshops to have the butt plates modified (usually the big workshops would send a quantity of modified ones over for the unit Armourers to fit as and when), they'd be returned but the new deeper butt plate - with the looped extension on the top - wouldn't fit in the rifle and machine gun racks! Well, they WOULD, but it bent the new sling loop over and it broke!

    Nobody was game to authorise the modification to the bolted-in gun racks. Another bit of Bren history. Has anyone got the EMER that shows the modification?

  10. The Following 4 Members Say Thank You to Peter Laidler For This Useful Post:


  11. #85
    Legacy Member cal50's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Last On
    12-06-2024 @ 09:29 PM
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    118
    Local Date
    12-11-2024
    Local Time
    08:35 AM
    Thread Starter
    Bren MKI double dovetail , L4A3 and a MKII.
    My three rescue guns and one more to go.



  12. The Following 5 Members Say Thank You to cal50 For This Useful Post:


  13. #86
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 11:38 PM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    30,524
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    12-11-2024
    Local Time
    05:35 AM
    Nicely done...
    Regards, Jim

  14. Thank You to browningautorifle For This Useful Post:


  15. #87
    Contributing Member Low & Slow's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 10:40 PM
    Location
    colorado usa
    Posts
    426
    Local Date
    12-11-2024
    Local Time
    06:35 AM
    Great work!

  16. Thank You to Low & Slow For This Useful Post:


  17. #88
    Advisory Panel
    Peter Laidler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    12-09-2024 @ 02:10 PM
    Location
    Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The home of MG Cars
    Posts
    16,585
    Real Name
    Peter Laidler
    Local Date
    12-11-2024
    Local Time
    03:35 PM
    Nice to see. Great guns

  18. Thank You to Peter Laidler For This Useful Post:


+ Reply to Thread
Page 9 of 9 FirstFirst ... 7 8 9

Similar Threads

  1. Bren L4 Build Oddity? (New to Bren builds)
    By Heaxyxmetal in forum The Bren LMG (Light Machine Gun)
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 07-31-2022, 01:20 PM
  2. Semi build bren question
    By Myblue in forum The Bren LMG (Light Machine Gun)
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 07-14-2021, 01:34 PM
  3. Bren MkIII, semi auto Project Guns build
    By AmEngRifles in forum WTS/WTB/WTT (Want to Sell, Buy or Trade) Forum
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-12-2021, 10:26 AM
  4. Bren semi auto build - USA
    By garthok in forum The Semi-Automatic Bren LMG (Light Machine Gun)
    Replies: 41
    Last Post: 01-31-2020, 04:08 PM
  5. bren 303 rreceiver for bren 8mm build ?
    By dherb in forum The Bren LMG (Light Machine Gun)
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-05-2015, 04:38 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts