Can I use BREN L4A4 Barrel for 308 conversion

[Sgt]

I have a semi 303 MK 1. At some point 303 rounds will be extinct, so I'm looking to convert to 308. I cannot find any South African barrels. Could I use a Bren L4 A4 barrel instead?

[APEXgunparts]

I believe you also need a bolt from the L4 series of BREN guns.
There are or were L4 BREN kits around and some people used them as a source for 7.62 conversion parts.
I am not sure how the magazine well gets adapted to handle the 7.62 L1A1 magazines used in the L4 BREN.
The members of the "Weapons Guild" web site might have more specific answers about the 7.62 caliber conversion.
You have to be a member of that forum to read the posts and ask questions.
I hope that helps.

Richard

[BRMCII]

Not drop in to .303 receivers. Various non-.303 caliber production Brens had the barrels deliberately altered so as not to lock up and function in a .303 receiver. The most common pre-WWII were the Inglis 7.92 versions made for the Chinese and so marked. The 7.92 barrels will not lock up and headspace in a .303 receiver and have a different breech face configuration. Mag dimensions are another high Jardel for longer cartridges than .303. Any caliber can be made to function in a Bren with enough engineering and gunsmithing.

FWIW

[johnsonlmg41]

There are a quite a few SA barrels out there. You just have to find one. There are a number of different ways to go about the 308 conversion depending on what parts you have and how you want to go about the conversion. Combinations of different bolts modified and unmodified, different 308 barrels (I have one being made), locking shoulders, and a couple magazine choices. I have a pile of conversion stuff, but haven't had the time to get fully involved.

It can sort of be a drop in depending on what parts you have?

A couple years ago Numrich had .308 barrels, but they seem to be sold out?

The L4 kit parts don't have much use in the 303 bren and the magazine does not fit and would need significant modification if it would work at all? (I scrapped that idea after looking at it)

Edited July 6, 2022 by johnsonlmg41