MGMike

I love happy endings! M

Well: Did you like the article? M

This doesn't make sense to me. Why would the load with a much lighter bullet and the same propellant charge have a slower rate of fire? M

Well, it should not be loose. If you're going to war and your life depends on it, you can stake it again, but otherwise loctite will do just fine. Just keep an eye on it by checking it occasionally. Truthfully I wouldn't worry too much about headspace. The worst that can happen is separated cases, and they are not dangerous, just a nuisance. I'd be more concerned about having a nice, firm fit between the receiver, barrel and locking collar. You don't want the barrel wobbling, but you also don't want to struggle to lock the barrel in. There is a sweet spot which you'll find with the right combination of parts. M

Actual headspace is a function of the variables in five different components: the receiver, barrel, bolt, locking collar, and locking shoulder-- plus the ammunition itself, the rim thickness of which can vary quite a bit. Any of them can change the headspace. But the Bren is remarkably tolerant; the worst that can happen is a separated case, which you'll discover when the gun unexpectedly stops, and the next round won't chamber. Then try swapping out any one of the above. M

Set it to the second dot and forget it. M

The ejector is removed by using a small punch to press in its retaining pin from below. The pin is of larger diameter above the ejector and is spring-loaded, so that when pushed in far enough to clear the ejector, the ejector can be lifted out. The pin and spring can then be removed. US2345077.pdf This is shown on one of Gus Swebelius's original patents on the UD. M

Some 30 years ago, I recorded s/n S-233796 as "Tommy Gun" marked. The gun was at Interarms, in Alexandria, VA; it had come from the U.K. M

It's all a matter of risk assessment. As between fresh factory ammo from a first-line American manufacturer vs. reloaded ammunition from whoever, which strikes you as the greater risk? And as between the possibility of a squib while shooting top-quality ammunition vs. the possibility of mechanical or cosmetic damage from barrel changing? I don't think the relative risks are even close. M

If you can afford a Colt Thompson, you can afford to buy first-quality factory-fresh ammunition. M

It's "short" recoil. Cause: weak cartridge, fouled chamber, or partially clogged gas port. You didn't say what kind of ammo you were using, but that's the most likely. M

I've owned one for years, and mine is one that works. It's unique, all right, but it has almost nothing to commend it. M

Wayne Wardman's book, The Owen Gun (ISBN 0731603656), presents the case that while Evelyn Owen was the inventor of the gun, the two Wardell brothers --Vincent Wardell, the General Manager of Lysaght's, and Gerald Wardell, its Chief Engineer--were the ones who developed (and politically protected) Owen's ideas to transform it from a workshop project into a producible design and made it a success. M

And I thought mine was the only one with those crappy welds. Reisings make Stens good good. M

This is not exactly "news". It happened in August 2009. M