My Bren semi-automatics MKI and MKII

[pitfighter]

I bought these kits when the going was good and they sat languishing, I realized they are suddenly enjoying their time (they are getting more expensive and desirable.) So I snapped up some receiver chunks from BRP.

Two mag carriers fell into my lap at Sturmgewehr.com , the canvas barrels came from Ebay I think along with the tools in a large lot from Australia, that took some time to arrive. I had Sean Prasky build the guns, this took a very long time as I guess the strikers have become difficult to locate now, anyway, they're not beautiful, but they run and go bang. I qualified on the .303 Bren as a cadet in the UK about a thousand years ago (1980's, yes the L4 (7.62x51mm) was being used by the regular army at that time, but snot nosed cadets were using No.4 Lee Enfield and .303 Bren Guns), so these brought back memories and they are just fun to shoot.

The toughest part was finding ammo, and then...

...I walked into a local gun store and discovered they had a huge stock of modern .303 at about $ a round, so I stocked up, and can now see off an invasion of Square headed Waffen SS or black painted steel plates at my leisure.

1. 12 X magazine chests - one chest contains unused mags still in grease paper.

2. 2 X first pattern Fairbairn Sykes daggers 1941 - more valuable than the two Bren guns.

3. Winchester WW2 .303 -  I have read this Winchester ammo was very un reliable.

4. The Bren Gun Saga book - a really good read, technical and anecdotal.

5. 2 X Canvas spare barrel carriers, with spare barrels and cleaning tools, parts., etc. (The barrels are individually head-spaced so I doubt these spare barrels will ever work with my rifles, but they are fun accessories.)

6. Royal Marines Commando beret. (not mine.)

 

 

Edited June 30, 2023 by pitfighter

[APEXgunparts]

AH, the BREN LMG, every British schoolboy dreamed of having one of these!
The WW2 comics had many pages loaded with action featuring the BREN gun.
Lots of history in those two firearms!
I am sure you enjoy having them.

In case you need more slings, barrels, tools, spent brass catchers, canvas carriers, tool rolls or gun covers, here is the link to the category on our web site.

BREN LMG category

I wish I had those first pattern Fairbain daggers!
Mine are the later issue ones.

Richard

[pitfighter]

Thank you Richard, 

 

I have Apex stickers all around my gun desk, and I believe plenty of my Bren parts (L1A1, MP5) came from your company too, my apologies for leaving you out of the original post.

Always, excellent service, turnaround and prices, highly recommended.

I love the First Pattern FS dagger, the others patterns do accumulate while you hunt for the First Patterns, but they are the special ones IMO.

 

Thank you,

 

Jesse

I believe some my L1A1 (flash-hider) parts came from you, or parts for the MP5 MP5 (trigger grip parts) or both.

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by pitfighter

[johnsonlmg41]

Nice!

When I was hunting mag chests, I actually offered more for one that was not in cosmoline, since that is a project of hours if you ever need to clean them!

I have a complete MK1 tripod for sale on sturm should you feel the need?

I have a case of that Canadian Winchester 303, but have not given it a  shot yet?  Sure does look nice though.

The two Bren gun saga books are great, but dated.  Supposedly there was an update in the works, but I have not heard anything for quite some time?

[pitfighter]

Cheers Johnsonlmg41,

Hah, indeed I appreciate the dislike of cosmo - these mags are not in cosmo, just unused, like new and in wax paper, I shot one, so they are no longer unused, hah.

I just won another Bren Mag Crate (my third one) on GB for under $200.00 - As I literally only use a max of four mags at the range, it is all in preparation for the impending North Korean attack on the suburban US mainland, I am ready to do my part.

I love the Winchester .303 boxes, but a quick search on line and I gather it was unreliable at best and dangerous at worst. The English troops did not dig it.

I didn't know there were more versions of The Bren Gun saga book, this one was expensive enough and I am only a beginner stage nerd. But I liked it and the read was interesting, though a bit dry.

 

Happy Fourth Guys - !

 

[APEXgunparts]

Here is a unique bit of WW2 Winchester 303 history.
303 pressure test barrel

It will be relisted on E-Bay shortly.

Richard

[BPinFL]

Welcome to the Bren world!  I recommend the brass catcher. When shooting my FA MKII from the bipod the downward ejected brass is very hot and will burn your arms for sure.  Also easier to collect your empties.

Also, a Bren Drum is really cool.  It speeds up the ROF compared to magazines. The greek .303 runs best for me.  Good Luck, BP

[pitfighter]

7 hours ago, BPinFL said:

Welcome to the Bren world!  I recommend the brass catcher. When shooting my FA MKII from the bipod the downward ejected brass is very hot and will burn your arms for sure.  Also easier to collect your empties.

Also, a Bren Drum is really cool.  It speeds up the ROF compared to magazines. The greek .303 runs best for me.  Good Luck, BP

Thank you, indeed there are quite a few more interesting Bren items to collect, including a tripod.

 

Feel free to post your Brno + Enfield, or ZB  pictures here folks, would love to see the other Brens, Bren variants and accessories out there.

I had a ZB26 adapted to BFONG when I started out, we never could get it to cycle right and no one ever rented it (it went out on one music video), so I traded it for work on another project. Of course I miss it now, and have tried to trade it back, lol.

ZB in music video.

 

 

[johnsonlmg41]

An early double dovetail Bren with all the accoutrements including the line sight.  The other style loader is in the chest in it's spot.  AFAIK all the accessories are here (even though not all is in the pic). 

It's unfortunate that the books are so expensive.  The revised edition has some more information, but not near enough to justify spending several hundred dollars on another book? 

I probably have 4 mag chests here....which is 3 too many, but I think only one has the correct markings on it for this gun, which of course when I learned more, made me search for the last one after having the other three already?  The only good news is that they are cheap. 

I have a ZB as well, but it looks like I've been under-dressed while shooting it?  LOL   Clown pictures are always disturbing, but I always wonder about the minds of people that create stuff like that and if that's the stuff they let out, what about the stuff even they are afraid to talk about? 

 

[pitfighter]

That is a great set up you have there, Johnsonlmg41!

How did you determine the markings were incorrect or correct for your Bren, via markings on the mags, or the mag chest?

I agree on the book prices, however, we're in the minority now, as the act of buying a book is an anathema to this new generation.

I love my book collection, regularly inherit books people "can't give away."

Interesting times.

 

The music video guys are fine, they're all just working hard making a living, they know they're playing a game for the most part, lol.

[johnsonlmg41]

The mag chest is marked MKI and is British.  There are also MKI marked from Canada with a Canadian proof.  The mags are all marked and can be traced back to certain periods in some cases, but I've not gone down that rabbit hole of sorting through mags.....yet.   I did start that today on MP40 mags since there was a pile brewing and a few more came in today including a slabside, so I felt the urge to "do something"!

The book prices may have reached a plateau, but they don't generally seem to be dropping?  The younger folks think everything can be found on the net, but the reality is, it's difficult to find all the content of a 382 page book online?  That's if you know what you're looking for and often it just appears as you're paging through?  I don't know how you can get too serious in this hobby without a reference collection of books?

A lot of the time between the books, the net, and other collectors you still can't find an answer on certain parts/ guns/ accessories that are obscure?