Let’s Go Bren Gun!

[mikie]

No way Ican afford a whole Bren, but I did find this demilled Bren Mk1 barrel assembly at a price I could afford. Now I just need the rest of the gun! 

Do any of you have Bren guns or related parts or equipment? 
Has anyone here fired one? 
I’d love to hear or see anything Bren you’d like to share.

Mikie

[Charlie Flick]

Hello Mikie:

 

I don't have a Bren gun either but have always admired them.  They are pretty scarce in the USA.

 

You might like this image from my collection.   It depicts Canadian Army Private H.E. Goddard of the 5th Armored Division near Arnhem on 4/15/45 with his shouldered Bren gun.  The European war had less than a month to run its course.  I hope Goddard made it.

 

Regards,

Charlie

 

 

[mikie]

Nice photo. Thanks! The Brens were interesting guns. My Dad was a BAR gunner during the war and the Bren was the British answer to it. Sadly I don’t have a BAR either. 
mikie

I forgot to mention that I was so excited when I opened the package that I didn’t pay attention that it was covered in grease. Within seconds, so was I😁. 
A few years ago I found a demilled frame for an Enfield #2 revolver. Mostly the hammer and grip section. I had fun seeing how far I could go finding parts to add to it. I’m really tempted to try doing that with the Bren. But the cost would be an order of magnitude higher. With my daughter’s wedding coming up, that’s not much of a possibility any time soon. Though it would be fun. 
Mikie

[Kia kaha]

 I carried one, the gun was cool but carrying 6 fully loaded magazines got a bit tiresome, we where still using the .303 Bren at the training depots, but w where deployed with a small amount of 7.62 guns along with L7A1 GPMG(FN MAG). Had one stoppage during a patrol as I was firing short bursts the barrel flew off !! I had unclipped the barrel nut while carrying it and didn’t realise after each short burst the nut returned but when I fired a long burst off she flew, didn’t go far just fell off. The number two of the gun team had a spare barrel so “no harm no foul”.
I’ve posted this photo before.

[Gunner87]

On 2/25/2024 at 7:13 PM, mikie said:

No way Ican afford a whole Bren, but I did find this demilled Bren Mk1 barrel assembly at a price I could afford. Now I just need the rest of the gun! 

Do any of you have Bren guns or related parts or equipment? 
Has anyone here fired one? 
I’d love to hear or see anything Bren you’d like to share.

Mikie

 

When I joined the British Army the Light Machine Gun (LMG) was still in service. This was the 7.62mm successor to the Bren. It was a great weapon with the advantage over the General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) in that it was magazine fed as opposed to belt.

 

The photograph attached is my crew on exercise in West Germany in 1988. The LMG can be seen mounted on the Commander's hatch.

 

Gunner

 

 

[mikie]

Thanks for your comments. I appreciate hearing about your experiences. They make things like this barrel more than just a hunk of metal. 
mikie