Canadian Bren MKI/m

[lebel]

Having just aquired a MKI Inglis Bren and already the proud owner of a MKIm Inglis, I have some questions.

Now my understanding of the issue's regards the dropping of the MKI Bren was to speed up production, thus a number of alterations of which we are all familiar with result in the MKI and MKII respectively.

Now with this in mind and accepting that materials were not such an issue (though from my flirtaions with lathe work during my school days, surely the same physical quantites would be involved regardless) why bother going onto the MKIm given the amount of machine work involved between when compared with an Enfield MKI and MKI* and an Inglis MKI and MKIm?

( Just to clarify my point here the essential differences of the Inglis MKI and MKIm seems minimal compared to the back to raw basics of the Enfield MKI to MKI*)

Did the Inglis Bren ever find its way into UK Army service or was it reserved for the forces of the Canadian Army?

[woodsy]

The principal difference between the Mk I and Mk I(M) is the elimination of the FLS dovetail as the FLS had been obsolete since 1939. The elimination of other milling cuts (either side of mag well, top edges of body, gas cylinder area, etc) all contributed to a considerable saving in both time and machines. The changes probably saved about 1/2 an hour in production time, but more importantly saved at least 4 machine set-ups. Those machines would then be able to make other parts and speed up production. All of these were milling operations which are usually fairly slow so any boost to production was significant. The Mk II was even faster to make with the simplified sight, bipod, and barrel.

The Inglis Brens were widely supplied to NZ, RSA, and UK forces. The Lithgow Brens were all used by Australia only, but they may also have used guns from Inglis to keep up numbers.

[lebel]

Thank you

The Saving of a minimum 4 machine set ups makes a great deal of sence.