7.92mm "Resistance" Bren receiver

[richardw]

This cut receiver sold on the Gunbroker auction site a couple of days ago. According to Dugelby, it was made by John Inglis especially to arm Resistance groups in Europe. (The Bren Gun Saga, p. 246-7).

It was listed as a 7-day auction and I had planned to bid close to the end, but the seller ended it after only one day, with the bidding at $305. Not sure if I would have gone higher than that with my bid. Probably.

I emailed the seller to ask him for the serial number, but he only replied that it had been sold. I don't know if he didn't feel like looking for it or if he misunderstood my question. Dugelby said that the serial should have an "OT" prefix.

These photos are from the auction listing. He said that he only had the 7.92mm receiver and that the other parts shown with it are from a regular .303 Mk2.

[Mongo]

I saw this auction and wondered about the marking on it. It says its a MkI on the side but it has the mounts for the Mk2 ladder sight. Am I wrong that all MkI guns had the drum adjustable rear sight?

[richardw]

Yes, I believe you're right about that.

Dugelby describes these markings as "enigmatic".

[Kev]

Hi the serial numbers on these guns do not follow the norm of having a letter prefix to them.They instead have a number prefix and are marked thus 1-2345
The Canadian War Museum has two examples 1-0001 and 2-3429
A US collector has one in the 3 prefix range.

They could be more correctly called 'covert' as there are no manufacturers marks ,inspection marks or any ordnance marks on them whatsoever.

Why the MK2 body is marked 'MKI' is any bodies guess.

There is also a manufacturing anomaly that is perculiar to these guns which I won't waffle on about unless anyones interested.

ATB Kevin

[Kev]

Pic showing serial number style on the top of the reciever from one of my 'covert' Brens.



ATB Kevin

[woodsy]

Hi Kev

Is there any evidence that these 'Resistance' Brens were ever distributed in Europe, or did they wind up in China?

I often wonder about the logic behind some of these 'covert' items when, to the trained eye, it is obvious where they come from. One of the better ones I have seen was the supply of .45 ACP to Sri Lanka in sterile white packets to get around the UN embargo of some years ago. The cartridges all had the standard headstamp of Pretoria Metal Pressings (PMP) which kind of defeated the purpose! Some of the Chinese attempts with ammo and guns over the years are equally ludicrous!

[Kev]

Hi Rod,the only European country I know of that had 7.92mm Brens dropped was Czechoslovakia just before the wars end.These were 0T marked Brens (non Chinese character inscribed) although one seen bares the Canadian mutual aid logo.
These 0T serialed Brens still had the red 'non standard ammo' band on the body and barrel.

I can only pressume that 7.92 Brens were air dropped due to the profusion of German ammunition that was about in this period of hasty retreat back into Germany ?

All other resistance in European countries seem to have been supplied with 303 Brens.

My feeling is that these 'covert' number prefix Brens were post war ?

ATB Kevin

[Mongo]

Well given that the ZB26 and 30 magazine is the same one used in the 8mm Bren guns, I am guessing that is the reason Czechoslovakia got the 8mm Brens. There is a transferable 8mm Bren for sale here in the states and the ad states its a MKI but there is no pictures of it. The gun is $45K US so its a bit out of my price range unless I want to give up ever replacing my 10yr old vehicle.

[kgp]

25 or so years ago I stumbled across a cut up 8mm Bren in scrap. I was smart enough to get it rewelded before the US mg ban. Unfortunately, the person who did the work created a new serial number and I cannot remember what the original was.

At about the same time there were both 8mm and 8mm converted to 7.62x39 Bren parts kits on the market in the US that came from China. I picked up several of those and have been shooting the gun in both calibers ever since.

I will try and figure out how to post some photos.

As I understand, and I believe you can confirm it in Dugelby, these guns were marked Mk 1. Mine certainly is and, like the one in Dugelby, is not real nicely lettered.

[Kev]

Look forward to some photos

[kgp]

Sorry a few photos are blurry.

[iannrmn]

hi everyone

i may be wrong here but i was thinking mabe
the designation 7.92mk 1 makes sence

even though its a bren mk2 reciever as we know it
we are thinking of the .303 seriese of guns
if this is the first 7.92 then it is a mk 1 of that series
as the L4 series should realy be designated
7.62 bren mk1 and so on

just a thought cheers ian

[Gripweed]

This is very interesting! I know that one resistance group near Brno was supplied from air with 2 Brens, but I had no idea that they could be possibly converted for 7.92 ammo
Dropped material 8.4.45 near Nenkovice, south Moravia:
2x Bren, 40x Mauser K 98, 45x STEN, 45 pistols, 10 revolvers, 108 grenades, 9 TNT packs, 2 spare Bren barrels, 20 Bren mags, 296 Sten mags, 15 lanyards, 5 binos, 2 bino cases.
Other stuff: 1 radio, 1 bren spare parts bag, 1 SMG spare pats bag, 100x CSR armband, 34.000 cartridges for LMGs,SMGs, rifles etc.
Equipment: 4 jackets, 21 trousers, 40 shirts, 27 towels, 13 overcoats, 80 bandages, 14 mackintoshs, 18 blankets, 15 groundsheets, 71 socks, 6 sweaters, 24 vitamin cans.

They fought till 29.4. and then, after liberation, all weapons were commited to Red Army. What happend with them then I dont know.

Interesting article about this here - unfortunately only in Czech, but try Google translator.

[Kev]

Interesting link,the night in question 8th/9th April there were 5 sorties by the US 859th to Czechoslovakia of which two were successfull.The 885th flew 9 sorties the same night of which three were successfull.Most of the designated drops were in the Brno,Prerov area.

ATB Kevin

[kgp]

That was my thinking, too, Ian.