Bren mag markings

[earlymb]

Hello all,

this is my first post. I realise this subject is probably beaten to death several times already, but I wonder if anyone knows what date/era this .303 Bren mag is? From what I read here it's Australian made, possibly by Lithgow. I can't decipher the mark left of the War Arrow though?





These are all the stamps I could find on it.

Thanks!

[woodsy]

Aug 26, 2015 12:14:48 GMT 1 earlymb said:

Hello all,

this is my first post. I realise this subject is probably beaten to death several times already, but I wonder if anyone knows what date/era this .303 Bren mag is? From what I read here it's Australian made, possibly by Lithgow. I can't decipher the mark left of the War Arrow though?





These are all the stamps I could find on it.

Thanks!

The mag is standard WW2 Lithgow manufacture which is confirmed by the MA stamp. The little stamp next to the Broad Arrow is an inspectors acceptance mark. Lithgow made Brens from 1940 till 1945. The mags were not only made by Lithgow SAF but also contracted out to Electrolux and possibly others. Only Lithgow products had the MA stamp.

[earlymb]

Thanks for the info! So all MA stamped mags are always WW2 production?

[woodsy]

Aug 28, 2015 13:07:54 GMT 1 earlymb said:

Thanks for the info! So all MA stamped mags are always WW2 production?

I presume so. I think there were enough magazines made during WW2 to satisfy peacetime needs well into the 1980's. Certainly NZ still had large quantities of WW2 mags until the Bren was phased out in the '80's.

[earlymb]

Thanks!