Bren Virgin! Help support and advice

[lusstor]

Hi everyone. Firstly apologies for asking a question that must have been asked 100 times before…

I have a real interest in WW2 and have found many deactivated Brens for sale on the internet. I think a Bren would be a real interest piece in my home.

Questions!

1) How are the guns deactivated, will I still be able to dismantle clean, cock and dry fire it? Does the deactivation change the appearance?

2) I really want a English Army WW2 period version, What S/N’s do I want? Can I tell where it was used and is the gun I am going to buy likely to have seen service?

3) What are the main differences between MK1 MK2 and Mk3? Does it matter to me?

4) They seem to go for £200 - £350. Is that about right?


Any thing else I need to know about?


Cheers, and please feel free to answer with links if some of my questions are horridly common here

Many thanks

Si ;D

[missingsomething]

HI, first question....

1. Where are you?
2. Most (all) dewats you cannot take apart. (prevents replacing parts to reactivate)
3. Most brens were WW2 era......
4. Difference in Mk.'s (there are more qualified people in here to explain that) If you just want a Bren, then it probably wont matter what Mk it is.
5. Price depends on where you are. CDN price is from $600-$1200 depending on MK and condition.

Hope this helps.

Welcome to the board

[britplumber]

I think he's in the UK, so the British deac's can be stripped (except barrel which is pinned/welded to the receiver) and dry fired.

For a brit gun you need to look for a Enfield mark, original (and more expensive) Mk1's were known as double dovetails as they had a second dovetail sight bracket, . These Mk1's will be marked with a kings crown above the word enfield and BREN MK1 on the right of the body (1937-40).
After that the Double dovetail remained but the crown, enfield logo and BREN Mk1 was replaced by a ED logo on the right of the body (looks like a U on its side). (1940)
Next the ED logo moved to the left side of the body and the dovetail and some other machining disapeared for good. These are known as Mk1 modified guns and are by far the most common bren.

The Mk2 bren is similar to a Mk1 modified gun except the Drum sight of the Mk1 was replaced with a simple ladder sight. A British mk2 Bren will either be marked M67 (monotype) or have a D letter stamp. The D (Daimler) stamp will only be found on Mk2's with R,S,T and some U prefix serials and arn't too common. (The D shouldn't be Confused with the combined ED logo of Enfield) Enfield only made a small batch of Mk2's for trials.

All Mk3's were made by Enfield and tend to be more expensive to buy. They are based on the Mk1 modified body design with the exception of having a Mk2 style ladder sight.

Any gun marked Inglis on the right is Canadian (but they did supply to the British Army) and any Mk1 gun marked Bren Mk1m is Canadian. All Canadian Brens carried the word BREN Mk? on the right side.

Any gun marked Lithgow and Bren Mk1 on the right side is Australian, Lithgow didn't supply the British Army with Brens, but some could have found there way here through centralised depot's. Lithgow only made Mk1 Brens ( Except some lightweight trialing) but the later versions had a mk2 type barrel and bipod and were called Mk1 upgraded models. Any MA markings on a component would indicate it was Made in Australia.

If a FTR mark is found on the left barrel trunnion with MA or Lithgow logo's it would suggest that the gun was Factory Thourough repaired by them. This can apply to all makes of Bren as the Aussies bought a load from the Brits and Canadians both during and after the war.

[lusstor]

Hi and thanks to both of you!
Yes I am in the UK, Berkshire to be precise.
Plumber your information was clear and concise. I am now trying to work out if it matters to me where it was made and in which era…. All I really know is I want a WW2 preferably used by UK troops… Or do i!!!!

[britplumber]

Your probably better off going to one of the big shows (whats the coming up soon?) and looking at what there is on offer. Witham SV do some nice Mk1 Lithgow guns (many FTR'd to as new condition and unused since) and they may also have some Inglis and Enfield guns (maybe even FTR'd too) at a good price. Don't buy from arundel militaria as his prices are quite high (i.e. He offred me a 1940 Double Dovetail for £480, I was also offred the same gun by RYTON arms who Arundel militaria bought it off the day before for £360).

Mike Priest would be a good bet, if you tell him what you would like he will let you know if he has it, or somthing as close as.

[privatefjordy]

Take a look around at Stoneleigh, end of the month. Most major dealers and lots of smaller / part-time dealers attend this event.

www.militariashows.com/

[clark]

and if you have an Inglis Bren heres where it was made www.pbase.com/mrclark/inglis_factory_ or what it left of the area at least. Its mostly all condos now but hey who needs history in the city of Toronto Canada when you can have condos instead.


Heres longbranch as well if you own a sten or L.E www.pbase.com/mrclark/long_branch_factory