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old guys, tell me about your Bren experiences.

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    #32
    Maoltuile
    Registered Users Posts: 634 ✭✭✭Maoltuile


    It's considered the best of the LMGs (at least those not belt-fed), and with good reason.

    The FN LMG variants that someone mentioned were disasters, and for a reason that would be apparent to any good soldier; you can't quick-change the barrel, which would of course quickly overheat in a MG role.

    Loved the Bren Gun, sorry to see it go. I never bothered with the stick-brass-through-the-bipods-trick; I just dug in with my heel beneath each bipod leg, simples :)


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    #33
    Stovepipe
    Registered Users Posts: 2,979 ✭✭✭Stovepipe


    I'm told that the standard anti-aircraft mount was a disaster. Anyone got any pictures?

    regards
    Stovepipe


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    #34
    Maoltuile
    Registered Users Posts: 634 ✭✭✭Maoltuile


    Stovepipe wrote: »
    I'm told that the standard anti-aircraft mount was a disaster. Anyone got any pictures?

    regards
    Stovepipe

    I've seen some for sale online, no idea if they're the same as the Irish DF ones though.

    I'll have a look in my trusty old Bren Gun manual at home, to see if it says anything on the subject. Black smoke for no, white smoke for yes :D


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    #35
    harmoniums
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭harmoniums


    So I just received it!
    Its been talked about how it recoils forward, and that never made any sense to me, I just couldn't get my head around the physics of a projectile exiting the barrel and the gun following it!

    But after dry firing it a bit, (haven't got to the range yet) I think I can see how this forward recoil may be perceived.

    You see it fires from an open bolt, meaning the bolt and carrier/piston is held to the rear by the sear under tension from the recoil spring.
    When you squeeze the trigger the whole group accelerates forward inside the receiver (body in non-colonial terms).

    The bolt/carrier/piston is a very heavy, possibly that is what you guys were feeling?

    I made up a video walk through about it here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxf0Vvjc80g


    I've been told I am going to be dog piled on for wearing Irish DPM in this video!
    I'm not trying to "Walt" or anything, I bought them at a gunshow here in the states and at the time was un-aware of any prohibition on re-sale, I was excited to find them!
    (BTW all the mall ninjas here in the US, think they're really cool)


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    #36
    Muppet Man
    Registered Users Posts: 1,650 ✭✭✭Muppet Man


    Nice job, I have to admit I laughed when you dropped the extractor... found memories of me doing the same when I was a recruit and getting (deservedly) chewed out :) . I hope you got the spring back on afterwards :)

    Moot point, but when we stripped it, we basically did the reverse of what you did... we started by opening the body locking bolt, and extending back the butt group, but not fully detaching it. When the butt group was extended back (but not detached from the body group) the piston usually slid back due to gravity. If not, a quick yank of the cocking handle got it back. We then just moved the return spring rod slightly to the side to make more room and lifted out the piston group. Once that was out, we took off the butt group, opened the barrel locking nut, off with the barrel and then took out the barrell locking nut (which I dont think you took off). Lastly the Bipod. Obviously the sling would be next if you had one.

    As part of standard traning for stripping/assembling we did NOT take out the extractor because people were always either a) loosing the extractor/stay/spring or b) Once they got them out, couldnt put them together again. :) As a firer though, it was something you had to know how to do to spot / replace breakages and to be able to clean.

    What a great purchase - happy shooting. I dead envious.
    Muppet Man

    *Edit* we actually "started" by ensuring the action wasn't cocked... Opening the body locking nut when the Bren is cocked can lead to nasty "incidents".
    *Edit 2* we also took out the gas plug as part of standard stripping. From memory we used to set this to the third largest hole by default during reassembly.
    *Edit 3* Is there any more of the DPM's available? Need a new pants ;)


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