The Bren Gun

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by jimbotosome, Dec 29, 2005.

  1. James K

    James K Active Member

    I used the Bren a few times, light, controllable, easy to use and clean. The precision with which it was made is obvious as was its robustness, as a section LMG better than the GPMG . Best weapon I ever used.
     
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  2. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi

    I was LMG gunner in RAF in West Berlin in the 80s. Annual SLR training was brief and we fired 50 rounds if we were lucky.

    But I fired thousands of rounds on my LMG training. Very accurate. Even a mediocre shot like me managed to hit the target at 200m.

    However, the LMG was anything but light if you had to to carry it anywhere over long distances. Especially if you are a short-arse like me :). The thin webbing strap cut into the back of your neck.

    I can imagine that's why Bren Carriers came about.

    Good fun though.

    Gus
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2020
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  3. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    The same problem had been noted with the Lewis gun, but the problem wasn't just getting the gun forward - it was getting enough ammunition to sustain fire, particularly when fighting off a counter attack. Making the gun lighter doesn't reduce the weight of the ammo. In WW1 motor cycle combos carrying a Vickers were used. The first of these was developed in 1913 in Canada with a Maxim by a sergeant Northover (he later developed the WW2 projector that had his name) but major production was in the UK. The first tracked carriers were for Vickers Machine guns. Model T Fords were used in Palestine and Syria in WW1 to carry Vickers and Lewis guns. They had the advantage of being light enough that the crew could get them out of sand traps easily.but a tracked vehicle was less likely to get stuck in the first place.
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2020
  4. James K

    James K Active Member


    I was a gunner in my section, we had a GPMG and an LMG and the LMG was a lot lighter, it also felt less bulky.
     
  5. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    The LMG was heavier than the SLR I had used up till then. 30 round mags of 7.72 weighed a bit too

    Sadly never got a chance to fire a GPMG.
     
  6. James K

    James K Active Member

    Yes the SLR was sweet, but because of my peculiar build when I was in the infantry (5'8" tall with 32" waist and a 48" chest) I was always given the GPMG, LMG or from time to time the Charlie G, rarely was the SLR my personal weapon. I'd love to be that shape and size now but it was over 30 years ago!
     
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  7. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    For those of a certain age.

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