Bren Mag Loader

[Ron Pier]

Anyone got pictures of these please? Ron

[Dusonn]

Guys, do not forget that the BREN comes from Czechoslovak pre-WWII licence of the ZB26 machine gun, including the mag loading tool. The ZB26 had straight magazine. I think the tool looks very similar but will not fit. I own the ZB26 loader but cannot compare with the Bren one. I will take a picture later.
The Bren loader would probably have the broad arrow stamped on it?

[Marc van Aalderen]

All,

Here are some photos of my Bren magazine loader. This one also has the tabs.

20170825_115744_resized_1.jpg 20170825_115753_resized_1.jpg

20170825_115803_resized_1.jpg 20170825_115900_resized_1.jpg

Cheers,

[Dusonn]

I can now see that the ZB26 loader looks different, my hypothesis was wrong

[rob love]

The ZB theory may not be out the window entirely. The Czech factory also produced loaders for the early British guns, as well as for the .303 Brens they sold to other countries. I believe the British loader was copied from the Czech loader, so the feet/no feet could have come into production from either country.

In the attached photo (photo credit to Kev G from the milsurps.com forum) the top 3 loaders are:

B - Czech made loose rounds filler .303 British for British ordered ZGB's with 30 round magazines and Czech export Brens in .303 (note 6 metal dividers,6 stokes = 30 rounds/1 magazine)

D - Czech made 8X56R Mannlicher loose rounds filler for the Bulgarian ZB39 (note 5 metal dividers,5 strokes = 25 rounds/1 magazine)

E - British made Bren MK2 .303 loose rounds filler (6 dividers)

[Robert Bergeron]

Nice Rob.

But the British / Can Mk 1 is entirely different as it will only load from 5 round clips. Does someone have a picture handy for that model or is it model A on Rob's picture ?

If I recall there a no feet on the Mk1 and it should fit the storage box on the MK1 Carrier.

Ford changed from the MK1 Carrier to the MKII because the new Bren mag loader did not fit the box on the MKI ( wink, wink ,smile ) .

Did not make any sense anyway to bother making a specific storage box on an small armoured vehicle for a specific mag loader in the first place !

But for collectors and restorers it's a nice challenge and makes for subject matter for treads on MLU !

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

Ford changed from the MK1 Carrier to the MKII because the new Bren mag loader did not fit the box on the MKI ( wink, wink ,smile ) .

Ah, but wait, carrier production history is never that clear cut. My March 1943 Mk.1* has no provision for the mag loader box. Never fitted...which saves me from worrying about this whole discussion!!

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

Nice Rob.

But the British / Can Mk 1 is entirely different as it will only load from 5 round clips. Does someone have a picture handy for that model or is it model A on Rob's picture ?

Nope, it is item C on the picture. The loader is made to clamp onto the bren magazine chest I believe.