Bren magazines in Enfield?

Bill DeShivs · April 24, 2022, 03:04 AM

Will they work? I remember hearing they will.
Where to find Bren gun magazines?

**Mike Irwin** · April 24, 2022, 06:27 AM

No. It won't work.

The Bren magazine is too large and the magazine well in Lee Enfield doesn't have enough room to be modified for fit.

**44 AMP** · April 24, 2022, 11:28 AM

I'll add that while the Lee Enfield /SMLE magazine is detachable, it was never designed or intended to be replaced as a means of reloading the gun.

The rifles came (originally) with a spare magazine, not so it could be loaded and swapped with an empty to keep the rifle running, but so that the solider had a SPARE to keep the rifle running, in case they lost the magazine.

You can even find pictures of Enfields with their magazines chained to the rifle, so they wouldn't be lost if removed.

There are no feed lips on SMLE magazines, just a few little tabs to keep the ammo from flying out. The feed lips are part of the rifle action.

The Bren Gun's magazine, on the other hand is designed to be a fully complete detachable magazine, and like others, has the feed, lips made as part of the magazine body.

If your question was inspired by the Mauser 98 "Trench Magazines" (20rnd box) note that they are not detachable in the conventional sense. They are simply a large magazine box that replaces the standard rifle floorplate, and were essentially "fixed". Loaded by the same 5rnd strippers as the standard rifle, they just had a box that held more.

April 24, 2022, 03:04 AM	#1
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	Bren magazines in Enfield? Will they work? I remember hearing they will. Where to find Bren gun magazines? __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

April 24, 2022, 06:27 AM	#2
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,389	No. It won't work. The Bren magazine is too large and the magazine well in Lee Enfield doesn't have enough room to be modified for fit. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

April 24, 2022, 11:28 AM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,833	I'll add that while the Lee Enfield /SMLE magazine is detachable, it was never designed or intended to be replaced as a means of reloading the gun. The rifles came (originally) with a spare magazine, not so it could be loaded and swapped with an empty to keep the rifle running, but so that the solider had a SPARE to keep the rifle running, in case they lost the magazine. You can even find pictures of Enfields with their magazines chained to the rifle, so they wouldn't be lost if removed. There are no feed lips on SMLE magazines, just a few little tabs to keep the ammo from flying out. The feed lips are part of the rifle action. The Bren Gun's magazine, on the other hand is designed to be a fully complete detachable magazine, and like others, has the feed, lips made as part of the magazine body. If your question was inspired by the Mauser 98 "Trench Magazines" (20rnd box) note that they are not detachable in the conventional sense. They are simply a large magazine box that replaces the standard rifle floorplate, and were essentially "fixed". Loaded by the same 5rnd strippers as the standard rifle, they just had a box that held more. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.