Bren machine gun, a British adaptation of a Czech light machine gun. Its name originated as an acronym from Brno, where the Czech gun was made, and Enfield, where the British adaptation was made. Manufactured at Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, 1954 (c). One of the finest light machine guns ever produced, the Bren was the center of a platoon’s firepower in all theatres of operation. The Mark 3 was designed to be a shorter and lighter variant for jungle use but was used everywhere. The Bren eventually became the Machine Gun L4 when the NATO cartridge was adopted at the end of the National Service. It was used operationally in the Falklands War even though it was allegedly verging on obsolescence.
Specifications
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Type: Light machine gun
Caliber: 280 in (7 mm) Mk 1Z & .30-06 (7.62 mm) cartridge
Weight & Length: 8.69 kg & 42.9 in (1,090 mm)
Rate of fire: 500–520 rounds/min practical 120 rounds/min sustained
Production date: 1954
Country of origin: Czechoslovakia (Design) & United Kingdom (Manufacture)