W72039 BREN MK.I MACHINE GUN

The Bren is a British 7.7 mm light machine gun from the interwar period, World War II and the post-war period. The first prototypes of this weapon were made in 1931, and serial production began in 1937 and lasted until 1971. The initial velocity of the projectile fired from this weapon was up to 730 m / s, and the theoretical rate of fire - up to 500 rounds per minute. The weight of the empty weapon was 10.25 kilograms. The effective range of the shot did not exceed 550 meters, with the maximum range of the weapon reaching about 1700 meters. The Bren rifle was essentially a modification of the Czechoslovak ZB vz.26 machine gun, which was to be manufactured under license at the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield. Compared to the original, the Brn differed in its caliber, the design of the breech chamber and the simplified process of unfolding the weapon. It was also more accurate, although this was achieved at the cost of a decrease in theoretical rate of fire. During World War II, similarly structured versions of the Mk. I, Mk. II and Mk. III. In 1959, however, the L4 version appeared, which used a 7.62 x 51 mm cartridge standardized for the needs of NATO. The Bren rifle was considered a very successful and effective weapon on the battlefield. It was used in combat not only during World War II, but also during the Korean War (1950-1953) or during the Falklands War (1982).