Re: <ot>Bren Guns</ot>

Alan E & Carmel J Brain wrote:
> 
> The Bren is more like an Automatic Rifle, with a similar role to the
US
> BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) or FN L2A1 (the heavy barrel and bipod
> version of the old FN or SLR). I'm not sure if the US made a full-auto
> bipod version of an M-14, but that's an appropriate comparison.
> An LMG it isn't. Trouble is, it was used as such by the Brits and the
> rest of the Commonwealth forces during WW2. With a ROF of under 12
> rnds/sec, and a 30-round mag, it compared poorly to an MG-38 or MG-42,
> which are ancestral to the US M-60 and a dozen other LMGs.

snip

The Bren gun was developed from the Czech LMG series ZB26, ZB30, and
ZB37 (actually the 37 branch of the series posts dates the Bren and was
used as the Besa British tank mg in WWII).  The difference between an
LMG and Automatic Rifle is NOT the feed device.  It is whether or the
weapon has quick change barrel.  This allows the weapon to be fired into
automatic mode for sustained periods without destroying the weapon.  The
Bren, and all of the ZB series do; however, the BAR, M14E2, FN FAL-HB do
not.  There are also tatical differences in how LMG's (even those feed
by magazines) and Automatic Rifles are best employed.

I wouldn't say the Bren compared poorly with MG-38's and MG-42's.  It
was more limited in use because it was a LMG and not a general purpose
MG.  Some experts still tend to view the whole general purpose MG
concept as failure.  The lower cyclic rate is often a blessing in
disguise.  Not only does it allow more accurate placement of fire, but
it also tends make a weapon more reliable.  The faster the action
cycles, the greater the forces being exterted on it.

> So I wouldn't say it was "inferior" to it's German counterpart,
because
> it didn't have one. German doctrine called for an LMG, not an
automatic
> rifle in support. UK and US doctrine used an automatic rifle, not an
LMG
> (like a Lewis).

snip

Didn't have one!  Didn't have one!!!  The Germans made extensive use of
Czech weapons and equipment throughout World War II.  The ZB26, ZB30,
and ZB37 were produced by and used by the Germans throughout the war. 
They needed every good LMG they could get.

Now if you want a really bad mg, it's hard to find a non-French mg worse
then the M60.  Even back in the 1960's, the tank version was rejected by
the "tankers" in favor of the tank version of the FN MAG.  The best of
the general purpose mg's are the Soviet PK, the FN MAG, and the South
African SS77.  

IAS