Firing the STEN gun

[rickshaw]

I've read that the .303 Bren was so accurate that it was actually regarded as a minor DISadvantage, since, as an LMG, it was supposed to be creating a beaten zone, not drilling through a point target. I imagine that in practice the accuracy sometimes came in handy though.

It still created a "beaten zone", just a narrow, longer one than was what was wanted.

I served with a very senior WO^1 who had served in Korea when a youth.  He told me that he would put a whole magazine from a Bren through a six inch group.  He apparently had purloined a .30 cal MMG from the Yanks which he had set up in his position in case the Chicoms attacked.  He never put his head over the parapet but he just sprayed and prayed when they did attack.  He never had a Chicom come over his parapet.  He loved the Bren but knew it's limitations.   

[McColm]

Brens, now we're talking! 

While in the CCF at school I had occasion to shoot quite a few Brens that we had in the armoury, and as H has said it was very accurate, chambered for .303 anyway. I liked it so much I suggested that our Shooting Team, of which I was a member, enter the Public School's LMG Trophy at Bisley that year, and we did. Our Quartermaster sorted out a whole lot of ammo that was about to be time expired so my #2 and I got to practice with the best of the weapons quite a bit.

Come the day at Bisley we were one of maybe a dozen teams, and we started at 800 yds firing half a magazine at 1000 yd targets. Then we had to run down to the 600 yd marker and fire off the other half, and then change the barrel. Then we ran down to 400 yds and fired off another half a mag, and then down to 200yds of course.

We were still firing at the 1000 yd target, which looked ENORMOUS at 200 yds, but by then we were so knackered that that was difficult to stay in the aim! 

But we did win the event. The extra training was well worth it.

Oh I've been there too shooting clay pigeons with saint Dunstan's charity for the war blind before they changed their name. Elaine Page and Bernard Cribbins were the guests of honour. It was a great day out for me as I got to fire a pair of Purleys. They weren't mine but beautiful to hold and very accurate.  Champagne and bacon butties for breakfast!