A regular client of mine recently got himself a ZB-26 LMG to use as a Bren. There are a few differences between these guns, the main one being the barrel. On the Bren it is a smooth surfaced heavy barrel, the ZB-26 has a fanned barrel for faster cooling. I was commissioned to make the changes.
The original plan was to turn down the fans along the whole barrel, however this turned out to be aluminium and I was concerned about the integrity of the finished product.
As a result I removed the majority of the barrel from the attachment point that fits into the receiver and turned down that part to fit inside a piece of steel tube.
As so… a very close friction fit.
Meanwhile at the other end of the steel tube, the flash suppressor and foresight unit fits nicely over the outside diameter. Underneath is the gas block and two holes that run through the top of this, through which drift pins can be pushed to hold the unit in place.
At this point I realise I have had a dunce moment. Naturally the barrel is slimmer than the ZB-26 barrel as it hasn’t the cooling fins and the handle mount is much too large.
Fortunately, making a new one is simple enough, the new lug is brazed onto a piece of steel tube that fits around the barrel.
The old handle is close enough to the original to be used, so a custom bolt allows this to be removed without tools.
Finally, the gas block adjustment, which controls the gas flow in the original. Grey polymorph fills in the space.
And all finished! This unit just needs mounting into the Bren gun and it’s good to go.
Vintage Airsoft 