The Bren is a line of light machine guns that was used by British forces from the 1930's until 1991. Based on the Czech ZB vz. 26, the Bren is a modified version meant for use by the British in World War II, where it was used by two-man crews. Typically, one person would carry and fire the Bren in a prone position while the second loaded the weapon and changed the barrel in case of an overheat. However, it was not uncommon that a single soldier would fire the Bren in a standing position with the gun supported by a sling.
There were other British LMGs that required less reloading and had a higher rate of fire, but these weighed more and required more maintenance due to the rate of fire overheating the barrel. While the Vickers machine gun had 250-round belts, the Bren's 30-round magazines protected the ammunition from dirt and made the weapon more portable.
The Bren had an effective range of 600 yards from a prone position, but many complained that the initial versions were too accurate. The soldier would waste rounds shooting the same target because the fire was too concentrated. This was adressed however, and with the aforementioned qualities of the Bren, it was popular with the British soldiers. The Bren saw use well after the second World War II and is still manufactured today, although not used by British forces.
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