I've seen a third version of the lower mounting point (pintle post?) designed for these Bren cradles for use on the heavier Vickers mount. It more closely resembled your lower but the post was like a shortened steel version of the post used on the Vickers Mk IV mount for the standard tripod.
I'm fairly sure that the lower on my example was made for use on the lighter bronze/brass carrier mounts. The unknown is was it a wartime mod or something someone did because they didn't have one of the heavier Vickers mounts that these were intended for when first produced? Being a modification, I’m considering the option of cutting the lower post off and welding in a short length of appropriate thickness steel rod. That would allow it to be used with a mount on the carrier’s side hull. My heavier mount could always be used with a standard Vickers setup if we put it on the Weasel. Can’t put that one on the T-16 as we have a lower locker under the sloping armor where the Aussie heavy mount would bolt onto a plate of steel that hangs down in that location.
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David Gordon - MVPA # 15292
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