Clip, Rifle, Double - Dimensions

[Ron Pier]

According to the OP it's for the barrel ends of two 303 rifles. But it looks more like the but ends to me. I'd also be interested to see how the rifles are stowed there. Ron

[Jakko Westerbeke]

The muzzles go into the forked end closest to the camera. The webbing strap is unbuckled, the muzzles are placed into the clip, and the webbing re-attached.

Finding a photograph that shows this is proving difficult, though.

[Ron Pier]

In Nigel's books VOL1, on pages 101&102 are drawings which show that bracket. Skip says the rifles are stowed vertically with the muzzles in that bracket. I'm having trouble visualising this? How are the butt ends stowed? Ron

[derk derin]

The weapons mount hold a spare Bren gun and a spare service rifle. On the floor in front of the battery is a double gun butt holder where the butts fit into. The muzzle ends of the weapons fit into the top clips. Originally they were rubber straps that secured the weapons in but as they failed the web straps were fitted to the mount.
Here is the top part of the mount shown on my carrier;
What I would like to know is if there was anything intended to be stowed in the tray. I have a spare Bren mag sitting in it but curious if it was an actual spot for a specific piece of equipment?

[Ron Pier]

I get it now! Ron

[Skip Inge]

Somewhere in the Carrier Forum I have seen a photo (can't find it right now) where someone suggested that the tray portion of this upper bracket is sized well for 50 round boxes of .303 ammunition. This seems ok, but perhaps not a great place to store cardboard boxes as they are exposed to the elements, especially rain. If anyone runs across that photo, please post it.

[derk derin]

If anything was stored in that tray it would have to be protected from the outside elements otherwise it wouldn’t last very long.
There was a metal bin that the .303 cartons of ammunition was stored in so I don’t think the tray would have held more.
I believe Rob heard reference of a part of the early 11 set radio was stored in that tray like an antenna mount or spares box. The fact that the 11 set was replaced early in its life for the installation of the 19 set meant the tray became redundant when this happened.
Does anybody have documents on the mounting of the 11 set in the Mk 1 carrier that could confirm this theory?
Derk

[Michael R.]

Originally Posted by Ron Pier

According to the OP it's for the barrel ends of two 303 rifles. But it looks more like the but ends to me. I'd also be interested to see how the rifles are stowed there. Ron

I believe we will see the early stowage plans show it was designed and produced for one service rifle, near side, and one Bren gun. The width of the upper and lower brackets are correctly sized to accommodate the larger Bren closest to the engine, plus the butt holder is cut away to allow clearance for the Bren sling swivel attaching point on the side of the MK-I series Bren gun.

The early version of the top bracket used composite material with a “nipple through strap hole” system. While the existing nipple was retained, an update replaced the strap system with web and buckle. The side plates for the web strap system were designed to allow the original existing nipple to remain in place, the strap mounting plate was punched out to fit around the nipple.