South Africa converted WWII-era Bren guns to 7.62mm NATO between 1972-1976 due to the Border War and arms embargoes. Lyttelton Engineering Works (LEW) developed conversion kits, modifying barrels, ejector blocks for FAL magazines, and bolts. While functional, the program faced reliability issues and hand-fitting challenges, ultimately contributing to the development of the SS77 machine gun.
This comprehensive book review by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons details 'Firearms Developed and Manufactured in Southern Africa 1949-2000'. The 530-page encyclopedia, a result of an 8.5-year research project, covers numerous manufacturers and firearms from South Africa and Rhodesia. It highlights how UN arms embargoes spurred domestic innovation, covering a wide range of arms from sporting rifles to anti-materiel rifles. The book offers unique documentation on obscure firearms, making it an invaluable resource for collectors and historians.
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