pardon my ignorance. Why not use the heavier primer spring as standard? what effect does the 7.62 spring have on 5.56? also, the 6 screws to hold the barrel. Looks like they could have gotten away with 4 on reciver and almost had a freefloat barrel?
@@Al-no2fm that would be a question for CZ engineers designing these rifles. I can try to ask but I know for sure all variants were extensively tested and so the solutions and differences may certainly come from this thorough testing.... :)
@@thegreenberretwearingbrony9678 I went to report the bot for spamming and i noticed they added "untrue information" as a possible reason to report. What the hell. TH-cam is getting even worse with the thought policing. Can you imagine reporting someone because they said something you consider false?
I have a customer that needed me to sight-in his Bren 2 at 200 yards and shoot 100 rounds through it - so I got more time under one of these than I usually get. While it may not replace the AR-15 for me, it is a great platform. All the controls and ergonomics were great, trigger was very nice, and it grouped better than most autoloaders.
@@kostis2849 You don't need to. This has standard AR style irons and can take any optic. It's not like the ladder sight on an AK which does use metric measurements.
I was going to ask if the flimsy plastic latch was robust enough for acting as a forward assist. But then I realized that you should not beat the bolt into battery with a hammer anyway 😊
I think this is an overcomplicated, flimsy, error prone mess which makes the AR-15 charging handle design look reasonable in comparison. And that one is stupid in its own ridiculous way. Just slap a hunk of steel at the side of the bolt carrier already and be done with it ffs. Something like the optics mount screw or what that protruding thing is. This is a military weapon for crying out loud. This level of complexity and delicate engineering features is too much even for a range toy. SMH.
@@m4tol , that plastic piece does raise questions, I'll give you that. Maybe, they'll make it metal in Bren 3 😊 Besides that, it looks robust enough to me and a clever idea, too. Putting aside everything else, a non-reciprocating charging handle surely is a nice thing. More significant problem may be in the high placement of the charging handle. I've recently watched a video about the trials of SCAR for the US military. They were unhappy with it being a "knuckle buster". That is, whichever way you hold it, you are likely to bust your knuckles against the mounted optics 🙂
It seems like a recurring theme on this channel that v1 of a rifle ticks all the boxes that the ordnance department wanted, then v2 gets rid of most of them to tick all the boxes the grunts wanted.
That's generally the theme with every military rifle. Militaries nowadays are too paranoid about malfunctions and durability that they wind up only considering the most impractical designs. Case in point, the FN-SCAR, which has an absolutely overweight operating rod because the US military was, and still is, paranoid about the smaller ones breaking.
I’m so happy that you made these videos on the cz brens. First rifle i ever shot was a bren 805 and first the handgun i shot was a cz 75 b so i’m always happy when you come out with cz related content.
@@themythofthefacelessman2180 simpsonit sarjasta jakson himoläskihomer siinä esiintyy koko simpsonit perhe eli myös bart simpsons homer poika fanit saavat nauraa ja naurattaahan se tietty myös vaikka homerin läskikuteet ja muuut kannattaa kattoo nopee
"Bren 2. This time it's payback!" "Bren 2. The breninator!" "Bren 2: The return of the Bren." "Bren 2: In space no one can hear you Bren!" "Bren 2: They should have left Bren alone..."
I've got CZ weapons from the last world war, and throughout, and this is one of the most incredible, modern designs in the world. I've long admired their engineering, and this is certainly the pinnacle, thanks for the expose, very well done.
@Jake Gore That's sad because I REALLY like CZ and REALLY wanted to get a 2 (specifically once someone worked out a 6.5 production gun, so same bolt face) Maybe one day. Are the parts still impossible to order for at-home repairs?
On my second x39. 1st one started stove piping @ 300 rounds of brass ammo. Got about 300 rnds of steel cased through the second one with no issues. Got the HB gas spring, but still skeptical. I wouldn't trust my life on it functioning when needed.
@@mattfleming86 Not really I have some spare parts. And if you do actually break or lose something as I somehow lost my firing pin retaining pin, CZ will send it to you. Your best bet if you just want every spare part under the sun because you somehow plan on breaking shit is to just order it from Europe.
Last I’ve heard, they made a statement saying steel case 7.62x39 was “too hard on the extractor.” So they recommended only brass case. Which makes no sense to me. Our rental at the store is down right now with a sheared claw. Been 2 months so far waiting for a replacement part
The Bren 2 does have different sizes for the back strap. I just ordered the medium sized and changed it out recently. I have the 762x39 version of the gun. And I have to say that this gun bump fires like a dream. It was the second time I ever tried bumping and I was able to unload a full mag from the shoulder without hiccups on the first try. If you have a x39 version of the gun and have the issues with over gassing, you can replace the gas regulator with a 556 gas regulator and it will function much better. I did that with mine and also put in the HB industries high load piston spring and it now shoots amazingly smooth. It might be my softest shooting firearm now. It does make subsonic rounds less likely to cycle the action, but you can either turn up the gas or just use the original piston spring. I never had issues with over gassing, but I only put maybe 150 rounds through it before getting the new regulator. I heard about the issues online and decided to nip it in the bud.
It's a shame that (as is Hungarian tradition) we bought cheap shitty magazines that jam all the fucking time and the grippod is overpriced, heavy and cumbersome. Oh, and optics are like never issued. Shame. The P-09 holsters are pretty shitty too.
This gun would be SUCH a natural conversion platform for 6.5 Grendel. It would give it more of the "battle" rifle ability in a great size/weight package. Or 6mm ARC depending on it's future production stability. That chunky bolt face would potentially solve the biggest detriment of those calibers in AR-15 pattern guns. Anyone making conversion kits? (from match grade blanks?)
@@cm-pr2ys considering they've already decided to go with the 6.8mm round and they're actively fielding test units, I think you're out of luck. Unless you're hoping the OEM decides to make a different model in 6 arc or 6 grendel?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your videos. Great sound quality. Very thoughful angles used, everything visible and clean. Tone of your voice calm, yet not boring. Information and context you provide is second to none. And as a Czech myself, I congratulate you on perfect pronounciation of Uherský Brod. From 200 years old revolver to coil rifle of tomorrow, as long as you make a video about it, I need to learn about it :D
For those who own these and fire them often, I've got a few questions to you. It is our issued rifle in the Hungarian Defense Forces, but there are tons of malfunctions. -Double or triple feed /with the original CZ mags/, -Ejection issues when the ejected case just turn sideways and smash the ejection cut-out bending the receiver or just turning all the way backwards and loading a round under it making a juicy double feed -Iron chipping off from the little iron claw /donno the correct term/ that holds the bolt in it's place (The edges of it sheering down). -And also the cleaning kit of it /we recieved it with a metal wire in plaszoc as a cleaning rod, and it often just break when u clean the barrel/ Have you noticed anything similar? /Ejection issues also can be caused by the shitty ammo, but with good gradw rounds also had multiple double feeds, and I mean when it is not handled by an idiot who gently try to pull the charging handle/
Are y'all issued 5.56mm or 7.62x39 version? The 7.62x39 versions that have been imported to USA have been plagued by various issues that seem to stem from being over-gassed. Some people have even had a gunsmith drill out a new (smaller) hole in the gas regulator at the 0/Off setting and that seems to fix most of them. However 5.56mm versions have a good reputation for reliability among American shooters.
@@SpaceCoyote308 Well, that's interesting, because most of the issues here are with the 5.56. I have not heard a lot about the 7.62 having malfunctions here tbh but those are pretty rare, not many units recieved them. Here the problems are mostly the material /On paper we buy the parts feom the Czech Republic and assemble them here/ so it can also be the govt. cheap out on material or ammo🤔 Ohhh and forgot the funniest thing. You can't load 30 rounds into the 30 round magazine, because it always falls out, it doesn't catch the mags
@@tremmelistvan788 It sounds like it could be an issue with the mags what with the double and triple feeds. It's not too unusual for the last few rounds to be hard to load especially with new mags. My 16" Bren 2 carbine actually shipped with d&h brand aluminum mags not the plastic CZ mags. I've only ever shot it using Magpul Pmags or Aluminum GI mags. High quality AR15 mags are cheap and readily available in USA so that could account for why American shooters don't seem to be having issues with the 5.56mm. It would be worth checking one of the CZ forums to see if anybody else is having trouble with the CZ mags.
On behalf of the Magazines, we have 2 seperate one, (CZ mags are the better ones, so we mostly use those). The original CZ /stamped aluminium or other metal like the original M16 had/ and an Israeli? maybe plastic, which causes way more problems and also, all of them is brand new (2 alu CZ mag and 3 plastic is issued, all the same) . But the hard part is we have no access to other magazines here, only if you are deployed and buy them in a base from the american soldiers (or from someone for like 50-100 dollars each). But this definitely looks like the source of the problem. On the cleaning rod, we also have the 2 piece rod, but was told to use the metal cord thing insted, to avoid damaging the barrel. (we also swithced to the metal one, works fine or just use an old AK one that is just one piece and do not need to disassemble it) And for the rest, so it seems like we are sort of right, the materials are a bit off probably, I donno if it is a good or bad news that these are recurring issues in most part of the world. I'll try to look up a few forums in connection with this, thank you guys
The only issues I've had are with ZSR 5.56 ammo in the 11" and 8" models (I was using factory mags). Failure to fire and stovepipes. Otherwise all barrel lengths have run fine with other ammo.
What an excellent and helpful video this is! Across the Internet, Ian is the only presenter I've found who comprehensively explains the manner in which the Bren 2's charging-handle assembly and BCG interact. It's not because of his hair that he's called "Gun Jesus." Waiting, now, for CZ to bring the Bren 3 stateside.
This is a perfect example of what firearms manufacturers should strive to do with their creations. This gun is great. Very smart and thoughtful engineering clearly went into this.
Great video, love it when companies let you come check out their modern designs. As someone interested in firearms engineering, these videos are fascinating.
You can see at 18:26 why the new trigger assembly is so much lighter. The old design has an insert with metal plates that support all the pins. The new design has the pins supported by just the polymer. No doubt saves a lot of weight, but I wonder if it loses any durability.
It not only loses durability, but taking out the 2 round bursts has proven to be a no no for militaries looking at it :/ 2 or 3 round burst is the most used mode of firing in high density combat, and the best way to shoot the accurate numbers of rounds you want to in full auto.
@@brunol-p_g8800 There's quite a bit of disagreement about that. The US Army standard M4A1 doesn't have a burst mechanism. The Army decided they didn't want it anymore. Most US soldiers seem to agree with this decision, as they prefer having full auto instead.
That looks like a really well thought out rifle, with an *excellent* disassembly system (which, for a military weapon, is rather more important than many folks think). The caliber conversion setup is also pretty slick - changes what needs to change (although I'd like to see the extractor claw on the 7.62x39mm bolt; milspec steel case 7.62x39mm sometimes needs some oomph to extract when the gun is fouled, and a massive claw helps), and *only* what needs to be changed... and it all looks fairly straight forward (didn't show it, but that hammer spring looks like a captive unit that is probably easier to swap than your typical mousetrap springs). A handful of things where I wonder if they will be problems in the field over the long term: 1. The plastic widget connecting the charging handle to the bolt. Really cool idea mechanically, but I wonder if aluminum might not have been a better choice for long term wear, without adding significant weight. 2. The locking hook on the bolt group looks a skosh small - I wonder how it will hold up without wearing or peening too smooth after tens of thousands of cycles of the bolt group - PVT Snuffy is probably going to be yanking that handle 1000 times in drill practice or dry firing for every round (blank or live) he actually fires. Lot of wear... (that applies to the plastic widget, too). 3. Not a fan of open prong flashiders (yes, they're more effective than closed birdcages, but also more susceptible to damage and gathering crap in the field). But that's not only an *easy* and cheap fix, but you could look at others and redesign the existing flash hider to add a shallow groove right near the end, and twist stainless steel wire in there - minimal effect on the flash suppressor's function (the loss of effectiveness from wire like that is *barely* distinguishable within the limits of measurement, yet it both reinforces the prongs from being bent out, it also blocks weeds and crap from snagging). All pretty minor gripes - two of which are entirely conjecture (time will tell), and *none* of which are "deal killers" nor terribly expensive or difficult fixes if they do turn out to be problems. Every gun has flaws, and everything is a compromise - CZ seems to have done a damned fine balancing act here. And without excessive weight.
@@panman1964 usually, when a flash hider has wirecutting incorporated in it as a plan, you just have a pair of notches (like on a bird cage flash hider on an HK G3) to grab the barbed wire or slide the barbed wire down the spaces between the prongs. Then you twist the rifle to tension the wire and pull the trigger. If you look at the original AUG flash hider (a prong type), and view some.of the post-factory modifications some.forces did by adding wire as I described, you'll realize they still retained that wire cutting capability. As for assuming "knife edges" on the inside of the prongs sharp enough to cut wire... no, just no. Even if you were strong enough (you aren't, unless you have green skin, purple stretchy pants, and a serious anger issue 😁 ), *and* you remembered to turn the correct direction (lest you simply unscrew your muzzle device from the barrel), it still takes longer than the "cut it with a bullet method". Cutting wire with the flash suppressor is never a primary means of cutting wire, and isn't something you do if you need to be quiet - you call up a guy with a pair of wirecutters (or even a Leatherman) on him. Or, for many armies, you have *literally anyone with a bayonet* use the wirecutter incorporated in your bayonet & scabbard. The idea of using the muzzle.of your rifle to cut wire is for when you need to cut wire quick and dirty, without time to go get tools out (like during an assault into a prepared position). Barbed wire is, after all, *steel* . You're not cutting it without some major mechanical advantage.
Regarding #2, I don't think the carrier hits the plastic piece of the carrier assembly when it goes into battery. I would think it would be obvious to the engineers to make the handle assembly, when it's locked in its rest position, have JUST a tiny gap between it and the surface of the bolt carrier that it acts upon. In other words, when the bolt carrier stops its forward movement against the trunnion and the plastic handle assembly piece is fully latched in its forward position, there should be the tiniest of gaps between the two so that the carrier doesn't beat up the plastic handle assembly.
@@Locutus494 I'm not worried about damage from impact on closing - like you, I have full faith in the Czech engineers' abilities to dimension parts and compare numbers on the drawings. But that doesn't eliminate the wear amd stress on a small contact area the charging handle is interacting with. Nor does it address the effects of friction over years of hard service. Just working the parts -even if you don't ever let them slam - is going to put stress on them and cause wear. Not knowing the physical characteristics of the material in question, I can't know for sure - but I cannot imagine it's more wear and stress resistant than anodized aluminum.
I wish CZ would sell the caliber conversion kits in the US. I guess I have of the few 7.62x39 models that doesn't have issues, but being able to switch over to 5.56 would be great.
I recently bought the 9 in pistol variant in 39 that I plan on converting to a SBR. I love everything about it, so much so that I've ordered the Carbine. CZ really knocked it out of the park with this one. Bravo CZ!
Update... The 9 inch x39 continues to be flawless. I've got my 16 inch Carbine in 556 and found a mint NOS 805 with a 11 inch barrel. The Bren 2 may be better in every way but that 805 is a sexy beast! I'm loving the CZ Bren lineup and can't wait for the Bren 3 to hit the market in 300 BO
Wow this gun is technologically amazing! It just checks all the boxes of good things. Right-Left Convertible (hybrid reciprocating?) charging handle, fully ambidextrous and ergonomic controls, adjustable gas system, STANAG slide-in style magazines, 2 piece receiver, picatinny top rail, etc! Idk about the soft factors, like trigger pull, precision, durability, etc, but the hard factors are fantastic! To go on a quick rant, when I tell AK fanboys that the AK is outdated, this is what I mean. All this vs right hand charging handle, weird un-ergonomic safety, rock-in magazines, many non-replaceable parts, optic mounting headaches, self-destructing front trunnions, overgassed non-adjustable gas system, wasteful bolt lug design, and especially the high cost you have to pay ($1,000+) to get one that definitely won't break or explode from bad headspacing after 2,000 rounds. Whereas a fancy Bren 2 ranges from $1,500 to $2,000, or a great quality AR is about the same as a decent AK, somewhere around $1,000. A modernized AK that's actually good to me, would end up just being a rip-off of the SCAR-L and Bren 2.
Honestly, I feel like the reason they put that mounting piece for the stock on the original Bren was so that one could install adapters to accept different types of stocks (buffer tube stocks?). With v2 they just made a proper stock.
Or so you can pop the stock off entirely without opening the back of the gun to debris. It’s a bit redundant when you can already fold it though, obviously.
There is another potential upside to its name. If they ever update it, it can be the Bren2 2. Then they can stamp an image of a ballerina wearing a TUTU. Thanks, thanks. I'll be here all week.
Czechoslovakia probably had it easiest when it came to rebuilding. Although the crucial factories and the like were bombed as usual, Czechoslovakia saw very little fighting on its' territory and allies were little hesitant to bomb occupied country so late in the war. If I'm not mistaken, we were actually the only country under Third Reich that had growing economy until the end of the war.
Most prototypes exist in the state military museum from various weapons factories throughout Czechoslovakia, including some designs by Czech designers before 1918 and several German prototypes, some prototypes were probably used by the Germans, such as the ZK 391 rifle for Italian tests, which Ian has a video and who were captured by the Americans, lost were ZK 420 and ZK 423, hard to say whether the Soviets or the Germans or the Partisans. Today's CZ has only prototypes after 1989
There is a very good military history museum in Prague with many weapons, including obscrure ones and prototypes. Ian is aware of it and he'll probably get there at some point.
I mean, CZ only came to be in 1936 if Im not mistaken, so they wouldnt have a lot of pre-WW2 stuff, most of the development before that was done in ZB.
A great video ian it's wash my soul and brain to see this gun in detail and it's blood lineage a great rifle thanks CZ for your creativity to bring this top notch platform to the gun world it's serve in our special forces here in Egypt 🇪🇬🇪🇬 thanks 🙏 gun Jesus your fellow from Cairo.
Had an opportunity to handle one of these at IDEX last year. Feels fantastic to hold and was surprisingly light. Looking forward to seeing this tested on the range.👍
I almost think it's weird that everyone is going back to 3-prong flash hiders. The US did that almost 60 years ago, but went away from that since they catch leaves and sticks in them when going through heavy brush.
Not a lot of brush in the desert, I guess. Will be interesting to see if potential European conflict causes all the hip new NATO toys to go back to bird cages
Bird cage style flash hiders tend to last longer when used with BFA's. The British one has a tendency to be screwed down overly tight by enthusiastic squaddies and the prongs opened up.
Depending on the design they can also be prone to breakage as well, which a typical bird cage is not. The twisted three prong should have better resiliency though.
I have the Semi Auto 16" rifle version (Bren 2 MS) from the American import market. Some of the key differences are the MS version other than the 16" barrel is it has a longer m-lok rail section, no irons provided, the original 805 comp (which i was very surprised about), and a slightly different looking stock. (check gun broker for imagery) Btw: Thank you for showing me how easy it is to change the side of the charging handle.
How the hell did you find one?!! I pretty regularly see the pistol versions that have been here for several years now, but I have yet to see a carbine anywhere. Yeah, is that different stock a generational change, or is that one made for the US market? It has a QD cup, and I would imagine that's one of the parts CZ-USA makes here for 922(R) compliance, so maybe that different design is only sold here? Also is that extended handguard on the carbines free-floated? I always assumed the Bren 2 was, so I was shocked when I saw Ian take it apart in this video.
@@Locutus494 Gun broker. I was skeptical about ordering a rifle online but I am in love with this rifle and can now recommend buying from there. Just ask any FFL about how the process works. Filter for semi auto rifles and then search Bren 2 or filter by CZ and 5.56. There are a lot out there are meant to scalp you for bidding but once in a while someone will get a shipment and sell them for relative MSRP. Got mine for $1799. Only way to get them is gun broker because you'll never see them in the wild. The extended hand guard is indeed free floated and I think the MS version is nicer than the one Ian reviewed. The stock is still very nice but if you really want to stand out there is an after market G36 stock adapter on HBindustries website
I love my Bren 2 but I have to question the bolt hold/bolt release design inside the trigger guard. As a Lefty it's not very useful for me and it's an ND risk. Also just like the 805 it appears CZ still doesn't dehorn their aluminum parts after machining. The rails are SHARP and will definitely cut you up if you don't have a glove on. I eventually swapped those parts out for HBI stuff which has been excellent.
It's don't think it's an ND risk. You can still drop the bolt with the charging handle. Just don't use that lever unless you're already aiming in a safe direction. You shouldn't be dropping your bolt ever except pointed in a safe direction anyway. Use the other features of the rifle. If it's an ND risk, then it's only because your behavior is risky.
It is not an ND risk! It is not the same as the Magpul BAD lever (not that I agree with Ian and Karl about that being a bad design). The ACR has nearly an identical bolt catch/release, and that was no issue. And why would it be any different for a lefty to use? The whole idea with it being center mounted like that is that it works exactly the same way for a righty or lefty. Or do you just mean that the AR style bolt catch release is actually easier to use as a lefty, meaning you have less need for an ambi lever?
The Bren 2 rifle (5.56) I had was a lemon. FTF all the time. Changed mags, ammo, gas settings and nothing worked. Double and triple checked gas system and piston assembly and nothing worked. Fortunately the LGS is cool and took it back. Traded it for a Galil Ace Gen 2. I really really wanted to own a Bren. Maybe I’ll give it another try.
Were you able to ask them why their 7.62 variant for the US market is so unreliable? It baffles me, because their Mil-spec one is supposedly flawless, and I really want one!
Its that civilian bolt, resulting in a "too-light" assembly that immediately causes the over-gassing issue. Solution would be to add extra weight to the civ bolt, or replace w/ a military bolt assembly. The current solutions involve reducing the gas port to limit gas delivery to the piston via a new gas block with a smaller orifice.
I would like to see this compared to an Robison Arms XCR (since you have experience with the CZ, the ACR, and SCAR already) to get your take on a 2022 “winner”.....
@Jake Gore Good luck getting parts from FN for the SCAR. They don't sell spares, period. They do, on occasion, send parts to MGW, but you'll be waiting a long time. I needed a plastic case deflector. It's a $5.00 part. FN said sorry wait on MGW. Called Bob over there, said he hadn't had any for over a year. Need a part for your CZ Bren 2? Go to the CZ USA Webstore and order what you need. If it's out of stock, sign up for the notification. CZ has always had a good supply of parts here in the US for their products. Do a search on their webstore for "Bren 2". You'll see page after page of spares. As far as parts for an XCR? It's taking them 12+ months just to ship guns out, let alone spare parts.
@Jake Gore I wasn't talking about aftermarket SCAR parts. OEM factory parts, as well as OEM factory XCR parts are sparse. I've never had a problem getting Bren parts from CZ. Sure, not everything is always in stock, but, out of the 100 spare Bren 2 parts that they list, the majority of the time they are available. I wouldn't have three boxes of spares if that wasn't the case.
That charging handle system is a really clever and elegant way to get the benefits of both reciprocating and reciprocating charging handles at the same time without really sacrificing anything.
Let's hear why the charging handle being available to move the bolt into battery on this weapon is somehow "good" or "OK", but the forward assist on an AR is still never to be used.
I hope I'm not the only one who was surprised that only six little screws hold the entire barrel assembly in place..... It obviously works, just was surprising.
@@MathewReed037 well that’s good to know but as someone who has never owned or disassembled a SCAR I had no idea this was how the barrel was pinned in place.
@@jugganaut33 There is a 7.62x51 variant of the Bren 2. It's a more distinct variant, obviously more substantially different than the caliber swap shown here. It's the Bren 2 BR.
When I saw the 805 on CZ USA's webpage, I wanted one. The problem was, I immediately hit the TH-cam looking for reviewer videos for it, and that's when I learned the BREN 2 was in development. So, I waited to see what the changes were, if the MSRP would drop, and I still want one! I live in a stupid state, with stupid laws, and they made it more difficult to obtain semi-auto everything (commie bastards), so I'm still wanting one... eventually, eventually. Because I love CZ's, I found this deep dive into the internals of the BREN 2 very satisfying, and I am constantly blown away by the innovation and engineering expertise this company brings.
Was looking forward to this one! The Bren 2 is at the top of my want list, right behind an MDR. This is the first I've seen the front end taken apart, and I have to say, I'm shocked to see it's not a free-floated barrel! I guess now that I think about it, I've never heard it described as such, but I just assumed such a modern rifle must be. Would have loved to see a side-by-side of how the US civilian models differ there, being that they cut the receiver short in front to have an M-lok forend that's a separate piece instead of the Picatinny rails. The receiver is a bit different too, having QD cups embedded in the rear, and it appears they skipped the weight reduction cuts on the side as seen in this video. Would also have liked to see a comparison of the stocks; as new as the gun is, they've already made a change to the stock design. Not sure if the one here is the new or old design. Lastly, I'm curious if removing the barrel assembly like you show here Ian affects the zero of the gun. Doesn't seem like a couple screws through the receiver into the trunnion would be conducive to consistent tightening every time. Hoping you've got a lot more from your CZ trip (hoping for the Bren 2 BR at least, since we'll never be able to own one 😥)!
It’s 10 months later (December 2022) and CZ seems to have abandoned the Bren 2 in the US. Now I am stockpiling spare parts while they still available (not from CZ-USA).
Some really impressive industrial design in that piece. It would be nice if it was carried over into civilian (non-firearm) products. Czechs have a remarkable engineering tradition that survived German occupation and Soviet corruption; there must be an intersting history behind it.
I’ve used the 805 a lot, and the things that bothered me were the handguard, stock, and weight. The handguard is kinda short, but since it’s monolithic it can’t be changed. When you adjust the LOP of the stock, it moves the cheek comb with it, so your head gets moved farther back the longer your arms are. The weight is obviously very high for what it is. The 16in gun comes it at 9.29 lbs unloaded with red dot and magnifier.
Release a poor rifle. Announce the "improved" generation. Sell the same rifle twice. Don't fix all. If you keep some flaws until one more generation, you can sell them in Gen3.
A mind for clever shit,usually morally grey or outright bad, is a very cherished trait here,especially with the elites. This scheme is child’s play compared to the big boy stakes up top.
Oh dear. The charging handle guide is plastic. I could call this "stupid", but it depends on how to measure stupidity. One could make a fortune selling aftermarket steel replacements.
It was a true pleasure having you here Ian 😎
pardon my ignorance. Why not use the heavier primer spring as standard? what effect does the 7.62 spring have on 5.56?
also, the 6 screws to hold the barrel. Looks like they could have gotten away with 4 on reciver and almost had a freefloat barrel?
@@Al-no2fm that would be a question for CZ engineers designing these rifles. I can try to ask but I know for sure all variants were extensively tested and so the solutions and differences may certainly come from this thorough testing.... :)
@@Al-no2fmheavier trigger pull than could be
Great rifle. Another step forward in modern firearms. 🎉
We next?😮
The pronounciation of Uherský Brod was smooth.
Props to you gun jesus
@see here There's nothing here. Spam bot
@@thegreenberretwearingbrony9678 I went to report the bot for spamming and i noticed they added "untrue information" as a possible reason to report. What the hell. TH-cam is getting even worse with the thought policing. Can you imagine reporting someone because they said something you consider false?
@@Likexner I report them as well but this feels like a Don Quiote (sorry if I mistyped it) fight against a windmill
I have a customer that needed me to sight-in his Bren 2 at 200 yards and shoot 100 rounds through it - so I got more time under one of these than I usually get. While it may not replace the AR-15 for me, it is a great platform. All the controls and ergonomics were great, trigger was very nice, and it grouped better than most autoloaders.
...meters. You zeroed it in meters.
@@kostis2849 american import?
@@zachr1386 Well sure, but do they re-calculate ballistics and re-calibrate in yards for imports?
@@kostis2849 You don't need to. This has standard AR style irons and can take any optic. It's not like the ladder sight on an AK which does use metric measurements.
@@kostis2849 If someone is sighting in an optic they can sight it in in whatever units they want. Meters, yards, smoots, whatever you'd like.
The charging handle construction is the best solution I have ever seen to the non-reciprocating charging handle situation
Very similar mechanism on the ACR.
Yeah, it's exactly the same as the ACR. And there's probably other examples, too.
I was going to ask if the flimsy plastic latch was robust enough for acting as a forward assist. But then I realized that you should not beat the bolt into battery with a hammer anyway 😊
I think this is an overcomplicated, flimsy, error prone mess which makes the AR-15 charging handle design look reasonable in comparison. And that one is stupid in its own ridiculous way. Just slap a hunk of steel at the side of the bolt carrier already and be done with it ffs. Something like the optics mount screw or what that protruding thing is. This is a military weapon for crying out loud. This level of complexity and delicate engineering features is too much even for a range toy. SMH.
@@m4tol , that plastic piece does raise questions, I'll give you that. Maybe, they'll make it metal in Bren 3 😊 Besides that, it looks robust enough to me and a clever idea, too. Putting aside everything else, a non-reciprocating charging handle surely is a nice thing.
More significant problem may be in the high placement of the charging handle. I've recently watched a video about the trials of SCAR for the US military. They were unhappy with it being a "knuckle buster". That is, whichever way you hold it, you are likely to bust your knuckles against the mounted optics 🙂
It seems like a recurring theme on this channel that v1 of a rifle ticks all the boxes that the ordnance department wanted, then v2 gets rid of most of them to tick all the boxes the grunts wanted.
That's generally the theme with every military rifle.
Militaries nowadays are too paranoid about malfunctions and durability that they wind up only considering the most impractical designs.
Case in point, the FN-SCAR, which has an absolutely overweight operating rod because the US military was, and still is, paranoid about the smaller ones breaking.
SOP
I mean you need to first convince the ones paying the bill before you can hear the ones who actually use it
I’m so happy that you made these videos on the cz brens. First rifle i ever shot was a bren 805 and first the handgun i shot was a cz 75 b so i’m always happy when you come out with cz related content.
iha ok mut ootko kattonu...
@@ff-zero2804 kattonu mitä?
@@themythofthefacelessman2180 simpsonit sarjasta jakson himoläskihomer siinä esiintyy koko simpsonit perhe eli myös bart simpsons homer poika fanit saavat nauraa ja naurattaahan se tietty myös vaikka homerin läskikuteet ja muuut kannattaa kattoo nopee
@@ff-zero2804 selkee
I should have known that username was Finnish when I first saw it
"Bren 2. This time it's payback!"
"Bren 2. The breninator!"
"Bren 2: The return of the Bren."
"Bren 2: In space no one can hear you Bren!"
"Bren 2: They should have left Bren alone..."
I’m glad CZ keeps up with the “magazine tool” disassemble from the CZ75 and probably before. Keep up the tradition CZ.
And the captive pin!
The noncaptive ones with two holes in the stock to hold them? What?
I've got CZ weapons from the last world war, and throughout, and this is one of the most incredible, modern designs in the world. I've long admired their engineering, and this is certainly the pinnacle, thanks for the expose, very well done.
That bolt handle lock is nothing short of brilliant!
I love seeing such a well balanced rifle that gun jesus can balance it on the mag.
That only demonstrates that the rifle is not rear heavy, the rifle could be mid-balanced or it could still be front heavy like its predecessor.
@see here stop spamming
That gun is a piece of beauty. Incredibly precise, despite being so light. So much fun to shoot. Mine is 14" barrel in 7.62x39.
These rifles are soo smooth even right out of the box. Too bad the 7.62 variant has extractor breakage issues though
X39. They've always had issues. I dont know if they've been worked out by now, I just sold mine for a 5.56 variant.
@Jake Gore That's sad because I REALLY like CZ and REALLY wanted to get a 2 (specifically once someone worked out a 6.5 production gun, so same bolt face)
Maybe one day. Are the parts still impossible to order for at-home repairs?
On my second x39. 1st one started stove piping @ 300 rounds of brass ammo. Got about 300 rnds of steel cased through the second one with no issues. Got the HB gas spring, but still skeptical. I wouldn't trust my life on it functioning when needed.
@@mattfleming86 Not really I have some spare parts. And if you do actually break or lose something as I somehow lost my firing pin retaining pin, CZ will send it to you. Your best bet if you just want every spare part under the sun because you somehow plan on breaking shit is to just order it from Europe.
Last I’ve heard, they made a statement saying steel case 7.62x39 was “too hard on the extractor.” So they recommended only brass case. Which makes no sense to me. Our rental at the store is down right now with a sheared claw. Been 2 months so far waiting for a replacement part
The Bren 2 does have different sizes for the back strap. I just ordered the medium sized and changed it out recently. I have the 762x39 version of the gun. And I have to say that this gun bump fires like a dream. It was the second time I ever tried bumping and I was able to unload a full mag from the shoulder without hiccups on the first try. If you have a x39 version of the gun and have the issues with over gassing, you can replace the gas regulator with a 556 gas regulator and it will function much better. I did that with mine and also put in the HB industries high load piston spring and it now shoots amazingly smooth. It might be my softest shooting firearm now. It does make subsonic rounds less likely to cycle the action, but you can either turn up the gas or just use the original piston spring. I never had issues with over gassing, but I only put maybe 150 rounds through it before getting the new regulator. I heard about the issues online and decided to nip it in the bud.
The twisty flash hider is a little bit of a disappointment to me. I want my rifle to double as a tuning fork.
To load your coil gun? 😇😁😉🤣
The twist makes a neat ninja star pattern when shot in the dark. I think that's the real reason they changed them 😉
Just use your Parabellum P08.
You can always change it out,but why it works as it should..
Parfaitement adapté pour évacuer les gaz de propulsion qui tournoient avec les rayures du canon. Sans cela le projectile est légèrement déséquilibré.
Kinda neat the Hungary adopted this rifle (along with the CZ P-09, P-07 and the EVO Skorpion) and we're also licensed manufacturers.
It's a shame that (as is Hungarian tradition) we bought cheap shitty magazines that jam all the fucking time and the grippod is overpriced, heavy and cumbersome. Oh, and optics are like never issued. Shame. The P-09 holsters are pretty shitty too.
@@Brokkolesz We got grip pods? The absolute meme grips? LUL
@@-Seeker- yeah. I removed mine asap
@@Brokkolesz Someone at HDF fell for the meme... OMG...
This gun would be SUCH a natural conversion platform for 6.5 Grendel. It would give it more of the "battle" rifle ability in a great size/weight package. Or 6mm ARC depending on it's future production stability. That chunky bolt face would potentially solve the biggest detriment of those calibers in AR-15 pattern guns.
Anyone making conversion kits? (from match grade blanks?)
Sadly CEO of CZUB was against more calibers non standard in world. Personally spoke with him.
It would probably be easier just to buy a 5.56 barrel and rebore it
Off topic but I wish the ngsw would be chambered in 6.5 grendel or 6mm arc.
@@cm-pr2ys considering they've already decided to go with the 6.8mm round and they're actively fielding test units, I think you're out of luck. Unless you're hoping the OEM decides to make a different model in 6 arc or 6 grendel?
Why NOT make the conversion kits in 6mm arc or .300blk,if you make them WE WILL BUY!
Bushmaster PROMISED cal conversions for their ACR, VAPOR WARE!
6:03 AMONGUS ON THE BREN 2 MAG!!
FUCK YOU NOW I CANT UNSEE IT.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your videos. Great sound quality. Very thoughful angles used, everything visible and clean. Tone of your voice calm, yet not boring. Information and context you provide is second to none. And as a Czech myself, I congratulate you on perfect pronounciation of Uherský Brod. From 200 years old revolver to coil rifle of tomorrow, as long as you make a video about it, I need to learn about it :D
I still hope with NGSW coming to end. I hope Ian does a video on the history of attempts to replace the M16/M4 system.
Oh wow that disassembly is actually pretty slick!
For those who own these and fire them often, I've got a few questions to you. It is our issued rifle in the Hungarian Defense Forces, but there are tons of malfunctions.
-Double or triple feed /with the original CZ mags/,
-Ejection issues when the ejected case just turn sideways and smash the ejection cut-out bending the receiver or just turning all the way backwards and loading a round under it making a juicy double feed
-Iron chipping off from the little iron claw /donno the correct term/ that holds the bolt in it's place (The edges of it sheering down).
-And also the cleaning kit of it /we recieved it with a metal wire in plaszoc as a cleaning rod, and it often just break when u clean the barrel/
Have you noticed anything similar? /Ejection issues also can be caused by the shitty ammo, but with good gradw rounds also had multiple double feeds, and I mean when it is not handled by an idiot who gently try to pull the charging handle/
Are y'all issued 5.56mm or 7.62x39 version? The 7.62x39 versions that have been imported to USA have been plagued by various issues that seem to stem from being over-gassed. Some people have even had a gunsmith drill out a new (smaller) hole in the gas regulator at the 0/Off setting and that seems to fix most of them. However 5.56mm versions have a good reputation for reliability among American shooters.
@@SpaceCoyote308 Well, that's interesting, because most of the issues here are with the 5.56. I have not heard a lot about the 7.62 having malfunctions here tbh but those are pretty rare, not many units recieved them. Here the problems are mostly the material /On paper we buy the parts feom the Czech Republic and assemble them here/ so it can also be the govt. cheap out on material or ammo🤔
Ohhh and forgot the funniest thing. You can't load 30 rounds into the 30 round magazine, because it always falls out, it doesn't catch the mags
@@tremmelistvan788 It sounds like it could be an issue with the mags what with the double and triple feeds. It's not too unusual for the last few rounds to be hard to load especially with new mags. My 16" Bren 2 carbine actually shipped with d&h brand aluminum mags not the plastic CZ mags. I've only ever shot it using Magpul Pmags or Aluminum GI mags. High quality AR15 mags are cheap and readily available in USA so that could account for why American shooters don't seem to be having issues with the 5.56mm. It would be worth checking one of the CZ forums to see if anybody else is having trouble with the CZ mags.
On behalf of the Magazines, we have 2 seperate one, (CZ mags are the better ones, so we mostly use those). The original CZ /stamped aluminium or other metal like the original M16 had/ and an Israeli? maybe plastic, which causes way more problems and also, all of them is brand new (2 alu CZ mag and 3 plastic is issued, all the same) . But the hard part is we have no access to other magazines here, only if you are deployed and buy them in a base from the american soldiers (or from someone for like 50-100 dollars each). But this definitely looks like the source of the problem.
On the cleaning rod, we also have the 2 piece rod, but was told to use the metal cord thing insted, to avoid damaging the barrel. (we also swithced to the metal one, works fine or just use an old AK one that is just one piece and do not need to disassemble it)
And for the rest, so it seems like we are sort of right, the materials are a bit off probably, I donno if it is a good or bad news that these are recurring issues in most part of the world. I'll try to look up a few forums in connection with this, thank you guys
The only issues I've had are with ZSR 5.56 ammo in the 11" and 8" models (I was using factory mags). Failure to fire and stovepipes. Otherwise all barrel lengths have run fine with other ammo.
What an excellent and helpful video this is! Across the Internet, Ian is the only presenter I've found who comprehensively explains the manner in which the Bren 2's charging-handle assembly and BCG interact. It's not because of his hair that he's called "Gun Jesus." Waiting, now, for CZ to bring the Bren 3 stateside.
It's cool to see this sort of modern weapon and the take people have on it when making it. Thanks!
This is a perfect example of what firearms manufacturers should strive to do with their creations. This gun is great. Very smart and thoughtful engineering clearly went into this.
Thank you Ian. This is a very likeable infantry rifle
Great video, love it when companies let you come check out their modern designs. As someone interested in firearms engineering, these videos are fascinating.
Perfect video for the Valentine day!!! Love this rifle, one of my favorites at all!
Thank you CZ an thank you Gun Jesus Jesus for showing us this terrific piece of weapons engineering.
The universal disassembly tool! It's been so long! Glad to see you still have some of the new production run :D
not only this format video is so informative for gun lover/enthusiast but also very useful for a 3D artist.
You can see at 18:26 why the new trigger assembly is so much lighter. The old design has an insert with metal plates that support all the pins. The new design has the pins supported by just the polymer. No doubt saves a lot of weight, but I wonder if it loses any durability.
It not only loses durability, but taking out the 2 round bursts has proven to be a no no for militaries looking at it :/ 2 or 3 round burst is the most used mode of firing in high density combat, and the best way to shoot the accurate numbers of rounds you want to in full auto.
@@brunol-p_g8800 There's quite a bit of disagreement about that. The US Army standard M4A1 doesn't have a burst mechanism. The Army decided they didn't want it anymore. Most US soldiers seem to agree with this decision, as they prefer having full auto instead.
"Bren 2: Electric boogaloo"
"Bren 2: Escape TO stanag-13"
"Bren 2: Ambidextrous?!? I hardly knew her!"
That looks like a really well thought out rifle, with an *excellent* disassembly system (which, for a military weapon, is rather more important than many folks think). The caliber conversion setup is also pretty slick - changes what needs to change (although I'd like to see the extractor claw on the 7.62x39mm bolt; milspec steel case 7.62x39mm sometimes needs some oomph to extract when the gun is fouled, and a massive claw helps), and *only* what needs to be changed... and it all looks fairly straight forward (didn't show it, but that hammer spring looks like a captive unit that is probably easier to swap than your typical mousetrap springs).
A handful of things where I wonder if they will be problems in the field over the long term:
1. The plastic widget connecting the charging handle to the bolt. Really cool idea mechanically, but I wonder if aluminum might not have been a better choice for long term wear, without adding significant weight.
2. The locking hook on the bolt group looks a skosh small - I wonder how it will hold up without wearing or peening too smooth after tens of thousands of cycles of the bolt group - PVT Snuffy is probably going to be yanking that handle 1000 times in drill practice or dry firing for every round (blank or live) he actually fires. Lot of wear... (that applies to the plastic widget, too).
3. Not a fan of open prong flashiders (yes, they're more effective than closed birdcages, but also more susceptible to damage and gathering crap in the field). But that's not only an *easy* and cheap fix, but you could look at others and redesign the existing flash hider to add a shallow groove right near the end, and twist stainless steel wire in there - minimal effect on the flash suppressor's function (the loss of effectiveness from wire like that is *barely* distinguishable within the limits of measurement, yet it both reinforces the prongs from being bent out, it also blocks weeds and crap from snagging).
All pretty minor gripes - two of which are entirely conjecture (time will tell), and *none* of which are "deal killers" nor terribly expensive or difficult fixes if they do turn out to be problems.
Every gun has flaws, and everything is a compromise - CZ seems to have done a damned fine balancing act here. And without excessive weight.
wonder if that flash hider has sharp edges so it can double up as a barbed wire cutter?
@@panman1964 usually, when a flash hider has wirecutting incorporated in it as a plan, you just have a pair of notches (like on a bird cage flash hider on an HK G3) to grab the barbed wire or slide the barbed wire down the spaces between the prongs. Then you twist the rifle to tension the wire and pull the trigger.
If you look at the original AUG flash hider (a prong type), and view some.of the post-factory modifications some.forces did by adding wire as I described, you'll realize they still retained that wire cutting capability.
As for assuming "knife edges" on the inside of the prongs sharp enough to cut wire... no, just no. Even if you were strong enough (you aren't, unless you have green skin, purple stretchy pants, and a serious anger issue 😁 ), *and* you remembered to turn the correct direction (lest you simply unscrew your muzzle device from the barrel), it still takes longer than the "cut it with a bullet method".
Cutting wire with the flash suppressor is never a primary means of cutting wire, and isn't something you do if you need to be quiet - you call up a guy with a pair of wirecutters (or even a Leatherman) on him. Or, for many armies, you have *literally anyone with a bayonet* use the wirecutter incorporated in your bayonet & scabbard. The idea of using the muzzle.of your rifle to cut wire is for when you need to cut wire quick and dirty, without time to go get tools out (like during an assault into a prepared position).
Barbed wire is, after all, *steel* . You're not cutting it without some major mechanical advantage.
Regarding #2, I don't think the carrier hits the plastic piece of the carrier assembly when it goes into battery. I would think it would be obvious to the engineers to make the handle assembly, when it's locked in its rest position, have JUST a tiny gap between it and the surface of the bolt carrier that it acts upon. In other words, when the bolt carrier stops its forward movement against the trunnion and the plastic handle assembly piece is fully latched in its forward position, there should be the tiniest of gaps between the two so that the carrier doesn't beat up the plastic handle assembly.
@@Locutus494 I'm not worried about damage from impact on closing - like you, I have full faith in the Czech engineers' abilities to dimension parts and compare numbers on the drawings.
But that doesn't eliminate the wear amd stress on a small contact area the charging handle is interacting with. Nor does it address the effects of friction over years of hard service. Just working the parts -even if you don't ever let them slam - is going to put stress on them and cause wear.
Not knowing the physical characteristics of the material in question, I can't know for sure - but I cannot imagine it's more wear and stress resistant than anodized aluminum.
Such a beautiful rifle
I wish CZ would sell the caliber conversion kits in the US. I guess I have of the few 7.62x39 models that doesn't have issues, but being able to switch over to 5.56 would be great.
You rock guys at forgotten weapons thanks Ian
Gun Jesus returns from the future to bring us another excellent gun.
I recently bought the 9 in pistol variant in 39 that I plan on converting to a SBR. I love everything about it, so much so that I've ordered the Carbine. CZ really knocked it out of the park with this one. Bravo CZ!
Update... The 9 inch x39 continues to be flawless. I've got my 16 inch Carbine in 556 and found a mint NOS 805 with a 11 inch barrel. The Bren 2 may be better in every way but that 805 is a sexy beast! I'm loving the CZ Bren lineup and can't wait for the Bren 3 to hit the market in 300 BO
I actually bought a replacement grip back-strap from CZ's website... so they do make them. They're usually out of stock though.
Are there different variations though or is it just a replacement for the original
Seems like one of the best and most complete rifles in current active service. CZ know how the manufacturer firearms
14:40 "You can't pull the trigger fast enough to duplicate full auto"
Challenge accepted.
Wow this gun is technologically amazing! It just checks all the boxes of good things. Right-Left Convertible (hybrid reciprocating?) charging handle, fully ambidextrous and ergonomic controls, adjustable gas system, STANAG slide-in style magazines, 2 piece receiver, picatinny top rail, etc! Idk about the soft factors, like trigger pull, precision, durability, etc, but the hard factors are fantastic! To go on a quick rant, when I tell AK fanboys that the AK is outdated, this is what I mean. All this vs right hand charging handle, weird un-ergonomic safety, rock-in magazines, many non-replaceable parts, optic mounting headaches, self-destructing front trunnions, overgassed non-adjustable gas system, wasteful bolt lug design, and especially the high cost you have to pay ($1,000+) to get one that definitely won't break or explode from bad headspacing after 2,000 rounds. Whereas a fancy Bren 2 ranges from $1,500 to $2,000, or a great quality AR is about the same as a decent AK, somewhere around $1,000. A modernized AK that's actually good to me, would end up just being a rip-off of the SCAR-L and Bren 2.
Honestly, I feel like the reason they put that mounting piece for the stock on the original Bren was so that one could install adapters to accept different types of stocks (buffer tube stocks?). With v2 they just made a proper stock.
They could have done that, but it was just a plastic rail, not a Picatinny rail.
Or so you can pop the stock off entirely without opening the back of the gun to debris. It’s a bit redundant when you can already fold it though, obviously.
Watching this before getting my civ version in .223, the disassembly was really detailed, you have my thumbs up.
There is another potential upside to its name. If they ever update it, it can be the Bren2 2. Then they can stamp an image of a ballerina wearing a TUTU.
Thanks, thanks. I'll be here all week.
Takes me a few seconds... Thanks for the laugh! 😉 Take care!
Im loving the amount of Czech weapon vids lately
This 👍🏻
Forgotten Weapons: "You can't pull the trigger fast enough to duplicate full auto where it can become an issue."
Jerry Miculek: "Am I a joke to you?"
I'm so glad I'm not the only one thinking the same thing :)
Ian " can't pull the trigger fast enough to duplicate full auto"
Jerry Charles Miculek Jr " am I a joke to you?"
this rifle is honestly briliant
Bren 2: Historic Boogaloo
Really envy you on this one, Ian. Visiting CZ is definitely on my bucket list.
Has CZ been able to build a reference collection of WW2 and pre-WW2 weapons? I imagine rebuilding after the Second World War was difficult.
Most of it has been stolen by the Soviets probably, as they were the army to "liberate" Uherský Brod at the end of the war.
Czechoslovakia probably had it easiest when it came to rebuilding. Although the crucial factories and the like were bombed as usual, Czechoslovakia saw very little fighting on its' territory and allies were little hesitant to bomb occupied country so late in the war. If I'm not mistaken, we were actually the only country under Third Reich that had growing economy until the end of the war.
Most prototypes exist in the state military museum from various weapons factories throughout Czechoslovakia, including some designs by Czech designers before 1918 and several German prototypes, some prototypes were probably used by the Germans, such as the ZK 391 rifle for Italian tests, which Ian has a video and who were captured by the Americans, lost were ZK 420 and ZK 423, hard to say whether the Soviets or the Germans or the Partisans. Today's CZ has only prototypes after 1989
There is a very good military history museum in Prague with many weapons, including obscrure ones and prototypes. Ian is aware of it and he'll probably get there at some point.
I mean, CZ only came to be in 1936 if Im not mistaken, so they wouldnt have a lot of pre-WW2 stuff, most of the development before that was done in ZB.
Ian, again, I appreciate your gun nerditude! And I appreciate your insightfullness on the subject. And as a fellow Phoenician I salute you, gigitty!
Wanted one of these guns for a long time as a cheap piston gun, so cool and excellent content
Is it really a cheap piston gun?
Absolutely brilliant. This video really stimulated my mechanical mind.
I love my CZ-75B pistol, and now I want one of these. Big thanks to CZ for giving you access to show us this cool stuff!
A great video ian it's wash my soul and brain to see this gun in detail and it's blood lineage a great rifle thanks CZ for your creativity to bring this top notch platform to the gun world it's serve in our special forces here in Egypt 🇪🇬🇪🇬 thanks 🙏 gun Jesus your fellow from Cairo.
I love the 805 Bren because of it's looks, but damn if I've ever held a more comfortable rifle than a Bren 2 with an mlok handguard.
Had an opportunity to handle one of these at IDEX last year. Feels fantastic to hold and was surprisingly light. Looking forward to seeing this tested on the range.👍
Dumb question: why "Bren" of all names? That name is taken and there is no mechanical relation.
That's a sexy piece of machinery. I like how easy it is to change caliber.
I almost think it's weird that everyone is going back to 3-prong flash hiders. The US did that almost 60 years ago, but went away from that since they catch leaves and sticks in them when going through heavy brush.
Not a lot of brush in the desert, I guess. Will be interesting to see if potential European conflict causes all the hip new NATO toys to go back to bird cages
Bird cage style flash hiders tend to last longer when used with BFA's. The British one has a tendency to be screwed down overly tight by enthusiastic squaddies and the prongs opened up.
Depending on the design they can also be prone to breakage as well, which a typical bird cage is not. The twisted three prong should have better resiliency though.
I have the Semi Auto 16" rifle version (Bren 2 MS) from the American import market. Some of the key differences are the MS version other than the 16" barrel is it has a longer m-lok rail section, no irons provided, the original 805 comp (which i was very surprised about), and a slightly different looking stock. (check gun broker for imagery)
Btw: Thank you for showing me how easy it is to change the side of the charging handle.
How the hell did you find one?!! I pretty regularly see the pistol versions that have been here for several years now, but I have yet to see a carbine anywhere.
Yeah, is that different stock a generational change, or is that one made for the US market? It has a QD cup, and I would imagine that's one of the parts CZ-USA makes here for 922(R) compliance, so maybe that different design is only sold here? Also is that extended handguard on the carbines free-floated? I always assumed the Bren 2 was, so I was shocked when I saw Ian take it apart in this video.
@@Locutus494 Gun broker. I was skeptical about ordering a rifle online but I am in love with this rifle and can now recommend buying from there. Just ask any FFL about how the process works. Filter for semi auto rifles and then search Bren 2 or filter by CZ and 5.56. There are a lot out there are meant to scalp you for bidding but once in a while someone will get a shipment and sell them for relative MSRP. Got mine for $1799. Only way to get them is gun broker because you'll never see them in the wild.
The extended hand guard is indeed free floated and I think the MS version is nicer than the one Ian reviewed. The stock is still very nice but if you really want to stand out there is an after market G36 stock adapter on HBindustries website
Jsem z Česka a vždy když Ian natočí video o českých zbraních jsem nesmírně hrdý
Zdravíme do České republiky ze Spojených států. Vaše zbraně se nám líbí, posílejte nám je prosím dál.
Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦
Once again another stealth French gun video from Ian. =)
The charging handle/ bolt carrier design is genius. Non recipricating, can be used as a forward assist. Perfect.
I love my Bren 2 but I have to question the bolt hold/bolt release design inside the trigger guard. As a Lefty it's not very useful for me and it's an ND risk. Also just like the 805 it appears CZ still doesn't dehorn their aluminum parts after machining. The rails are SHARP and will definitely cut you up if you don't have a glove on. I eventually swapped those parts out for HBI stuff which has been excellent.
It's don't think it's an ND risk. You can still drop the bolt with the charging handle. Just don't use that lever unless you're already aiming in a safe direction. You shouldn't be dropping your bolt ever except pointed in a safe direction anyway. Use the other features of the rifle. If it's an ND risk, then it's only because your behavior is risky.
It is not an ND risk! It is not the same as the Magpul BAD lever (not that I agree with Ian and Karl about that being a bad design). The ACR has nearly an identical bolt catch/release, and that was no issue. And why would it be any different for a lefty to use? The whole idea with it being center mounted like that is that it works exactly the same way for a righty or lefty. Or do you just mean that the AR style bolt catch release is actually easier to use as a lefty, meaning you have less need for an ambi lever?
I'm a lefty and think its great you would have to be a complete moron to yank the trigger.
Thank you , Ian .
🐺
The Bren 2 rifle (5.56) I had was a lemon. FTF all the time. Changed mags, ammo, gas settings and nothing worked. Double and triple checked gas system and piston assembly and nothing worked. Fortunately the LGS is cool and took it back. Traded it for a Galil Ace Gen 2. I really really wanted to own a Bren. Maybe I’ll give it another try.
I really like the charging handle and how creative that approach was,
Were you able to ask them why their 7.62 variant for the US market is so unreliable? It baffles me, because their Mil-spec one is supposedly flawless, and I really want one!
Its that civilian bolt, resulting in a "too-light" assembly that immediately causes the over-gassing issue. Solution would be to add extra weight to the civ bolt, or replace w/ a military bolt assembly. The current solutions involve reducing the gas port to limit gas delivery to the piston via a new gas block with a smaller orifice.
Man the Czechs make some beautiful firearms
From rifles to pistols there’s a lot to love
These seem to be widely used by the Ukrainian International Legion, from footage I’ve seen.
Well of course... thiefs
@@mattynek2 thieves? The rifles were sent as aid to Ukraine by Czechia.
@@baneofbanes ok cool
@@mattynek2 lol
really slick rifle that shows CZ's knack for design. i really like the trigger guard bolt release/hold open
A Bren 2 pistol stares me in the face at my LGS every time I go in there. This video is making it really hard not to bring it home!
You really need to bring it home, but beware, they tend to multiply!
I am always amazed at how these things work.
I would like to see this compared to an Robison Arms XCR (since you have experience with the CZ, the ACR, and SCAR already) to get your take on a 2022 “winner”.....
@Jake Gore Good luck getting parts from FN for the SCAR. They don't sell spares, period. They do, on occasion, send parts to MGW, but you'll be waiting a long time. I needed a plastic case deflector. It's a $5.00 part. FN said sorry wait on MGW. Called Bob over there, said he hadn't had any for over a year. Need a part for your CZ Bren 2? Go to the CZ USA Webstore and order what you need. If it's out of stock, sign up for the notification. CZ has always had a good supply of parts here in the US for their products. Do a search on their webstore for "Bren 2". You'll see page after page of spares. As far as parts for an XCR? It's taking them 12+ months just to ship guns out, let alone spare parts.
@Jake Gore I wasn't talking about aftermarket SCAR parts. OEM factory parts, as well as OEM factory XCR parts are sparse. I've never had a problem getting Bren parts from CZ. Sure, not everything is always in stock, but, out of the 100 spare Bren 2 parts that they list, the majority of the time they are available. I wouldn't have three boxes of spares if that wasn't the case.
@Jake Gore I guess so, as CZ currently has those magazines and screws that you speak of in stock.
The automatic subtitle for the factory came out as "husky broad".
A Firearm? How quaint
That charging handle system is a really clever and elegant way to get the benefits of both reciprocating and reciprocating charging handles at the same time without really sacrificing anything.
Let's hear why the charging handle being available to move the bolt into battery on this weapon is somehow "good" or "OK", but the forward assist on an AR is still never to be used.
I hope I'm not the only one who was surprised that only six little screws hold the entire barrel assembly in place.....
It obviously works, just was surprising.
Six little screws have held SCAR barrel assemblies in place for almost two decades now. I don’t see the problem.
@@MathewReed037 well that’s good to know but as someone who has never owned or disassembled a SCAR I had no idea this was how the barrel was pinned in place.
While you're there can you ask them when the .308 version is gonna be available in America? So cool that they let you film there
The recoil energy for 5.56 is 4.7 joules.
The recoil energy for 7.62 is 16.8 joules.
None of the components in the Bren 2 are suitable for 7.62x51.
@@jugganaut33 BREN 2 in 308 exist and work well
@@jugganaut33 They've had 7.62x51 version available for several years now in Europe. You can find them on CZUB website.
@@jugganaut33 it's called the bren 2 br, Mr. Math guy
@@jugganaut33 There is a 7.62x51 variant of the Bren 2. It's a more distinct variant, obviously more substantially different than the caliber swap shown here. It's the Bren 2 BR.
CZ Bren-2 is an amazing rifle, best complex of precision,ergonomic and nice price.
When I saw the 805 on CZ USA's webpage, I wanted one. The problem was, I immediately hit the TH-cam looking for reviewer videos for it, and that's when I learned the BREN 2 was in development. So, I waited to see what the changes were, if the MSRP would drop, and I still want one! I live in a stupid state, with stupid laws, and they made it more difficult to obtain semi-auto everything (commie bastards), so I'm still wanting one... eventually, eventually. Because I love CZ's, I found this deep dive into the internals of the BREN 2 very satisfying, and I am constantly blown away by the innovation and engineering expertise this company brings.
Was looking forward to this one! The Bren 2 is at the top of my want list, right behind an MDR. This is the first I've seen the front end taken apart, and I have to say, I'm shocked to see it's not a free-floated barrel! I guess now that I think about it, I've never heard it described as such, but I just assumed such a modern rifle must be. Would have loved to see a side-by-side of how the US civilian models differ there, being that they cut the receiver short in front to have an M-lok forend that's a separate piece instead of the Picatinny rails. The receiver is a bit different too, having QD cups embedded in the rear, and it appears they skipped the weight reduction cuts on the side as seen in this video. Would also have liked to see a comparison of the stocks; as new as the gun is, they've already made a change to the stock design. Not sure if the one here is the new or old design.
Lastly, I'm curious if removing the barrel assembly like you show here Ian affects the zero of the gun. Doesn't seem like a couple screws through the receiver into the trunnion would be conducive to consistent tightening every time.
Hoping you've got a lot more from your CZ trip (hoping for the Bren 2 BR at least, since we'll never be able to own one 😥)!
@@SonOfTheDawn515 I know that, that's not what I mean. I'm talking about just for field stripping and cleaning.
I also assumed the barrel was free-floated, was kinda suprised it isn't and that Ian didn't comment on it.
It looks like a SCAR-L.
Same quality as a Scar, and cheaper, both in light, heavy, DMR a PDW variants.
It’s 10 months later (December 2022) and CZ seems to have abandoned the Bren 2 in the US. Now I am stockpiling spare parts while they still available (not from CZ-USA).
Some really impressive industrial design in that piece. It would be nice if it was carried over into civilian (non-firearm) products. Czechs have a remarkable engineering tradition that survived German occupation and Soviet corruption; there must be an intersting history behind it.
6:39 THE PERFECT TACTICAL HOLSTER FOR MY BACKUP KOLIBRI
I've been waiting for this video since I've discovered this chanel. Thank you!
Nice Valentine gift. Thanks.
Much of the complaints on either the 805 or Bren 2 are from internet users, not real users.
I’ve used the 805 a lot, and the things that bothered me were the handguard, stock, and weight. The handguard is kinda short, but since it’s monolithic it can’t be changed. When you adjust the LOP of the stock, it moves the cheek comb with it, so your head gets moved farther back the longer your arms are. The weight is obviously very high for what it is. The 16in gun comes it at 9.29 lbs unloaded with red dot and magnifier.
"fiddly bits" is one of my favorite technical terms
I dunno man feels like I’m definitely in the minority but i dont like how the bren2 and 3 look…
just something funky about them
It looks to be a very good weapon.
Výborná útočná puška
This iteration of the CZ Bren looks quite slick and well thought out.
Release a poor rifle.
Announce the "improved" generation.
Sell the same rifle twice.
Don't fix all. If you keep some flaws until one more generation, you can sell them in Gen3.
A mind for clever shit,usually morally grey or outright bad, is a very cherished trait here,especially with the elites. This scheme is child’s play compared to the big boy stakes up top.
Oh dear. The charging handle guide is plastic. I could call this "stupid", but it depends on how to measure stupidity. One could make a fortune selling aftermarket steel replacements.