I had a long discussion about what to buy earlier this year that culminated in buying a Bren 2, discussion here. Was going to update it there and decided not to muddle it further and just have a Bren 2 thread. I posted a few pictures in that one, but I made a few changes since, including a Neoteric Designs safety and folding charging handle (both very good improvements over stock and totally worth it), an HBI 10" rail, and a Holosun green dot.


After far too long of owning it and tinkering with it without shooting it, I finally got it to the range the other day. I shot a Palmetto 16" first to warm up, then broke out the Bren. Shooting PMC "X-Tac" M855, the first three shot group had one flyer about an inch right and the next two were touching at 50 yards. A much better group off the bat than the AR, surprisingly. I spent the next twenty minutes chasing groups all over the paper because there were no markings for what the sights did, and I do it rarely enough that I used the markings on the Troys as a reference... which were apparently opposite of what the Bren's sights do because European. But I got it more or less zeroed in at 50. Here’s that first group.



It was a casual range day with a new friend I made in class a few weeks back, so I didn't really get the time with it that I wanted, but my first impressions are that I really like this thing. It's staying, and I'm going to get the ball rolling on doing a form 1 here very soon and order one of these. . The HBI trigger is fantastic, made it real easy to score good hits. The Neoteric parts are absolutely worth it and are also staying. I think I want to try to chase down the larger size backstrap for the grip, because it's not bad at all, but it's kind of diminutive in my large hands. Probably will order the HBI grip tape sections pre cut for the handguard recesses, and I need to figure out a good light option. Other than the muzzle device, I think it's about as good as it will get. I see no need to tinker further.

This was my first time shooting, or being around an 11" 5.56, so... maybe they're all this way, but holy shit this thing is loud. Almost painfully so. We were at an outdoor range, but there was a corrugated tin roof kinda shelter over us, and it was booming and echoing with just that. When I shot it, people around would make noises or stop shooting their stuff. I was using foam earplugs plus Peltor electronic muffs and it was... comfortable enough, but because of the amplification, I heard one guy down the line remark "Got Damn, that sucker's loud. Must be a .308." I handed it to my buddy and he ran a mag though it, and with me standing behind him and to the left, the concussion was intense. Any thoughts of using as the house gun without a can vaporized, I'll deafen myself and my whole family. I know priorities and all that, but still. Too much. I'll have to get the ball rolling on a suppressor as well, I guess. Not the end of the world. Muzzle device and mounting needs to get figured out next....

Which brings me to my next point. That first three shot group, I was crouched behind the bench and holding the rifle over a pistol bag. The three prong flash hider works well enough that I never saw any muzzle flash whatsoever, but I did not take into account that one of those ports aims directly down... and this happened. I noticed it after my second shot. It was a nice pistol bag. There was maybe 6" of clearance or so, so that blast is intense. I kind of wanted to keep the flash hider, but something that doesn't direct any blast downward needs to happen, I think.



The Holosun is a cheapie, but I wanted to try a green dot to see what I think. My impression is favorable. Between what I brought and what my friend brought, I shot through a number of red dot sights that day. Some of them were hard to pick up in full desert sun. The green dot? Fast and easy, clear and bright. I'm sold on the idea of a green reticle, at least for where I live. Eventually, I think I'll look at the Eotech offerings, but sadly they don't seem to offer one that has a green reticle that also has NV modes. Last I looked, they made one but discontinued it. Maybe they're working out some kinks, I dunno.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P220 Smudge,

Re range bag: dude, that will totally buff out.

Re concussion: I am always amazed what that can be like for nearby shooters/observers at the range with a pistol in rifle caliber. I mean, really titanic. Honest to God pain if indoors even with double ear protection. Suppression seems mandatory.

This setup looks really, really dangerous to my wallet.

quote:

Originally posted by Loswsmith:
Re range bag: dude, that will totally buff out.

I rubbed some dirt on it. It's fine now.

quote:

Originally posted by Loswsmith:
Re concussion: I am always amazed what that can be like for nearby shooters/observers at the range with a pistol in rifle caliber. I mean, really titanic. Honest to God pain if indoors even with double ear protection. Suppression seems mandatory.

Yeah, I don't think I wanna try this one at an indoor range as it's set up currently, and I live basically across the street from one. Outdoor only until I can get a can on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Loswsmith:
This setup looks really, really dangerous to my wallet.

You know, I liked it before, but after shooting it, I kinda want to grab another one in 14.5" and do the pin and weld routine. I'd be into both for about the SCAR 16 going rate or less. Truly, the poor man's SCAR. I bought it to scratch that itch and it does it nicely.

I bought a Scorpion off a buddy and may sell it back to him to grab another Bren. It was my first time shooting it the other day also, and while it's nice, I just don't know how useful I think a pistol caliber sub gun type thing in a semi auto is. I'm sure that'll garner some disagreement, but I'm willing to put a few more range trips into it to see if that's how I really feel about it. Of course, I say that, and I'm the guy who's also planning to SBR a PS90, and I'm fully aware of how ridiculous that is.

I've got an 11.5" SBR and I like it.

Added an HB Industries handguard as the OP did, a Dan Haga ACR stock adapter (and ACR stock of course), and HB Industries modification to the piston so it has a suppressor friendly setting. I enjoy everything about the gun. The HB Industries piston modification is probably the best quality of life thing I had done to it as I vastly prefer a suppressed rifle.

my only serious complaint about this rifle(pistol?) is that dealing with a suppressor really really sucks. And I'm not shooting any short barrel 5.56 or 7.62 (I have both versions) without a suppressor. It seems the HB piston modification offers a bit of hope and I hope to test that soon (I've been mostly working on SBRing all these braced guns before the ATF totally screws us eF1 with all the braces). But compared to the tuning you get from the factory on a SCAR CZ really missed the boat on this issue of suppression.

I agree, the stock gas regulator settings were a failure. Have you seen this? I think they just came to market with this in the past few months, because I didn't see when I was last on their site.

https://hbindustries.net/store...-regulator-assembly/

Unless I'm missing something, it seems like you get two benefits with this:

1) You don't have to ship your OEM gas regulator and risk losing it.

2) You don't have to modify the OEM part.

I may just have them do mine and save a few bucks. It's not like it was done right from the factory to begin with and as the picture tells, I give a damn about keeping the gun factory.

I agree about E-file form 1's. I need to get on that. Wait times this past summer were as short as a few weeks for some people. I'm seeing it's already starting to stretch out.

Mines a blast to shoot also but I agree on the noise thing. It's loud. The only firearm I own that I have to wear ear plugs and ear muffs.
Stock trigger is excellent and the only things I've done was add an EoTech and stock.

I want one of these in a carbine.

Nobody here has them.

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
Nobody here has them.

Call Bullseye in Lawrenceville, they usually have them when I stop by

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
Nobody here has them.

Possible to order one through an FFL?
I was lucky to get mine as my LGS doesn't normally carry firearms like this. I haven't seen one since I bought mine.

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
I want one of these in a carbine.

A few things to note about the carbine. The first is that it has three gas settings - full, suppressed, and off. So that fixes some of the complaints about the pistol versions. The second is that the barrel profile is heavier than that of the pistols, so you might see a little better accuracy and velocity than the 14.5", but at the cost of a bit more weight. It also does come with a longer handguard, and the rumor is that HBI is the US contractor for both the carbine handguard and the handguard in the 922R kit for the pistols.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
I agree, the stock gas regulator settings were a failure. Have you seen this? I think they just came to market with this in the past few months, because I didn't see when I was last on their site.

https://hbindustries.net/store...-regulator-assembly/

Unless I'm missing something, it seems like you get two benefits with this:

1) You don't have to ship your OEM gas regulator and risk losing it.

2) You don't have to modify the OEM part.

I may just have them do mine and save a few bucks. It's not like it was done right from the factory to begin with and as the picture tells, I give a damn about keeping the gun factory.

I agree about E-file form 1's. I need to get on that. Wait times this past summer were as short as a few weeks for some people. I'm seeing it's already starting to stretch out.

When I had mine done, that wasn't an option. It does look interesting, though. I likely would have gone the new regulator route if I was just presented with both options, however the turnaround on the regulator modification was very quick and the only loss is the closed position that nobody is going to use anyway.

I didn't want to send my regulator to HBI until I had a spare and CZ just doesn't give you spares easily. Which is another issue on this gun. But I'll now order the HBI one and see how it does. Good for HBI!

Was watching season 3 of Jack Ryan, there's a Bren 2 that makes an appearance. Rattle canned it looks like. His LPVO has a built in rangefinder that seems accurate out of 4500 yards at least. The kind that scrolls as you move it. Boy I'd like to have one of those. He IS the head of Czech secret service I guess.

Pics of my 14". I had a 16" carbine but sold to a friend...it's noticaebly more front heavy due to the heavier barrel profile.

Mike @ TSC Machine did the pin and weld for me.
I've since swapped the stock to the BR one (less pinch on beards )

Uploaded a video...July 2021 @ a private MG shoot. My friend Erik Stern of Beretta and now FN, shooting it. He loved it...commented on how smooth it shoots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFcJKuRkMvs

quote:

Originally posted by PGT:
Pics of my 14". I had a 16" carbine but sold to a friend...it's noticaebly more front heavy due to the heavier barrel profile.

Love it! Is that the 922R kit handguard? Yeah, I keep hearing that if you want a Bren 2 carbine, just get a 14" pistol and P/W because that heavier barrel profile on the 16" is too heavy. Makes sense to me. Definitely want a 14".

quote:

Originally posted by PGT:
I've since swapped the stock to the BR one (less pinch on beards )

Is that the one pictured? I was under the impression that what you have was called the BR, or "Type B." CZ calls this guy the "Type A." Were you getting beard rip with this guy? I'm in the process of getting my Form 1 going on mine and I managed to reserve a Type B. I could have gone either way, but the Type B was a little cheaper and I've seen videos of some wiggle with the Type A's extension. Kinda want to get both and see which I like better. Supposedly the lockup on the Type B is super solid, both at the hinge and the extension.

I'm not surprised your friend from FN liked the Bren 2. Definitely a really smooth shooter. Really looking forward to getting a suppressor on mine. The wait is gonna suck.

That's the one. The stock shown in my pics and video is the one that comes in the 922r compliance kit from CZ USA. I swapped it since.

As I told my buddy, it's an FN SCAR for half the cost.