Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/739629
It started with dual-use products – pistols in the 9 mm Luger caliber. We can look at a CZ 75 pistol developed for the Czech law-enforcement force as a breakthrough, after which came sniper rifles and finally assault rifles. While in previous years a lot has been said about the weapon made for the tender in India, this year CZ presents another new assault rifle. The gun maintained original name BREN to which the numeral "2" was added. The ATM editorial staff and the author of this article were invited as one of the very first journalists to look and try the new BREN 2 assault rifle. To be honest, we were honored by the invitation but expectations concerning the gun alone were not high. We knew about the modification of the BREN for the Indian tender and we expected "a moderate but recognizable progress within legitimate limits". The fact that our expectations were gravely mistaken be- came obvious at the moment when our CZ hosts opened transport box with the gun. We found out that everything is going to be quite different. What they have shown us, was a new gun with innovated ergonomics and modified the technical design. For sure, the basic principles remained – the bolt locks by means of rotating bolt head, it is powered by the gunpowder gas- ses passing through a regulator and forcing the bolt via a short stroke piston. The ammunition is supplied from the regular NATO magazines compatible with the M16/M4 platform, held in the weapon by push release buttons on both sides of the magazine well. The whole weapon is designed as a modular one, enabling relatively simple change of the barrel for the one of the desired lengths. There is an intention to enable also to change the caliber, in the game are at the moment only of the two most popular calibers: 5,56 x 45 mm NATO and 7,62 x 39 mm Russian. The stock is folding, telescopic and but is more or less in line with the axis of the barrel. There are four MIL-STD-1913 instal- lation rails on the forearm and upper surface of the receiver (the ones on the sides can be removed should you wish to do so). On the upper rail are iron sights but the weapon will primarily rely on some optical sight, be it a reflex sight or rifle scope, as this solution is pretty common now. Charging of the BREN 2 – cocking the gun – is newly designed by means of the cocking handle which after initial manipulation with the bolt remains static. The cocking handle is accessible from both sides. Also, the bolt catch and bolt release are redesigned. The bolt remains held in the rear position automatically after firing the last cartridge from the magazine. The bolt is re- leased by a small lever on the left side of the receiver or by small pad near the front arm of the trigger bow. Ambidextrous fire control offers (from rear forward) three positions: safe, single shots, full automatic (burst). The flash suppressor at the muzzle end is also new. The BREN 2 in general underwent a thorough redesign, it got rid of the "edginess", the shape is smoothened (if one can speak of smoothness in case of a rifle full of now obligatory MIL -STD-1913 installation rails). There is a lot of internal design modifications but let us keep them for the time being aside. They influence user characteristics rather than a complete feeling of friendliness, which will be explained more thoroughly later on. The ergonomics and handling characteristics are quite strictly based on the today's most common rifles of the M16/M4 family. For the user accustomed to them, the BREN 2 will be a fast learning experience. FIREARMS