MacPapRonin
CGN Regular
- Location
- Toronto, ON
I purchased my Bren 2 Ms 7.62x39mm 11" barrel a few weeks ago and got the necessary paperwork to pick it up last Thursday. I took it out to the range today.
Right side, showing (temporarily) mounted Primary Arms MD-25 SLx optic with ACSS reticle and G33 3x magnifier clone
Left side view
First Impressions:
Right out of the box, it looks ###y. The rifle came well lubricated. Checking all the parts, it was clear it didn't need to be oiled again before firing. Reading the manual and watching a number of videos on Bren 2 Ms operation, it was easy to pick up the rifle and be familiar with how it operated.
Shooting was good. After sighting in the iron sights I was able to get consistent groups. Some reviewers have said that the irons were sighted in correctly out of the box - that was not the case for me. After getting the irons squared away, I folded them down and put on my Primary Arms MD-25 SLx with ACSS reticle and a G33 3x magnifier clone. I know neither the MD-25 or a clone magnifier is really up to the quality level of the rifle, but I had put down a lot of cash for the firearm itself. I'll keep saving for a LPVO that's 50% the cost of the rifle.
Once zeroed, it was shooting accurately and consistently with PMC Bronze 7.62x39mm 123 Gr ammunition. I know, she wants milsurp combloc stuff, but for now, I wanted to start with better "feed". My indoor range only goes to 25m, so I can't really comment on MoA. I was getting 0.5-0.75" groups with a bench rest and shooting supported and sitting, which translates to around 1.74-2.61" MoA, but I think it would be different actually shooting at 100 yards and with a more experienced shooter.
"Waffle" stock, with adjustment intentionally left between locking positions to show how detents work when adjusted and how it slots in
The stock is actually sturdier and better than I thought. It folds easily and locks into place on a slight indent in the case deflector. Easily adjustable and has enough of a ramp to allow for a good cheek weld. I think an ACR style stock might both look and feel better, but this one is entirely serviceable.
Unusual 7.62x39mm barrel flash hider.
Obviously 7.62x39mm is a bit louder and has more recoil than 5.56x45mm, but it didn't jump a lot and I didn't feel like it was too much to handle with a mid-length 11" barrel. The flash hider did its job - I didn't notice any kind of fireball - but it definitely isn't a compensator either. There is certainly a felt recoil impulse with this one.
Case ejection pattern was almost exactly at 3 o'clock every time on setting "1" (standard) with the PMC Bronze 7.62x39mm brass-cased 123 grain ammunition. No misfires, failure to ejects or the dreaded stovepipes that early models occasionally had.
Detail showing gas regulator adjustment switch in "1" (standard) position.
Trigger is nice, light and crisp - I haven't measured it myself but some videos were saying somewhere in the 3.5 lbs range. No stock X95 trigger mushiness here.
I enjoyed shooting it, and my only quibble in the whole range trip was when I swapped in the AR15 magazine sleeve adapter and tried to use CP DuraMag SS 7.62x39mm 10 round magazines; they do not retain positively. You can chamber a round, but if you don't keep a hand or pressure on the mag, it slides out. There is no locking sound or click when you insert these mags. The OEM 5-round mag that comes with the rifle works fine and clicks positively when you insert. I'm going to ask in a separate thread about that. [EDIT - turns out you also have to remove a small metal spacer ring in the magazine release assembly - called the "magazine release washer" in the instruction manual - for positive retention of AR15-style magazines. Thanks to /u/Much-Satisfaction987 for pointing this out at r/canadaguns - after performing the very easy removal process (easily reversible too), DuraMags insert, retain and release easily]
I wouldn't say that 7.62x39 in this barrel length shoots flat. Shooting 5 rounds rapid in semi-auto isn't terribly hard, but it isn't easy to keep it right on target - you have to re-index after the shot.
Likes
- Rifle feels light and handy.
- Control group is intuitive and easy to use, as well as being ambidextrous.
Left side of controls - showing AR15 paddle bolt catch, ambidextrous mag release and safety]
Right side of controls, showing clearly the in-trigger guard bolt catch and release lever.
- Option to use AR15-style paddle bolt catch lever or inside trigger guard controls is very cool. I see why people are a bit nervous about using the catch inside the trigger guard, however.
- Very little muzzle flash (that might be a "con" for some people)
- Overall build and fit and finish is very good. When the bolt is released by the paddle or by the trigger guard bolt catch lever, it really slams home - that spring is very strong.
- Disassembly is a cinch. I thought my Crusader 9 was easy to disassemble - this one is even easier. You can watch videos on the process, but basically you use a cartridge or any available firm, narrow object (I tried a round, a pen and a bore light illuminator and all worked) to push out the captive take-down pin, then pull the lower off, fold the stock, depress a button in the stock base plate, slide it off, then press in and down on the backplate of the recoil spring plate and pull it out, followed by the recoil guide rod. Then the BCG comes right out.
Dislikes
- The safety is a little sticky and feels not as well designed as the rest of the rifle. Great that it's ambidextrous and a 45 degree throw - wish it felt a little less... plastic-y and cheap.
- The supplied AR15 magwell sleeve adapter is a little hard to remove once inserted. You have to apply a lot of pressure on both sides and depress the mag release and push down at the same time to get it started. I'm going to reserve judgement on the fact that it doesn't currently positively retain my CP DuraMag SS 7.62x39mm 10 round magazines until I figure out whether they're actually supposed to or not.
- The handguard is a tiny bit short, but honestly not the big deal that some reviewers make it out to be. I'm going to try leaving it on instead of moving immediately to the HBI 10.8" handguard. Maybe put a relatively short foregrip on it and some M-Lok covers. It actually feels pretty good to C-clamp as is, as there's a natural spot to put your thumb just forward of the gas regulator
- I don't know why they didn't put a QD mount hole further back on the stock (there isn't one in the most current "waffle-stock" on the Bren 2 Ms, but there was on the BR earlier models) - there's one on the side of the receiver just forward of the stock hinge point, which is fine for a 1 point sling, but if you do 2 point, it feels a little awkward and too far forward. You can use it - it just doesn't feel great.
- not a big fan of the waffle appearance of the stock and lower, but that's a pretty minor aesthetic quibble.
Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase and look forward to shooting it again soon. This is clearly a quality rifle; I don't think I'm likely to run into problems or aspects I don't like, but ask me again in 2,000 rounds.
Great shooting rifle.
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