Bren 2 9" FTE/Stovepipe issues

[alp3367]

  Of probable interest. This is from Reddit and Zach is the Marketing Communications Manager. CZ-USA is definitely working on determining what problems(s), if any, there may be but it's hard when the sample size is so low. If you have issues send your gun in Just FYI

ZachFromCZUSA
12 points
·
5 hours ago
Good morning, this is Zach from CZ-USA. To fill folks in on the current status on our end, we're seeing internet chatter on this topic but very few guns actually coming back to us for inspection/repair. With that, our sample size is incredibly small as we try to ascertain what may be causing issues for these folks.

Because we're talking individual guns, the data we're looking at is all over the place. One gun had a chamber absolutely coated in lacquer and once cleaned it ran fine with the ammo we have on hand for testing (PMC Bronze).

What I'd ask for is your help. We need to inspect/diagnose any of the guns that are having issues to identify the root cause of those issues. There are a number of gas selectors, port sizes and pistons over the line of variants, and the 7.62x39 Bren 2 was designed around the Russian round, for which our commercial stuff is a decent facsimile of, but not always the same. Testing in the Czech Republic is done with S&B, since that is what they have there. Our commercial ammo selection is much more broad, except in a pandemic/election year where availability in the quantities we require is spotty at best.

So we ask that any folks with issues get in touch with us to get an RMA and a call tag, that way we can document the specifics of their gun, ammo and modifications to find the common theme and its solution.

Again, we've gotten very few Bren 2s back to our gunsmiths, so please call us at 800-955-4486 to get a call tag headed your way.

In general, this hit us at a rough time as we transition our warehouse and customer systems to a new platform, making our functionality a bit rough for the last week, with things getting better by the day.

I'm not typically a Redditor, but I'll check back here when I can. About to go under the knife, but should be able to revisit this later today. 

[America_First]

I noticed that on Reddit as well. 

It makes me feel more 'at ease' knowing that CZ-USA is unconditionally behind us now.  They won't simply look the firearm over, wipe down the gas system, and send it back on its way. 

[Magsz]

I noticed that on Reddit as well. 

It makes me feel more 'at ease' knowing that CZ-USA is unconditionally behind us now.  They won't simply look the firearm over, wipe down the gas system, and send it back on its way.

Uh...

Except they need to actually come up with a solution for the "small sample size" of guns that are having issues.  I wrote a dissertation to CZ when I sent in my rifle and I got back a rifle that is still failing.  They fluffed me off.

I have the letter I wrote on my work computer.  I'm going to post it here.

[America_First]

I noticed that on Reddit as well. 

It makes me feel more 'at ease' knowing that CZ-USA is unconditionally behind us now.  They won't simply look the firearm over, wipe down the gas system, and send it back on its way.

Uh...

Except they need to actually come up with a solution for the "small sample size" of guns that are having issues.  I wrote a dissertation to CZ when I sent in my rifle and I got back a rifle that is still failing.  They fluffed me off.

I have the letter I wrote on my work computer.  I'm going to post it here.

I say that only because Tim @ MAC got involved, he claimed that a few Bren 2 orders at Copper Custom have been canceled over this, CZ-USA is now engaged and willing to actually solve the problem  .  I've had a great overall experience with the Social Media team at CZUB, they've been very professional and seem to have taken our concerns seriously from the start. 

[sneakyhenry]

I noticed that on Reddit as well. 

It makes me feel more 'at ease' knowing that CZ-USA is unconditionally behind us now.  They won't simply look the firearm over, wipe down the gas system, and send it back on its way.

Uh...

Except they need to actually come up with a solution for the "small sample size" of guns that are having issues.  I wrote a dissertation to CZ when I sent in my rifle and I got back a rifle that is still failing.  They fluffed me off.

I have the letter I wrote on my work computer.  I'm going to post it here.

Maybe your dissertation wasn't to doctoral standards lol

I'm only joking but I'm glad they've expressed interest in this issue whatever it may be.

[Magsz]

I noticed that on Reddit as well. 

It makes me feel more 'at ease' knowing that CZ-USA is unconditionally behind us now.  They won't simply look the firearm over, wipe down the gas system, and send it back on its way.

Uh...

Except they need to actually come up with a solution for the "small sample size" of guns that are having issues.  I wrote a dissertation to CZ when I sent in my rifle and I got back a rifle that is still failing.  They fluffed me off.

I have the letter I wrote on my work computer.  I'm going to post it here.

Maybe your dissertation wasn't to doctoral standards lol

I'm only joking but I'm glad they've expressed interest in this issue whatever it may be.

That's probably the case lol.  I only have an AA and i'm just a dumb cop.

[Archos]

Nice to see a response finally, but still extremely upset. I sent an email last week about my most recent range trip from which I had received my Bren back from its 2nd trip to CZ. That was the trip I had shot 380 rounds with 9+  malfunctions.

I am curious as to if my Bren is the one they are talking about with the lacquer..... If  they are still blowing that smoke I would love to call them on  their BS as my gun has malfunctioned on every type of ammo, with me purposely using only poly coated last range trip.

I guess i'll have to sign up on reddit to get a response...

[Mercs]

Nice to see a response finally, but still extremely upset. I sent an email last week about my most recent range trip from which I had received my Bren back from its 2nd trip to CZ. That was the trip I had shot 380 rounds with 9+  malfunctions.

I am curious as to if my Bren is the one they are talking about with the lacquer..... If  they are still blowing that smoke I would love to call them on  their BS as my gun has malfunctioned on every type of ammo, with me purposely using only poly coated last range trip.

I guess i'll have to sign up on reddit to get a response...

The lacquer statement is what has me most perplexed about al of this. Lacquer burns off, I haven’t seen it coat the inside of a chamber before


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[sneakyhenry]

I noticed that on Reddit as well. 

It makes me feel more 'at ease' knowing that CZ-USA is unconditionally behind us now.  They won't simply look the firearm over, wipe down the gas system, and send it back on its way.

Uh...

Except they need to actually come up with a solution for the "small sample size" of guns that are having issues.  I wrote a dissertation to CZ when I sent in my rifle and I got back a rifle that is still failing.  They fluffed me off.

I have the letter I wrote on my work computer.  I'm going to post it here.

Maybe your dissertation wasn't to doctoral standards lol

I'm only joking but I'm glad they've expressed interest in this issue whatever it may be.

That's probably the case lol.  I only have an AA and i'm just a dumb cop.

lol lol I only have an AA too my friend and thank you so much for your service in these crazy times! A true red, white & blue American feels the same way brother! You are our heroes!

[tskunk]

To anyone who’s sent a Bren back to CZ: are you sending it with HBI’s handguard or with the OEM installed? Switching back to OEM seemed to fix my problem (which of course revived the old problem of the OEM rail being 1/5 the size it should’ve been). After getting HBI’s new 10” handguard recently, I’ve gotten intermittent FTE’s (like 3x in 250 rounds). Not as bad as when I first installed the 7” HBI handguard, but also not close to the 700 rounds without a failure I put through the gun completely stock...

Also, how does the barrel side of everyone’s ejection port look? Granted my Bren has somewhere in the range of 1200-1500 rounds through it now, but my casings are going to town on the edge of it: https://imgur.com/a/ikXxBA8

[keefypants]

To anyone who’s sent a Bren back to CZ: are you sending it with HBI’s handguard or with the OEM installed? Switching back to OEM seemed to fix my problem (which of course revived the old problem of the OEM rail being 1/5 the size it should’ve been). After getting HBI’s new 10” handguard recently, I’ve gotten intermittent FTE’s (like 3x in 250 rounds). Not as bad as when I first installed the 7” HBI handguard, but also not close to the 700 rounds without a failure I put through the gun completely stock...

Also, how does the barrel side of everyone’s ejection port look? Granted my Bren has somewhere in the range of 1200-1500 rounds through it now, but my casings are going to town on the edge of it: https://imgur.com/a/ikXxBA8

600ish rounds in and my ejection port looks exactly the same.

[America_First]

Not good fellas, took mine back out this afternoon, 8 FTE's in around 120 rounds.  It's going back to CZ.  I have some videos I'll post on the ARFCOM Bren 2 thread.

[Magsz]

I noticed that on Reddit as well. 

It makes me feel more 'at ease' knowing that CZ-USA is unconditionally behind us now.  They won't simply look the firearm over, wipe down the gas system, and send it back on its way.

Uh...

Except they need to actually come up with a solution for the "small sample size" of guns that are having issues.  I wrote a dissertation to CZ when I sent in my rifle and I got back a rifle that is still failing.  They fluffed me off.

I have the letter I wrote on my work computer.  I'm going to post it here.

Maybe your dissertation wasn't to doctoral standards lol

I'm only joking but I'm glad they've expressed interest in this issue whatever it may be.

That's probably the case lol.  I only have an AA and i'm just a dumb cop.

lol lol I only have an AA too my friend and thank you so much for your service in these crazy times! A true red, white & blue American feels the same way brother! You are our heroes!

No, thank you for your support.

I sent mine back with the HBI handguard attached.  I made sure that I notated that in my included letter.

For anyone that wants to read it, here it is:

"Equipment on the rifle:
HBI Handguard
ACR brace setup W/ Dan Haga adapter
Round count:
Five thousand rounds of mixed Tula and Wolf 122 grain FULL METAL JACKET
100 rounds Suppressed via Dead Air Sandman K at approximately 4300 rounds in.
Lube used-ALG Go Juice/Synthetic Motor Oil.

Multiple failures to eject.  Classic stove pipe malfunction with the case mouth poking out of the ejection port.  The rim of the case is stuck between the bolt and the chamber face.  The rifle will also have failures to eject where the case turns around 180 degrees and the case mouth is stuck between the bolt face with the rim being stuck by the chamber mouth on the side of the ejection port.
I’ve also had failures to extract on the last round in the magazine where the case fails to clear the ejection port and ends up floating in the receiver after the bolt locks back.  These malfunctions happen with my black, factory magazines as well as the clear factory magazines.  There is no repeatable nature to the malfunction.  It will happen with a full mag, partially loaded magazine or an almost empty or empty magazine.
The factory clear magazines are also cracking at the feed lips.  I side lined those after I started having failures to eject thinking that perhaps this was contributing.  The malfunctions persisted with brand new and used black factory magazines.

Also, I wanted to point out an issue that I had with the HBI handguard.  When the handguard retaining bolts are torqued over 45 inch lbs using a wheeler calibrated fat wrench, the bolt will bind.  It will NOT go into the chamber smoothly.  It requires excessive force to retract it as well.  It’s a far cry from the SUPER smooth bolt movement.  I ended up getting new Nordlock washers from HBI and installed Loctite 2422 on the degreased bolts.  The screws seem to be holding but I haven’t put enough rounds through the gun to make a good determination as it’s been malfunctioning and ive held off from shooting it until I could return it to you guys and gals.  I don’t know if this has any contributing effect on the feed cycle.  I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t affect headspace but you guys are the pros so I defer to you.  I just wanted to fully disclose everything done to the gun so that we can get to the bottom of the issue.  Do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions about anything.  I can be reached via phone or email.  I can also provide the photos and video that ive taken over the past few months.

Thank you everyone.  Stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,"

[czfanatic_]

Hey guys,

Quick update on my situation.  Currently have a gun with a broken extractor, and CZ-USA is unable to guarantee me that they can replace the part, and have even accused me of making modifications to the gun that would have caused this to happen.  Not sure if they are reading these forums or what. 

I am not sending the gun back.  I am so mad at CZ-USA right now. 

I called my buddy who works for CZ UB and he is sending me an extractor with the factory folding stocks that should be arriving this week or next. 

At this rate, importing the part myself will solve the problem faster than CZ-USA will. 

I can't believe I have a personal connection that is more reliable than CZ-USA's entire warranty department. 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[MeatAxe]

Hey guys,

Quick update on my situation.  Currently have a gun with a broken extractor, and CZ-USA is unable to guarantee me that they can replace the part, and have even accused me of making modifications to the gun that would have caused this to happen.  Not sure if they are reading these forums or what. 

I am not sending the gun back.  I am so mad at CZ-USA right now. 

I called my buddy who works for CZ UB and he is sending me an extractor with the factory folding stocks that should be arriving this week or next. 

At this rate, importing the part myself will solve the problem faster than CZ-USA will. 

I can't believe I have a personal connection that is more reliable than CZ-USA's entire warranty department. 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I think the reason CZusa is not fixing these guns is because they have no parts. After 2 years of importing the Bren 2 to the US, this is simply inexcusable.

I was thinking about getting a Bren BR when they came out, but, nah.

My next rifle is going to be a Robinson Armaments xcr -- they actually have spare parts for their rifles and they don't cost all that much more than a Bren, with multiple calibers and configurations.

CZ USA has really dropped the ball here.