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BREN Mk I & Mk ! prices


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In my experience over the last five or more years with selling a few BRENs, the Brit MkI and MkI* models now bring the highest value. There are quite a variety of these two models in the NFRTR with different sources of manufacture, markings and issue from different countries, etc. Condition/originality matters a lot and replacement of mismatched model parts with maker appropriate parts and condition is now very difficult. The MkIIs don't have the intrigue of the earliest guns but are still pricey but replacing mismatched parts is also cheaper and easier. Similar varieties of sources of manufacture lf the MkIIs, etc, etc as the earlier guns. There are some Canadian Inglis MkIIs that were made as contract guns for the Chinese in 7.92 in the NFRTR and are so marked, as well as a very few 7.92 examples that are not Chinese contract marked. Also, a number of MKIII's and a very few later marks and variations. Scarcest BREN variation are the actual Czech made Bren guns, also known as ZB39s, only two of which are confirmed in the NFRTR. FWIW

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As black river has said, the ZB guns are scarce in any country but in comparison to the common Bren, it was always going to be that way. Im quite lucky in a way as I was in the right place at the right time with some spare cash available so I bought two ZB39s together which came out of Zimbabwe, and then I bought in total 18 x 1937 dated ZB made Brens in .303 over a 12 month period as an investment.
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>I bought two ZB39s together which came out of Zimbabwe, and then I bought in total 18 x 1937 dated ZB made Brens in .303 over a 12 month period as an investment.<

 

The ZB39 in my collection has an interesting history. Along with some 25 other fully transferable MGs, it was exported to Belgium in the late sixties by the owner who was a diplomat or high ranking US State Department official assigned to that country. The MGs remained in Belgium until the death of the official. He had been remarried to a Philippine woman who was the executor of his estate and who advertised in the US for the sale of a number of registered MGs, including a ZB39. A friend of mine at the time, licensed as an importer with an FFL08, re-imported seven of the MGs. The ZB39 was not contract marked such as the Bulgarian ZBs in 8x56R, and was in .303. Herb Woodend, the former curator of the Pattern Room, visited me with some friends on one of his trips to the US in the '90s and speculated that my ZB was made for South Africa.

Allegheny Arsenal brought in a quantity of Bulgarian ZB39s from Bulgaria as kits with torched receivers but complete with all receiver parts and with magazines. These are the only ZB39s that I know of that have been imported into the US.

where are you located and what happened to the ZB39s noted in your post?

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Im in the UK and still have both of the 39s. One is an original gun with Bulgarian crest and the other is a Communist scrubbed gun. Its thought they were sent to Rodesia/Zim hidden in a Batch of Brens and as they were of no use, just sat in storage. Both were heavily greased with the crest gun being in the nice plum finish of the old ZB guns but the commy gun has some rust areas and has a postwar refinish.
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Im in the UK and still have both of the 39s. One is an original gun with Bulgarian crest and the other is a Communist scrubbed gun. Its thought they were sent to Rodesia/Zim hidden in a Batch of Brens and as they were of no use, just sat in storage. Both were heavily greased with the crest gun being in the nice plum finish of the old ZB guns but the commy gun has some rust areas and has a postwar refinish.
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