The Bren Ten Curse

[Ethang]

It seems since the Bren Ten was first introduced it has been cursed. The first edition could not fulfill orders, could not obtain magazines and folded. Since then there has been a number of attempts to resurrect the concept that have not worked out. It should not really be that hard. Tanfolglio has made 10mm CZ pattern pistols for years.

Being a child of the 80's and watching Miami Vice in my formative years, I have always wanted a shootable Bren Ten. When one could still afford one, I could not. Now, they are stupid expensive if you can even find one. Still beyond my ability to afford one. That said, you can't really entertain shooting one, even if you find one because it is so expensive and not easily replaceable.

The 10mm is still going strong if not gaining ground in recent years. The CZ pattern 9mm pistols are selling everything they are making, and are doing very well in modern competition. All steel pistols are still very much in demand.

If a replica Bren Ten could be produced using modern technology, with obtainable magazines at an affordable price point, how many of us aging Gen X'ers would be interested in one?

 

[Tom K]

Since the gun was patterned off the CZ75, I don't see why anyone would buy it over a current 10mm CZ. I couldn't quite remember what they looked like and after doing a Google image search, frankly they look ugly. I don't see any market for a reproduction at all.

 

[985Plowboy]

I can feel it
Calling in the air tonight.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I recall seeing the Bren 10 for sale at Gunshows with no Magazine.
I think they were asking around $1,800.
Told the tale of the local Deputy Sheriff who finally got his after a long wait.
When out to qual so he could carry it.
Didn't get through the first Mag before he Split the slide!

 

[Rodan]

In the late 80s, I worked for a small gun shop whose owner had purchased a large amount of Bren Ten frames, slides and parts from the bankruptcy of Dornaus & Dixon. He had a well known, and very competent local gunsmith assemble several pistols from the available parts, and sold a few through the shop. Unfortunately, he didn't have the rights to the name, and eventually was delivered a cease and desist order from those who did. That got tied up by the lawyers, and I don't know if it was ever resolved.

Not sure what happened to the parts, but it was enough to fill several 18x18x18" boxes. Would have to be worth a small fortune today...

I thought the guns were cool at the time, but I like my magnums in revolvers, so the 10mm never really appealed to me enough to want one. Even way back then, the guns would bring ~$1k, IIRC.

 

[ken158]

I got one of the first Bren Tens delivered to dealers when I had my FFL back in the day. I recall a certificate came with it for a free magazine when they became available - which never happened. Fired a few boxes of Norma ammo through it and kept it a number of years until I traded it off at a gun show. And to answer the OP question - No, I would not buy another or a copy.

 

[CH4]

I never had any interest in the Bren 10, but am a huge fan of the 10mm.

610-1
610
1076
1006
Kimber GT10 #207 of 250
DW Razorback
Glock 29
SA Ronin

 

[DWalt]

The EAA all-steel Witness is already about as close as one can get to the Bren Ten and it comes in a wider selection of calibers. I have owned one for 15 years and am completely happy with it. I am not particularly interested in a 10mm but the Witness is available in it. Mine is set up for .45 ACP, .38 Super, and 9mm. I have one of the original Bren Ten instruction manuals from around 1983. Probably the most thorough gun instruction manual you will ever see.

 

[stansdds]

As DWalt said, the EAA Witness is as close to getting a functioning Bren Ten as the majority of shooters will ever get. I wanted a Bren too, saw one at a gun show, but I did not have that sort of money to spend, especially with the constant back order status of the magazines. I ended up with a Colt Delta Elite stainless to salve my 10mm desire.

 

[Lowa]

You had a bunch of new crummy auto designs and a new 10mm cartridge that had to fit into a 9mm/ 45acp size gun.

Nobody would make that gun because a dozen better guns can be had for half the price. Buy a busted one and keep it on display.

 

[Rlg#17]

No! I had one on order, actually coulda had it without mags, for over a year! I have owned several of the other da/sa 10’s but never really got to like them.

I’ve settled on the polymer brand of 10’s, and see no need to look further. They function 100% of the time, carry well and are “just right” in my book.

Regards,
Rick Gibbs

 

[03hemi]

The EAA all-steel Witness is already about as close as one can get to the Bren Ten and it comes in a wider selection of calibers. I have owned one for 15 years and am completely happy with it. I am not particularly interested in a 10mm but the Witness is available in it. Mine is set up for .45 ACP, .38 Super, and 9mm. I have one of the original Bren Ten instruction manuals from around 1983. Probably the most thorough gun instruction manual you will ever see.

EAA Witness Elite by Tangfoglio 10mm Compact double stack.

 

[quikdraw67]

It seems since the Bren Ten was first introduced it has been cursed. The first edition could not fulfill orders, could not obtain magazines and folded. Since then there has been a number of attempts to resurrect the concept that have not worked out. It should not really be that hard. Tanfolglio has made 10mm CZ pattern pistols for years.

Being a child of the 80's and watching Miami Vice in my formative years, I have always wanted a shootable Bren Ten. When one could still afford one, I could not. Now, they are stupid expensive if you can even find one. Still beyond my ability to afford one. That said, you can't really entertain shooting one, even if you find one because it is so expensive and not easily replaceable.

The 10mm is still going strong if not gaining ground in recent years. The CZ pattern 9mm pistols are selling everything they are making, and are doing very well in modern competition. All steel pistols are still very much in demand.

If a replica Bren Ten could be produced using modern technology, with obtainable magazines at an affordable price point, how many of us aging Gen X'ers would be interested in one?

I watched Miami Vice when I was in High School. Yes, 2 cool dudes driving cool cars while cool music played. Very 80's.

But that's 37's years ago. I got a 469 from 1984 and I'm quite happy with that.

Plus, I can shoot it without fear of it breaking.

So, that's a no vote for this Class of 85 alum.

 

[ladder13]

No, because….

 

[LVSteve]

The Bren 10 was a legend in somebody's mind, but it certainly wasn't mine. There are enough successful and reliable 10 mm designs out there now that a Bren 10 relaunch is not required.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The Bren Ten was like the Auto Mag. Introduced with a big splash, lots of publicity, then buyers found them next to impossible to get, interest faded rapidly.

 

[DWalt]

"I recall a certificate came with it for a free magazine when they became available - which never happened."

Not having been personally involved with the Bren Ten in days of yore, I have never understood the magazine availability problem. I gather that it was a large part of the BT's failure to thrive. Seems to me that magazine availability should have been no worse than a minimal problem, but such was evidently not the case. So what was the BT magazine difficulty all about?

 

[Laketime]

Since the gun was patterned off the CZ75, I don't see why anyone would buy it over a current 10mm CZ. I couldn't quite remember what they looked like and after doing a Google image search, frankly they look ugly. I don't see any market for a reproduction at all.

Clearly that big eyeball of an avatar has missed seeing the rugged beauty in this gun.

 

[Sevens]

"I recall a certificate came with it for a free magazine when they became available - which never happened."

Not having been personally involved with the Bren Ten in days of yore, I have never understood the magazine availability problem. I gather that it was a large part of the BT's failure to thrive. Seems to me that magazine availability should have been no worse than a minimal problem, but such was evidently not the case. So what was the BT magazine difficulty all about?

Dornaus & Dixon had either an import problem that they could not clear up (possibly) or they had, more likely, a DEBT that they could not cover and the magazine supplier was smart enough to withhold the product without funds. All the history says that the magazines were coming from Italy, the easy guess is that Mec-Gar was the supplier.

I find the entire ridiculous history of this pistol to be interesting but the money they command today to be whatever comes exponentially beyond totally ridiculous.

 

[Ethang]

Missing in all of these comments is the advancements in technology. I am not talking about issue prone remakes, but a modern Bren with obtainable magazines.

Yes I am aware of the Witness line, I even mentioned that in my initial post. That was not the intention of the post. I know they are a close substitute, but they are not a Bren.