BRNO 500

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The History of Brno

The history of the Brno company or Czechoslovak Armory (Československá zbrojovka) as it was known prior to WWI, began in the city of Brno in the Czech Republic, formerly known as Czechoslovakia. In 1918, the Brno Rifles factory was established. Before 1918, Brno Plant was an arsenal located in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Brno started producing Mauser 98 rifles in 1920 after buying excess weapons and equipment from Mauser-Oberndorf. These Brno-produced Mausers had a 98/22 designation stamped onto the receivers marking the year of production.

In the period between WWI and WWII, Brno collaborated with the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, England to develop a well-known Bren light machine gun. They produced weapons for the Czechoslovakian and German armies during World War II. After the war, the company was nationalized by the Czechoslovakian government and renamed Zbrojovka Brno. While it was under socialist control until 1989, it switched to the production of sporting weapons which quickly gained a reputation for their reliability. For some time, the company also produced light artillery and several other products such as tractors, typewriters, and early computers.

During the years they presented numerous models of weaponry such as the ZB vz. 26 light machine gun, ZB-50 heavy machine gun, the MG34, several bolt action rifles, ZKM and ZH series, ZKR 551 handgun etc.

The company was privatized in 1990, just three years before Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Zbrojovka Brno was acquired by Česká zbrojovka (CZ) in 2008. With the new ownership, they agreed to a longer lease, which allows the business to continue production in rented facilities. They still make high-end products for hunting and competition, including pistols, single-shot and double rifles, combination rifles, as well as over/under shotguns.

Brno 500 Rifle Review

Brno 500 is series of a break barrel combination rifles or double barrel shotguns manufactured by Zbrojovka Brno and later by Kozlice Brno. Rifles feature a robust double sliding wedge locking mechanism that locks into place when the bascule is closed, providing extra safety. The built quality is superior to some other Brno models due to higher grade materials, automatic ejectors, and premium acid-etched decoration.

The gun is opened and loaded by pushing the lever on the upper rear side of the action to the right which is a common feature in almost all combination weapons. Combination models come with a 14.5 mm dovetail rail on the top of the receiver which is suitable for scope mounts. Contrary to the Brno ZH series, the barrels are arranged standardly on Brno 500, with the upper one being for shotgun shells and the lower one for rifle cartridges. There is a two-position safety positioned on a tang top, similar to the one found on Brno Super. It secures the triggers and is completely silent when operated. Some additional safety is also provided by the design itself - if the cross wedge is not fully closed and does not reliably lock the bolt, it blocks the path of the hammers, which cannot strike the firing pins.

The double trigger is a standard feature, with the front one being a finely adjustable set trigger. There is a possibility to change the barrels within the series, chambering the gun for different caliber configurations.

Brno 500

Figure 1: Brno 500, chambered for 7x57R and 12 ga (Source: https://auctionet.com/en/1655457-m-500-12-7x57r-2502202070-se0935478/images#image_1)

Brno 500 Calibers

500 models are available in the following calibers:

7x57 R
7x65 R
.308 Win.
.30-06 Spr.

Gauges

12 ga

Brno 500 Variants

The rifle is available in the following variants:

Brno 501.2
Brno 501.6
Brno 501.7
Brno 502.2
Brno 502.3

Brno 500 combination guns come with a milled 14.5 mm dovetail on the top of the receiver which is suitable for installing scope mounts.

The receiver of Brno 502.2

Figure 2: The receiver of Brno 502.2, chambered for 7x57R and 12 ga (Source: https://greatnorthgunco.ca/product/brno-model-502-2-combination-gun-12-7x57r/)

The mounting surface of Brno 500

A: /

B: /

C: /

D: 14.5 mm

BHU: 0 mm

Ø: /

R1: Prisma 14.5/60°

R2: Prisma 14.5/60°

Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Brno 500

Rifles That Have One-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Brno 500

For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension. Rifles that have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Brno 500 are the following:

Rifles That Have Two-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Brno 500

For two-piece mounts to be interchangeable, the mounting surfaces of the rifle must match in every dimension except the action length which can vary. Rifles that have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Brno 500 are the following:

Best Scope Mounts for Brno 500

Fixed Scope Mounts for Brno 500

This fixed scope mount manufactured by the Czech company Kozap is made of high-quality steel and will fit the mounting surface of your rifle perfectly.

Detachable Repeatable Scope Mounts for Brno 500

Due to the specific design of a recoil notch, there are not many scope mounts suitable for Brno 500. However, if you are looking for a detachable mounting solution to fit on your rifle, we recommend this Rusan roll-off mount. It is made of high-quality steel and comes with a ten-year warranty.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the scope mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu

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BRNO 500

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The History of Brno