ZGB33 303 light machine gun

Hello bren gun buffs.
Does anyone know how many ZBG33 light machine guns where made to take the british 303 round.

Approximately 145 for British trials with various modifications introduced along the way. There may have been others made for foreign orders. #96 is the highest serial number I have seen mentioned in the books, although I am fairly sure the example in the NZ Waiouru Army Museum is round about #105 (I have a note of it somewhere in my reams of paper). It is fair to say they are rare!

I've got one of the ex-Irish DP guns that came onto the market a few years ago. I'm not sure how the serials should read but mine is numbered 198 and I'm aware that there were some numbered into the 200's for sale when I bought mine.

Thanks for your reply's.
If i had a chance to buy a deactivated ZGB33 303 would you approve due to its rarity.
Apparently 80 ZGB33 303's where sent to ireland along with 920 brens before 1940, i've got a chance to buy one of these 80 ZGB33's should i go ahead are they worth it ?.

You would be silly not to! Super rare in civilian hands, even as a de-act. I have a live 1938 Mk1 and they are rare enough, but a ZGB33would be the Holy Grail to a Bren collector.

I'm aware of one for sale at present with a dealer in the UK. IMO it's way overpriced at the £2400 (no offers) he's asking for it. When I bought mine just over 4 years ago they were being listed for under £700.
In terms of more recent prices there was a collector in the UK with 4 of them for sale just over a year ago. He was asking £1200 for each which I think is more realistic.

It's also worth keeping an eye out for the spare barrels for these. A batch of them (deact) came up for sale in the past year or two. They are numbered to the guns. I was unfortunate to have missed the numbered spare for mine so if anyone has number 198....

Here is No. 156:
Scarce 1937 Dated Brno Production Trials Bren Gun - MJL Militaria