Lot 3548

Dornaus & Dixon "JUSTFORME" Bren Ten Pistol with Accessories

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Dornaus & Dixon "JUSTFORME" Bren Ten Pistol with Accessories

Estimate: $50,000 - $70,000

Starting Bid: $45,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 23, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Rare and Desirable Company Employee Owned "JUST FOR ME" Serial Numbered Dornaus & Dixon Enterprises Inc. Bren Ten Semi-Automatic Pistol with 6 Inch Barrel, Holster, and a Plethora of Accessories Including Extra Marksman Special and Special Forces Pattern Slide Assemblies This pistol is consigned directly from an employee of Dornaus & Dixon who started with the company early on in 1983 at 19 years old and was with them until they closed down in 1986. He was an assembler, test firer and R&D. This pistol was specially built, hand finished and fitted, by him and is bearing the special serial number “JUST FOR ME”. He used this pistol as a testing bed for numerous parts and configurations. Some employees of Dornaus & Dixon were able to order and build their own personal firearm and were able to pick their own serial number as a thank you, to which the consignor indicated he believes only four or less were created with handpicked serial numbers. Manufactured c. 1981-1983, the Bren Ten pistol was the product of a collaboration between Thomas Dornaus and Michael Dixon, businessmen who saw a need in the market for a handgun that could combine the firepower of a magnum revolver and the rate of fire of a semi-automatic, and Jeff Cooper, a pillar of late 20th century arms training and development with his own thoughts on how the semi-auto could be improved. These pistols were ultimately intended to garner military interest. Working under the banner of Dornaus & Dixon Enterprises, the group would develop and release the Bren Ten, a high-powered handgun with double action trigger functionality, safety mechanisms permitting Cooper's preferred "condition one/cocked and locked" carry as well as a more European style double action first shot, and chambered for the 10mm Auto cartridge, a high powered round developed with Cooper's guidance which debuted in the Bren Ten. The pistol would have a relatively short career, hamstrung in the market by early quality control issues and limited production, resulting in the closure of the firm in 1986 with approximately 1,500 pistols released. The influence of the Bren Ten would go on far beyond the end of production, having inspired multiple manufacturers to make their own 10mm Auto pistols to capitalize on the perceived market niche, continued experiments with the 10mm Auto leading to the development of the 40 S&W cartridge, and a heavy footprint in 1980s pop culture as the weapon of choice of Don Johnson as Detective James "Sonny" Crockett on the show Miami Vice. Multiple attempts have been made to capitalize on the design and name of the Bren Ten, but so far none have come to fruition; the pistol remains a solitary and attractive artifact of American arms development. This pistol shows a unique combination of standard and special features. Sighting is via a fixed blade front and adjustable notch rear sight with white dot highlights, with a firing pin blocking push-button safety on the slide, sear blocking thumb safety on the frame, "BREN TEN" markings on each side of the slide and "Cal 10mm AUTO" on the right, the "Gunsite Raven" on the left side of the frame, the right with "PAT. PEND." and the Dornaus & Dixon Huntington Beach, California, address, and a pair of hardwood grips bearing a "JC" monogram; this style of grip was produced for a limited run of special "Jeff Cooper's Bren Ten Initial Issue Commemorative" handguns. Deviating from the "norm" is the rarely seen 6 inch 10mm barrel (only three of these barrels were ever factory made in 6 inch length), which is unmarked on top of the hood with "JIM F" stamped on the lower left of the chamber and "JFM" on the right, flourishes of scroll engraving on the rear flats of the slide, polished small parts with jewelled sides of the hammer, and serrations on the ribbing of the trigger guard, rear spur and grip straps. On top of the pistol itself, the lot includes an impressive large array of accessories. The pistol is accompanied by the employee's Caravan brand aluminum case it was carried in during his time working for Dornaus & Dixon, six extra barrel/slide assemblies to include two different versions of the “SPECIAL FORCES” marked 10mm 4 inch barrel and slide assemblies showing a shorter length dust cover area on one of them as a developmental change, an unmarked .45 ACP 4 inch barrel/slide assembly (one of only three known; one of the others being owned by Tom Dornaus and the other by a company machinist), a .45 ACP 5 inch barrel/slide assembly referred to as the Marksman Special (not marked as such), a "MARKSMAN SPECIAL-MATCH" marked .45 ACP 5 inch barrel/slide assembly (absent recoil spring and some small parts), a standard 10mm 5 inch barrel/slide assembly, one extra 6 inch 10mm barrel, four extra 5 inch 10mm barrels (one with an unfinished lug), a 10mm barrel blank, an unfinished barrel extension, five total included magazines (three are marked for 10mm), nine extra pairs of grips (three checkered, five smooth, one extra "JC" monogram pair), a small tackle box containing a large variety of "unobtanium" small replacement parts and Michael Dixon's business card, 1983 edition manual, 1983 edition sales booklet, the 1985 edition of Guns Illustrated (featuring a Bren Ten on the cover), a 1984 post card featuring Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice (Crockett with Bren Ten in hand), and a brown leather holster maker marked “G. WM. DAVIS/MAKER” with the Bren Ten "X" logo, specially made to fit this gun (one of only a small handful like it ever made).

Manufacturer: Dornaus & Dixon Enterprises, Inc.

Model: Bren Ten

BBL: 6 inch round

Gauge: 10mm Auto

Finish: blue/stainless

Grips: hardwood

Serial NumberJUSTFORME

Class: Modern Handgun

  • Condition: Excellent, retains 97% plus original blue finish on the slide with a fine bright appearance to the frame, minor handling marks, a few small spots of minor oxidation, and distinct markings. The right grip panel shows a chip and a crack around the magazine tension screw, otherwise the grips are fine with mild wear. Mechanically excellent. The extra slide assemblies are all very fine showing only mild wear with oxidation on some of the barrels and small parts and the accessories are otherwise fine. This is a rare opportunity to acquire this desirable employee owned Dornaus & Dixon Bren Ten pistol with the handpicked special serial number "JUST FOR ME" and a large grouping of accessories!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000