CETME Rifle?

[AKbythebay]

Anyone know anything about these??? Price seems pretty good and they are sweet looking.

YES, THAT RIGHT, YOU CAN BELIEVE YOUR EYES. CETME RIFLES WERE HUGELY POPULAR A FEW YEARS BACK, BUT THEN LIKE MANY FINE RIFLES THEY DRIED UP AND DISAPPEARED. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY FOR THE PAST 5 OR 6 YEARS. BUT WE JUST FOUND A SMALL BATCH AND THEY ARE SUPER NICE. THE CETME IS BASICALLY THE SEMI- AUTO VARIATION OF A G-3 RIFLE OR THE H&K 91. IN FACT THE ORIGINAL CETMES WERE BULIT IN SPAIN ON THE SAME MACHINERY THAT WAS LATER PURCHASED BY H&K TO BUILD THEIR FAMOUS HK-91 RIFLES ON. SO WHAT YOU BASICALLY HAVE HERE IS A WORLD CLASS, .308 SEMI AUTO RIFLE AT A GREAT PRICE. NEW BARRELS, BEAUTIFUL NEW BLACK POLY FURNITURE WITH THE SLIM LINE FOREARMS, NICE COMPENSATOR. FLIP TYPE 3 POSITION REAR SITE THAT ALLOWS FOR A SMALL APERTURE, A LARGER APERATURE OR A GROOVE SITE. COME COMPLETE WITH 2-20 RD MAGS AND A 5 RD (LEGAL FOR HUNTING MAG ). LIMITED QUANTITIES SO DON'T DELAY.....THIS IS THE BEST THING TO COME ALONG SINCE ELASTIC TOPS AROUND YOUR STEP INS... CETME RIFLE.......$579.95​

http://www.classicarms.us/

 

[alucard0822]

I was looking into a Century cetme a few months ago, and kinda gave up on it. I fired one, and while fairly reliable, the fit and finish was crappy (lots of welding slag, some tight some loose tolerences and machining chips in the rifle), only 1 of 4 mags locked in place without a firm slap, and even when they seemed seated, would come loose after a few rounds. The sights were hard to shoot well with, and it didn't seem any more accurate than my Yugo AK. It uses a roller delayed blowback, which is hard on brass if you reload, and being a 308, reloading is about the only way to shoot it for a reasonable cost as cheap surplus is all but gone. The rifle is basically spot welded sheetmetal, and feels kinda flimsy, but looks cool none-the-less. The one at Gun Shack I was looking at was $600, and most people on THR that had one only paid about $400 in other parts of the country, so I let it go, and don't feel that bad about it. I personally would put the money twards an M1A, 308 saiga w/pistol or thumbhole stock(surprisingly accurate and well made) or an FAL.

if you do have your heart set on a cetme, these are probably the best, and worth the difference in price, or so I hear. http://www.ptr91.com/index.html

 

[AKbythebay]

I was looking into a Century cetme a few months ago, and kinda gave up on it. I fired one, and while fairly reliable, the fit and finish was crappy (lots of welding slag, some tight some loose tolerences and machining chips in the rifle), only 1 of 4 mags locked in place without a firm slap, and even when they seemed seated, would come loose after a few rounds. The sights were hard to shoot well with, and it didn't seem any more accurate than my Yugo AK. It uses a roller delayed blowback, which is hard on brass if you reload, and being a 308, reloading is about the only way to shoot it for a reasonable cost as cheap surplus is all but gone. The rifle is basically spot welded sheetmetal, and feels kinda flimsy, but looks cool none-the-less. The one at Gun Shack I was looking at was $600, and most people on THR that had one only paid about $400 in other parts of the country, so I let it go, and don't feel that bad about it. I personally would put the money twards an M1A, 308 saiga w/pistol or thumbhole stock(surprisingly accurate and well made) or an FAL.

if you do have your heart set on a cetme, these are probably the best, and worth the difference in price, or so I hear. http://www.ptr91.com/index.html

Good information Alucard0822. I also saw something on the web about the Century CETME's being unreliable. Is this model the same as the Century model? Were all the CETME's made for the U.S. done by Century? The few posts I read about it said to avoid the Century CETME, but I don't know how to tell

 

[JeepDriver]

Spend the extra and go for a PTR-91. Their fit, finish and reliablity are 100%.

They are double the cost of a CETME, but you'll have a rifle that will be with you for a long time to come w/ no problems.

Or just go for the M1A and have the best 308 on the market [flame suit on, FAL guys will be here soon]

 

[metalman3006]

cetme

Here is one I have been working on. Been busy so it will have to wait.

Century Arms recever $139
Parts Kit off GunBrokers $150
stock from Centerfire $139
HK91 rear sight assembly and base from RTG $37

Could of got the receiver with the HK sight base but didn't know it at the time so I just ground off the Cetme ears and I will weld new sight base on when I weld barrel trunion on.

Already clipped and pinned lower.

 

[metalman3006]

PS Working on the FAL parts kit next!

 

[alucard0822]

judging from the "wasr-10" stamp on the AK down the page, they must be from century or a close cousin, most of the problems were with the US complince parts and the reciever stamings made by century and their suppliers, which this guy may or may not be using (the "metric rifle" part would hint that they are the same). I would be leery of buying one without looking over it closely first. I have heard of a few people that have accurate and reliable century CETMEs and love them, and century has done OK in the past as far as cust serv/repair, the problem is with QC and consistency, you might get a good one, you might not, all in all, I wouldn't be willing to take a $600 gamble.



updated: looks like they are in fact century guns:
I might be willing to take a $300 gamble on one though

* "The CETME from Century apprears to offer a great deal of rifle for a competitive price. For those with an interest in historically unique military pieces, or who just want alot of rifle for the money, the CETME fills the bill."

* Suggested retail price = $450

My comments:

* They are sold for around $290 by SOG International, Sarco, J&G, Classic Arms, and many others

http://www.hkpro.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12697

 

[adodson]

I agree with JeepDriver. I learned the hard way many times that you should always buy once, cry once. It's better to have one very good gun than two or three "eh" guns. You might spend $600 now instead of $1200 on a PTR or FAL, but you'll probably be spending that when you later realize that you want a reliable .308.

"Smoke less, but smoke the best." -Zino Davidoff

-Andy

 

[DD214]

Or just go for the M1A and have the best 308 on the market [flame suit on, FAL guys will be here soon]

 

[JeepDriver]

See, I knew those crazy FAL guys would chime in soon enough

 

[R2.0]

It is my understanding that most of Century's reliability problems were when they were assembling their own firearms. They have since hired an outside assembler.

 

[Caeb75]

Yeah....They were grinding the back of the bolt heads to get gap in them...

 

[armedsks]

I find the G3/cetme types of rifles very unpleasant to shoot. I was in the market for one for a while until i got to try one out. I didnt care for the cetme rear sight. (never used a hk sight) and the recoil was twice as much as my fal or m1a. I would guess since the g3/cetme uses recoil spring and not a true gas system such as a fal or m1a.

But they are cool looking and the mags are dirt cheap!

 

[h2u]

See, I knew those crazy FAL guys would chime in soon enough

Watch out! That's coming from a guy who owns a PTR91 carbine..........AND had to be persuaded from impulse buying a full size at the PG show...
As for the FAL comment-we can all get along just fine.........
By the way Jeep, who was that shooting the F/A FAL this weekend?......

 

[SigMatt]

I own a Hesse Arms CETME.

It's an ok rifle. It groups well. I've had some issues with it with failures-to-eject. Mainly due to needing a good cleaning and making sure the trigger pack is well seated. If it works loose, it moves the ejector out of position and the brass stovepipes.

Fit and finish is good. I got lucky. Hesse guns were hit-or-miss (literally).

The delayed roller blowback action, like the AR-15, craps where it eats. These guns get dirty fast. Not to mention they are really only compatible with milspec 7.62 NATO ammo. I have a lot of surplus of South African 7.62 which it likes fine. Federal milspec (blue box) has feeding issues. I do not recommend running commercial brass through these rifles. Headspace can be an issue and checking it on CETMEs isn't as easy as conventional .308 rifles.

At $600, the price is decent. Consider it a "roll the dice and take your chances" rifle. You can get a good one or a bad one. It is mostly compatible with HK91/G3 parts. However, I'm with others: If you have the means, buy an entry level PTR-91. The fit and finish on the PTR is excellent (they are exact copies of the HK91/G3). Well worth the money.

My CETME makes rare appearances. I own it to fill in a slot in my collection as I've wanted a G3 pattern rifle for years. But my heart and soul really belongs to a FAL. I will also eventually acquire a PTR to help round things out further.

Or a FAL. Simply the best of the .308 battle rifles but you will pay dearly for the best ones. DSA, of course. I am doing my FAL build on a DSA receiver and it took 6 months for me to get it.

Matt

 

[DD214]

I find the G3/cetme types of rifles very unpleasant to shoot. I was in the market for one for a while until i got to try one out. I didnt care for the cetme rear sight. (never used a hk sight) and the recoil was twice as much as my fal or m1a. I would guess since the g3/cetme uses recoil spring and not a true gas system such as a fal or m1a.

But they are cool looking and the mags are dirt cheap!

I own a PTR-91KC, which ships with 16.25" barrel and a recoil compensator, and I find that it has less recoil that either my M1A or my FAL. The comp works very well. I really enjoy shooting it, although it is a bit front heavy. Since I usually shoot from a bench, the forward weight doesn't bother me. I've got close to a thousand rounds through it, and I've not experienced a single problem, other than figuring out the flippin rear HK diopter sight. I like the sight a lot, but it is not very user friendly when it comes to adjustments. All things considered, I would buy it again, and as h2u stated above, I'll probably end up with a full size PTR eventually. Here is a pic of mine:
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[h2u]

Or a FAL. Simply the best of the .308 battle rifles but you will pay dearly for the best ones. DSA, of course. I am doing my FAL build on a DSA receiver and it took 6 months for me to get it.

Matt

Obviously a man of taste!

I own a PTR-91KC, which ships with 16.25" barrel and a recoil compensator, and I find that it has less recoil that either my M1A or my FAL. The comp works very well. I really enjoy shooting it, although it is a bit front heavy. Since I usually shoot from a bench, the forward weight doesn't bother me. I've got close to a thousand rounds through it, and I've not experienced a single problem, other than figuring out the flippin rear HK diopter sight. I like the sight a lot, but it is not very user friendly when it comes to adjustments. All things considered, I would buy it again, and as h2u stated above, I'll probably end up with a full size PTR eventually. Here is a pic of mine:
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Probably............ They say the first step is admitting that you have a problem....

 

[DD214]

Probably............ They say the first step is admitting that you have a problem....

Oh, there is no doubt that I have a problem...empty space in my gun safe!

I'm thinking that I'll end up with another FAL first. I've had the itch for a scoped FAL as of late.

 

[JeepDriver]

By the way Jeep, who was that shooting the F/A FAL this weekend?......

Not as much fun as the G3's !

We had a 22 conversion in a Registered Receiver G3, Shooting 20 rds of 22 through a gun that size in Full Auto is just to damn much fun.

 

[2SAM22]

AKbythebay,
I was where you are now a few years ago. I was looking at CETMEs and now am glad I waited and got the PTR instead. That said, I wouldnt mind picking up a CETME eventually (now that I have the PTR), but there are other things on my list first.