i wanna cetme!!!

billy · 11-04-2006, 08:44 PM

i just got the new CIA catalog.

they have parts kits and receivers for sale, any thoughts?

Dale · 11-04-2006, 10:49 PM

My only thoughts are is that I have a CAI CETME and I love the gun.

It's hard on cases so that limits the quality of them for reloading.

I also have a concern with the (around here) limited supply of .308 ammo.

My rifle is a sweet shooter with more recoil than I woulda thought from a semi-auto action. But it's still tolerable by all means.

It's a heavy rifle.

But, the gun will reach out and touch someone if the need be.

I've heard some say that a CAI CETME is a rooster shoot and you risk getting a bad bolt, etc. as easily as the chances of getting a good shooter.

If that is true I got lucky.

I would suggest anyone to buy from a source that will allow you to test fire the weapon and, if need be, return it if you don't care for it.

Big Dog · 11-05-2006, 04:22 AM

I also got a good one! I love the thing. But, I bought from a good vendor who knows what I like, and has never offered me a sub-standard gun.
In it's defense, the number of buyers having serious problems has been very low, considering the number of guns that CAI has built. Most problems are minor and easily corrected.
If you can also get an Armorer's Kit, that's gravy! All the spares you'll ever need. Go to InterOrdnance's website, and they should still have the magazine offer of a Ten Pack of HK Alloys for $19.50 - that's a buck ninetyfive per mag! They call 'em 'used' - eight of mine were 'new', and the other two barely used.
From what I've read elsewhere, CAI throws in free CETME bayonets with each order now - they must have a bunch and couldn't sell 'em. I have three. Great field knife when sharpened.

billy · 11-05-2006, 05:26 AM

i dont mind the weight and i dont care if it kicks. i keep seeing them for around $350 up, its either that or a 308 saiga. thanks for your input!

Dale · 11-05-2006, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billy

i dont mind the weight and i dont care if it kicks. i keep seeing them for around $350 up, its either that or a 308 saiga. thanks for your input!

Billy, please don't misunderstand my meaning of recoil with the CETME.

To me it has a little more umph than, say, an SKS and an M14. It's not unbearable yet to my joints and it's far less recoil, of course, than a bolt action .308.

For the price you mention I'd recommend going ahead and getting one - I bought mine a couple of years ago, new, for around $500.

Big Dog · 11-06-2006, 05:23 AM

The CETME actually has the LEAST felt recoil of any semi-auto .308 battle rifle I've shot - including FAL, M1 Garand and M-14. Even the similar HK91 has more felt recoil. The CETME is a rifle I can keep on target while shooting rapid fire, and make accurate hits. It's a real sweetheart of a rifle!

Just take care if some idiot is standing to your right - those cases come out at near mach-speed! I've seen them stuck mouth-first in the wood uprights.

billy · 11-06-2006, 07:09 AM

well, it looks like i am gonna be a cetme owner. ive been kickin it around in my head for a while now. next question can i use mil surp ammo in one of these guns?

Dale · 11-06-2006, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billy

next question can i use mil surp ammo in one of these guns?

Yep. You sure can.

BattleRifleG3 · 11-06-2006, 04:48 PM

Ok, just to cover this base - you listed parts kist and receivers at the beginning of this thread. Note that CETMEs and G3s are some of the hardest guns to put together correctly. Easier gusn to build include M14s, FALs, AKs, and ARs. I've done the last two and am glad I didn't start with something harder.

Remember, some guns require headspacing when built from a kit, and not getting this within thousandths of an inch can be very dangerous.

Big Dog · 11-06-2006, 04:58 PM

Billy, milsurp 7.62X51 NATO spec ammo is THE ammo to use, as well as most good clean milsurp ammo from non-NATO nations. South African, Portugese, Spanish Santa Barbara and Austrailian - not NATO marked but all are good!
The CETME action features violent extraction, and can tear the thinner commercial brass in half. If shooting commercial ammo, be very careful!
Steel cased ammo (Wolf?) .308 is said to work okay, but I haven't used any yet.

billy · 11-06-2006, 05:52 PM

alright im just gonna buy the rifle. i dont need anymore headaches. im glad you warned me. the only semiautos ive monkeyed with are sks,wasr-10,1911a1. those are all easy. but i spend alot of my time working,and im too tired for very many challenging new projects. i havent even started reloading yet! thanks again you guys!

ash · 11-06-2006, 06:15 PM

Stay away from silver bear ammo too. Also If you want to scope it lookout for a good claw mount.

RabidPitWeasle · 11-06-2006, 09:59 PM

I've had my CETME for 2 years, paid $300 new. First thing I did when I got it was take it apart and cleaned all the cosmoline and gunk out of it. I also orderd some 20rd mags for it from Cheaper than Dirt, a couple didnt fit and I had to run a file over the lips to get them to fit flush.
THe rear sight on the thing is called a ''paddel wheel" style unlike the HK "barrel" style Dont much care for the sight so I put a scope on mine (scope mount through Cheaper than Dirt).
I've got about 1400rds of SouthAfrican surplus I run thru mine the ammo is somewhat funky but fuctions well.
THe recoil is more of a slow recoil ( delayed blowback?)
Another freind of mine got the same gun and his came w/ a bayo and the flashhider is the birdcage style, mine was a diffrent style kinda odd not sure why they came like that-same manufacture-

Big Dog · 11-07-2006, 05:03 AM

RPW, the 'birdcage' style is the original flash hider, deemed a no-no by the BATF-men back in the days of the AWB. Century replaced it with their own design Muzzle Brake - we lovingly call it the "Century Muzzle Blast Enhancer"!
Make's my Spanish Lady sing out LOUD!!

Now, the older FH can be reinstalled legally.
Yep, the recoil is indeed a slower 'push' rather than a buck. With care, you can feel the bolt cycling.

My CETME:

RabidPitWeasle · 11-07-2006, 06:47 PM

"Blast Enhancer" I like that, fits well when you shot prone it really lets you know where you are. Love the camo BigDog looks like mine cept mines all black w/scope

grasshopper2 · 11-21-2006, 11:37 AM

Hold on a second. Be carefull with the CETMEs and the G3s. I have both and have encontered several problems. First, look for a ground bolt head. The monkeys at CIA instead of cleaning their stuff and braking in the rifles and changing the rollers to adjust head space grind the face of the bolt to gain head spacing. Dangerous. Please read up on these fine rifles before you take the plunge. Other things to look out for is a canted front sight that causes it to shoot to the right.
Here is a good sight to do some reading up on this rifle.
Frequently Asked Questions, A New Members Primer. - CETME Rifles

billy · 11-21-2006, 12:30 PM

i think im going for a saiga 308, it sounds more reliable,safer, and cheaper!

BFRANKlin · 12-19-2006, 09:41 PM

I have a good CETME.They have to be CLEAN, especially the chamber! Mine shoot good and works fine. The sight drum will sometimes rotate when firing but each of 4 range levels has a slightly different look, like peep, v-notch, u-notch and each is marked with 1,2,3, or 400 m. so it's easy to tell when it moves. (1 yard = 0.9 meter--100meters=approx. 110-112 yards) I want a wood stock & forearm for mine. Plastic looks to ARish. And yes, the recoil is fairly mild compared to an M 14.
They are good rifles and should be in any collection.

just_a_car · 01-02-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Dog

RPW, the 'birdcage' style is the original flash hider, deemed a no-no by the BATF-men back in the days of the AWB. Century replaced it with their own design Muzzle Brake - we lovingly call it the "Century Muzzle Blast Enhancer"!

Hehe, yeah, my CETME still has the blast enhancer and it barks just as much as the .44 mag revolver and 12 ga that were at the range with me

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Dog

My CETME:

What kind of stanag mount is that, Big Dog? It doesn't look like a normal flip-claw mount and doesn't look like the Tapco two-rail mount that I've been looking at getting for about $30.

Big Dog · 01-03-2007, 04:55 AM

JAC, It's my el-cheapo 'country boy special' mount. A Weaver rail for the Remington 700 rifle, JB Welded to the CETME receiver, then the whole thing painted to match. I figured I'd try it before sinking money into a standard mount. It has been rock-solid for over five hundred rounds now.
If it does fail, I still have the iron sights. It's low enough, and using the high see-thru rings with the proper small-bell scope, I can still use the iron sights with scope mounted. It works for me.

11-04-2006, 08:44 PM	#1
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 10,865 Trader Rating: (0)	i wanna cetme!!! i just got the new CIA catalog. they have parts kits and receivers for sale, any thoughts?

11-04-2006, 10:49 PM	#2
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284 Trader Rating: (0)	My only thoughts are is that I have a CAI CETME and I love the gun. It's hard on cases so that limits the quality of them for reloading. I also have a concern with the (around here) limited supply of .308 ammo. My rifle is a sweet shooter with more recoil than I woulda thought from a semi-auto action. But it's still tolerable by all means. It's a heavy rifle. But, the gun will reach out and touch someone if the need be. I've heard some say that a CAI CETME is a rooster shoot and you risk getting a bad bolt, etc. as easily as the chances of getting a good shooter. If that is true I got lucky. I would suggest anyone to buy from a source that will allow you to test fire the weapon and, if need be, return it if you don't care for it. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

11-05-2006, 04:22 AM	#3
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,071 Trader Rating: (0)	I also got a good one! I love the thing. But, I bought from a good vendor who knows what I like, and has never offered me a sub-standard gun. In it's defense, the number of buyers having serious problems has been very low, considering the number of guns that CAI has built. Most problems are minor and easily corrected. If you can also get an Armorer's Kit, that's gravy! All the spares you'll ever need. Go to InterOrdnance's website, and they should still have the magazine offer of a Ten Pack of HK Alloys for $19.50 - that's a buck ninetyfive per mag! They call 'em 'used' - eight of mine were 'new', and the other two barely used. From what I've read elsewhere, CAI throws in free CETME bayonets with each order now - they must have a bunch and couldn't sell 'em. I have three. Great field knife when sharpened. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables. Last edited by Big Dog; 11-06-2006 at 04:54 PM.

11-06-2006, 05:23 AM	#6
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,071 Trader Rating: (0)	The CETME actually has the LEAST felt recoil of any semi-auto .308 battle rifle I've shot - including FAL, M1 Garand and M-14. Even the similar HK91 has more felt recoil. The CETME is a rifle I can keep on target while shooting rapid fire, and make accurate hits. It's a real sweetheart of a rifle! Just take care if some idiot is standing to your right - those cases come out at near mach-speed! I've seen them stuck mouth-first in the wood uprights. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

11-06-2006, 04:48 PM	#9
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Trader Rating: (0)	Ok, just to cover this base - you listed parts kist and receivers at the beginning of this thread. Note that CETMEs and G3s are some of the hardest guns to put together correctly. Easier gusn to build include M14s, FALs, AKs, and ARs. I've done the last two and am glad I didn't start with something harder. Remember, some guns require headspacing when built from a kit, and not getting this within thousandths of an inch can be very dangerous. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

11-05-2006, 05:26 AM	#4
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 10,865 Trader Rating: (0)	i dont mind the weight and i dont care if it kicks. i keep seeing them for around $350 up, its either that or a 308 saiga. thanks for your input!

11-06-2006, 07:09 AM	#7
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 10,865 Trader Rating: (0)	well, it looks like i am gonna be a cetme owner. ive been kickin it around in my head for a while now. next question can i use mil surp ammo in one of these guns?

11-06-2006, 04:58 PM	#10
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,071 Trader Rating: (0)	Billy, milsurp 7.62X51 NATO spec ammo is THE ammo to use, as well as most good clean milsurp ammo from non-NATO nations. South African, Portugese, Spanish Santa Barbara and Austrailian - not NATO marked but all are good! The CETME action features violent extraction, and can tear the thinner commercial brass in half. If shooting commercial ammo, be very careful! Steel cased ammo (Wolf?) .308 is said to work okay, but I haven't used any yet. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

11-06-2006, 05:52 PM	#11
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 10,865 Trader Rating: (0)	alright im just gonna buy the rifle. i dont need anymore headaches. im glad you warned me. the only semiautos ive monkeyed with are sks,wasr-10,1911a1. those are all easy. but i spend alot of my time working,and im too tired for very many challenging new projects. i havent even started reloading yet! thanks again you guys!

11-06-2006, 06:15 PM	#12
ash Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 932 Trader Rating: (0)	Stay away from silver bear ammo too. Also If you want to scope it lookout for a good claw mount.

11-06-2006, 09:59 PM	#13
RabidPitWeasle Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NorthDakota Posts: 84 Trader Rating: (0)	I've had my CETME for 2 years, paid $300 new. First thing I did when I got it was take it apart and cleaned all the cosmoline and gunk out of it. I also orderd some 20rd mags for it from Cheaper than Dirt, a couple didnt fit and I had to run a file over the lips to get them to fit flush. THe rear sight on the thing is called a ''paddel wheel" style unlike the HK "barrel" style Dont much care for the sight so I put a scope on mine (scope mount through Cheaper than Dirt). I've got about 1400rds of SouthAfrican surplus I run thru mine the ammo is somewhat funky but fuctions well. THe recoil is more of a slow recoil ( delayed blowback?) Another freind of mine got the same gun and his came w/ a bayo and the flashhider is the birdcage style, mine was a diffrent style kinda odd not sure why they came like that-same manufacture-

11-07-2006, 05:03 AM	#14
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,071 Trader Rating: (0)	RPW, the 'birdcage' style is the original flash hider, deemed a no-no by the BATF-men back in the days of the AWB. Century replaced it with their own design Muzzle Brake - we lovingly call it the "Century Muzzle Blast Enhancer"! Make's my Spanish Lady sing out LOUD!! Now, the older FH can be reinstalled legally. Yep, the recoil is indeed a slower 'push' rather than a buck. With care, you can feel the bolt cycling. My CETME: __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

11-07-2006, 06:47 PM	#15
RabidPitWeasle Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NorthDakota Posts: 84 Trader Rating: (0)	"Blast Enhancer" I like that, fits well when you shot prone it really lets you know where you are. Love the camo BigDog looks like mine cept mines all black w/scope

11-21-2006, 11:37 AM	#16
grasshopper2 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 28 Trader Rating: (0)	Hold on a second. Be carefull with the CETMEs and the G3s. I have both and have encontered several problems. First, look for a ground bolt head. The monkeys at CIA instead of cleaning their stuff and braking in the rifles and changing the rollers to adjust head space grind the face of the bolt to gain head spacing. Dangerous. Please read up on these fine rifles before you take the plunge. Other things to look out for is a canted front sight that causes it to shoot to the right. Here is a good sight to do some reading up on this rifle. Frequently Asked Questions, A New Members Primer. - CETME Rifles

11-21-2006, 12:30 PM	#17
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 10,865 Trader Rating: (0)	i think im going for a saiga 308, it sounds more reliable,safer, and cheaper!

12-19-2006, 09:41 PM	#18
BFRANKlin Banned Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Southern Ohio Posts: 258 Trader Rating: (0)	have CETME, satisfied! I have a good CETME.They have to be CLEAN, especially the chamber! Mine shoot good and works fine. The sight drum will sometimes rotate when firing but each of 4 range levels has a slightly different look, like peep, v-notch, u-notch and each is marked with 1,2,3, or 400 m. so it's easy to tell when it moves. (1 yard = 0.9 meter--100meters=approx. 110-112 yards) I want a wood stock & forearm for mine. Plastic looks to ARish. And yes, the recoil is fairly mild compared to an M 14. They are good rifles and should be in any collection.

01-03-2007, 04:55 AM	#20
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,071 Trader Rating: (0)	JAC, It's my el-cheapo 'country boy special' mount. A Weaver rail for the Remington 700 rifle, JB Welded to the CETME receiver, then the whole thing painted to match. I figured I'd try it before sinking money into a standard mount. It has been rock-solid for over five hundred rounds now. If it does fail, I still have the iron sights. It's low enough, and using the high see-thru rings with the proper small-bell scope, I can still use the iron sights with scope mounted. It works for me. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.