Is this a good deal?

[mO 64 StAnG 06]

I've been wanting a military rifle for some time now and I just happened to find a CAI CETME at a local pawn shop today for $500.

I took a look at it and noticed everything was fine except it didn't have a muzzle break/flash suppressor on it which I thought was odd. The charging handle seemed fine and I didn't seem to stick. The iron sights seemed aligned perfectly too. Also the mag went in smooth and didn't have a problem with it being too tight or too loose.

It seems like a great rifle, but after seeing it and doing some research im a bit wary on buying it. I just hope I don't get a dud.

Even with hardly any detail, does this seem like a good buy?

[BattleRifleG3]

The bare muzzle is actually probably a good thing.

Most Century CETMEs have an ear blasting muzzle brake that in my experience does nothing to reduce recoil. I have a G3 that had the same brake, and when I removed it the recoil was just as mild.

A bare muzzle may also be a sign of a US made barrel. A good thing for sure, as it also counts for US parts compliance.

CETMEs used to go in the $300 range, but no longer. $500 may be normal, especially if it's "new" (new being newly assembled with some new parts and some surplus).

Really the only way to improve on that would be to get a PTR rifle for hundreds more. Or if you're considering a FAL, some variants may be available in the 600 range, or perhaps more realistically in the 700-800 range for a quality build by a reputable smith.

Others may be able to chime in on how to best inspect a CETME to see if taht one is a good deal.

[Beer Forever]

The absolute lowest I have seen a CETME is recent times is $500 and those are soon going up to 6. Jump on it while you can. They have no recoil, but will blast your ears to pieces, those things are LOUD!

I got to shoot one at the range; it was a Century, wood furniture, and totally stock. That thing was so accurate, had no recoil, and shot great with old South African surplus. I want one really bad and no collection is complete without one. I am a weirdo and prefer them over the G3. I could only imagine what they would be like in full auto.

[ArkansasHunter]

mO 64 StAnG 06 Welcome to Gun and Game, I looked at your profile and I see you joined yesterday. Glad to have you.
If you buy that rifle would you show all of us some picture's of it.

Thanks Mike

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by mO 64 StAnG 06

I've been wanting a military rifle for some time now and I just happened to find a CAI CETME at a local pawn shop today for $500.
I took a look at it and noticed everything was fine except it didn't have a muzzle break/flash suppressor on it which I thought was odd. The charging handle seemed fine and I didn't seem to stick. The iron sights seemed aligned perfectly too. Also the mag went in smooth and didn't have a problem with it being too tight or too loose.
It seems like a great rifle, but after seeing it and doing some research im a bit wary on buying it. I just hope I don't get a dud.
Even with hardly any detail, does this seem like a good buy?

Unless you very much know what you are doing , the risks you are taking and willing to take those risks , DO NOT BUY ANY WEAPON THAT CENTURY PUTS TOGETHER !

Wyr
God bless

[Dale]

Originally Posted by WyrTwister

Unless you very much know what you are doing , the risks you are taking and willing to take those risks , DO NOT BUY ANY WEAPON THAT CENTURY PUTS TOGETHER !
Wyr
God bless

I bought a CAI CETME and the thing shoots flawlessly and I have had ZERO problems with it.

While I will agree that CAI has a less than favorable opinion among CETME owners $500 for one is a great price.

BTW, I have three CAI AKs and everyone of them are fine, fine rifles also.

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by Dale

I bought a CAI CETME and the thing shoots flawlessly and I have had ZERO problems with it.
While I will agree that CAI has a less than favorable opinion among CETME owners $500 for one is a great price.
BTW, I have three CAI AKs and everyone of them are fine, fine rifles also.

I am glad you have a Century CETME . You are one of the luckey ones . I did not say than none of the Century rifles are OK . Please re-read , carefully , my email .
I have a Century CETME . The front sight is not on straight and you can not zero / sight in the rifle . But I knew the risk when I bought it & I went into it with eyes wide open .
I have a Century FAL that is fine . But this was bought known good from a friend .
I had one of the FRENCH MAS semi-auto rifles converted to 7.62 NATO .
I sold it .
Any one want to offer me $ 500 for my CETME ?
I wonder if your AK's were assembled by Century or just imported by them ? BIG difference !
I have Mausers imported by Century and they are fine .
Wyr
God bless

[Big Dog]

Some folks have had issues with CAI's CETME rifles - but many more have had good performance. It's the few horror stories that make the news, as usual. My CETME has run perfectly since I bought it some years back. I had the chance to look it over before buying, and got it from a good vendor who had never done me wrong. I'm happy.
The canted front sight (actually the "triple tree" is canted) is a fairly easy fix, as described over on Tuco's Gunboards FR8/CETME forum. Or it can be scoped, making the iron sights superfluous.
mO 64 StAnG 06, sounds like you have a good candidate for a fine shooter!
CAI removed the "Muzzle Blast Enhancer" late in their production, due to some wrangling with the BATFmen. Later, the MB was put back on. So, it's just another variation, same as some have original wood stocks, some have the cheapo black plastic.

[Dale]

Originally Posted by WyrTwister

I am glad you have a Century CETME . You are one of the luckey ones . I did not say than none of the Century rifles are OK . Please re-read , carefully , my email .
Wyr
God bless

I simply based my response on your previous statement, "DO NOT BUY ANY WEAPON THAT CENTURY PUTS TOGETHER !"

Like Big Dog eludes to I have heard comments from CAI gun owners that their guns are some how messed up. Whether the action does cycle correctly, the front sights are canted, etc.

I have to admit that CAI needs some work on their quality assurrance end of their line and when I bought my CAI CETME I was hesitant but I had been looking long and hard locally for one without much success until I found mine in a gun shop where I trust the owner greatly. He said he knew the guy who traded it in for a Garand and the owner said it shot very well and that all the hiccups were worked out of her. So, I bought her and haven't regretted it since the first shot.

I even heard from others how the front sights to CAI AKs are sometimes canted so, when I bought mine I made sure mine weren't.

I guess what I am saying is if someone takes their time in their selection process and is able to inspect what they are buying, they shouldn't get burned. And if they do hopefully the seller will make it right and if not then more caution is called for next time.

I'm kinda curious....how can you tell the difference from a CAI imported rifle and one they put together? That's not being smart arsed...it's a serious inquisition. All of mine has the Century Arms International markings but it says nothing either way.

[Beer Forever]

I have only shot one CETME in my life and it was a century and that thing was dead on. $500 for a good one is a steal. They wont be $500 for much longer.

[BattleRifleG3]

You can tell which gusn are imported by Century vs which ones are assembled by knowing which models are one or the other.

Surplus guns, cheap shotguns and such, pistols, and single stack AKs are imported by century. Double stack AKs are usually modified from single stack ones, so the critical parts are already speced.

Guns built from parts kits on a century receiver are the ones that they put together. These are primarily FAL variants, G3s, CETMEs, and such.

[WyrTwister]

The canted front sight (actually the "triple tree" is canted) is a fairly easy fix, as described over on Tuco's Gunboards FR8/CETME forum.


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Tell me about the fix ? Melting the solder and putting the triple tree straight ?

Been there , done that . Now the solder and the triple tree are loose .

Admitted , I am not a " liscended (sp) gunsmith " . But I am not a stranger to a firearm either . But all that aside , I should not have to be trying to fix Century's mistakes .

But I knew the risk when I bought it .................... But that is part of what I am saying . A newbie does not know the risks . And that is the person I am trying to warn .

I ordered my CETME through a local FFL & paid the transfer fee to him . I did not expect him to warrenty it .

If you can buy a known good rifle from a friend , as I did my FAL , fine , go for it . Or a dealer that will take it back , if necessary .

I repeat , anyone want to offer $ 500 to me for mine ? I will offer to throw in a scope mount free ( if I can still find it ) , to sweeren the deal . All wooden stock and hand guards & noise maker on the muzzle .

By the way , I reccomend not shooting your good reloads through a CETME ( or a H&K ) . Too hard on your brass and too difficult to go chaseing the brass . To really tosses the brass .

Wyr
God bless

[grasshopper2]

Ok, I'll bite.

Where else are you going to get a $3000.00 dollar firearm for under 600 dollars. Try to buy one of those fancy HKs and see how much you'll pay.
I'm not trying to say that Century doesn't have any faults BUT with a little knowlage and some basic skills you can fix these problems with this firearm.
I know of 2 things to look for with these boom sticke from Century. They had this nasty habit of grinding their bolt faces to get their head spacing into "spec". And number 2? Yup, head spacing.
Century arms doesn't clean their parts kits when they throw em together most of the time. The difference of a clam and a good operating firearm might be a good cleaning of the flutes in the chamber.

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by grasshopper2

Ok, I'll bite.
Where else are you going to get a $3000.00 dollar firearm for under 600 dollars. Try to buy one of those fancy HKs and see how much you'll pay.
I'm not trying to say that Century doesn't have any faults BUT with a little knowlage and some basic skills you can fix these problems with this firearm.
I know of 2 things to look for with these boom sticke from Century. They had this nasty habit of grinding their bolt faces to get their head spacing into "spec". And number 2? Yup, head spacing.
Century arms doesn't clean their parts kits when they throw em together most of the time. The difference of a clam and a good operating firearm might be a good cleaning of the flutes in the chamber.

First thing I did when I received my CETME was to flush out the action , about 1-1/2 - 2 cans of WD 40 .


I have yet to see a rifle I would give $ 3,000 for !

I gave around $ 1,250 for a M1A . Would not have done that except the Clintons were in power & I was afraid another Dem might get elected . :-(

For $ 500 - 600 , I reccomend a FAL or a Garand . Especially a Garand .

And I own and have shot all of these .

Even if my CETME worked correctly , I would not change my reccomendation .

I am not saying the CETME / H&K are a bad rifles , just that at that price point , there are better rifles , at that price point .

Again , any of you fans of CETME's wish to make an offer ?

God bless
Wyr

[Dale]

Originally Posted by WyrTwister

Again , any of you fans of CETME's wish to make an offer ?
God blessWyr

Are you kidding?

They way you have blasted many of the posters and their beliefs you are liable to be off loading a POS that you know is a POS. Wait...you already said it was a POS. What? You trying to rip someone off here? LOL

So, you got burned on a gun. So what? Does that fact make it truth that EVERY gun of that make is a screw-up like yours?

No!

Keep your CETME...like you already admitted, it's a POS.

My suggestion is live with it and learn to "shop smart" next time.

I have made bad purchases but I don't fault those who buy the same article just because I, like you, made a dumb purchase on a particular gun.

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by Dale

Are you kidding?
They way you have blasted many of the posters and their beliefs you are liable to be off loading a POS that you know is a POS. Wait...you already said it was a POS. What? You trying to rip someone off here? LOL
So, you got burned on a gun. So what? Does that fact make it truth that EVERY gun of that make is a screw-up like yours?
No!
Keep your CETME...like you already admitted, it's a POS.
My suggestion is live with it and learn to "shop smart" next time.
I have made bad purchases but I don't fault those who buy the same article just because I, like you, made a dumb purchase on a particular gun.

I did not intentionally blast anyone .

Anyone experienced enough to know what they are doing , knock your self out .

I included myself in that group . I read no telling how many posts on the internet , pro and con . Then took the plunge . It turned out unsatisfactory . You pays your money and takes your choices .

My concern is for the newbies that do not know the score .

I have $ 325 in the rifle plus the cost of the scope mount . It seemed like a gamble worth taking , at the time , at that price . I would not have paid $ 500 - 600 for one , then or now . If some one wishes to do so , fine , it is their money .

But , again , I am simply trying to provide information . And maybe a different perspective .

And my caution is not just for CETME's , it is for any rifle that Century assembles .

I have no beef against a properly functioning CETME ( my Century FAL works fine ) .

You all have a good time shooting whatever you have .

This is the last I will say on the matter .

God bless
Wyr

[Mooseman684]

I don't know what kind of CETME you got but Mine is a CAI bullet eating Machine, and My front sight is an adjustable post surrounded by a round shield and a SET SCREW in front holding it tight...
Rich

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by Mooseman684

I don't know what kind of CETME you got but Mine is a CAI bullet eating Machine, and My front sight is an adjustable post surrounded by a round shield and a SET SCREW in front holding it tight...
Rich

Same type , but it was too far out of plumb to adjust with the ecentric front sight post .

And it ate ammo fine , but I learned very quickly not to shoot my reloads on commercial brass .

Glad that yours is OK . Have fun . :-)

Wyr
God bless

[mO 64 StAnG 06]

Alright. So a couple day's ago I went ahead and got the rifle. And I can't be happier. I almost missed my chance, someone else had it about to go into layaway so I had to snatch it.

After looking and reading up on it, I figured it was a 3rd gen. model from Century. Like I said it has no muzzle break and I found out it has a SS reciever. Everything seems to be working fine and in excellent condition.

I went home and cleaned the sucker good. Then oiled the **** out of it and cycled the bolt for hours. I checked the headspacing and its somewhere in between .1 - .14 mm. I think that's what it should be at.

One thing im kind of weary about is my firing pin. I've seen pics of it and I can't remember what mine was like. I think the back thicker piece was sepereated from the actual pin itself. I dunno, I'll check again tonite.

And now im in search of ammo. No body has and Mil surp ammo around here and im stuck with a paper weight it seems. But I've read somewhere that I can shoot Federal low recoil power shock ammuntion through my rifle without any problems.

[Big Dog]

Check online sources - the ammo is out there. After being sold out for awhile, John over on Frugal Squirrels forum is offering it again. His stock is limited though - hurry and check.
If you find the Wolf steel cased ammo, it is said to work well.