I'm New Here

[Tigercat200]

Hi folks. I'm the new guy on the block with a CETME from Century Arms. I picked mine up from a fellow at work last November for $ 375 with 3 steel 20 round magazines of unknown origin. I shot it 40 rounds or so and had a few jams but, since I didn't have a clue what I was doing I figured I would take it to the PASA IPSC match the next day and mess with it on the rifle range. I let one of the guys talk me into shooting a rifle side match and I was getting head shots at 50 yards and not hitting any "no shoots" so, I felt OK. I did have some jams again. The AR guys told me that they dump a lot of oil in their guns and I should too. Didn't have any oil so, I didn't. Glad too. I have been shooting surplus ammo that I've had for probably 15 years and who know how old it was before that. Once in a while I'll hear a click instead of a boom. Every time the primer has been dimpled but didn't go off. I am assuming that the primer is faulty and I have a box for such things. After searching the web for places like this and HKPRO I figured out that the gun likes to run dry. I tore it down using instructions I found on the web, complete with pictures which were a tremendous help, piled a bunch of papers in the waste basket and stuck the front half in there muzzle down. Then I soaked it with Gun Scrubber several times over the next couple of days to clean out the flutes. After spending 2 and a half hours cleaning and reassembling the CETME I looked like I had dumped the oil pan from a semi on myself. I went up stairs and my wife said, "Don't even think about putting that shirt in the laundry. Take is straight to the trash." I also ordered aluminum G3 magazines from RTG Parts in Arizona. For $ 40 delivered I got 10 new magazines and a 2 magazine pouch. My rifle likes these magazines. I like them better than the curved steel ones because I can get them in the gun easier and more reliably. My rear sight is a bit different, too. It is a turret with 4 peep holes and is adjustable for windage but not elevation. The front sight cannot be adjusted since it is held by a roll pin like the G3. I can deal with the elevation estimation easier than windage, I think. I also found out from the HKPRO guy in Norway that the rear sight should be screwed down tight and that screw is not for elevation adjustment. There was lots of slop there but I haven't been able to get to the range since I tightened it down. 13 inches of rain in a couple of weeks will cause that and I have a moat around my castle. So, now I have a rifle that shoots fine 99% of the time, throws brass all over (like my 10mm Gold Cup), and is a blast to shoot. I figure the jams well get less and less as I limber up the gun, learn more about it, and shoot my way through this batch of ammo and get some newer stuff. I bet you are all ready to knock me out about now for being so long winded but, I want to thank you all for your postings wherever I found them. They've been a great help. Now, let's see, I'll practice a bunch, shoot a couple of matches, and Knob Creek has an Assault Rifle match this fall....YEAH ! ! !

[Mooseman684]

Welcome to G&G...The Cetme was a great deal in Today's Market...They are a blast to shoot. Does sound like you need some Better ammo...I use either Radway Green from Britain. or South African Nato that comes in 200 rnd Battlepacks...Good stuff...My Cetme eats most anything that goes bang !!!
Do put some white Lithium Grease on the rollers !
Rich

[Tigercat200]

Thanks, Rich. I've been mainly an IPSC shooter. Watched my Dad do Bullseye and decided that was too much like work. Did some prairie dogging with my son-in-law. Those rats only thought they could hide behind their dirt piles when I put some of that mil surplus ammo through my Savage 110FP. I have more to learn about the CETME. Where would you suggest finding some of the SA ammo or other you think is good? My daughter moved her family to Alaska a couple of years ago and they love it. Sure do miss the grandson. I tell people the Arctic Circle is a local phone call from where she lives. Hee! Hee!
Bob

[Mooseman684]

Look at guns shows and On the Internet...You can get UPS ground shipping on Ammo in the lower 48 that I Cant get...Right to your door. Where in Alaska is your Daughter ???
Rich

[Tigercat200]

She's up around Fairbanks. I'll do some more checking for ammo. Haven't made it to any gun shows this Winter or Spring. Got my eye on a Rock River Basic Carry 1911 but I have to sell a Hi-Power and lots to go with it first. Lost the front sight on my 10mm at a match in March. Lots of full house rounds through it though. It's funny watching the look on peoples faces when they ask if they can have the brass from the CETME to reload and you toss them a piece. Sure beats it up. Thanks again for the help. I'm off to sleep so I can change the brakes on my car tomorrow. Such fun.
Bob

[Mooseman684]

Ok Bob...
I will be out of Fairbanks this summer dredging for gold on the Steese Hwy !!!
I'm 250 Miles south in Glennallen.
Cya Later,
Rich

[just_a_car]

Bob, welcome to the forums. Glad to have another gent with a CETME. Sounds like your Spanish Lady just needs to work into the groove. I know mine did, even though I cycled it 300 times like all the websites I'd read suggested. It took about 200 rounds before it really started functioning well and even then, I was dealing with some bad magazine springs.

Sounds like you got a great deal on your CETME, don't let anyone talk you out of it... They're hitting around $600 these days and only going up.

[Tigercat200]

Thank you sir for the kind words. This thing is a riot to shoot and the other guys on the line with AR's want to know what makes so much noise. I love it ! ! !

Hey Rich, if you are dredging for gold ON the highway you must be a state trooper. I bet winter up there is really tough on cops. We lived in the North end of Illinois for a few years and I tried to get my wife to move to Alaska. No dice even though it was warmer in Anchorage than it was in Rockford, Illinois where we lived. That's OK since she's solar powered and the long winters would probably get me killed. Be safe out there.

Bob

[Windwalker]

Welcome to G&G. We have a great bunch of folks here. Enjoy!

[meatloaf]

Hey tigercat welcome to G&G. Just a car is right, after fully stripping and throughly cleaning my spanish lady I cycled ammo through it about 200 time before shooting it. Then it took about 400 rounds and now she is a dream. Just like latin women a pain in the ass to tame but they love you to death after its done lol. No realy my cetme fires flawlesly now. Also $375 ? What a steal congratulations, does she have wood or synthetic furniture?

[TexasT]

Welcome to the site!

[Tigercat200]

Thanks to all of you for making me feel welcome. My CETME has synthetic furniture which means there is a loop at the pointy end to hook a sling but no place on the fat end to connect it to so, I'll just have to tote it. At least it's always ready that way. By the way, am I the only one that thinks the word furniture in this context is odd? I didn't find any references to cycling ammo through the gun until I found you all. I've just been shooting the thing. That's more fun anyway .
Bob

[just_a_car]

Actually, I didn't mean cycling AMMO through the rifle, as meatloaf said he did...

I meant I took the charging handle and cycle the action open and closed 300 times by hand, no ammo, no magazine. To get the bolt carrier and the receiver to 'mate' better. Using live ammo to do this is dangerous and just not good common sense. You could use snap caps, but there's really no reason to.

[Mooseman684]

Originally Posted by Tigercat200

Thank you sir for the kind words. This thing is a riot to shoot and the other guys on the line with AR's want to know what makes so much noise. I love it ! ! !

Hey Rich, if you are dredging for gold ON the highway you must be a state trooper. I bet winter up there is really tough on cops. We lived in the North end of Illinois for a few years and I tried to get my wife to move to Alaska. No dice even though it was warmer in Anchorage than it was in Rockford, Illinois where we lived. That's OK since she's solar powered and the long winters would probably get me killed. Be safe out there.

Bob

Actually, they built the road with Material full of Gold nuggets from the 70 mile pit. People were digging the nuggets after the road was graded and left potholes...D.O.T. got Mad and ordered Thousands of pounds of Buckshot and spread it all over the road and rolled it in to stop the Metal detectors...
In one spot , I will be 100 yards off the Steese Hwy..LOL 2 miles at the other location. I'm no Trooper , but I do have a Radar Gun in my truck !!!
Rich