CETME Battle Rifles - Good, Bad, ???

[wctriumph]

I have an opportunity to trade for a CETME rifle. Are these any good, what should I look out for when inspecting one? What should I be looking for when it comes to magazines? I really don't know much about them so I am turning to the experts here. Thanks guys.

TEA

III

[mutt]

If this is a Century build - make sure the bolt gap is within specs and make sure you don't have a ground bolt. Century CETMEs are notorious for this issue. Standard G3 mags will work with a small bit of fitting.

[Great-Kazoo]

depends on what it is you're trading them.

[Colorado Osprey]

I have also seen good CETMEs and bad Century builds. G3 ,mags are plentiful, cheap and reliable.(I never needed to tune any) The CETME mags work well too but are more costly. You need to be aware that CETME recoil seem higher than it should be and accuracy is that of a battle rifle...not target/sniper rifle. (2-3MOA is good) To me that is a deal killer and have sold all the CETMEs I have owned due to poor accuracy issues.... poor in my judgement... but standard in a battle rifle.

[BPTactical]

^^^ what he said.
CETME's are a total crapshoot but a couple of things you can be assured of:
1-built from worn out parts
2-built by Century angry and vengeful beavers from worn out parts.
3-built with crappy workmanship by Century angry and vengeful beavers from worn out parts.

YMMV

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Mmmmmmm....... Beavers........

Sent from my teepee using smoke signals.

[wctriumph]

Thanks guys, I turned the trade down after looking at the gun. It was sloppy and the guy said he has three and wanted to cut back, the mags were a mishmash and some were rusty.

I guess when I decide to go for a modern (?) .30 cal battle rifle I will look at one in the AR platform. At current prices that may be never!

[mutt]

A PTR91 GI model is a good bet if you are looking for a G3 type rifle. It's supposedly not as finicky with ammo as previous versions. It also has the proper barrel profile for a G3/HK91. Atlantic has them for $925. I'm sure better deals could be found as Christmas gets closer.

[wctriumph]

Thanks for the advice. It will be next year until I can consider actually purchasing a gun, for now only trades and I still want a decent GI M1 Carbine.

[spqrzilla]

It is not always true that CETME builds (almost all CETME's in the US were built from parts kits using US manuf receivers but a tiny few were originally imported as sporters from Spain ) will use G3 magazine. And everytime I mention this some CETME experts will jump on me. But I owned a Century built CETME that would only accept the CETME magazines.

The magazine well on the original CETME was designed for a curved magazine. The G3 magazine is straight. Some of the lowers that Century used were designed to match the original CETME mag well - like the one that I owned. Others were closer to the G3 shape. So never assume that a CETME build.

[relichunter]

My CETME built over 10 years ago will only take G3 Mags. Cetme mags seem to bee too tall and don't allow the bolt to close.


It is not always true that CETME builds (almost all CETME's in the US were built from parts kits using US manuf receivers but a tiny few were originally imported as sporters from Spain ) will use G3 magazine. And everytime I mention this some CETME experts will jump on me. But I owned a Century built CETME that would only accept the CETME magazines.

The magazine well on the original CETME was designed for a curved magazine. The G3 magazine is straight. Some of the lowers that Century used were designed to match the original CETME mag well - like the one that I owned. Others were closer to the G3 shape. So never assume that a CETME build.

[ben4372]

^^^ what he said.
CETME's are a total crapshoot but a couple of things you can be assured of:
1-built from worn out parts
2-built by Century angry and vengeful beavers from worn out parts.
3-built with crappy workmanship by Century angry and vengeful beavers from worn out parts.

YMMV
I had always heard it was angry gorillas, first I heard of the beavers. I've had a couple and both were decent. 2-3 moa sound about right. Trigger pull was junk, mags needed a bit of fitting. If you got sometime and like to tinker, a .308 battle rifle for 6-900 bucks is a bargain.

[GunsRBadMMMMKay]

I had a CETME that was one of the old pressed steel receiver CAI guns. IT was all Spanish parts less the receiver and would only take CETME mags. It functioned fine.... after I spent a couple bills in parts "rebuilding" it. Apex had full bolts for a while, I got a non-ground one from them and then used rollers to spec the false head-space. Recoil was horrid, accuracy ok at the range I shot it, and don't plan on reloading any of your brass.

And I heard it was drunk monkeys armed with dremel tools............

[jerrymrc]

I had a CETME that was one of the old pressed steel receiver CAI guns. IT was all Spanish parts less the receiver and would only take CETME mags. It functioned fine.... after I spent a couple bills in parts "rebuilding" it. Apex had full bolts for a while, I got a non-ground one from them and then used rollers to spec the false head-space. Recoil was horrid, accuracy ok at the range I shot it, and don't plan on reloading any of your brass.

And I heard it was drunk monkeys armed with dremel tools............

One of the classics.[LOL]3812338127

[BPTactical]

I wish you guys would get it right, it is not "Drunk Monkeys".

It is "Angry Beavers"


Please make a note of it.........

[jerrymrc]

I wish you guys would get it right, it is not "Drunk Monkeys".

It is "Angry Beavers"


Please make a note of it.........

Being from Or-E-Gun I know plenty about "Angry Beavers". Just saying. [LOL]I think CAI traded in one for the other. [Flower]

[spqrzilla]

I've seen an Angry Beaver, and penicillin clears that right up. Unlike Century Arms' products ...

[belizejet]

If your a reloader the brass gets screwed up also. I should know since I have to sift through the HK91 brass my Dad shoots.