Cetme

wood714 · Aug 19, 2023

I went to my friends house that died last month to help his wife inventory all his guns. I checked GB completed auctions to give her a idea of what they were worth.

She stopped by yesterday and gave me his Century Cetme Sporter, and 300 rounds of 7.62 ammo.

I remember him talking a lot about this rifle, he said it was a great shooter after he replaced a few parts. Only thing he complained about was it dented the brass.

LVSteve · Aug 19, 2023

Yep. Those roller-delay guns with fluted chambers are not usually reloader friendly.

AJ · Aug 19, 2023

For some reason I liked the L1A1(FN-FAL). Never really could warm up to the CETME. I think it was the iron sights that put me off.

Enjoy yours and remember your friend!

Dave Baird · Aug 19, 2023

Nice gift! I'm sorry about your neighbor. The Cetme will run fine as long as you keep the exterior of the bolt well lubed. Enjoy.

Puller · Aug 19, 2023

I've always liked shooting CETME's

Richard Simmons · Aug 19, 2023

Nice rifle! I’ve got an early one with wood furniture and the cast stainless steel receiver. All later production are sheet metal receivers AFAIK. About the only issue I’ve had after break in was the muzzle brake. It’s so loud and has so much concussion it will lift the shooting mats on benches to either side of my position at the range. I tend to hang out at the far right position. That way it only bothers the shooter on my left and the brass doesn’t bother anybody either.

wood714 · Aug 19, 2023

Dave Baird said:
Nice gift! I'm sorry about your neighbor. The Cetme will run fine as long as you keep the exterior of the bolt well lubed. Enjoy.

I just put it back together after a good cleaning. The bolt is most well coated with CLP.

4T5GUY · Aug 19, 2023

That’s a tough way to get anything for sure. It’s cool that you ended up with it and your friend will be on your mind even more.

Not sure how much you looked into it but the “C” 3XXXX serial puts it at an earlier folded receiver date. Century still had NOS & excellent part kits then and build quality was generally great. You’ll hear about how crappy they are but obviously they turned out some really nice ones.

I’ve replaced all inner and outer G3 compatible parts including a G3 rear sight. Parts used to be pennies on the dollar and even more plentiful than now. Magazines are inexpensive and available.

Mine runs perfectly and I like all the furniture options. Your friend might have told you but steel cases run flawlessly and are obviously cheaper, (and a bit dirtier.)

Read up on bolt gap and keep an eye it. Rollers are easy to get and easily changed out.

Jim

Rudi · Aug 20, 2023

Sorry about your friend. Glad it went to good home. There are worse things than buying factory ammo.

wood714 · Aug 20, 2023

4T5GUY said:
Read up on bolt gap and keep an eye it. Rollers are easy to get and easily changed out.

Jim

Thanks Jim.

I found 20 round mags for $4.50 each. Bought 10. Last mags I bought were HK's and they were $70 each!

I might have a bolt gap problem. The bolt doesn't appear to been ground, but the gap is most small. I can get a .004 in, but a .003 fits about perfect.

4T5GUY · Aug 20, 2023

You’re fine. .003-.005 is perfect. Check it again in a few hundred rounds.

Bolt does not appear to be ground down for fitment. They didn’t care too much in cleanup from the ground bolt images I’ve seen. Definite grind striations are apparent on them.

Jim

Ivan the Butcher · Aug 20, 2023

I had a HK 91 in the late 80's. The flutes in the brass come out with regular FL sizing! I had adjusted the 200-meter peep to a 100 POI and the 300 was dead on at 200. From the bipod with a factory trigger would do 2" groups @ 200M using Israeli 1968 Ball ammo. I had clamp on scope base with rings. Had a 4.5-14 Veri-X iii Adjustable Objective. I did find 2 cooperative groundhogs in the 400 M neighborhood. I never tried any "Match" in it.

Ivan

colt_saa · Aug 20, 2023

Sorry to hear about your friend

It was nice of the widow to give you such a great remembrance of him

I have a G3k that I have been shooting for 25+ years so far

There are rubber and polymer port buffers that are designed to stop the brass from denting. I presume they can be used on the CETME as well

When I bought it there were 20 and 30 round Factory HK magazines included along with half a dozen of the Thermold polymer magazines. Not too long after that most of the world transitioned from the 7.62 round to the 5.56. TONS of magazines instantly became surplus. One of the big vendors with the 4 letter name offered the aluminium mags for $.97 if you bought a case of 50. At that price I bought 2 cases. The only mag I added after that was the 50 round snail drum

As has already been noted, just watch the bolt gap

.357magger · Aug 20, 2023

Sorry about your friend, but congratulations on your CETME. Should be a fine way to remember him.

I previously owned a wood stocked variation with a metal trigger pack. Was a very early Century build and ran very well. Unfortunately it was stolen from a relatives home and never recovered.

Thanks for sharing yours.

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