Century Cetme Sporter?

**Mity2** · June 16th, 2010, 07:21 PM

I know Century stuff is hit and miss.
Last Century stuff I bought was crap(Tantal with keyholing GM barrel).
And I know some of their HK Clones aren't the greatest(something with having Aluminum upper or lower reciever?).

But I always wanted HK Clone, and this one I'm looking at(believe sold new in 2001 or 2002 with wood furniture) is something I can actualy afford.

As i said, I believe this weapon was sold new around 2001~2002, has Spanish wood furniture, appears to be shot very little. comes with very basic and rudimentary rear sight, 2 mags, with one mag looks like was never inserted in to mag well(parkrized finish shows no wear at all, or no powder residue)

Both upper and lower receiver(I guess thats how you call it?) seems to be a made of steel, rather then ALuminum.
I rate this perticuler weapon about 90%+ as far as I can judge by the overall appearance.

Any input(Specialy what to look for) will be appriciated

**Eagles6** · June 16th, 2010, 07:46 PM

Can you shoot it before buying? If the price is right and it shoots and functions it should be good.
Wouldn't mind having one.

**PA Rifleman** · June 16th, 2010, 09:24 PM

Nice find, here's the manual for it.

Would buy one myself, but the resident M14 gets kind of jealous.

**Mity2** · June 16th, 2010, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by PA Rifleman

Nice find, here's the manual for it.

Would buy one myself, but the resident M14 gets kind of jealous.

My mind is pretty much set on buying it.
I'm just little nerveous its being Century. My experience hasn't been great with them.
But I have been reading up on it(here -> http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum...splay.php?f=23), and seems that everyone who has them are generaly happy with it.

.308 aren't the cheapest ammo to shoot, but I like the fact Mags are pretty darn cheap(as low as $4 ea).
Orignal wood furniture is cool, but green synthetic one is nice(or those collapsable one even..)

Would definatly makes good partner to my AR in case i have to deal with black bear that has been bitten by zombies...

**gold cup abuser** · June 17th, 2010, 08:04 AM

All you need is a set of automotive feeler gagues, duct tape and 15 cents.. (one nickel and a dime).

Read this from militaryrilfes.com:

http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum...ad.php?t=15297

Step 1 with the rifle empty and the chamber clear. Put the selector on FIRE.

Cock the rifle, if you feel any MAJOR resistance this is a warning sign. You will need the duct tape.

Step 2 with the rifle cocked and the bolt locked to the rear, do the HK 'slap' and let the bolt ride home. Pull the trigger. Flip the rifle over and in the mag well you will see the bolt head and carrier. Beteween the back of the bolt head and the front of the carrier, use the feeler gague to check the bolt gap.

Optimum gap is from .012 to .018.

If you are good there, then look where the charging handle is at. Using the pictures at the above site, mark where the cocking tube support is at rest with some duct tape. Now pull the charging handle back about a half an inch( 2 fingers) and measure again and mark where the cocking tube support is now at. If you can fit that nickle easily beteween these two marks the cocking tube gap is not to HK spec.

Now with the rifle cocked and the bolt locked to the rear, drop a dime in front of the cocking tube support. Just drop the dime in and with the muzzle pointed down let the dime lay flat.

Drop the bolt.

Remeasure.

If the new marks you make are now SMALLER than that nickel you have a potential problem.....

The above link i gave you and the site will show the fixes needed to get her in spec.

On my CETME I had to pull the following to get mine in spec:

1. Replace the bolt. Apex has stripped CETME bolts for about 35 bucks.

2. Replace the bolt carrier. Again Apex has them.

3. Replace the locking rollers. I had to use a set of +4 rollers.

4. Replace the locking piece. DO NOT USE HK locking piece, use the CETME, again Apex has them.

5. I had to also replace the cocking tube support. HK parts will work here. RTG gun parts has them.

Good luck and I hope this helped

**wellcraft** · June 17th, 2010, 05:45 PM

i'd be wary of buying an early cetme since there were many issues associated with them. century ground down the bolt face on many rifles in an effort to get the head space correct. in addition; receivers were out of spec and lots of folks that bought the cetme's had multiple problems with FTE anf FTF. the upside was with a little tweeking most of the cetme rifles could be made to run well.

**Mity2** · June 17th, 2010, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by wellcraft

the upside was with a little tweeking most of the cetme rifles could be made to run well.

Thats what I was thinking. Parts that are needed if headspace if not correct is pretty cheap

Bolt - $30
Bolt carrier - $65(or $35 Stripped)
Locking Rollers - $4ea(few bucks more if I need bigger rollers)
Locking piece - $20
If I need triple support, they are about $15~20.

There are few things I definately want to change tho(after everything else checks out alright).
I definatly want German HK SEF plastic navy style lower. I want the bayonet lug. Since these Bayo adapters attach under the front sight and replace the cocking tube end cap, looks like I need triple support anyway..

Well, anyway, Its cool to be different at the range when everyone and their brothers are shooting AR of sort with .223...

http://forum.pafoa.org/gun-pictures-...-ar-great.html

**nfafan** · June 17th, 2010, 10:23 PM

No first hand knowledge, just read the same things you did; mostly hit, a few miss. Worse case is that you end up sending it to an HK smith to fix - assuming it is out of warranty with CIA.

Like you admitted; it's cool as hell - especially in the post-war old-skool park and wood clothing! Get that bad boy!

And FWIW; if my history is correct, the CETME is the evolution of STG45 influence from all those Nazi gunmakers that fled to Franco's hospitality. The CETME was the world-beater of its day, and eventually tossed the FAL (G1) out of modern Germany for what would become the HK G3.

**gold cup abuser** · June 18th, 2010, 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by Mity2

Thats what I was thinking. Parts that are needed if headspace if not correct is pretty cheap

Bolt - $30
Bolt carrier - $65(or $35 Stripped)Locking Rollers - $4ea(few bucks more if I need bigger rollers)
Locking piece - $20
If I need triple support, they are about $15~20.

There are few things I definately want to change tho(after everything else checks out alright).
I definatly want German HK SEF plastic navy style lower. I want the bayonet lug. Since these Bayo adapters attach under the front sight and replace the cocking tube end cap, looks like I need triple support anyway..

Well, anyway, Its cool to be different at the range when everyone and their brothers are shooting AR of sort with .223...

http://forum.pafoa.org/gun-pictures-...-ar-great.html

One word of warning on that stripped bolt carrier....

If you get it from Apex make sure that the bolt carrier has the tube inside of the carrier that allows the rifle to cock. Its called the recoil guide rod and its pressed in the bolt carrier.

The one I got from Apex did not have that tube, and I had to get the tube out of the bad bolt carrier. Was not easy or fun to get it out or put it in the new bolt carrier.

**crlovel** · June 18th, 2010, 08:32 AM

Mity, I'm not sure what the CETME is running, I ran through the thread a few times and couldn't find the number, so I don't know if you posted it or not. But, just something to consider, you can get a PTR-91 (HK-91 clone) for about $1,000 new. Maybe less, if you find one used. It might be worth it to go that route and avoid some of the potential aggravation that comes with a Century CETME. Also, the G3 mags can be had for .99 cents each, if you check Cheaper Than Dirt.