[ARCHIVED THREAD] - CETME vs. FAL (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 1/29/2010 10:01:59 AM EDT
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Given that current economics dictate budgetary restraint, thereby limiting options to "kit" or 3rd party guns such as Universal or Imbel builds and the like, school me on the pros and cons of the CETME (G3 / HK91) platform versus the FAL (L1A1).
The CETME can currently be found for a somewhat more reasonable price, while mags for the FAL are most abundant and practically free. Why wouldn't a fellow want to add either of these to his kit? Discuss. |
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FAL's are easy to assemble out of hard to make parts. G3/CETME's are hard to assemble out of easy to make parts.
The risk of an incorrectly made G3/CETME is high, and it will be difficult/impossible for an amateur to correct. A botched FAL on an in-spec receiver can be corrected fairly easily. FYI, CETME's can take G3 mags, and they are the cheapest of all mags, about $3 for nice ones at gun shows. |
| I would really have to study up before I got (another) CETME. Mine KBed in my face before I found out Century was grinding down something or other to make the bolt gap look better than it was. I shot IDPA with a guy who had done a lot of work with his CETME and had turned it into a real beauty. It could go either way, but I'd count on doing some work to it. |
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Quoted: Given that current economics dictate budgetary restraint, thereby limiting options to "kit" or 3rd party guns such as Universal or Imbel builds and the like, school me on the pros and cons of the CETME (G3 / HK91) platform versus the FAL (L1A1). The CETME can currently be found for a somewhat more reasonable price, while mags for the FAL are most abundant and practically free. Why wouldn't a fellow want to add either of these to his kit? Discuss. Cetme and G3 are cousins but not the same gun. FAL mags are cheap but still probably ten times more expensive than G3 mags. CETME mags are scarce but G3 mags can be used. If you want a cheap semi auto 7.62 x 51 Saiga is the route. If you want the best bang for the buck a PTR-91 will be cheaper if you want more than a few mags. If you want the best 7.62 x 51 battle rifle get a well built FAL. If you want to make tiny groups of .30 cal holes in paper get an M1A or AR10. |
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I have owned 5 FAL's and still have 2. I have owned 3 CETME's and have none. 4 of my FAL's were Century, and all my CETME's were Century. I liked them all, and no problems with any of them. But I liked the FALs better. I have been thinking of adding one of the 479.00 CETME's that Century is selling now, to get one back...... |
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If you can find a decent priced Century FAL made on an Imbel receiver,you can get a great gun at a decent price.
CETME's have a reputation far,far worse than they deserve IMO.Yes,Century made some junkers but checking the bolt gap is easy and both of mine have been outstanding in terms of reliability. I like 'em both and probably would have to go with the FAL is it was an either/or situation but the CETME is big,clunky,Cold War era fun too. |
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From someone who has one. I would take nothing over a CETME. Unless you want it as a collector piece it is not that great of a rifle. Of course any CETME you can get is going to be a Century re-build so we are back to nothing. Save your money and get a FAL or spend the same money on a WASR-10.
Pros to a CETME: - accepts surplus HK91/G3 mags which you can get for $2 a piece - commonality with some HK91/G3 parts Cons - poor sights. Rear is a "pin-wheel" style. Windage and elevation adjustments are made from the front sight which requires a special tool or the fabrication thereof. - poor accuracy - poor ability to mount optics (STANAG mounts cost too much to put on a cheap rifle) - poor quality control |
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I think you can get a fairly good prices surplus FAL/L1A1. CETME =  That used to be the truth, now non-trashed parts + a receiver will probably be $800 alone... I bought one two weeks ago for $550. Its ugly, but it work, was but by a gunsmith, and has 922r parts... |
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Given that current economics dictate budgetary restraint, thereby limiting options to "kit" or 3rd party guns such as Universal or Imbel builds and the like, school me on the pros and cons of the CETME (G3 / HK91) platform versus the FAL (L1A1). The CETME can currently be found for a somewhat more reasonable price, while mags for the FAL are most abundant and practically free. Why wouldn't a fellow want to add either of these to his kit? Discuss. I have owned both, kept the FAL... no real knocks on the CETME, but the FAL was easier/better to run. FAL > CETME CETME > Not owning a 7.62mm battle rifle at all. |
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have a century cetme I picked up from Henderson Defense about 5 months ago, fucker just refuses to run. I have replaced about everything...which is cheap, but it still will not close about 90 percent of the time completely and gives a FTF. If I can get it to load it ejects like a SOB, next round comes within a mm or two of locking. The shots that do fire, are extremely accurate even with crap surplus. Love the gun, wish it would run. Biggest gripe is the mag catch cannot be reached unless you have 10 inch fingers. |
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The FAL is a superior rifle in every conceivable way...except for cost. Nope, The G3/CETME will be more reliable and accurate if built right. The FAL will have marginally better ergonomics. And IMO its easier to put a decent optic mount on CETME/G3 than it is a FAL. Its also easier to customize the G3 series than a FAL, as all the important bits can swapped out in about a 2 minutes and thats if you are slow. I have both... I like both... |
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The FAL is a superior rifle in every conceivable way...except for cost. Nope, The G3/CETME will be more reliable and accurate if built right. The FAL will have marginally better ergonomics. And IMO its easier to put a decent optic mount on CETME/G3 than it is a FAL. Its also easier to customize the G3 series than a FAL, as all the important bits can swapped out in about a 2 minutes and thats if you are slow. I have both... I like both... To each their own, I guess. I have to disagree on all counts. I've owned 3 HK types (including one Cetme) and 2 FALs. I still have two FALs. I no longer own any HK types. 
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Quoted: Quoted: The FAL is a superior rifle in every conceivable way...except for cost. Nope, The G3/CETME will be more reliable and accurate if built right. The FAL will have marginally better ergonomics. And IMO its easier to put a decent optic mount on CETME/G3 than it is a FAL. Its also easier to customize the G3 series than a FAL, as all the important bits can swapped out in about a 2 minutes and thats if you are slow. I have both... I like both... The recoil on the FAL is better than the CETME. But otherwise, even a "crappy" FAL will be better quality than a CETME |
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Truth here.
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The FAL is a superior rifle in every conceivable way...except for cost. Nope, The G3/CETME will be more reliable and accurate if built right. The FAL will have marginally better ergonomics. And IMO its easier to put a decent optic mount on CETME/G3 than it is a FAL. Its also easier to customize the G3 series than a FAL, as all the important bits can swapped out in about a 2 minutes and thats if you are slow. I have both... I like both... The recoil on the FAL is better than the CETME. But otherwise, even a "crappy" FAL will be better quality than a CETME |
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The best two rifles in 7.62x51 are the FAL and the M-14/M1A.
I've owned real German HK91s, FALs and an M1A and a GI parts M-14 clone. I perfer the FAL with the M-14 a very, very close second place. The real German HKs are very good too but the ergo's are poor. I would not waste any time on a US built CETME. I still own a very nice FAL. |
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Quoted: I don't know current pricing but before Oblama you could find DSA STG58's for $850 new. That would be by far the best choice in that price range IMHO. Pre-oblama, the prices on FALs were dropping too, because there wasn't any affordable surplus on the market. |
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The CETME can currently be found for a somewhat more reasonable price, while mags for the FAL are most abundant and practically free. . You got that backwards. G3 mags often work in CETMEs, and if they don't, they can be made to. G3 mags can be easily found for $1/each. FAL mags usually cost 10x more. |
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My CETME works flawless and is a great gun. Of course I have a REAL CETME circa 1969 or so imported from Spain by MARS of Chicago. I dont have a CA monkey model. Like mine? Pictured here with a FN 50.00 Steyr import. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v477/DriftPunch/falcetme.jpg Yep! This is mine: 
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Quoted: Bastard! Quoted: Where the fuck are these "Practically Free" mags for the FAL? I can find G-3 mags for $1.50, but the damned FAL mags are $15. They are in my possession. Tapco had them 10 years ago, where were you?  10 years ago I was looking at them at the gunshow at $4, and decided that the four I had was enough. What a fool I was... a fool I say! Guess I will buy $30 - 60 worth of G-3 mags. Then in ten years I will laugh at you silly fuckers paying $6 bucks each for them. |
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Bastard! Quoted:
Where the fuck are these "Practically Free" mags for the FAL? I can find G-3 mags for $1.50, but the damned FAL mags are $15. They are in my possession. Tapco had them 10 years ago, where were you?
10 years ago I was looking at them at the gunshow at $4, and decided that the four I had was enough. What a fool I was... a fool I say! Guess I will buy $30 - 60 worth of G-3 mags. Then in ten years I will laugh at you silly fuckers paying $6 bucks each for them. I bought a boatload of them last year for $4.  Century was blowing them out to their dealer account holders. Ordered ~100, got some cool congo camo ones too.
Don't think we'll see that again though. |
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FAL or fail. You're choice. I had a CETME and just couldn't grow to love it. I imagine a CETME could be quite sexy under two conditions: Rear sights were magically turned into drum-style and the whole package wasn't put together by the monkeys at Century. My $500 franken-FAL is the cat's ass. She won't win any beauty contests... but... neither will I. - BG |
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Right Arm of the Free World...used by such freedom fighters as Apartheid South Africa and the forces of the Argentinian Junta.  What's your point, Sunshine? South Africa is now a near shithole, and well, the Argentinians got the beating they richly deserved. LC |
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Quoted: Quoted: Right Arm of the Free World...used by such freedom fighters as Apartheid South Africa and the forces of the Argentinian Junta. What's your point, Sunshine? South Africa is now a near shithole, and well, the Argentinians got the beating they richly deserved. LC |
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OK, so, clearly my intel on mag prices is a little... dated. Thanks for the insight, obviously the FAL is the more popular choice. I will put one on the list. It seems the CETME gets all the love that Glock does around here. For what it's worth, I like my Glocks. Maybe I'll "get both." |
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Are cheap FALs a thing of the past? Cheap enough, last one cost me $400.00. Imbel receiver, everything else austrian parts pretty much. Still, I shoot the M1A far more then the FAL. Looked at the CETME before but the sights just don't agree with my eye focus very well. |
| I don't own a CETME but I do own a PTR91. Now I'm a fan of roller locked HK rifles but the CETME / G3/ 91 rifles always felt out of balance in my hands, it also seems to have a harsh recoil impulse. My buddy's FAL seems to balance out better and has less recoil ( my impression). The surplus hensoldt scopes for the G3 are one sweet deal though, it's one of the reasons I've kept my PTR. |
| FAL over CETME anyday FAL has better ergo's easier to maintain and fix if something does go wrong. CETME not so much. HK mags are cheap these days but actual CETME mags are not so easy to find. FAL mags are not as plentiful as they once were but deals can still be found DSA is suppposed to be making new ones "soon". They used to run $5 now they fetch $20+ . |