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Posted: 7/28/2003 5:45:04 PM EDT
| It seems like there isn't alot of interest in this rifle around here, and Im wondering why? I was thinking about getting one. They are inexpensive, shoot 308 and seem like they are battle proven...or are they? Why are FALs so much more popular, arent they quite similar? Can anyone shed some light on this rifle for me? |
| The CETME is the beginning of the Heckler & Koch G3, not very similar to the FAL. The CETME was or is in use with the Spanish military. You can find out some more information on www.hkpro.com. |
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The only reason people arent hot for them is that they are assembled and the recievers are mabey by a pretty crappy company. Century Arms International. I'd get one but I'd rather save up and get a good DSA FAL instead of a rifle that may or may not work well. It comes down to quality really... It seems to make a good gun to beat up though. |
| I have a CETME. Its been very reliable. It is totally different than the FAL. Nothing the same. The CETME is a close cousin or really father to the HK rifle.It doesn't have a gas piston like a FAL. It has fluted chambers. It ain't my go to rifle but for $300 you should have one in your collection.It is a good proven battle rifle.WarDawg |
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I have seen them, I wanted one, then a guy brought one to the range, we could never get it to take a round off the magazine. After many attepts, we just started loading the bullets manually. It dented 3 primers, and never fired a shot. Not expencive but cool looking does nothing for me when I see that it can't even fire one bullet. No I am not close minded, I new that this was probably a fluke. But the range officer that was helping us said he has never seen one of them come to his range and work properly. I am sure that their are some that work great. But right now, I am very very unimpressed, and would rather buy something else. |
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Weird, this page didn't load fully but I think I can still respond. Anyway a Cetme is sort of the earlier version of the german G3 battle rifle made in Spain (where the rain falls mainly--nevermind). Unfortunately to comply with import laws Cetmes are basically assembled, sometimes not terribly well, by Century International Arms. Plenty of guys have gotten good ones out of the box, but others have had to futz with the gun to get it working. If you are able to work on guns, or are willing to take a gamble and not be really upset if the rifle has issues, there is nothing wrong with a Cetme. The FAL is a different design .308 battle rifle. From a military standpoint it is a similar rifle in the role that it plays, but it is a different design. Gunnutz will (and have) argued the relative merits of the g3 v. FAL to death almost as badly as 9mm v. 45. I think FALs are more popular partially because between assembled guns from DSA, guns built on parts kits by other gunsmiths and the ability to build them at home from parts kits, they have been more readily available. |
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A good, reliable FAL is not hard to find, and parts/mags abound. A quality CETME is rather more problematic, and the parts availability is not as good as that for the FAL. IIRC, a CETME is the progenitor to the HK rifle(s), so that affects interest in the CETME as well. Aside from ammo and general configuration, the FAL and CETME/HK have completely different operating systems and a lot of other things as well. |
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