hello to all new G.I on the block, need want cetme/G3 any suggestions

[datruth]

whats up, everyone this site is great just found it yesterday, i have a question, i had a cetme about 3 yrs ago and sold it before joined the army, i just returned off a deployment,oif 3 05-06, now i know i want another one,bad,or one of the G-3s i have heard about on this site.This rifle will be my range plinking, shtf and maybe hunting in a pinch but i would like to know your input where to find a decent one and i don't wont to spend 900 dollars for a PTR 91 i think that's the name?, who sells them, how much am i looking to spend and what else would i need if i bought one of the kits i saw in the forum, much thanks in advance and god bless

[nevada]

Welcome to the forum! I'm sure others will answer the questions for you, but I think prices are around $500 now. Glad to have another serviceman here.

[tanstaafl4y]

I just happen to know of a CETME for sale...

http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=1196

[Norton]

Welcome to the board, glad to have you.

[jfowl31]

your best bet for a fair price on a working Cetme is to buy one off the boards here, and just transfer it from your local FFL.

Keep in mind that ammo is pretty stinkin scarce nowadays before you make a 100% decision.

[Tread_Head]

Welcome to the boards, returned from Baghdad 5 months ago myself. A decent CETME will run you around $500 (+/- $100) depending on condition and options included, IE: scope rail. Finding surplus ammo for me around FT. Hood hasn't been too bad. I stay away from the Indian surplus, but will shoot cheap de-linked 7.62 and have never had a problem with it.

[rustypirate]

Personally I would go with the G3 or PTR 91 because of the availability of replacement parts and US made compliance parts. The PTR rifles are for the most part shooters right out of the box, while the CETMEs will need some work unless you buy from someone else who has worked the kinks out for you.

I personally like to build my own from parts kits, but that is not for everyone.

[Lon Moer]

:welcome2: and thank you for your service!

[okie shooter]

Welcome!!!

[The Great 308]

Personally I would go with the G3 or PTR 91 because of the availability of replacement parts and US made compliance parts. The PTR rifles are for the most part shooters right out of the box, while the CETMEs will need some work unless you buy from someone else who has worked the kinks out for you.

I personally like to build my own from parts kits, but that is not for everyone.

I agree with Rusty 100% except I don't have the tools and know how to build rifle kits myself. I have two PTR91s and they are awesome. I also have two G3 parts kits that I plan to have built. I paid $750 for my basic PTR91 NIB. That was a few years ago however and they have now gone up in price just like the Cetme. IMHO it is much better to pay around $1000 for what is essentially a factory new HK91 than to pay $500 or $600 for a Cetme which is almost all used parts with an out of spec US receiver and generally poorly assembled by Century.
I had two Cemtes before I bought my PTRs and I ended up having to put a bunch of time and money in one to get it in spec. The other one was so bad that it was going to require a barrel repress to get it in spec so I sold it at a loss.
This is just my opinion but I honestly do think that the best value by far is the PTR91. Also as Rusty pointed out there are many quality made US HK91 parts if you want to build a kit.

[jfowl31]

There's a bunch on guys with $400 cetmes that funtion and shoot just as good as your PTR that would take 2 Cetmes over your PTR any day of the week.

To say that they were "generally" built badly is a bit of an overstatement... there's tons of these rifles out there, and most of them work just fine and are built fine as well. The problem is that when a small mistake is made, it compounds into major problems, and those "few" rifles that snuck out bad gave the Cetme a bad name.... The sad part is this: Most of the good ones are owned and shot by the owners, and most of the cheapos out there at Pawn Shops and the like are the crappy ones, notice I said MOST though.

My rifle was built on a cast receiver on 100% new parts kit, with a match grade US made barrel in it, 1 of 500 built this way in 2004, and I still paid $300 less than I would've paid for a PTR nowadays...

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the best bet is to buy one here on the boards that you know is not a lemon... I wouldn't buy one from a gunshop or pawn shop unless I broke that sucker down to the rollers to measure everything.

[rustypirate]

I also want to go on record as saying that I own a CETME that was a problem child. I put the time and effort into fixing it up, and now it will outperform any PRT 91 you could buy. I also still have less money invested in it than the cost of a new PTR 91.

The CETME rifles are not BAD, and the worn parts can be replaced. Heck, even a barrel repress is not that involved or expensive to get done.

My only preference of a G3 clone is the availability of spare parts. When I bought my CETME nearly 3 years ago, spares were much more plentifull then they are now.

[okie shooter]

If I were getting one of these two today, the g-3 would be the choice due to parts and compliance parts availablity today. The cetmes were just too inexpensive in the day thus three to four years ago the choice was much easier.