Never use Commercial ammo in a cetme?

[militantzero]

I was told never to fire commercial ammo through a cetme by someone at ar15.com I've been a member over there for a long time and very seldom have I gotten bad advice there.But you guys are the pros,so what's the deal? I was also told NOT to use a recoil buffer because it's bad for the gun.Any help you guys can give will definitely be most appreciated.I'm active duty military and I couldn't afford to buy a new cetme if I jack this one up.

[Enigma Nostra]

Hey mate, youve come to the right place. Im sure some others will chime in as well, but ill give you the info I know.

1) Dont shoot commercial ammo because increased chance of case rupture etc. Just isnt made to spec for this violent a rifle.

2) You need a buffer. Theres several types avalible. Im not sure why they were telling you not to have one, you kinda HAVE to have one for the rifle to go together....

-E

[tomoshenko]

I was told never to fire commercial ammo through a cetme by someone at ar15.com I've been a member over there for a long time and very seldom have I gotten bad advice there.But you guys are the pros,so what's the deal? I was also told NOT to use a recoil buffer because it's bad for the gun.Any help you guys can give will definitely be most appreciated.I'm active duty military and I couldn't afford to buy a new cetme if I jack this one up.
It is unfortunate that a very explanatory thread on this topic with excellent illustrative pictures was lost when "the Site" went down.

In a nutshell, Nato spec brass is harder and thicker , therefore in the fluted chamber of these roller locked babies the brass does not flow into the the flutes excessivly and there is adequate space for the expanded gasses to fill the flutes and "float" the case out on the ejection cycle.

Regular, sporting ,non-NATO brass is softer and thinner and will flow into the flutes causing the case to often stick with the result being that the ejection cycle tears off the end of the case.

Again, 'tis a pity we lost that post as the pictures showed the markedly raised flute ridges on the sporting brass case so well.

[pigpen]

Nostra,
I think he was meaning the rubber buffers that go in the receiver. Not the buffer that is attached to the stock.

[pigpen]

I have a buffer in mine & have not had any problems since installing it.

[Smokehouse69]

Some people have had a lot of sucess shooting commercial ammo in their Cetme's and G3's, but if you decide to try it, make sure you have a broken case extractor handy.

[drine]

Yeah, shoot NATO brass. You can get away with commercial and I used a bit to hunt with but I'm a grown boy and with accept responsibility if I tear up my rifle. My brother had an HK91 years ago and all we shot was commercial. It was a new gun though.
Second, on the buffer. Use the buffer that came with the rifle and toss the rubber one bought after market out!! There was a post as to what the rubber insert does to your pin holes in the receiver. They will crack!! There is little recoil on the CETME anyway.
That's my nickle's worth.

[GreenWolf]

I have a buffer in mine & have not had any problems since installing it.
If you are talking about the aftermarket rubber recoil buffers, using those lead to cracked buttstock housings. It doesn't happen instantly.

The other buffer is a port buffer. A lucky find if you got one.

[jonboy20]

If you got one of those little grey buffers, throw that piece of shit away. It increased the recoil in mine and I tossed it. I am glad it was free.

[cimmaronkid]

Throw away the after market buffer as it will eventually cause you problems. The Cetme does have a bolt buffer that is hidden by the butt stock. Check it to see if all of the rubber is still good inside. If not, there are a couple of ways to go, but will cross that bridge later.

When I reload, I always use milspec brass. As for the word on commerical brass, if you do shoot it, make sure you have a broken shell extractor handy as you might have problems. I am beginning to think however that a lot of the problems that people have had with commerical brass is due to the fact that 7.62x51 NATO rounds are loaded to an operating pressure of 50,000 psi while the .308 commerical (yes, there is a difference) is loaded to a SAMMI max pressure of 62,000 psi. This is over a 20% increase in pressure that will definately force the thinner brass into the flutes. If the commerical brass were loaded to the same pressure, I think that you might still have a problem, but I also feel that it would lessen it to a large extent.

Oh Yes, please excuse all of our manners and welcome to the forum as I see that was your first post here.

[Big Steve]

The Buffer Technologies buffers are the bad ones. They are shaped like the inside of your reciever. The other kind like a Black Jack buffer goes in the original buffer housing and will not break the welds on your gun.
Steve

[militantzero]

Thanks guys! I do appreciate all the help.I was talking about the grey rubber thingie pad thingie,not the one in the stock.Cool deal,I'll toss it then.My Cetme has not been fired yet,so I'll try a little commercial ammo and see how it goes.Where can I find a broken shell extractor for my Cetme?Thanks again guys,you'll be seeing much more of me around here.

Respectfully,
~Zero

[rpmfly2]

Welcome to the new place!!!! :party0045: Black Jack buffer is the one that I think has a urethane replacement for the rubber that is better. I haven't tried one yet but will as soon as the mud slop has dried up!

[rustypirate]

Thanks guys! I do appreciate all the help.I was talking about the grey rubber thingie pad thingie,not the one in the stock.Cool deal,I'll toss it then.My Cetme has not been fired yet,so I'll try a little commercial ammo and see how it goes.Where can I find a broken shell extractor for my Cetme?Thanks again guys,you'll be seeing much more of me around here.

Respectfully,
~Zero

You can use any 308 broken shell extractor. Tapco sells them, buy 2 or 3 because sometimes THEY break too.

Another alternative is to get a piece of steel drill rod the correct diameter and about 28 inches long. If a cartridge gets broken off in the chamber, just put the drill rod down the barrel from the muzzle end and drive the offending brass out.

[Private Fuzzy]

You can use steel cased ammo like Wolf. Just be sure to get the polymer coated stuff, as the laquered will melt and clog the chamber flutes.

[jdlilfan]

I have been running the new polymer wolf .308 through my cetme with no problems. The casings come out looking like candy canes from the flutes and sometimes come out dented and beat up. All of them however are relativley accurate and all go bang. I just figured the steel casing would hold up a bit better than the brass. Also ran a bit of cheap paki with no problems.

[MID]

Heres the deal. This is what i rember form the page that was lost.
SOmebody esles work, but i read it and it made sense so i stored it on the soft drive, er brain.

FInd a commercail ammo, and load it up, one round. Fire it. Inspect the spent case, look for flute marks. If you can see flute marks, but not feel them, You probly good to go, if it seems like flute marks in the case now protrude form the case, the ammo is no good. Either to hot of load, too weak of case, or to heavy of bullet. Whats happending is when the bullet is fire the pressure causes the case to expand into the chamber flutes. Thats bad.

So if you feel the flute marks in the case, that ammo is no good.

If you can only see flute marks. The ammo should be safe. I would shoot a few boxs of this ammo, one ammo at a time, inspecting each case. To make sure that it is consistantly safe.

[texlurch]

Most of the steel case stuff seems to work fine.