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Does anyone know anything about these rifles? I know the cetme's are bad news - or so people here aresaying. But how about these L1A1's, they were origonally austrailian right?

do they jam up? do they like any ammo over other's? how accurate?

that kinda stuff?

how do they function as a "battle rifle", in general?

any info would be appreciated. they sell for pretty cheap around these parts - then there's the net........ :unsure:

thanx guys

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I bought a CETME with wood stock, flash suppressor, 2 20rd mags, and some ammo. I paid $150 for it off some guy. I didn't know if it jammed a lot or not but I thought it was a least worth that price. When I took it to the range I put about 100 rounds through it with no jams. A couple months later I took it to a local dealer and traded it towards an AK-74. Now I have bought the gun back from the dealer , and paid about double what I originally bought it for. It still hasn't jammed but like you I have read alot of bad things about theese guns.

 

I've added a Bell & Carlson butt stock. I'm waiting to find a wide forend that is under $75.

post-21-1089995234.jpg

Edited by crowak
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The reason they sell for cheap is it is a toss up on quality with a Century Arms L1A1 rifle. They were made from new/used parts from many different countries. It really depends on when the rifle was made as to what country the majorty of the parts came from and if it is a inch,metric,or a mix of both rifle. They have been making the L1A1 for over 10 years and the quality has been like a roller coaster up and down.

The best place to get info is http://www.falfiles.com/forums/index.php

Join the board and ask your question as the folks there are really up on FN-FAL rifles.

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If at all possible bring a no-go/go gauge with you to check the headspacing in it if you find one you like. my brother in law had one that he had to spend about the same amount as the gun cost to fix problems with it that were actually dangerous to the user. do a LOT of reading on these before you buy one.

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Siagalova: I've got a CETME that has a Century receiver (as will your L1A1) and it shot fine for a long time, got all the accessories for it, wide handguard, claw mount, etc....but now the receiver is loose, the mags no longer fit tight and therefore it no longer feeds reliably. I recently vowed never to buy another Century gun again, I would suggest you do the same. AKs are cheap, but they WORK! ....Century makes cheap stuff and in their case, you get what you pay for. Centerfire sells an FAL sporter made by Century and I know it has both metric and inch parts which really doesn't sit well with me.

 

If you want an FAL (as I do), look at getting one made from a quality receiver like an Imbel parts kit with an Imbel receiver ($600). Or, if you want better quality, get an STG58A ($900), which is an Austrian parts kit and a quality, new DSA made receiver. Of course the best FAL I guess is the SA58 which is 100% new and carries a lifetime warranty and commands a high price.

 

Let me know what you get, an FAL is next on my list of purchases.

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Update:

 

Went to the range yesterday and got my CETME working, had to shove a metal washer into the mag well to keep the mag in their tight, worked fine, am trying now to think of a way of adding it semi-permanently.

 

Also, I beat all my friends in a clay pigeon competition using my saiga-12 :super:

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I'm just kinda fartin around with the Idea. The saiga .308 is next on my list for sure! I'm just about to be TOTALLY freed up from debt. then it's ON!!!

From what I've read I guess when Cen arms first started the quality was questionable! now, I guess they're getting better. And, I guess there's newer receivers out there. But if you get one that's in good shape (meaning all the used parts fit together well), I suppose people like them?!? and supposed to be pretty accurate, for a battle rifle.

What do they mean by head room? That was in an artcle about the cetme's one time that did explain that that that was an issue. Maybe I'll re-read it.

By the way Check these guys out! I guess they sell for about $650 at the very most! they look a-lot simpler than the ar-15:

http://www.armalite.com/sales/catalog/rifles/ar180b.htm

post-21-1090260768.jpg

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I'm still not convinced Century is worth my time.

 

I think headspace is the space in front of the cartridge that allows the casing to expand a bit when it's fired. If there isn't enough room, it can be dangerous. That is how it was explained to me, but don't quote me on it. ;)

 

The AR180 is being re-released. It is an AR, but made with a stamped receiver like an AK and therefore doesn't cost as much. (Think Terminator 2 when Arnold cleans out the police station) I looked at one at my local dealer, but wasn't too impressed after just buying a real AR.

 

I still want an FAL but they are hard to find at affordable prices. For the price of a new DSA FAL I could get an AR in 308, which is probably more accurate.

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Yea those Dsa fal's look pretty prestigious! Rumor has it that they're accurate too!

there's a century arms Cetme at my local gun shop they want $500, for! I told them that Cetme's are all over the net for $350! They insisted that since the receiver was new and american built.............Dorks!

I think I'm with you...ky... I'm not sure that a gun with both inch and metric parts is too cool in my book either!

I remember the shotgun news selling them for a pretty good price, the real fals.

I'll look around.

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siagalova the pic you have there is of a ar180 the decendant of the ar18 made

in the 1970s by armalite , they are good guns, easy to maintain, in the 70s armalite

came with the idea that they needed a rifle that was easy to manufacture with

simple machinery, the ar18 uses a gas piston like the ak47 and the ar15 uses direct

gas , I have seen the ar18 in action in Guatemala in the 80s , and like the ak47 they are reliable, must of the ar18 were steel stamped instead of the alloy forgings of the ar15.

 

Well like in the 70s and 80s, the ar180 look ugly and made cheap , not like

the ar15, but this is a little work horse and not a show stallion , this ar180 are not as accurate as the ar15, but if a have to jump in the middle of no were, I will take the

ak47 or the ar18 over any ar15 any time .

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I thought so it is a good looking gun, I think it would be my choice for the .223. Sorry ar15 guys, I've shot a couple now - I just don't like them. they seem way too much for what I feel a gun should be. realiable, easy to break down, go forever, take any ammunition (which is my biggest thing against the ar15), AND CHEAP - costing a reasonable price. I think it's a luxury america can afford, not me.

I see that they are nice guns, and accurate (I couldn't hit a f..ckin' thing through the peep sight, I've got a pretty good aim too...on a normal gun!!!). So don't all jump down my throat, just personal taste............I know you guys are itchen to.

And that's another thing, everyone that owns one is a loud mouth ...........overbearing.......................

seriously My real first choice for .223 is this baby:

A little out of my price range (if price wasn't an issue)

the m96 same inventor as tha AR-15 just more simple:

post-21-1090356635.jpg

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It's a Stoner design the he invented at the same time or before the ar-15. He thought that it might be better for the military contrct because the barrel has a quick change feature - AND it can be configured all kinds of different ways!

you can put the mag on the top, it can be belt fed (i think I'm not positive). anyway, some body just bought the patent, or the rights or something, and there tryin' to sell the thing.

That's the way I understand it- too lazy to check!

everyones familiar with these guys - they have a little history lesson on the thing

http://www.robarm.com/

they also build vepr's, some of the hottest I've seen!

it's like a dream store! :wub:

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It doesn't say anywhere!

Yea, $1600, what the......

I don't think that it really costs that much to make! I think someones using the free market system of supp. & dem. to get a stretch.

You would think (If it had a manufacturer to back it) it would be more along the lines of the AR-180 - a little cheaper you know?

maybe 'cause it's hand made, I don't know....................

the concept rings right by me though. I can't stand the trend of the bullpup!!

 

I haven't shot one, so................

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the robard 96 is just a suped up ar18 , it is not the Stoner 63 , it just resembles it,

the stoner 63 on squad auto weapon uses open bolt , something the robart

dont do ( close bolt all the time ) , well stoner design the ar18 and the 63

back in the day , like he design the ar10 in 308 and later was changed to

5.56 and manufactor as the ar15 or m16 to the military, just remember

the stoner 63 was design on the idea more for special ops than to regular troops.

 

well , what can I say , if you have the mula for a robard 96 go for it , but a

poor like me goes for ar180 , saiga , ak47, ak74 or any vepr does the job really good

remember the simple it is, the better it is , and if you can get a Fal , I mean the

real macoy get it , use it on Guatemala like the G3 they are good, they just

kind of heavy and by the way I see a lot of ppl dont like the cetme ,

well its not the gun itself that is the problem , the problem

relays on the parts they use on the USA to put one together and how

it is put together , still like I say before, I have seen a lot of guns on a lot

of situations , and the simple they are the more reliable they are .

 

forgive my spelling

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From the Speer relaoding manual.

Headspace- The distance from that surface of the barrel or chamber that positions the cartridge and prevents its futher forward movement into the chamber, to the face of the bolt or breech block, when the latter is fully back aganist its supporting surface. This is the most important dimension governing the safety of the shooter.

 

Too much headspace and a rifle can blow up.

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F..ck yea, that seems important!!! shouldn't be overlooked, at all!!!

I think these cetme type guns are all just old, and the parts are worn. You know like the carpenters say: A few tics off on every measurement and by the time you get to the roof your off by a couple feet!

I think it would be a good project to build from a kit, in this case (FAL). Or just handle as many as I can - to get familliar for what's tight and what's not, I can tell that with the russians, by now, just from familiarization.

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CETME is not a bad gun, it was designed by former German weapon engineers that fled to Spain after the war. You just need to start with a good receiver! When you start with a sub-standard Century receiver that doesn't meet military specifications, you role the dice and see if you get a good combination of compatable parts.

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  • 1 month later...

Anything you buy from Century International is a crap shoot. If you have another firearm, rifle in mind and can purchase it elsewhere from another manufacturer I would certainly suggest you do so knowing you're spending your money more wisely. I'm not bashing Century International but their craftsmanship, product (Cetme) and reliability leave alot to be desired.

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Century contracts out a lot of their "built" rifles, and it's a crap shoot. The upside is most of the bad ones can be made into very good rifles, and still get the rifle at a budget friendly price. I've been very lucky with two Franken FALs, both working fine with minor adjustments. ----- A friend bought one too, and had to send it back to Century two times before they got it right. I think they paid the freight both ways after he called Century. The rifle was gone approximately two weeks each time. ----- During the time Century was rechambering the French MAS 49/56, to 7.62NATO you could talk to the DEPARTMENT OF REPAIRS, and they were actually very helpful. If you have problems, and have some gunsmithing skills, they can sometimes get you up and shooting over the phone. If not, just ship it back to them. Either way remember the people you are talking to only work for Century, and you get a lot more done with honey than vinegar. ;)

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  • 4 weeks later...

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