[catmath 1911]

Hello All,

This is my first official post on the high road, and I have a question about a rifle purchase. Since both of these can be had for around $300, which one would you get and why?

thanks,

catmath 1911

[DMK]

I thought about a CETME for a while myself. I like the look and love carbines, plus they have an interesting history. However I browsed around the CETME forum for a while and kind of lost my appetite for them for now. I'm going to build a FAL kit for now and I'll come back to the CETME later.

Browse around and see what you think.

http://www.gunboards.com/forums/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Headlines&BID=30&SID=2325007

[SteyrAUG]

The correct answer is usually BOTH, except in this case where the answer is neither.

First the SARs currently for sale are not really SARs.

Read about the SAR Scam here:

http://www.full-auto.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=33;t=000200

Onto the CETME, which really isn't a CETME at all but CETME parts on a Special Weapons receiver with enough low grade CAI parts to make them legal. The first ones were built on a cast stainless steel receiver made at Special Weapons and sold for around $500.00.

They looked OK and were made with the better kits on the market in very good condition. They looked damn good in comparison to the CAI G3 "hunk o crap" offered for around $400.00. Sadly these are no longer available.

The CURRENT CETMEs which sell for around $300 are the usual nightmarish hunks o junk that we have all come to expect from CAI. They feature a stamped receiver made by Special Weapons that has gaps so large in some places a #2 pencil can be inserted. Add crappy welds and the usually poor attention to detail and integrity that only Todd Bailey can achieve and you have a really nightmarishly poor receiver on which to build a genuine turd of a gun.

Add to this base receiver the remaining CETME parts kits in fair to poor condition after a full 30 year service life. Some of the barrels are so burnt you can almost tell they once had riflings. Then add enough pot metal CAI semi auto parts for US compliance. Make sure and have illiterate immigrant help do the welds and build in whatever bicycle shop with a tig welder is available.

Then hose that thing down with a good going over of Krylons finest black spray pai....uh err gun finish in a can. Then toss it in a box with metal shaving and shop debris all over the inside and outside of the gun and send it to anyone dumb enough to believe $300 will purchase a quality firearm.

And for that extra CAI touch beat the hell out of the box with a stick and somehow make 4 lbs of dirt adhere to the cardboard box.

[Ebbtide]

Add crappy welds and the usually poor attention to detail and integrity that only Todd Bailey can achieve and you have a really nightmarishly poor receiver on which to build a genuine turd of a gun.

As if anyone could follow up that with a positive statement about the current CETME they would be a fool. :D

But here I go:

http://www.gunboards.com/forums/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Headlines&BID=30&SID=2444251

If you go to the above link you will find some great information on what to expect from the CETME. You could make your own decision from there.

They are what they are. $300.00 battlerifles that may end up being nice shooters, a pile of junk, or a death trap*.

*depending on who you listen to.

Good Luck, and I hope this helps

ehenz

[biere]

Look around since there are still some sar1s around.

I looked at a cetme and a sar 1 at the same time this past fall. The cetme seemed decent, but I did not fire it. The sar 1 has been as expected. The sar 1 had better wood and overall I could not compare the cetme to a fal so I left it on the rack.

The wasr 10 is worth the right price in my opinion. It should cost less than a sar1 in my opinion as well. I have one and other than a loose pin I have been happy with it.

[cheygriz]

SAR-1

[AK103K]

I have both a SAR1 and a WASR10. The WASR 10 is actually the nicer of the two. It has straight sights, nice wood and a decent finish that isnt all scratched up, although its not spotless. It shoots well too, and doesnt have trigger slap either. I dont think its a scam as stated above, if you want a SAR you just need to specify that. The adds in SGN and Gun List say AK47, they arent saying its a SAR or a WASR 10. Some adds specify that they are SAR's. For the money, the AK's are cheap, easy to fool with if you want to tinker, and ammo and accessories are well made and dirt cheap. All the ones I have have worked out of the box, some needed a little "tweaking", but it was mostly minor and easily done by myself at home.

[GhostShooter]

I have both (and like both), haven't had the chance to shoot my Cetme (which has NO gaps, it looks fine) yet but I say get the sar-1 (if you can find an actual sar). It's a great plinker, normal ak accuracy, normal ak reliability (it will feed ANYTHING), and ammo is dirt cheep. Maybe after I put as many rounds through my Cetme as I have through my sar my opinion will change but for now the sar.

http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/2M16.gif

[scottsw1]

I have both and it is a tough choice. I have owned my Cetme for 2 years and and my SAR-1 for about a year and a half.

Cetme- my Cetme is an early one with the stainless cast receiver and assembled from an unissued rifle. My rifle had to go back because the sights were off and it was shooting 8 inches to the left with the windage maxed out, this was a common problem at the time but has been fixed since. Century repaired my rifle and it shoots dead on. I still have to custom fit most of my magazines (surplus Cetme mags), but the rifle functions great and is a nice shooter.

SAR-1-only problem was trigger slap. I replaced the fire control group with a Gordon Tech trigger group and am very happy, cost was $40.00. I have also replaced the stock and handguards with the green Kvar U.S. made stock. I replaced the stock because it is an 1 1/4 longer and makes shooting a little nicer.


Magazines cost about the same. Since the cost of ammo is a little cheaper for the SAR, I say buy it first.

[SteyrAUG]

If you can find a genuine SAR1 it is a good gun as far as AKs go.

And if you can find one of the original cast stainless steel receivers those are not bad guns either.

However both will cost much more than $300.00.

[Sir Galahad]

No question: SAR1. Absolutely reliable.

[Redlg155]

Definitely SAR1.

Cheaper ammunition for one. Plus aftermarket and extra parts are easy to obtain compared to the CETME.

The CETMEs I've seen run about $375 while the SAR1s run about $350 in my area. I still haven't found a CETME that pleased me enough to purchase one. I'm still looking for that "perfect" CETME.

Good SHooting
RED

[Tropical Z]

Neither!
I'd get a .308 or 7.62x39 Saiga for less than either of your choices.Its a better gun.;)
SAR's may be reliable,but they look like hell and were assembled by drunk chimps shortly after they drank a quart of whiskey.