Century Arms ARs?

Status
Not open for further replies.
ThomasT

ThomasT

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2007
Messages
6,047
Location
Burleson,Texas
Classic Arms has Century AR 15 rifles listed for $599.00. What do you think of their quality? I'm not a big AR buff and I am sorta lost on the good and bad with these rifles.

I'm in the market for one of the new heavier barreled Mini-14s and saw these on the Classic Arms website. I'm not a big fan of the AR, but these look good to me. I like the old style look like from the Veitnam war era. The M4s don't excite me too much.

So what can you tell me? It seems like i have read some not so good reports about Century Arms but really can't remember. The add says these are much improved. You can write anything you want in an add.
 
I've heard a lot of bad things bout the century ar rifles. No experience with them myself so I cannot say for sure.

I have heard many good things about the accurized mini-14 but it is pretty damn expensive for what you get. You could probably look into getting a high quality AR for $100-200 less with the same accurace and more available hi-cap mags.
 
I have held one before. Honestly they are the biggest piece of crap I have ever seen. I seriously wouldn't pay 300 bucks for one. They look like they are homemade.
 
For the same price you can get an Oly plinker plus GI pattern, just what you are looking for. Some bash these but the owners of them seem to really have good luck with them. Plus they have a lifetime warranty and seem to back it up rather well, I don't think the same can be said by Century. I'd buy the Olympic for $600 looong before I'd buy the Century.
For a little bit more, $150-$200, you can buy one of much better quality.
These ARs are built on no-name parts and the AR tolerances and specs are too easy to screw up.
While I would buy another Century AK (I don't think anyone can screw one of those up), I wouldn't waste the time and money on one of these.



They look like they are homemade
Click to expand...
My homemade AR was offended by that remark.
 
Hey thanks for the quick replies. Thats why I like coming here to THR for answers.

I thought I had read some negative stuff about Century before but couldn't remember. There is a GS in Ft Worth this weekend and i am planning on going.

Maybe i'll pick up an AR thats says "take me home". Then again, maybe not.

I may be back to one of the new minis.
 
Last edited:
I HIGHLY doubt that these AR's are at all bad. They are distributed by Century, but they are made from Colt parts. I would feel safe when buying from Classic Arms. I have yet to hear of an unsatisfied customer from them. If their is something wrong, Ben (owner) will make it right.

I would buy one with confidence if I were looking at them.

Century got a bad name for their AK's, but, honestly, their is little that one can do to mess up on an AR. The thing goes together like a lego set.
 
The older Century AR rifles were A1 1-12" light barrel versions with a mix of Colt, GM Hydromatic, and H&R uppers mated to Olympic lowers with Olympic fire control groups.
The bolt carriers were Olympic too.

The newer A2 versions are Military uppers mated to DPMS lowers and heavy 20" 1-9 twist barrels with DPMS semi auto fire control groups and M16 bolt carriers that are ground down with Military bolts.

Replace the bolt carrier and you have a decent rifle.
A bolt carrier can be had for about $100.00 so $750.00 for a rifle with a new lower, barrel, fire control group and bolt carrier with the rest of the parts used, some of these parts are well used.

Search around and you can find a brand new DPMS A2 heavy barrel rifle for less than $900.00
 
You could pick up a stripped lower locally for about $100 and buy a kit from del-ton.com for $475 + shipping and be into a much nicer rifle you built yourself for less than the century.
 
Originally posted by 737Driver
You could pick up a stripped lower locally for about $100 and buy a kit from del-ton.com for $475 + shipping and be into a much nicer rifle you built yourself for less than the century.
Click to expand...

Exactly...

Or, get a kit from J&T Distributing for about $460 + shipping, and you'll be accomplishing the same task...

Or, get a kit from any number of other suppliers...

The couple of Century ARs that I have seen displayed a very sloppy upper to lower fit and the M16 bolt carriers were extremely roughly milled, with edges sharp enough to cut your arm off...

If these guns were selling for $300, they'd be a 'decent' buy...

When they sell for more than you can assemble a gun out of new, high quality parts, they're pretty much a joke...

Tha's my story and I'm sticking to it...:)

Forrest
 
If Century has imported it and put their marks on, OK. (Like my M-44 Mosin-Nagant)

If Century built it...it Ain't Happenin' for me. 18 months of torture from a CAI CETME was more than I needed..not to mention a CAI " M1 Garand " I looked at ONCE.
 
I'm telling you guys, if I were in battle and had to rely on a gun, I would choose the Century AK over the AR. The Century AR is a complete piece of junk. The space in between the upper and lower receiver is extraordinary. The bolt looks like it was forged by a blacksmith. You can see a seam all the way around the receiver. It is just crappy. No offense to home-built ARs, this looks like it was put together in the Pakistan/Afghanistan border.
 
Thanks again for the excent advice. I have dropped all but one of my gun magazine subscriptions because of you guys and your honest, first hand experience.

I go through an AR spell every time i see a movie where they use the A-2 M16 type of rifles. Platoon gets me going. So does the movie "Southern Comfort". I just bought that one from Walmart.com/movies. I think i've watched it 12 times in the last month.

I like the A2s because they seem so lightweight. Every time i pick up one of the M4s at the gunshow i can't believe how heavy they are. Even the short barreled Bushmasters that are at every show.

My friend bought a S&W M&P AR and its is the same thing. A pretty chunky gun for a 223 shooter.
 
I bought a stripped AR lower marked Century back in 2003 and built a perfectly good AR on it. I've had no trouble with it. I can't speak for the AR's they've built.
 
Century got a bad name for their AK's

And their CETMEs.
Click to expand...
I've bought one of each in the past 8 months and they've been fine, some fit n' finish flaws, but I don't worry about that stuff when they function right.

AR's can be much more sensitive to build issues than either of those two though, and I'm leery of the AR's.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Z
  • Locked
Century AR?
Replies
6
Views
443
Z71
Z
B
  • Locked
Century International Arms
Replies
15
Views
1K
boomstik45
B
N
  • Locked
Century arms AR-15
Replies
3
Views
528
RP88
R
B
  • Locked
Century Arms AMD-65
Replies
3
Views
619
rugerdude
R
K
  • Locked
Are Century Arms good?
2
Replies
27
Views
10K
sgt mac
S
Back
Top