Century Arms G3. Did I do right by passing on it?

[Monkeyleg]

Was working the gun show this weekend, and a guy walked past with an absolutely perfect HK clone for sale. I asked him what it was, and he said an HK 93, to which I said I don't have that kind of money.

I'm looking to raise cash, he said. I'm just trying to get $500 out of it. Of course, the greedy little devil in me took over, and I started to think about spending $500 that I absolutely cannot afford on a real HK. Then I turned it over, and saw the Century Arms stamping on the right side.

OK, no great bargain. But this was an aluminum (or was it stainless?) receiver without the welds, and the rifle was brand new. I know CIA's reputation for QC, and didn't know if the cast receiver was any better or worse than the stamped.

For some reason (cheapness, probably) I've gotten a hankering for one of these. I'm even willing to tinker with the bolt carrier and/or hound CIA until they would get it to work right.

Given what I've now told you--CIA G3 clone, cast receiver, looks unfired or barely fired--what would you have offered the guy?

 

[GigaBuist]

I paid $350 for mine about 2 months ago. It's not an HK G3 clone, it's a CETME that's assembledy by "angry monkeys" at Century Arms. I bought mine used, and the darned thing will not go into battery!

I've monkeyed with it for about 6 hours and beleive I've finally figured out why.

Assuming it was a non-threaded barrel, no muzzle brake, plain-old CETME you did good in not offering $500.

Just my opinion. Take that with a big grain of salt though seeing as how I bought one that I can't make shoot

 

[clown714]

? did it have a drum or paddle rear sight?

cetme's have the paddle IIRC.

G3 clones have the drum.

clown

 

[Monkeyleg]

It had the G3 drum rear sight. I've looked over a few CETME's and I know this wasn't one. Until I looked at the Century Arms markings, I thought for sure it was an HK.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

Body by Todd

The quality of the SW3 receiver was so impressive that Century Arms contacted me about buying it for use on their product, and they did currently the SW3 tooling is used to build both Hk91 clones and cetme clones for century arms and as of Jan 2002 they have built more then 5000 of these guns using this receiver design.

the above used to be posted on Todd Bailey's site

http://www.thehighroad.org/search.p...d=533089&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

 

[iamkris]

I have a Century G3 that I've had for a year now. It is 100 % reliable now that I have the ejector lever built up and the trigger lightened by Bill Springfield. It is MBR accurate and handy. The front sight is slightly canted (a common problem with Century built guns) but still adjustable within the range of the rear sight. I have the sheet metal receiver vs. the cast stainless however. Seems like 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of another to me.

$500 isn't a bad deal but you can pick them up new for a bit over $425 if you go buy a Shotgun News. I got mine NIB (or at least newly built in box) for $420 out the door at a gun show last January.

I shot a quite a bit until I got my DSA STG58A. Now I haven't touched it in around 6 months. I'd sell it if I hadn't always regretted selling guns ... that's more a statement of how much I like the STG versus anything being wrong with the G3.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I have a Century G3 clone built on a stamped receiver. I hand-picked it so I was able to avoid stuff like bent cocking tubes or crooked sights. I picked it up in August but I've only been able to get it out to the range once. I ran 100 rounds of FNM and Australian ball through it, and function was 100%.

The action was a bit stiff when I got it, due to the phospate finish on the inside of the receiver. I worked the action probably about 50 times, and also lightly polished some of the bearing points inside the action with Flitz. In combination with the 100 rounds through the gun, it's much smoother now.

So far I like it quite a bit.

 

[Steve Smith]

Ugly, bad reputation, ultra cheap, but....


Mine goes bang every time I pull the trigger, and is easy to shoot!

 

[Dave R]

If you are not willing to tinker with it/return it if needed, you did right to pass.

OTOH, if you want a good MBR for $500 and you are willing to fix Century's build issues, or return it if needed, you can eventually have a great MBR for your $500.

I hear the G3's are better than the CETME's to begin with, so better odds you'll get a good one.

 

[armoredman]

I just talked to FAC of America, http://www.gunsnstuff.net/ , and they assured me that Century is no longer sending them lemon CETMEs, as they apprently had a looooong chat with them. She said as of now, they have a zero return, are sold out, and will get more in the middle of the month. Also, shipped from MN to AZ, total cost is $319.46, plus $30 recieve fee. Mags are dirt cheap, and accessories as well. Also, they will refund or exchange any defective products, no problem. Century has a 90 day warrentee too, now, straight from thier mouth. Tax time, please be good to me!

 

[Monkeyleg]

"If you are not willing to tinker with it/return it if needed, you did right to pass."

It wouldn't bother me to send it back to CIA to have them fix it, or to check the gun shows for in-spec parts.

After looking on gunbroker.com, I see a lot of Buy It Now G3's for about $425. If I run into this guy or another G3 seller at upcoming shows I'll offer that price.

There are empty slots in the rifle section of my gun safe. I've got to solve that problem.

 

[armoredman]

Shotgun is in the hock shop, rest of the safe is empty. Now THAT's a problem...

 

[Monkeyleg]

Yeah, armoredman, that is a problem. I hope it goes away soon!

 

[armoredman]

Tax time cometh, and the new tax laws SHOULD give me a CETME, maybe even an WASR10 for the wife. My little tax deduction just keeps growing...whoops, gotta buy him clothes, too.