I am trying to decide what rifle to get for my next purchase. I really want a 1903a3. Especially since they are getting more expensive and harder to find. My primary reason for wanting the C308 is the possibility of a future ban on the sale of assault type rifles. I have heard varying reports on their reliability. However I like the idea of an affordable .308 rifle. I want a MILSURP rifle that fires inexpensive and surplus ammunition and is accurate. Thanks for your feedback.
Century CETME C308 or 1903a3?
- Thread starter DavidB2
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Tommygunn
Member
I recently bought a Century C308.....it's en route back to Century to be repaired, never having even been fired.
If you want a Cetme, pay the $$$$$ and get one from a respectable manufacturer.
Or get the 1903 rifle.
If you want a evil black rifle, a Colt M4 carbine is very good, along with other top tier ARs.
If you want a Cetme, pay the $$$$$ and get one from a respectable manufacturer.
Or get the 1903 rifle.
If you want a evil black rifle, a Colt M4 carbine is very good, along with other top tier ARs.
MachIVshooter
Member
.308 is North of $0.50/round, and the CETME is not particularly accurate unless you get really lucky. Back in the day when you could get a CETME for ~$400 and African .308 ammo for $0.15/rd, they were fun blasters. Not the case today.
If you're wanting an inexpensive magazine fed autoloader that is relatively cheap to feed and accurate, the AR in 5.56 is the obvious answer.
Acera
Member
If legislation does pass under a new clinton administration you could sell the CETME for a nice profit and have money for a 1903 and probably something else also.
I expect their price to be 2-3x by this time next year.
I expect their price to be 2-3x by this time next year.
Ohio Gun Guy
Member
I really dont think legislation / V2 of an "Assault Weapons" ban will be temporary or grandfather existing...
MachIVshooter
Member
If (and it's a big "if") any administration were able to ram a ban through, you can bet they won't allow the transfer of weapons and magazines like the '94 ban did when just the sale of units manufactured after the effective date was prohibited. They will follow the model Bloomberg & co forced down our throats here in CO with >15 round mags where the existing magazines are grandfathered to the owner, but the transfer of said magazines is unlawful, regardless of manufacture date. There is no "pre ban high cap" on which one can profit. Can't sell them in the state, period. They are devoid of monetary value.
Panzerschwein
member
The C308 is not a MILSURP.
I'd skip it and get a PTR-91 GI. Higher quality and not much more expensive. Also much closer to a real HK G3, especially now that the GI model comes with a metal lower and paddle magazine release. Leave the old M1903 Springfield to the collectors and Camp Perry crowd. A semi-auto .308 is far more effective and probably will get banned if things don't go well later on. You can get steel cased Tulammo .308 for about $0.35 a round and it shoots great in a PTR.
I'd skip it and get a PTR-91 GI. Higher quality and not much more expensive. Also much closer to a real HK G3, especially now that the GI model comes with a metal lower and paddle magazine release. Leave the old M1903 Springfield to the collectors and Camp Perry crowd. A semi-auto .308 is far more effective and probably will get banned if things don't go well later on. You can get steel cased Tulammo .308 for about $0.35 a round and it shoots great in a PTR.
GBExpat
Member
I have no experience with the Century "C308", but I did acquire one/ea cast- & stamped-receiver CETME C semi-auto Variants in 2001/2.
After minimal work on my part, both of my CETMEs are very reliable & accurate.
I also have several 03A3s (4 Remington, 1 Smith Corona) that I have acquired over the years. I think that there is a distinctive, lithe beauty to them.
Both rifles have rear aperture sights so they are even usable with old, "presbyopic" eyes.
If I had neither and could only choose one for purchase in the near future, *I* would search out a nice 03A3. It is a true "milsurp" rather than a Reconstituted Variant and I think that it will easily match or better any market value increase over time.
Good Luck with both your decision and search!
After minimal work on my part, both of my CETMEs are very reliable & accurate.
I also have several 03A3s (4 Remington, 1 Smith Corona) that I have acquired over the years. I think that there is a distinctive, lithe beauty to them.
Both rifles have rear aperture sights so they are even usable with old, "presbyopic" eyes.
If I had neither and could only choose one for purchase in the near future, *I* would search out a nice 03A3. It is a true "milsurp" rather than a Reconstituted Variant and I think that it will easily match or better any market value increase over time.
Good Luck with both your decision and search!
MachIVShooter said:
What he said.
Back around 2003-2004 I had a few FAL's. South African and Portuguese surplus ammo made them cheap enough to shoot, magazines in great condition were affordable, and the rifles had lots of history and character. I was surprised at first that I could even still get the rifles and mags during the first AWB, but once I found out I could, I had to have a couple. I don't regret trying them, but I probably wouldn't buy a semi-auto .308 today. Too expensive to shoot much and since they're all being built out of surplused parts kits that the militaries of the world are getting rid of, once the wave of parts is gone, supply will dry up. Ammo prices are also much higher now - the same thing has happened. No one is issuing 7.62x51 rifles on general issue anymore, so there will never be as much surplus ammo as we saw in the mid 2000's.
The suggestions on the PTR-91 also aren't bad if you really can't go without a semi-auto 308. Magazines are still pretty cheap for them so you can stock up on some, and the ergonomics are better on the HK pattern rifles than on the CETME. For example, on the CETME, the safety works the wrong way, but that is corrected on the HK style rifles. I did know someone who had a Century CETME and loved it, but I think that's the exception as much as the rule.
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crashdummy
Member
I have owned 3 "Century" products, and was not happy with any of them.
Currently feeding an Armalite AR-10. More money, but definitely worth it.
Nothing at all wrong with 03A3s. Love them
Currently feeding an Armalite AR-10. More money, but definitely worth it.
Nothing at all wrong with 03A3s. Love them
I have a CETME that I fooled around with for a couple of years before I could get it to run. Tried many things. what I found was it will run with steel cases ammo but jammed up with any brass cased ammo. As long as I load steel cased ammo it runs fine.
az_imuth
Member
I have a CETME that's never given me a moment's worth of trouble. I also have an 03-A3 that I really enjoy. Between the two, I'd take the 03-A3 in a heartbeat. It may be a simple old surplus bolt action rifle, but that simplicity is what's going to keep it running when many other rifles have come and gone. It's tough as nails, utterly reliable, easy to maintain, and has much better sights than the CETME.
CapnMac
Member
When you go looking for 03A3, go with a "C" (pistol grip) stock.
If a choice between "S" (straight) stocak and "C", go with the best stock cartouches. If stock markings are equal, go "C,"
The curve on the "C" stock is a near match to that on a Garand, and similar to the smaller dimensions on a Carbine.
There is an traditional variant--the "scant" stock. This is an S blank finished to a C contour as best as the blank allows. It's not particularly better, and in some ways is less good than either of the others. However, most of the scant stocks were scrapped and converted to firewood long ago, so actually finding one, especially a factory stamped one is a treasure in and of itself.
If a choice between "S" (straight) stocak and "C", go with the best stock cartouches. If stock markings are equal, go "C,"
The curve on the "C" stock is a near match to that on a Garand, and similar to the smaller dimensions on a Carbine.
There is an traditional variant--the "scant" stock. This is an S blank finished to a C contour as best as the blank allows. It's not particularly better, and in some ways is less good than either of the others. However, most of the scant stocks were scrapped and converted to firewood long ago, so actually finding one, especially a factory stamped one is a treasure in and of itself.
Glockula
Member
I have owned both and have two O3A3's. The CETME is the only rifle I have every sold. I would go O3A3 every single time. The G3 and clones have lost their luster for me. I am not sure I would own anot her DRB rifle.
Mikee Loxxer
Member
You made the right choice by getting the '03, a rifle for the ages
entropy
Member
+1. While CETME's are fun range guns, there's others of that type I'd choose first. (M1A) The '03A3 is always a good choice, and you are definitely better off saving up for the PTR.
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