FAL or CETME

[C-grunt]

hello everyone, i just wanted to ask if anyone had info on which rifle to buy. A FAL or a CETME. Ive handled but never shot both before. Im currently in Iraq, so i cant go and test either one right now. I plan on purchasing the rifle when im home on RnR sometime in august and Ill only have two weeks to find and purchase, so your info would be very helpfull. I also have a 500 dollar limit, so no high end rifles, just surplus. thank you.

 

[armoredman]

FAL, CETME is Century welded junk, usually, so unless you like to tinker, stay away. Bump your budget by just under $100, and get an Ohio Rapid Fire FAL.

 

[Onmilo]

Original Belgian made FAL or a DSA FAL or a JLD PTR-91 G3 clone or an original H&K HK91.
Unless your budget is weak, forget everything else on the market.
Personally, of the choices I selected, I bought the JLD PTR-91 and am quite pleased with the rifle.

 

[24kshooter]

Your allocated budget is tight but then it is for most of us also - IMO if you are set on a semiauto of this type and want a fun blaster then it is easier to get a recent CIA CETME offering to run OK - for $400 you get rifle,2 mags and bayonet. Poor syn. stocks but you have to have to meet US parts count. Lots of pre-shoot cleaning but the recent ones are far better fit and finished -they will take $3 HK alm. mags - not steel. CIA FALS are about $600 and then you still have to tinker - so you would be far ahead to go with a DSA or ORF (if you can get one) FAL. PTR would be a far better G3 offering also except you will be $700 plus into it.

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

CETME's are far from bad rifles, and if you know how to look, you can get a really great rifle for not much money. Everyone is hot over the PTR's right now, and they are nice rifles, but for what it's worth, if you know what to look for you can get a CETME of the same quality for half the price.

Go to Perro's CETME forum and find out how to check the headspace and other potential problem factors on the CAI's and go around looking, I'm sure you'll be able to find a nice one that was well put together.