Questions about Century Arms Tantal (NEED HELP AND ADVICE FROM EXPERTS, PLEASE)

[Tigerclaw_x]

The amount of information that I found on the web is huge and largely conflicting.
I have heard that:
a) Century arms Tantal keyhole with ANY ammunition.
b) Century Arms tantal keyhole with SOME ammunition.
c) That Century Arms Tantal do not key hole.
d) That Century Arms Tantals of early series keyhole and newer ones do not.


I have heard that:
a) Century Arms makes their tantal with Green Mountain non chromed barrel
b) Century arms makes their tantals with Polish made chrome barrel.


I have heard that:
a) Keyholing is because they are using 5.56mm (.223) barrel instead of 5.45
b) Keyholing is because certain ammunition does not like 1:7 rifling that Century is using on some barrels
c) Keyholing is because certain ammunition does not like 1:9 rifling that Century is using on some barrels.
d) Keyholing is solely problems of bad ammo. (somehow Interarms Tantals do not have the problems)


I heard that Century Arms will:
a) Continue to use Green Mountain barrels
b) Will get barrels from Poland
c) Will copy the barrels from Poland but here, in USA.


Interarms Tantals, built on Polish barrels have 1:8 rifling, and seems to work fine with every ammo.


I would really like to buy a 5.45 rifle. The problem is that Interarms Tantals are GONE. Period. I talked to Interarms (HighStandard) today. These are Gone and Gone forever.

The amount of conflicting information is rediculous.:banghead: I hope that the fine gurus here, will be willing to help me.

Thank you very much in advance.

D

 

[Maverick223]

I hope that the fine gurus here

They have the day off...so your left with me...

Don't know, I have shot (but so not own) a 5.45 but don't recall the origin much less the details. It shot well, when compared to a AK-47 it did very well. You are a bit down the list so I figured you could use the BUMP...good luck, tigr.

 

[HorseSoldier]

I'm also not an expert on the Century rifles, but my understanding is that:

d. Some of them keyhole.

b. I think they use US barrels since importation of barrels as part of kits has been interefered with by BATFE.

Keyholing -- I've also heard "A" as an explanation, but don't know for certain. I do know that I took a class with a guy with a custom 5.45mm AK built by a much more reputable manufacturer that was keyholing with heavier 5.45mm ammo, but which ran fine on Bulgarian military issue ammo I loaned him for some of the longer shots. May not be related to the Century issue at all, or the heavier weight 5.45mm bullets out there may be pushing the edge of performance for mil-spec barrel twists.

Good luck on finding a good Tantal. I bit the bullet a few years ago and spent AR-type money on a Tantal kit built by Krebs and it's about the nicest AK I've ever handled, including familiarization fire and training with a variety of real .mil issue AKs from various eastern European nations.

 

[jpwilly]

Keyhole's are from bullets that aren't stabalized. Basically shooting heavier 69+gr grain bullets out of 1-9bbls could cause thiss. But 1-9 twist should stabalize the common 55gr and 62gr ball ammo well enough. The 1-7 could be used for the heavy stuff.

 

[Tigerclaw_x]

Okay, here is the question.

If 1:9 stabilizes the lighter round but fails on heavier rounds, would 1:7 stabilize both, heavier and lighter rounds well?

Now, here is the question: Are the barrels chrome lined?

Thanx

D

 

[atblis]

Or

You could spend a bit more and get a High Standard Interarms built Tantal that will have none of those issues as it has the original Polish barrel and is just a nicer gun all around.

I have one, and it is definitely nicely put together.

EDIT: Doh, just noticed that you've looked into the Interarms Tantals. Didn't know they are gone. Might have to rethink selling mine.