Cetme Blues !!!

[BlackBore]

Today I read about the ground down bolt problems on the Cetme and I looked at 1 of 4 Cetmes that i own and I'll be damned if it doesn't have the ground down bolt ! This is a stamped receiver. I have two SS receivers and one more stamped to check. Damn I'm pissed ! What am I going to do ?

[neilwest]

1. Have you notice problems before you read about the problem of ground down bolts, If not I wouldnt worry about it.

[BlackBore]

Originally posted by neilwest
1. Have you notice problems before you read about the problem of ground down bolts, If not I wouldnt worry about it.

I haven't shot any of my Cetme's yet !!! The experts are saying that these are very dangerous because of the ground bolts. It affects the roller locking and such.

[SalBO]

at is what has kept me from ordering a CEtme. If and when they get it figured out and fixed, I will order a couple.For now, I will build a few FAL's...........;)

[Schuetzenman]

What I want to know is how the heck you can accumulate 4 Cetme's and not have shot even one of them!:confused: :eek:

[SalBO]

Originally posted by Schuetzenman
What I want to know is how the heck you can accumulate 4 Cetme's and not have shot even one of them!:confused: :eek:


it has been cold outside...........hehe

did my reciever make it in yet ?

[Schuetzenman]

Don't know, too busy today to check on it.

[SalBO]

ok...........

[RetVet]

Blackbore, check out my thread in the general discussions section. I've got a stamped one with a ground bolt too, but have a fix in the works.

Check to see if you have any free space between the cocking handle tube and the bolt carrier. There should be a little space between the two. If not, you may be in luck. Why? See my thread for specifics.

I shoot both of mine frequently. They are becoming my favorites and getting close to replacing my AR and FAL as my "go to" weapons for if the shit hits the fan.

[BlackBore]

Originally posted by RetVet
Blackbore, check out my thread in the general discussions section. I've got a stamped one with a ground bolt too, but have a fix in the works.

Check to see if you have any free space between the cocking handle tube and the bolt carrier. There should be a little space between the two. If not, you may be in luck. Why? See my thread for specifics.

I shoot both of mine frequently. They are becoming my favorites and getting close to replacing my AR and FAL as my "go to" weapons for if the shit hits the fan.

I think i read your thread already , RetVet. I called Century today and they assured me everything is okay ! All this hoopla got started by somebody who was applying a German , either G3 or some H&K , armorers manual to a Cetme !
Exactly how many Kabooms has anybody even heard of ?:rolleyes:
I'm not going to worry:D

[ironmann700]

I have a CETME also that I have yet to fire. When I pulled mine apart the bolt was ground down. I have been reading alot on the ground bolt and have yet to come up with anyone that has been hurt by it. I am going to shoot mine and pay attention to it and see if anything happens sometime in the near future.

If there was a problem with the ground bolt, don't you think that we would have heard about someone getting hurt? Do you think that if there was a problem, Century would be letting them go out the door like that. IMHO Century would not want and does not want any litigation regarding the ground bolt not being safe. Century is not a rinky dink outfit making weapons in thier spare time. That is thier bread and butter and if they put out faulty weapons that would be thier undoing. I do not think that they are wanting that.

Ironmann

[bsims]

I'm not sure it is as much a safety issue as it is the fact that the parts in these rifles with ground bolts are excessively worn. My understanding of the situation is that there are basically 4 wear points on this design - the locking piece, bolt, trunion, and rollers. The bolt gap measures the wear of these components - it does not actually measure the headspace of the rifle. Zero bolt gap is bad, but as long as there is a gap present, there really aren't any safety issues (whether it is ground or not). However, the fact that it is ground means the parts are so worn that the normal method of compensating for wear (adding + rollers) still does not give you bolt gap that is within spec. If you were to simply replace your bolt with an unground one, you'd likely end up with zero bolt gap, even when adding the +4 rollers. I've also heard that grinding the bolt effects the timing of the action, which could result in many of the FTE's some are complaining about as well as accellerated wear on the already overworn components.

So... I think that perhaps there aren't any safetly issues, but that these rifles are really near the end of their lives, despite the fresh paint job and sandblasted furniture. They may not put out unsafe guns, but IMHO, they aren't shy about putting out crap.

As far as Century putting out substandard product, that has pretty much been their MO for as long as I've known. They don't call them the "angry beavers" for nothin'. In addition to the ground bolt on my recently purchased CETME, the bore was badly pitted, the magwell too long (5 out of 42 mags locked up) and visibly not quite square. It shot 8" low at 100 yds, the welds looked awful, one of the stock pins was missing its spring. So yeah, I would say they have quality control issues as well as a generally cavalier attitude towards building their firearms. How their customer service is remains to be seen as this rifle is back with them right now.

Regarding Century's comment about the H&K's acceptable practices with the G3, the CETME and the G3 are essentially the same rifle - designed by the same people, the G3 is basically an evolution of the CETME. Therefore, what applies to one should really apply to the other in so far as general practices go. Would you actually expect Century to admit to any "wrongdoing", or at least shady practices? They claim some mysterious spanish armorer's manual says grinding the bolts is acceptable, but have flat out refused to provide the source.

Brian

[Shine]

Cetme I had was .08 ground bolt. After 3000 rounds gap still looked good but trunnion was cracked. Tore it all aprt and am building one on a new receiver and trunnion that is in good shape