CETME or Garand?

[gunman41mag]

M1 GARAND is a better semi-auto, My CETME feeds better with the steel mags

 

[Mosinguy]

If you get a CETME, make sure it's from a reputable company, not CAI. You'll pay more but I've seen the differences between a CAI and a quality homebuild and the differences are staggering.

 

[Packrat67]

Get a USGI M 1 Garand and own a piece of history that you can take to the range and enjoy

 

[sepe]

I have seen quite a few CAI ****ed up CETMES. The PTR is a much better choice.

Thay have monkeys building their guns.

I don't know if they have as many monkeys building their guns as they have in the past and while I've seen (and read about many that needed work to run...usually ground bolt heads, wrong rollers, or issues with how far the barrel was pressed) some bad ones, I'll stand by if you know what to look for...you can avoid a bad build.

Is the PTR a nicer rifle, yes (many people don't want to spend 2-3 times the cost of a CAI Cetme). Can you build a better Cetme at home than what CAI was known to put out in the past, yes. Does CAI still put out some junk ones, yes (know a guy that bought one because he loved mine, his needed work so it got sent back and they shipped a replacement with the same issue...ground bolt head). If the PTR is in your budget, I'd go with that without question and if you prefer the wood look you can pick up the G3 HK91 (HK33 if you have the PTR-K) wood kits for around $20 (they do need cleaned up but are usually in decent shape).

I've only had 1 issue with my Cetme and that was because someone thought they had to ride the charging handle instead of doing the HK slap. If you can find one that was put together properly, they're fine (if you don't do the research to know what you're looking for and can't handle the rifle before buying...probably better off saving for the PTR). If you have the $1000+, go with the PTR (I really do want a PTR pistol).

 

[rugertoter]

I was thinking that I might be looking into getting a Garand M1 with part of my tax refund, but I also started looking into CETMEs. They appear to be pretty comparable in price. From a historical viewpoint, I would really like a Garand, but the CETME looks pretty cool too. Knowing that I can't get both right now, what do you guys think? CETMEs seem plentiful enough, while the Garand supply isn't going to be going up. Garand first, CETME later?

Oh buddy, that is a no-brainer. If I had the money to get a decent Garand, then that is what I would be walking out of the gun store with.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Instead of a CETMW, get a PTR91. Yea you will pay more, but the quality is better and less headaches.

Wow... quite a bit more it looks like... Might have to wait awhile for that one!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Oh buddy, that is a no-brainer. If I had the money to get a decent Garand, then that is what I would be walking out of the gun store with.

That definitely seems to be the general consensus!

 

[sgreen3]

I would get the Garand, Ive just herd to many hit or miss stories about the Cetme's reliability. The Cetme would be fun if it functions the way its suppose to though.

 

[Dog1]

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Wow... quite a bit more it looks like... Might have to wait awhile for that one!

New yea, but I have seen used ones for $400-600

 

[davedolli]

After the Garand, then a FAL.

Dave

 

[Dog1]

After the Garand, then a FAL.

Dave

FAL? Ergononics like a brick. Makes a XD look comfortable....

And before the, "You have never owned one crack"...yea I have. I listened to the people that said that "The FAL is a great battel rifle."

It was like trying to shoot a 4x4 post.

I could not get rid of it fast enough.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Oh buddy, that is a no-brainer. If I had the money to get a decent Garand, then that is what I would be walking out of the gun store with.

Join the CMP and get a field grade. The one I bought the wood is dark but the MW and TE were less than 2. ( about $500)
If your close enough I suggest taking a ride to the north store, or if your down south the south store is bigger,more guns from what I hear.
The word is tho that theres probably only about a 2-3 yr supply left(according to the CMP forums) and prices are going up. That could all change if we get any of our lend/lease guns back from other countries.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Join the CMP and get a field grade. The one I bought the wood is dark but the MW and TE were less than 2. ( about $500)
If your close enough I suggest taking a ride to the north store, or if your down south the south store is bigger,more guns from what I hear.
The word is tho that theres probably only about a 2-3 yr supply left(according to the CMP forums) and prices are going up. That could all change if we get any of our lend/lease guns back from other countries.

I'm in Indianapolis... where is the south store?

 

[red_zr24x4]

Way down south...Alabama
The north store is in Port Clinton Ohio

 

[Dog1]

I'm in Indianapolis... where is the south store?

It might be closer for you to goto the Port Clinton store.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Ah, okay. Yeah, Port Clinton sounds like the way to go definitely.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I'd definitely get the Garand. That one pictured upthread makes me drool. Only CETME I ever looked at was a bolt that had been converted from .303 to 7.62x51, and I'm glad I passed; I subsequently read that you're liable to wind up picking pieces of the chamber out of your face with tweezers. A range trip should be a good time. I know the autos aren't like that, but, bad taste and all. Rather have a piece of our history, anyway. My uncle dragged a Garand across a few islands. That means something to me.

 

[Barry in IN]

I know it sounds like your mind is made up, but that never stopped me from offering my opinion before!
Although I am going to agree with you and push for the Garand.

I never had a CETME but had an HK91 for a while. It's gone, but the Garand I had then has not only stayed but gained siblings.

I think the CETME/HK is probably more reliable and at least as durable (they are hard to beat by anything in reliability, including that commie rifle with the Remington Model 8 style safety) but I think it's an understatement to say the Garand has proven that it is plenty good enough. Other than that, I like the Garand better in about any way I can think of.

The Garand has a much better trigger.
I don't know about the CETME sights, but the Garand's are a lot easier to adjust and I prefer the sight picture without the ring around the front sight. Trigger and sights- There's the important stuff right there.

Some might argue, but I think the Garand is easier to take down.
Recoil is a personal opinion thing, but I've had or shot examples of all the commonly known .308 battle rifles and thought the HK91 gave the most recoil of any of them. Recoil from a .308 of that weight class won't be brutal by any means, but I thought it felt more than it should have been.
The HK91 felt clumsy to me in some ways. The Garand may be longer and heavier, but to me it is a lot handier to use.
The 91 gets filthy. It doesn't seem to hurt function, but it gets itself awful nasty.
The 91 beat the snot out of empty cases and threw them a long way, even with the ejection port buffer. Contrary to what I've read in some places, the brass is reloadable, but it does look like hell. A bigger problem can be finding your brass sometimes.

Like a lot of guns, the HK91 I had could shoot some fine groups from the bench, but I had a hard time shooting it well "for real". Some guns are like that, in that the accuracy is clearly there but it's hard to put to good use from a field shooting position. The Garand has always worked the opposite way for me. My match ones do better, but the typical service grade Garand loaded with military grade ball ammo will be lucky to make 3moa...yet I can usually get the hits as well as a rifle shooting much better.

Just a general note about CMP guns:
Some people have a problem buying an old Garand from the CMP because they aren't used to buying guns that aren't brand new and come with a long warranty. The CMP has a great reputation for making sure customers are happy. I've heard or read numerous stories of people buying a rifle from them that was not what they wanted- often due to the buyer's mistake- and the CMP jumped to take care of them.

But what if the CMP didn't take care of it (again- very doubtful) or you buy from elsewhere and find yourself with a 70 year old rifle with no manufacturer backing?
Most Garand problems are usually fixed with relatively inexpensive parts. A lot of Garands out in the world do need some parts replaced, as you would expect from a rifle that old. Most function problems are due to worn feed parts, few of which cost more than $10-15. The expensive parts are the receiver (which should never cause a problem), barrel, gas cylinder, and operating rod. The gas cylinders and op rods are costing more every year because they are getting scarce, but people are rebuilding them now.
About the worst problem an old Garand might have would be a junk barrel from years of use and WWII-era corrosive primers. Brand new commercial barrels are under $200 from the CMP, and there are a lot of people who can change them (more than change CETME/HK barrels). Even if you had to replace the barrel and some small parts, you would doubtfully spend more than $250-300, which, on top of a $500 Field Grade Garand, would get you a heck of a rifle for $750-800.

 

[Fordtough25]

I had both, still have the M1. It's a hoot to shoot and it means business! Cetme does take box mags and ammo is easier to go out and buy local but I would still go M1. No doubt.