I just wanted to pass along a "good thing." (I rarely get the opportunity to pass along "good things.")

I recently bought a Cetme rifle. Well, to shoot the thing, it's nice to have magazines. So, I bought 10 of them from Tapco at $3.99 a piece.

I got them in a respectable amount of time, from date of order to date of delivery, and inspected them last night for serviceability and appearance. Overall, I was pleased with what I received for my money. However, part of the plate that makes up the "bottom" of each magazine was completely missing on one of them. If you're familiar with this magazine, if you look at the bottom, it "appears" that this plate is "sectioned" into two pieces, one that is two-thirds the length of the plate and then, of course, the other "third." Well, it was this latter part that was completely missing. At the very LEAST, this presented a potential dirt/crud problem for field use.

So... I called Tapco and talked to a real nice gal named Cynthia in the customer service department. I gave her my invoice number, she pulled up the order, and I explained the problem. I asked her how she wanted me to handle this -- send this magazine back for an exchange, even though it wouldn't hardly be worth it for the postage it would cost, or just send me a replacement and take me at my word that the problem was real and not something I made up just to get an extra $3.99 magazine.

In this day and age when "The customer is always right" philosophy seems dead... she said she'd send another one right out and that I didn't need to send this one back in. She said that it would cost them more money to process the return/exchange than the magazine was worth -- which, yes it would, but that's never stopped other businesses I've dealt with from having me return "worthless" defective merchandise.

Anyway, I just thought it was worth sharing. I know it's only $3.99 we're talking about here, but in a time when no one seems to believe anyone else... it's just kind of nice to find someone who still takes another person's word as being good enough.

Russ

[ 01-09-2003, 21:34: Message edited by: Russell E. Taylor ]

That's good to know. Not many outfits give a S**T about Customer Service anymore.

Now, How does the rifle shoot?

ZM

I've been thinking about picking up a CETME. Maybe I'll pick up some mags first. $3.99 seems reasonable.

You just as well go ahead, then. They're only going to go up in price.

Russ

Russ,

Who put together the Cetme you purchased and what do you think of the quality and condition? What about the receiver? I've been seeing these for reasonable prices lately and am interested in getting one. I just don't want one that was monkey-f*@#ed when it was reassembled.

Assembled???

Beats me.

Here's where I got them.

I got one for me and one for my buddy. They look okay to me but, to my friend who knows more about these things than I do, he says they're really good. He's shot his (I haven't mine, so far), and he got one-inch groups at "50" yards with the iron sights and cheap-ass surplus ammo (Syrian, Egyptian, whatever).

I might get to shoot mine Monday. I've got drill this weekend, so no range time for me on those days.

Russ

Russ I noticed in the picture of the Cetme it has the "lugs and bracket" for a scope mount, and looks like the scope mount for the H&K 91 would work. If so I can assure you they will go on and off with no loss of zero. The H&K mounts are kind of pricey but they work. The A.R.M.S. mount is quite a bit less money and it works as good as the H&K mount. Let us know how the Cetme shoots.

Roger that on the mounts (and prices). Next weekend is the Indy 1500 and, if it's not snowing (boy, do I have a story to tell about snow in January on the way to the Indy 1500 one year), my buddy and I are going and I hope to pick up some semi-decent surplus ammo. He's shot his and tells me (he already did ahead of time, too) that these guns sure are hard on the brass. So... no loving handloads in fine Winchester or Federal brass for these suckers. Strictly surplus.

He tells me the stocks are REALLY short on these. If "HE" says that, and they're too short for him, I'm majorly screwed because I'm a lot taller than he is and have longer arms than he does. So, I'm going to have a buttstock made at a place in Illinois that does such things. I had them do a couple for a Marlin lever-action; kept one and sold one. My eye was getting killed by my .444 Marlin loads.

I'll let you know how the Cetme does.

Russ

Russ do not believe the stories you hear about the Cetme/H&K's being hard on brass. I did a loading test one time using 10 different US military cases and one commercial case, after 10 firings I quit the test, no case failures. If your Cetme dents the side if the case badly try the H&K case buffer. It will stop the dents and the cases will land closer to the rifle. It has no effect on reliability. I am not sure if it will fit the Cetme. All the stocks on the Cetme/H&K rifles are short, you need lots of clothes in the winter in Europe, I used a slip on recoil pad on mine.
I wonder if the 5 round H&K hunting magazines will fit the Cetme, makes it handier for hunting.

I own 2 of these rifles,both stamped receivers.And while they aren't H&K's,they are just as much fun for about 1/5 of the price tag.I strongly urge you to take advantage of Tapco's $3 G3 Alloy mags.Lighter than the steel CETME mags,and they fit good.These rifles are sturdy,and just a ball to shoot.My only complaint is that the Century MuzzleBreak makes this rifle LOUD.It will annoy neighbors,or anyone else within shouting distance.
And with surplus 7.62 nato abundant and cheap,why even bother shooting commercial .308 thru it.

Russell E. Taylor

If you want a bit longer stock get a Swedish one made for the H&K G3. I think DS arms has an extention stock in black polymer.

The scope mount for a G3 will fit perfect. For the Swedish made G3 there was an case catcher made. You could use it for deflect brass downwards or collect them in the rubber blatter.

The G3 has a few growes machined in the camber to ease brass extration, old model rifles, torn off cases that were weak.

My favorties on surplus ammo is radway green or IMI.

Soo, why can't I have one these beauties, Damn country

/ JOHAN

I am glad you are happy with your guns.
I ordered in 4 of those and had to return 3.
2 of them would not catch and lock mags properly
and 1 blew up with out of battery,in it's defense
all it did was bulge the mag well so that the
mags fell out,but we decided to stay away from them and maybe try the stainless receiver ones. I got 50 of the Tapco mags in as well and they are a great deal.

Yup, they've worked out well for us. Mine and his function flawlessly and every magazine locks up tight. I ordered an extension buttstock and recoil pad from E&L Manufacturing, which I hope will give me the length I need.

Russ

I've had a CETME for over a year. Shoots 2MOA with the iron sights (and my bifocals) using Portugese (FNM) ammo.

Recoil on these is very soft. Easy to shoot well.

I did a lot of comparison vs. FAL. Bought the CETME because I liked the feel and balance better. And the wood stocks...

I'd got a dozen magazines from them for my HK G3. Two wouldn't lock into place, and they sent me along two replacements, no problem. I'll do business with them again.