Cetme.308 vs Saiga .308 vs L1A1 Questions

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Olympicarmsfan

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Hi everyone Im looking to get some help with my next gun buy. Im looking at the Saiga .308, L1A1 .308 or the Cetme .308.

I have also posted these questions over at the Saiga board. I have also posted this on a lot of different sites. I like to get as many opions on this as I can. I like to have as much knowledge before buying.

I would like to know what one is better in accuracy?

Also what barrel length is better for the Saiga .308?

Im on the fence to what one to buy and the Cetme is one that Im leaning towards more so due to prices of the mags. Im also worried about the problems I have read on them.

Is there a lot of options out there for the Saiga, Cetme and L1A1?

How about scope mounts?

Does the Saiga not mind brass ammo?

I have read on a few boards the Cetme dosnt like brass ammo but have not found anything on the L1A1 as to what type of ammo it dosnt like.

Does anyone know if it has problems with brass ammo?

Tell me why I should chose the Saiga over the Cetme or go witht used L1A1 I found. Thanks for any and all help you can give me.
 

okie98

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My L1A1 eats anything that says .308 or 7.62X51 on it. I have never had any ammo problems with it. My son has a Cetme and it seems pretty ammo sensitive. I have not had any experience with the Saiga in 308.
 

Gideon

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I don't own a Saiga .308 currently, but I have owned one before. They are the easiest of all the Saigas to convert back to their proper configuration. They'll eat anything.

L1A1 is surely more accurate though.
 

mr ed

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Love my saiga and cetme they run great on brass ammo. hated my L1a1 and got rid of it. but I'll take my polytech m14 over all of them.
I was going to convert my saiga to a Dragonov type rifle, but after shooting it quite a bit I've decided to leave it just like it came.
 

Olympicarmsfan

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Love my saiga and cetme they run great on brass ammo. hated my L1a1 and got rid of it. but I'll take my polytech m14 over all of them.
I was going to convert my saiga to a Dragonov type rifle, but after shooting it quite a bit I've decided to leave it just like it came.

Tell me what you didnt like about your L1A1 please.

Im on the fence big time and with fiinding a great deal (friend and owns a local shop) on an L1A1. I have always liked the looks of the FALs never shot one.

I think the Cetme thing that brothers me the most is that its hit or miss with them. I hear they dont like brass and then I hear well some do and that worries me a little. The price of the Cetme mags put back to looking at them.

The Saiga is one that I know the weapon system as I have an AK-47 but the big problem on the Saiga to me is the price of the mags.

The L1A1 I can use metric or inch mags and they seem to be on the same price point as AR or AK mags.

I hear the Saiga shorter barrel is better then the 21 and 22. I wish a shop in town had a Cetme to look at and I know of one here and its one with problems a lot of problems.

Keep the info coming guys as its really a big help and it helps me to when some one has owned one or two or all of the rifles Im asking about. I have found on a few boards I get stick with such and such do to the name more then anything.

Thanks everyone.
 

mr ed

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Like cetmes they are hit and miss on performance
The first one I had was a Springfield sar48 back in the mid 80's. Man! that gun was super accurate
1 hole groups at 100yds 1 1/2" at 300yds. only problem was it had a defective bolt which Springfield Armoury wouldn't warranty and they wanted $200 and a year wait to replace it. (I hate SA)
I had a couple others over the years they were Ok but never thrilled me on accuracy.
Then I got a century L1A1 in about 2004 ran great, any brand ammo you wanted to use it fired without jamming.
Only a 6" group at a 100yds was about the best it would do. A couple friends bought theirs about the same time and got about the same results.
 

AKguy1985

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i had the 21in barrel saiga .308, i didnt like the trigger much, i've had two CETME's one was a pos the other ran like a top, i'd eventually like to get a FAL to see what they are like
 

12gabackup

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I use to mess with Cetmes quite a bit and they're a lot of fun to shoot. I've never heard of them being ammo sensitive. They are magazine sensitive though. I kept about a dozen mags around to find five or six that would work in a given gun.

You need to know how to check the bolt gap and to tell if the bolt has been ground to achieve a bolt gap. (a cheap way Century Arms got proper headspace on worn out bolts)

Also, the only Cetme that has a halfway decent receiver for attaching a scope mount (H&K claw mount) are the older stainless steel receivers. You need to do some research and see what I'm talking about.

I've never had a Saiga so don't know about them. I did have an L1A1 and it had pretty good accuracy depending on the ammo. It shot about anything but it had issues with mags like the Cetme. The mag problems were due to the aftermarket receivers used to build the kits on.
 

cimarronvalley

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Saiga IMHO. I've had or used all of the above and the only regret was selling the Saiga; very reliable and extremely accurate with open sights. The only down sides on the Saiga are: spare mags about $30, dents casings when ejected, very - very not optic friendly. I sold the others but kept my Saiga
.223 for coyote cab gun; iron sights out to 250 yards with 7 kills to date and no walk offs.

If you want a semi .308 that is glass friendly, then check DPMS LR308. I've got a few different models and they are tack drivers once you get the scope aligned.
 

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