Quality of Century Arms Metric Receivers?

larphred · August 03, 2005, 16:05

There was an implication in the General Firearms forum that Century had improved upon their manufacturing of their FAL receivers. I purchased one and it seems to have the first of a long list of problems I've previously encountered. I tried screwing the gas tube fastening nut into the threads in the receiver. As before the fit was very tight--couldn't get it to go all of the way in. Then I slipped the gas tube in place and dropped the piston in. As before, the piston hung up in the piston hole in the receiver. Then I removed the gas tube and tried the piston through the nut and receiver. Still hung up on the receiver hole. Seems the problems are still there. Still don't know about previous timing problems and failure to feed problems as well as failure of the bolt carrier to go to full battery.
Anyone have experience with the current crop of metric receivers? Are you experiencing the same gas piston problems and if so, how do you fix?
Thanques

**BUFF** · August 03, 2005, 17:25

How is/are the feed ramp/ramps? Uni-brow or separate ramps?

I wonder if it may be old production?

Where did you buy it from, Larphred? Direct from Century?

Valkyrie0002 · August 03, 2005, 18:06

I built 2 recently but have not shot them.
Got them direct from CIA last month.

Only problems I had were:
1) barrel undertimed a little.
2) piston stuck a little if I tried to slide it well into the bolt area. It smooted out when I brushed the gas tube out.
3) Tail end of receiver is a little long and bound against the recoil plate. I filed it a bit and it locks up good and tight now.

Bolt slides freely on rails.
All parts went in easily
Looks like they should function fine!

jwaters · August 03, 2005, 19:37

What's Century's current price on these?

JW

ratas calientes · August 03, 2005, 22:09

Old "ce" loves the Century receivers. Send him a PM.

Court in Fl · August 03, 2005, 22:22

Are you experiencing the same gas piston problems and if so, how do you fix?

On the old receivers the hole in the receiver was off center.

What worked for me was to grind the hole in the receiver larger so the piston could move freely through it.

So you can grind the hole larger with a Dremal or use a chain saw file on it.
Then screw in the gas cylinder and check the piston for fit.

The hole in the gas cylinder will act as a guide for the piston.

Make sure the gas piston will fall through gas tube before you screw the tube in.

Make sure your barrel timing is good also.

Let us know if you have any more trouble.

Court in FL.

owlcreekok · August 04, 2005, 06:52

jwaters, The last batch they had was $129.95 plus TT&L. I managed to catch a sale when I picked up 4 for $99 ea.

Should have a package in the mail that will contain the parts to complete the first build on one. Izzy upper remove & replace. Hope to have full report by end of weekend.

I had no problem with the piston hole. The nut was tight as heck, but went in, TWICE. (guess what I forgot ?) I did a good amount of filing / dremeling on the receiver to prep it for parts. BHO hole had to be de-burred pretty stiffly where the mag catch hole punched thru. Rails seemed true and clean. Charging handle slot had some burrs. As Valkyrie said, the thing is long at the aft end. I took about 10 thou off it and it JUST DOES lock up to the lower. Back to the feedramp. Widows peak, I did a LOT of polishing. There were very visible "sharpies" all around this area. No more. Mag well. I compared this to two Imbel uppers I have in inventory. I did a good amount of work on this area. Patient filing and smoothing with emery paper. The carry handle slot is a bit tight too. I forgot the measurement I took in comparison. No matter, two strokes with the file on the CH loop fixes that ! Again, as soon as my LS gets here I will cycle the thing manually, and hopefully get it to the range. As I have three more builds to do on these, my hopes are up pretty high.

HTH Larphred !

larphred · August 04, 2005, 10:48

Buff--separate feed ramps. I've got a couple of unibrows and am not too happy with them. Hope the separate ramps will feed better. Thanks all for your input guys.

jwaters · August 05, 2005, 19:53

owl,

will Century sell direct to an individual and ship to an FFL?

I have one that will receive for me, no problem.

Anyone took one of these and made a pistol?

JW

Valkyrie0002 · August 05, 2005, 20:47

Only FFLs get dealer pricing, even 03s. I don't know what the reg retail is on these or if CAI will let a non FFL order them to ship to an 01. Call and ask.

owlcreekok · August 05, 2005, 21:31

jwaters: If ya "work it" right, the answer to your question is yes.

I got my LS in the Izzy last night. It feeds slick as a whistle manually, from the RIGHT side of the mag stack. Bolt rides over the round from the left. It got late and today was too crazy for gun fun. I gotta dig out some mags and do some luvvin' on the mags.

The LS was one tight rascal gettin down. It is in good enuff, but not flush.

BTW, got the LS from Gunthings. A brand spanking new LS at that !!!!

ce · August 06, 2005, 08:46

Ok, Owlsy, yer almost there. Smooth out the inner lips on the mag til you can push a round off by hand, then look at the ejector block/right side rsil to see if it is kicking up the bolt as it passes over. As it kicks up the right side, it cants the bolt to the right, allowing the round to slide under the left side.
Also make sure the leading edge of the bolt is square.

I've had to file down the ejector block and the rails to lower the attitude of the bolt to get that left side feeding, sometimes it is the feed ramp, depending when the B over B occurs. Maybe open the left ramp further to the left as well, but coitainly smooth 'em out.
Did you polish the throat of the barrel, to remove tooling grooves?

Keep jacking rounds in , polish where you have contact.

Good luck.
ce

capt ron · August 06, 2005, 09:41

i bought the last ones they had last week, i wanted some more and they didn't know when or if they would be getting anymore.

owlcreekok · August 06, 2005, 12:13

Quote:

Smooth out the inner lips on the mag til you can push a round off by hand

That is going to be the first step. Left round is markedly lower in the stack, as referenced to the top of the mag.

Quote:

then look at the ejector block/right side rsil to see if it is kicking up the bolt as it passes over.

This, and the following expoundments are the kinds of things I wish to hear / experience. Not that I am a glutton for punishment, but any chimp can tweak a mag lip till it hurts. (AMHIK) It takes a MAN among MEN to adjust a bolt's attitude using only a file and the characteristics of his erection ,,,er,, ejector block.

No, I did not touch the barrel throat. Yet. The widows peak shines like the youngest schoolmarm on Prom night. Hadda work a lot of chatter marks off the valleys. Gotsta get a round up there from both sides afore we works the widder any more.

Back later,,,

derek huffman, azexarms · August 08, 2005, 11:47

GOD! That's just like flippin' Century.

bbl and receiver bans and they have no idea when they'll get getting anymore.

As much as I hate to say it, I was talked into takin in 4 of them, I did a "quickie slap together" on them and all worked great.

As my mouth dried and my tongue cracked and bled from being slack-jawed in amazement the entire ride home from the range, I pondered how much nice warm crow I would have to dine on were I to actually PROMOTE such a creature.

Life, ain't it funny.

D.
AZEX

Quote:

Originally posted by capt ron
i bought the last ones they had last week, i wanted some more and they didn't know when or if they would be getting anymore.

August 03, 2005, 16:05	#1
larphred Registered FALaholic #: 1555 Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Sandy, Ut. Posts: 3,098	Quality of Century Arms Metric Receivers? There was an implication in the General Firearms forum that Century had improved upon their manufacturing of their FAL receivers. I purchased one and it seems to have the first of a long list of problems I've previously encountered. I tried screwing the gas tube fastening nut into the threads in the receiver. As before the fit was very tight--couldn't get it to go all of the way in. Then I slipped the gas tube in place and dropped the piston in. As before, the piston hung up in the piston hole in the receiver. Then I removed the gas tube and tried the piston through the nut and receiver. Still hung up on the receiver hole. Seems the problems are still there. Still don't know about previous timing problems and failure to feed problems as well as failure of the bolt carrier to go to full battery. Anyone have experience with the current crop of metric receivers? Are you experiencing the same gas piston problems and if so, how do you fix? Thanques __________________ Michael O'Sullivan was my great friend. But I don't ever remember telling him that. The words that are spoken at a funeral are spoken too late for the man who is dead. What a wonderful thing it would be to visit your own funeral. To sit at the front and hear what was said, maybe say a few things yourself. Michael and I grew old together. But at times, when we laughed, we grew young. If he was here now, if he could hear what I say, I'd congratulate him on being a great man, and thank him for being a friend. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --the forty-four spoke and it sent lead and smoke, and seventeen inches of flame. ----Marty Robbins

August 03, 2005, 17:25	#2
BUFF Old Fart Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 789 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 7,141	How is/are the feed ramp/ramps? Uni-brow or separate ramps? I wonder if it may be old production? Where did you buy it from, Larphred? Direct from Century? __________________ BUFF

August 03, 2005, 22:09	#5
ratas calientes Registered FALaholic #: 1841 Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: New Mexico Posts: 7,818	Old "ce" loves the Century receivers. Send him a PM. __________________ Ratas Calientes (Hot Rats) Rats are people too!

August 04, 2005, 06:52	#7
owlcreekok Registered FALaholic #: 15323 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tejas Posts: 9,331	jwaters, The last batch they had was $129.95 plus TT&L. I managed to catch a sale when I picked up 4 for $99 ea. Should have a package in the mail that will contain the parts to complete the first build on one. Izzy upper remove & replace. Hope to have full report by end of weekend. I had no problem with the piston hole. The nut was tight as heck, but went in, TWICE. (guess what I forgot ?) I did a good amount of filing / dremeling on the receiver to prep it for parts. BHO hole had to be de-burred pretty stiffly where the mag catch hole punched thru. Rails seemed true and clean. Charging handle slot had some burrs. As Valkyrie said, the thing is long at the aft end. I took about 10 thou off it and it JUST DOES lock up to the lower. Back to the feedramp. Widows peak, I did a LOT of polishing. There were very visible "sharpies" all around this area. No more. Mag well. I compared this to two Imbel uppers I have in inventory. I did a good amount of work on this area. Patient filing and smoothing with emery paper. The carry handle slot is a bit tight too. I forgot the measurement I took in comparison. No matter, two strokes with the file on the CH loop fixes that ! Again, as soon as my LS gets here I will cycle the thing manually, and hopefully get it to the range. As I have three more builds to do on these, my hopes are up pretty high. HTH Larphred ! __________________ "It is necessary for the welfare of the nation that men's lives be based on the principles of the Bible. No man, educated or uneducated, can afford to be ignorant of the Bible." - Theodore Roosevelt - (1858-1919) 26th President of the United States FOUNDER- Free ggiilliiee Foundation hehe

August 04, 2005, 10:48	#8
larphred Registered FALaholic #: 1555 Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Sandy, Ut. Posts: 3,098	Buff--separate feed ramps. I've got a couple of unibrows and am not too happy with them. Hope the separate ramps will feed better. Thanks all for your input guys. __________________ Michael O'Sullivan was my great friend. But I don't ever remember telling him that. The words that are spoken at a funeral are spoken too late for the man who is dead. What a wonderful thing it would be to visit your own funeral. To sit at the front and hear what was said, maybe say a few things yourself. Michael and I grew old together. But at times, when we laughed, we grew young. If he was here now, if he could hear what I say, I'd congratulate him on being a great man, and thank him for being a friend. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --the forty-four spoke and it sent lead and smoke, and seventeen inches of flame. ----Marty Robbins

August 03, 2005, 18:06	#3
Valkyrie0002 Registered FALaholic #: 11159 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Fredericksburg, Va Posts: 586	I built 2 recently but have not shot them. Got them direct from CIA last month. Only problems I had were: 1) barrel undertimed a little. 2) piston stuck a little if I tried to slide it well into the bolt area. It smooted out when I brushed the gas tube out. 3) Tail end of receiver is a little long and bound against the recoil plate. I filed it a bit and it locks up good and tight now. Bolt slides freely on rails. All parts went in easily Looks like they should function fine!

August 03, 2005, 19:37	#4
jwaters Registered FALaholic #: 5220 Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 852	What's Century's current price on these? JW

August 03, 2005, 22:22	#6
Court in Fl Curio & Relic FALaholic #: 5046 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,150	Are you experiencing the same gas piston problems and if so, how do you fix? On the old receivers the hole in the receiver was off center. What worked for me was to grind the hole in the receiver larger so the piston could move freely through it. So you can grind the hole larger with a Dremal or use a chain saw file on it. Then screw in the gas cylinder and check the piston for fit. The hole in the gas cylinder will act as a guide for the piston. Make sure the gas piston will fall through gas tube before you screw the tube in. Make sure your barrel timing is good also. Let us know if you have any more trouble. Court in FL.

August 05, 2005, 19:53	#9
jwaters Registered FALaholic #: 5220 Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 852	owl, will Century sell direct to an individual and ship to an FFL? I have one that will receive for me, no problem. Anyone took one of these and made a pistol? JW

August 05, 2005, 20:47	#10
Valkyrie0002 Registered FALaholic #: 11159 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Fredericksburg, Va Posts: 586	Only FFLs get dealer pricing, even 03s. I don't know what the reg retail is on these or if CAI will let a non FFL order them to ship to an 01. Call and ask.

August 05, 2005, 21:31	#11
owlcreekok Registered FALaholic #: 15323 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tejas Posts: 9,331	jwaters: If ya "work it" right, the answer to your question is yes. I got my LS in the Izzy last night. It feeds slick as a whistle manually, from the RIGHT side of the mag stack. Bolt rides over the round from the left. It got late and today was too crazy for gun fun. I gotta dig out some mags and do some luvvin' on the mags. The LS was one tight rascal gettin down. It is in good enuff, but not flush. BTW, got the LS from Gunthings. A brand spanking new LS at that !!!! __________________ "It is necessary for the welfare of the nation that men's lives be based on the principles of the Bible. No man, educated or uneducated, can afford to be ignorant of the Bible." - Theodore Roosevelt - (1858-1919) 26th President of the United States FOUNDER- Free ggiilliiee Foundation hehe

August 06, 2005, 08:46	#12
ce Registered FALaholic #: 373 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: New Mexico Posts: 5,907	Ok, Owlsy, yer almost there. Smooth out the inner lips on the mag til you can push a round off by hand, then look at the ejector block/right side rsil to see if it is kicking up the bolt as it passes over. As it kicks up the right side, it cants the bolt to the right, allowing the round to slide under the left side. Also make sure the leading edge of the bolt is square. I've had to file down the ejector block and the rails to lower the attitude of the bolt to get that left side feeding, sometimes it is the feed ramp, depending when the B over B occurs. Maybe open the left ramp further to the left as well, but coitainly smooth 'em out. Did you polish the throat of the barrel, to remove tooling grooves? Keep jacking rounds in , polish where you have contact. Good luck. ce

August 06, 2005, 09:41	#13
capt ron Registered FALaholic #: 17663 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: one of the other coast Posts: 570	i bought the last ones they had last week, i wanted some more and they didn't know when or if they would be getting anymore.

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