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longbough · 01-02-2006, 03:20 PM

I've never used a G3 but at least 2 of my buddies sold theirs because they hated how the "delayed roller" amplified the recoil of .308. They also mentioned that the trigger was "cheap." I can't testify to that since I've never handled, much less shot, one. One of them switched to FALs (he bought more than one) and the other is waiting until he can afford one.

The G3 has an interesting history. In the mid-1956 Germany adopted the FAL for its military and called it the G1 ... however, Belgium refused to sell them the manufacturing license that would allow German-built FALs. So Germany purchased the manufacturing license for the Spanish CETME rifle and turned it over to the HK. In 1959 the slightly modified CETME/HK G3 was adopted by W. Germany.

The key reason of popularity of the G3 in many countries including Greece, Iran, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Sweden and Turkey is that it is much simpler and cheaper to manufacture, than its major contemporary rivals - Belgian FN FAL and US M14. The G3 is built using as many stamped parts as possible. The receiver is stamped from sheet steel. The trigger unit housing along with pistol handle frame, also are stamped from steel and hinged to the receiver using the cross-pin in the front of the trigger unit, just behind the magazine housing. Earliest G3 rifles also featured stamped handguards and CETME-type flip-up rear diopter sights.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm bashing the G3 - I've never shot one so I can't testify to any personal experience with it. I agree that the G3 is a damn pretty gun, but I'm not sure it's worth the inflated HK price for a modern CETME.

01-02-2006, 03:20 PM	#13 (permalink)
longbough Soylent Green is people. Location: Northern California	I've never used a G3 but at least 2 of my buddies sold theirs because they hated how the "delayed roller" amplified the recoil of .308. They also mentioned that the trigger was "cheap." I can't testify to that since I've never handled, much less shot, one. One of them switched to FALs (he bought more than one) and the other is waiting until he can afford one. The G3 has an interesting history. In the mid-1956 Germany adopted the FAL for its military and called it the G1 ... however, Belgium refused to sell them the manufacturing license that would allow German-built FALs. So Germany purchased the manufacturing license for the Spanish CETME rifle and turned it over to the HK. In 1959 the slightly modified CETME/HK G3 was adopted by W. Germany. The key reason of popularity of the G3 in many countries including Greece, Iran, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Sweden and Turkey is that it is much simpler and cheaper to manufacture, than its major contemporary rivals - Belgian FN FAL and US M14. The G3 is built using as many stamped parts as possible. The receiver is stamped from sheet steel. The trigger unit housing along with pistol handle frame, also are stamped from steel and hinged to the receiver using the cross-pin in the front of the trigger unit, just behind the magazine housing. Earliest G3 rifles also featured stamped handguards and CETME-type flip-up rear diopter sights. Sorry if it sounds like I'm bashing the G3 - I've never shot one so I can't testify to any personal experience with it. I agree that the G3 is a damn pretty gun, but I'm not sure it's worth the inflated HK price for a modern CETME. Last edited by longbough; 01-02-2006 at 03:40 PM..