Century Arms C308 Review: Century Arms Take on a Classic

The Century Arms C308 is Century Arms’ attempt at making an HK91/CETME/G3 close. Century Arms previously tried to produce CETME clones, but the results were….mixed.

For the C308, Century Arms’ second attempt at making an HK91/CETME clone, Century Arms had PTR Industries, a well-known US Manufacturer of HK91 clones, provide the receiver, and it coupled that receiver with surplus CETME parts to make the C308.

Knowing Century Arms’ spotty record with producing firearms, including Century’s prior attempt at a CETME clone, the question for us as shooters is how did this partnership turn out?

Was Century Arms able to turn out a quality rifle, or is this another example of plans that are promising but don’t meet expectations? Keep reading to find out what we at GunMade think about the Century Arms C308.

Century Arms C308 For Sale

The Century Arms C308 feels like a battle rifle as soon as you get it out of the box. Lots of metal and polymer greet you when you open the package.

The rifle has black polymer furniture, but there are surplus and newly made options for replacing the handguard and stock.

The C308 has a polymer trigger housing and grip that sports the type of trigger you would expect from a battle rifle.

The pull is long before it eventually gets to the sear. Once the take-up is taken care of, there is a hard pull followed by a decent break. As a battle rifle, the C308 has a heavy trigger pull weight. They are usually around 12.5 pounds. This is my least favorite aspect of the rifle.

I have considered replacing the whole trigger housing and trigger assembly, but it would require some modification of surplus trigger housings to work with the C308.

The sights on the Century Arms C308 are CETME-style sights and not HK G3-style. The rear sight features a rotating aperture that has four different settings. There is an aperture for 200, 300, and 400 yards, as well as an open notch. Each aperture is numbered 1 through 4. Rotating the rear sights was not as easy as I would have liked, and the detent on the rear sight didn’t feel clean.

The front sight is a post with a shroud. The shroud helps focus the shooter’s vision on the post, and overall the setup between the front and rear sights works pretty well.

One of the best features of the C308 is the welded-on Picatinny rail.

After my first time out with the rifle, I had already decided to put an optic on the rifle, and this rail provided the means for doing so.

The barrel on the C308 is 18”, is threaded 5/8×24, and, like the receiver, is manufactured by PTR. The muzzle break is Century Arms’ Chevron break.

Specifications

Reliability

During my most recent trip to the range with the C308, I shot forty rounds of Hornady American Hunter. The rifle functioned flawlessly. I have had my Century Arms C308 since 2016, and during that time, I have shot close to 500 rounds of ammo for various types.

I have shot both .308 Winchester and 7.62×51. I have shot both factory loads and hand loads. I have fired both steel and brass-cased ammunition. The C308 has functioned one hundred percent reliably the entire time. Never once have I experienced a failure to feed or failure to extract.

The C308 is a clone of a battle rifle. Whether you want to say it is an HK91, G3, or CETME clone doesn’t matter. The rifle eats whatever ammunition you throw at it and keeps shooting.

Accuracy

Century Arms C308 is a battle rifle. It was designed to have minute-of-man accuracy. That being said, my rifle is more accurate than that.

During my time with the rifle, most ammunition I have tried has been around 2 MOA, and with some hand loads, I had accuracy approaching 1 MOA.

Some of the most fun you will have shooting when at the range is hitting steel targets. I was able to consistently ring the steel plates at 300 yards with the C308.

Overall Feel

The overall feel of the Century Arms C308 is good. It is a fun rifle, and taking it to the range is fun. It is not a light rifle. I would not want to go on a long hike carrying my C308 vs. my AR-15. That being said, the rifle’s weight is comparable to an AR-10, and my C308 is lighter than my AR-10.

The weight and the roller-delayed action help to tame the felt recoil of the rifle; even during my longest shooting sessions with the C308, I have not had issues with fatigue from shooting the rifle.

The rifle’s looks also add to the overall feel of the gun. I have been stopped by multiple people on trips to the range who want to look at it. While AR-15s and AR-10s are more modular designs, they can also have a very cookie-cutter feel. Since I added a wooded handguard and stock to my rifle, it catches the eye.

As I mentioned before, there is one area of the rifle where I would like to see some improvement, and that is the trigger.

For me, this is a minor gripe and one I am willing to put up with until I take the time to find a better solution.

Roller-Delayed Blowback Action

Roller-delayed blowback actions greatly assist with recoil management, and the C308 is no different. The action on the C308 is smooth and a pleasure to shoot. The moderate recoil allows for fast and accurate follow-up shots as well.

Durable Construction

This is a battle rifle. The surplus parts on the C308 were made for the CETME. The newly made parts are from PTR, which is a quality manufacturer. This means that the Century Arms C308 isn’t going to be brought to its knees by harsh conditions.

Cheap Surplus Parts

There are lots of surplus parts on the market that will fit the C308. I have a slew of G3 and CETME magazines in my closet, some of which I paid less than $4 a magazine for, in like-new condition. There are stocks, slings, mag pouches, and other goods and accessories out there for making your C308 fit your personal wants or needs.

Range

Trinity Armory in Cleveland, Texas, has a 300-yard rifle range that includes options for both paper and steel shooting.

For those who want to go even further, you have the option to shoot out to 450 yards, provided you can qualify for the distance.

Ammo Used

Hornady provided several boxes of their American Hunter ammunition in .308 Winchester. In addition, during my time owning and shooting the rifle, I have used many brands, including Federal, Remington, and my own hand reloads.

I have witnessed minimal variation in results from the commercial ammunition, with my reloads using Hornady bullets and Lake City 7.62×51 brass having the best results for accuracy.

Reliability (10/10)

The C308 is the epitome of reliability. The rifle just works. It shoots everything and never has a hiccup.

Ergonomics (8/10)

The C308 feels good in the hands. The bolt release, mag release, and safety are all easy to use. The main drawbacks here are the weight and relatively basic pistol grip.

Customization (8/10)

The Picatinny rail on the C308 allows for easy mounting of optics. The large amount of available surplus parts also allows for customization. The knock on the C308 is it’s not an AR, so it doesn’t have AR-level aftermarket support.

Appearance (10/10)

This rifle is gorgeous, especially if you change the stock furniture for aftermarket or surplus furniture.

Value (10/10)

The value of any rifle is going to come down to what the shooter wants and needs. Comparing the Century Arms C308 to other .308 battle rifles, its price is in line with what you would expect or below other offerings.

Optics

Adding an optic to the Century Arms C308 is one of the best accessories you can add. Depending on what you intend to do with the rifle will help determine what type of optic you grab.

Vortex Diamondback 3.5-10x

I put a Vortex Diamondback on my C308. The model I used is an older model that is no longer available, but I have put a Diamondback 3.5-10×50 on some of my other rifles and have been very pleased with how the scope has functioned.

Primary Arms SLx 1-8×24

I am a fan of LVPO optics on the right rifle. The fact that the C308 is a battle rifle at its heart, an optic like the Primary Arms, would be an excellent choice for the C308. The ACSS reticle, combined with the lightweight and utility of the optics, makes for a great addition to the C308.

DS Arms FAL SA58

When talking about battle rifles that can shoot 7.62×51 and .308 Winchester, you can’t leave out the FAL. Known as “The Right Arm of the Free World,” the FAL was carried by many NATO and non-NATO countries during the Cold War Era. The FAL is one of those guns that helped define a period in human history.

Springfield M1A

Based on the M14 rifle of the United States Military, the Springfield M1A is another “battle rifle” chambered in 7.62×51. There are several models of the M1A available to 21st-century shooters allowing you to pick out the rifle that best suits your needs.

PTR 91 GIR

The C308 owes the PTR 91 a huge debt for providing the receiver and barrel to complete the rifle. The PTR 91 GIR is PTR’s own take on the HK91. It uses quality American-made parts coupled with surplus stock sets to create a fantastic rifle.

The Century Arms C308 created an excellent rifle with the C308. By calling on PTR to provide the receiver and barrel and mating those parts with quality surplus CETME parts, Century Arms made a rifle that is fun to shoot, accurate, well-built, and nice to look at. The roller-delayed action also helps to tame the rifle’s recoil, making for a rifle that doesn’t beat you up on the range.

Is it a perfect rifle? No, but very few rifles are. Most need upgrades, accessories, and customization to reach their full potential. The C308 is no different. Thankfully there are surplus parts out there to help meet the need, as well as some aftermarket support as well.

If you are looking to get a battle rifle that is also an excellent rifle, look no further than the Century Arms C308.

Have a question or comment about the Century Arms C308? Leave a comment. Also, don’t forget to check out GunMade on your favorite social media platform.