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Tactical-Life.com brings you the newest products live from the NASGW ‘08 show!
Century Arms is bringing a semi-auto version of the legendary Sterling SMG 9mm to the U.S. commercial market. With a 16-inch air cooled barrel, this is sure to be highly sought after by military surplus collectors. It has an underfolding stock and a pistol grip with a signature side-loading magazine.
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October 6th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Positives:
Thought I’d give some feedback on the CAI Sterling Semi-auto. First off, I am glad I bought one. I went to the range and fired off about 100rounds. I was amazed at the accuracy and no jam’s: Just “nut’s-on” dudes. Sterlings were noted for their accuracy, but the CAI version is an altogether different barrel arragement. The original Sterlings do not have a barrel trunion. I repeat, no barrel trunion in the original sterlings. Where as the CAI version has a trunion that the 16″ barrel slides through and is secured via a threaded protion on the front with a finger nut. Now, I have no idea if the so-called “Police” version, other wise known as the MK VI semi-auto had this feature, along with the trunion, but the PAW’s version of the Sterling does use the same arrangement to the best of my knowledge. If anyone knows different I’d like to hear your comments.
Negatives:
I found only a couple of serious items I was unhappy about. These complaints could be avoided if you can actually inspect the weapon prior to purchase. I ordered mine over the net. My primary and most serious complaint is with the receiver tube itself. The gun is made from recycled parts with front and rear welded on a new tube. The tube has serious gouges inside the main section in which the bolt slides! I doesn’t effect anything but looks like the tubes were undersize and ruffly bored out? Next the cooling holes had not had any apparent clean up prior to the crackel paint being applied and this has left some metal burrs painted. Just a detraction again and doesn’t affect any function.
The Tube(Receiver) is made by Wiselite and is stamped WSL. CAI might have done better inspections of receivers, but wiselite made them.
Lastly, the guns are made from parts kits. Some of the parts show wear. Mine has some ugly grips and the magazine receiver is a little out of shape, but takes the Sterling Mags just great, and also takes Sten Mags just as intended in the
orignal Sterlings.
Would I recommend this gun? Of course, for the money this is an amazing weapon. My complaints would be vaild if this were a thousand dollar weapon, but it’s half that much with some shopping and, frankly, I’d hate to try to assemble and sell this weapon for what you have to pay retail for. No doubt, CAI is not making a fortune off this gun. I am grateful they recycled
the weapons, and it’s an excellent shooting weapon. I love mine, flaws and all, and it kinda adds character to the gun.
September 7th, 2009 at 1:14 am
[...] know its Century but… Tactical-Life.com CENTURY ARMS’ Semi-Auto Version of Sterling’s SMG 9mm But I like the piece of history: I saw one of these at my range the other day at what was [...]
July 4th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Now if only someone would sell the Sterling Mk7 as a semi-auto pistol
July 1st, 2009 at 9:29 pm
I just received mine from gunbroker.Very nice looking weapon and pretty accurate. Not very comfortable but it’s not meant to be.If you love military weapons you gotta have one of these. They are destined to be one of those guns you wish you had bought after they go out of production.The magazines are surplus and the internals look unused but old, the exterior is nice enough.Overall I give it a 4 1/2 star rating out of five.
May 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I found out that they are being made by Wise Lite Arms. NOT MADE BY CENTURY, just distribted by Century… Wise Lite is known for their good quality builds. wise lite does not have them on their web site, but they can be purchased at centerfire systems, or jg sales. for under $575 with one mag. mine is on it’s way!
April 20th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
the Century rep you talked to must not have known very much as they had two samples in their tent at the Knob Creek show at the beginning of April, and two of these guns have already sold on Gunbroker through Phoenix Distributors.
April 13th, 2009 at 11:59 am
I called Century. The person answering the phone said that there is no anticipated date for their arrival. They have never had even a sample so far and cannot predict if it will be a month, a year or ever. I was really disappointed that they were advertising something that doesn’t appear to exist. Does any one know who is supposed to be building them for Century?
Ken
April 6th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
I think I will buy all of them.
I will have one to shoot. One to sleep with. I think I will make a lamp out of one. I might gold plate one for the bling of it! I will want one for the car, the barn, the geeerage, the dog house and the sh:tter. I think I will paint a few of them either pink or blue depending on what we have and give em out to all my boys as gifts when the babys born. Yea, that’s the ticket! I will have one for every day of the year to shoot and the rest I will put in the safe to keep unfired so as to deprive anyone else who might want one from having one and when the ban hits I’ll be a PR**K and sell them off for 10 times what I paid for them. Who the hell really cares?
March 13th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
I am very interested in adding the Semi Auto Sterling to my gun collection. I have always loved the look of the Sterling. When will it be avaliable in the U.S and how much is it going to cost? I would probably want to have a few of these in my collection, one to shoot one to keep unfired.
John Lafleur
November 29th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Ive checked the century arms web site and there is no mention of the sterling, any idea when it would be avalible for retail sale?
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 am
The serial number listed is a factory one so the mag well is from a parts kit. One can only assume the rest would be from parts kits. To make a proper Sterling from scratch would be much more expensive than using surplus parts easily obtainable.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:18 am
I was curious if this is brand new or refurbished from parts kits? Thanks