Review: Century Arms Polish Tantal

[MilitaryArms]

YouTube - Review: Century Arms Polish Tantal AK74

 

[turnandshoot4]

These are all great reviews. Great job. Now I don't have to watch nutnfancy's videos anymore.

 

[MilitaryArms]

Ha! Thanks for the kind words, I really enjoydoing them.

 

[shooter521]

Good review, as usual. One point of clarification - on a real military Tantal, the rotating lever on the left side of the receiver is a selector only (C=full auto, P=semi-auto, S=3rd burst); the safety is in the traditional AK location. On the Century semi-auto, rather than have the selector just be decorative or omitting it entirely, Century opted to mechanically link it to the safety.

 

[theweakerbrother]

Is there any other way to check for possible key-holing other than firing it?

 

[U.S. Patriot]

As always a great review, can you adopt me?

 

[sepe]

Watched the video then watched one related to it after. Your video was informative but the other one had me laughing pretty hard. On that list it is Polish, Tantal AK-74.

 

[cedartop]

Sturmgewehre, as I said on the other forum, good review. Maybe I could hire you to produce some clips for me.

 

[Hoosier8]

Is there any other way to check for possible key-holing other than firing it?

Slug the barrel.

 

[MilitaryArms]

Good review, as usual. One point of clarification - on a real military Tantal, the rotating lever on the left side of the receiver is a selector only (C=full auto, P=semi-auto, S=3rd burst); the safety is in the traditional AK location. On the Century semi-auto, rather than have the selector just be decorative or omitting it entirely, Century opted to mechanically link it to the safety.

Thank you Shooter and of course you are correct. I did know this but obviously I wasn't even remotely clear about it in my video.

 

[MilitaryArms]

Sturmgewehre, as I said on the other forum, good review. Maybe I could hire you to produce some clips for me.

If you're serious, how about we collaborate and in return I get credit for my part?

 

[jblomenberg16]

Great review...looking forward to the range report!

 

[MilitaryArms]

Here's the range report.

YouTube - Review: CAI Polish Tantal Part II

 

[jblomenberg16]

Here's the range report.

YouTube - Review: CAI Polish Tantal Part II

Thanks....guess I'll wait for Part III now too.

 

[shooter521]

Here's the range report.

Unfortunate. It was my understanding that Century only used the 5.56 barrel blanks for the initial batch of Tantals, and that after getting numerous complaints about the keyholing issue, they had switched to true 5.45 barrels made by Green Mountain. Either the information I received was incorrect, or your Tantal is one of the earlier ones. I will be very interested in what Century is able to do for you, if anything. Keep us posted!

 

[MilitaryArms]

Yeah, it's tough to say what the real issue is or if Century will help me. I'll find out Monday. I've heard from Arizona Response Systems (Gunplumber) that CAI will tell you "it's the ammo, tough luck" and I've heard from other owners that CAI will fix it for you. If they know about the problem and acknowledge it, I suspect they'll fix my rifle. I hope so, I want to keep it. If CAI screws me around, I'm heading back to Kempfs for a refund. He told me it would be fine and that his wife shoots them all the time with no issues... so, I'll see what he says.

If I can find a source for a new barrel, I may just order one and have a smith install it for me. I really do want this rifle.

 

[MilitaryArms]

I just got off the phone with Century.

I purchased the rifle new from my local gunshop, Kempfs in Michigan City. They told me that the rifle was "out of warranty period" because they sold it to the gunshop on 5/13/2009.

Century claims their warranty starts from the moment they sell it to a gun dealer, not the moment the dealer sells it to you. So, despite the fact I have a receipt for a new gun purchase dated Saturday, they're saying its out of warranty.

How convenient.

I would NOT recommend buying anything from Century Arms. They are obviously not honest people and will not stand behind their products.

I'm exploring my options right now, I may return the rifle to Kempfs or I may try to run down a barrel. But it's looking like if I go that route I'll have $900 or more in a Tantal.

 

[jblomenberg16]

I just got off the phone with Century.

I purchased the rifle new from my local gunshop, Kempfs in Michigan City. They told me that the rifle was "out of warranty period" because they sold it to the gunshop on 5/13/2009.

Century claims their warranty starts from the moment they sell it to a gun dealer, not the moment the dealer sells it to you. So, despite the fact I have a receipt for a new gun purchase dated Saturday, they're saying its out of warranty.

How convenient.

I would NOT recommend buying anything from Century Arms. They are obviously not honest people and will not stand behind their products.

I'm exploring my options right now, I may return the rifle to Kempfs or I may try to run down a barrel. But it's looking like if I go that route I'll have $900 or more in a Tantal.

That's really unfortunate. Hopefully Kempfs will make things right.


Something that I've wondered is if the 5.56 barrel was in fact the blame, if reloading some .224 caliber rounds would in fact fix the key-hole. Obviously that isn't a good long term solution as I'm unaware of a reliable, inexpensive source of 5.45 brass, but it might be a neat "test" if you could come up with a few reloads to help debunk or confirm the 5.56 myth. Maybe pull a few of the steel case rounds and replace with appropriate .224 caliber projectile?


The other thing I'm wondering is barrel twist. Could these barrels just not be suited to what appears to be a fairly long projectile?

 

[40calPUNISHER]

Time to make the Polish Tantal part III video and let the Youtubers see that Century will not fix it... email the vid to century while you are at it.

 

[MilitaryArms]

Time to make the Polish Tantal part III video and let the Youtubers see that Century will not fix it... email the vid to century while you are at it.

I'm giving the "manager" at Century one more chance to fix this. I'm expecting a call from him this afternoon. If they continue down the path of not fixing their defective product under warranty, I will most definitely create and post a very to the point and not very flattering final video about their product and customer service and post it on every Century thread I come across.

I hope it doesn't come to that.

I think I've been very fair in this matter and the reviews were also quite fair. It's unfortunate that Century feels it's in their best interest to give me the run-a-round.