Ptr 91 g.i. 18"

[JodyH]

As I continue down the 7.62 battle rifle rabbit hole, what's the consensus on PTR Inc. rifles?
I'm especially interested in the PTR91 G.I. 18".

[SJC3081]

http://www.ptr91.com/products/PTR%20G.I.%20R?id=51
I heard they are hit or miss. Some have proper HK flutes and NATO chambers and other don't. I believe the GI model has the proper barrel flutes and NATO chamber but does not have a chrome lined barrel and chamber.
Direct cut and paste from PTR91.com I remember in the past only 308 Winchester ammo was recommended and 7.62 NATO was excluded.

PTR sells products chambered for multiple calibers. Nomenclature of cartridges can be confusing. It is vital that you understand cartridge nomenclatureand only fire cartridges for which your purchased firearm was designed. To assist you, the name of the appropriate cartridge will be stamped on the receiver. If you have any questions regarding the appropriate caliber cartridge for your product please contact PTR prior to firing!

Please remember, PTR recommends the use of original, high quality commercially manufactured ammunition in good condition. PTR will not honor claims which may result from careless or improper handling, unauthorized adjustments, unauthorized parts replacement, corrosion, neglect, or the use of the wrong type or caliber of ammunition.

Due to the nature of the delayed blowback roller-lock system - specifically the extraction process and its resulting damage to the casing; PTR does not suggest, recommend, or support the reloading of any cartridge fired from a PTR product.

NOTE: Some types/brands of ammunition have unique characteristics that reduce liability in semi-automatic firearms. PTR strongly recommends that you purchase and test a small quantity of any type of ammunition in your firearm prior to purchasing any particular item in large quantities.

[Malamute]

The H-K's have gotten a bit expensive. Are the Portugese (FMP) guns that were imported for a short period a worthwhile alternative? The one I shot did 1 1/4" groups with Radway or Hirtenberger ball ammo with iron sights. It looked identical to the H-K I had, and nothing like the Century guns.

[JM Campbell]

Don't know squat about these but found a sale on ptr-91k. Probably not exactly what you are looking for.

http://www.joeboboutfitters.com/prod...-ptr915305.htm

[HCM]

I had a PTR 91K, the version with the M 4 stock. It was accurate and reliable The K version has the shorter 16 inch barrel and the HK93/33 length handguard. However, it has a thicker heavier barrel and is rather front heavy. I find the standard 18" balances better. I also could not get my arms HK type claw mount to fit the PTR receiver. The B and T or MFR type mounts will work, however, if you're getting one of these I would recommend the version with the welded on rail. PTR customer service was very good and if I had kept the rifle they could weld on a rail and refinish for about $180.

It was not a bad rifle, it just gathered dust in the back of the safe because I preferred my AR – 10 or SCAR heavy. The adjustable length of pull on the M4 stock was nice. The Tapco stock which came on the rifle seemed a little cheesy but it held up just fine. CAA makes an aluminum version which is quite nice.

[Cecil Burch]

I have had my GI PTR-91 for about two years and I dig it. Shot a few 2-gun matches locally (sometimes in combo with my PPS for a German one-two punch).

Solid gun, rugged, and more accurate than I am. Tears up the ammo a bit, but so far nothing that makes reloading impossible. And it has digested everything fed through it, including crummy Russian stuff.

Definitely not as sexy as an FAL, or as up to date cool as an AR, but I am more than satisfied with mine.

[TGS]

Screw the PTR91.

You've already got some 30 cal autoloaders.

Go for the gold, man. MM21.

[Alembic]

Well, I'm just a guy, who likes to shoot. As a disclaimer I've spent too much time reading on HKPro before finding this very software informative site. I have owned two PTR 91-F models since 2008. Both with 18 inch heavy barrels. Each have high quality welds and finish. Every surplus part I have run across including two different types of factory claw mounts fit perfectly. Both shoot 2 to 3 inch groups off the bipod and my shoulder at 100yds with their favorite, Remington Cor-Locks 155g. 1-12 twist barrels.

Both are within the serial number range AW2000 to AW8000, which are the specific Farmington CT. manufactured rifles with non HK spec. "shallow" flutes in the chamber. This serial number range will never extract more than two or three tar sealed rounds of surplus ammo, Radway Green, Good Old German DAG, Port, or South African. This is do to the tar fouling the shallow flutes and not allowing the case to "float" back out of the chamber. I did get same 2-3 in. groups with DAG, just functioned as a single shot. To my knowledge, these are the only PTR 91 ammo sensitive rifles.

I'm sure you have read up on the history of the Spanish CETME to the German manufactured G3 to HK "contract" factories in Portugal, Greece and a few other countries. This development really started with the StG 44, gave us the roller locking operating system, a free float barrel, and the PSG-1. Accurate and durable iron sights. Ergonomics are not perfect, but I would submit, acceptable with a proper manual of arms. So many high quality HK factory surplus parts and magazines. All are plentiful and cheap, RTG.com for example. Multiple options for stocks, grips, forearms, trigger groups and carriers, a bipod that does not attached to the barrel. A factory claw mounted 4x Hensoldt optic, which holds a zero, off and on over and over again. As well the option of the 30mm ring integrated claw mount for higher power optics. A Denny Williams set trigger job for $250 or a Bill Springfield for $65. So many options.

Anyway back to PTR, Juan Luis Diaz bought the tooling from the original, HK "contract" factory in Portugal which manufactured the FMP G3. He "moved the factory" to Ct. opened shop as JLD in the 90s and made some fine rifles. JLD morphed many times from PTR Inc, to PTR Industries. From Bristol Ct. to Farmington Ct. to South Carolina and they had issues along the way. Soft trunnions gave shifting bolt gaps(no head space on a roller locked operating system) , cracked trunnions as well.

The GI has the HK profile barrel, and HK spec flutes. It will cycle any 7.62 or .308 you can feed it, including tar sealed ammo. It will come with a ugly green surplus stock and forearm. It will have some other original HK parts in the trigger group, perhaps the buffer, but be 922 compliant with parts to spare. German engineering and good old American manufacturing, what's not to like?

My question would be, since the GI is intended to be a exact copy of the HK, why not remove all PTR concern just buy a real HK91 and shoot the heck out of it. The market is flat. $2,000 and some patience on Gunbroker...

Oh yea, the HK platform is a great host for Class 3.

[Paul D]

Necro post! I heard Santa is getting me a PTR 91 GI with a paddle mag release and an integral top rail. Question for those in the know: 1) Can it be safely suppressed? My FAL has a gas port which I leave wide open when shooting suppressed. Will putting a can destroy the piston system? 2) What is the expected accuracy for G3/HK91 rifles? 4 MOA at 100 yards? I'd like to put an optic on top. My FAL had a 1-4X scope at first but the gun couldn't take advantage of it so now I just use a 2 MOA RDS.

[LtDave]

Alembic mentions that the PTR rifles with shallow flutes don't like tar sealed ammo. I can tell you from personal experience that genuine HK rifles will choke on that crap as well. My department had several HK G3K patrol rifles. We made the mistake of trying to use some cheap Venezuelan tar sealed surplus ammo for a familiarizaton shoot. First and only time they did not run perfectly. Good ammo, they ran 100%. I took one to several rifle classes. ARs were malfuntioning on every relay, not the G3. A little heavy though.