7.62x39 Arsenal vs PTR 32 vs Sig 556R

[TanklessPro]

I have been thinking about adding a 7.62x39 semi auto rifle to my collection just for rangne fun. I already have an Arsenal in 5.45 and really like it. I like the idea of different platform. Should I get a....
1) PTR32. I have heard good things about them, but know very little. @$1000
2) Sig 556r. I have heard bad things about the "first" run and that maybe current production has fixed. @$1100
3) Arsenal. Very pleased with the one I have. I would want to get a folding stock. @$1000
4) WASR. What the heck, its an AK and spend the difference on ammo. @<600.

Any suggestions???

 

[meanmrmustard]

#3 for me.

 

[OARNGESI]

the wasr is ok for 4-500 but at 600 not so much id go with the arsenal. century arms offers converted saigas for like 650 that may be worth a look.

 

[Fremmer]

Might as well add another arsenal.

 

[stubbicatt]

Dude! Thanks for posting. This has been on my mind awhile also. I've been leaning towards the SIG. My thinking is this: The Arsenal is a known quantity. I like them. However, to mount an optic, no matter how one tries, one gets a chin-weld at best on the stock in order to use the side mount that comes on the rifle. On the positive side, it comes with iron sights.

The SIG comes with an ergonomic rail mounting option for optics, but no iron sights. The side folder is same/same in my eyes at least.

The actions are relatively the same.

The SIG gives you a bit more room on the fore end to grab it where you choose, rather than the tiny little grip area on the AK.

The PTR option is interesting to me since I have so much HK stuff already. My issue is that they are usually a bit heavier than other rifles in the same class, and not sure about the rails or whathaveyou for mounting optics.

The reason I think I will go the SIG route is that it can be cleaned from the breech, where the AK requires a muzzle entrance for any conventional cleaning rods.

 

[TanklessPro]

Dude! Thanks for posting. This has been on my mind awhile also. I've been leaning towards the SIG. My thinking is this: The Arsenal is a known quantity. I like them. However, to mount an optic, no matter how one tries, one gets a chin-weld at best on the stock in order to use the side mount that comes on the rifle. On the positive side, it comes with iron sights.

The SIG comes with an ergonomic rail mounting option for optics, but no iron sights. The side folder is same/same in my eyes at least.

The actions are relatively the same.

The SIG gives you a bit more room on the fore end to grab it where you choose, rather than the tiny little grip area on the AK.

The PTR option is interesting to me since I have so much HK stuff already. My issue is that they are usually a bit heavier than other rifles in the same class, and not sure about the rails or whathaveyou for mounting optics.

The reason I think I will go the SIG route is that it can be cleaned from the breech, where the AK requires a muzzle entrance for any conventional cleaning rods.

That's interesting I have been wanting to post for awhile.

You can get a PTR with a welded rail on the top and you can add different length rails at the 3/6/9 position.

 

[dprice3844444]

hk ptr32,it's an hk clone.doesn't look like an ak,but takes ak mags.stroung collasable stock available.2 models,1 without upper rail,one without.also available in pistol version

 

[tahunua001]

ok so you are comparing a honda civic to a geo metro, a ford feista and a gremlin.

the arsenal is going to be your best bet.

to my knowledge sig has never addressed any of the issues with the 556 and are still considered to be the worst paramilitary design sig has made to date.

I sold my WASR because I got fed up with all it's problems.

 

[Maverick223]

Any suggestions???

Yep; obviously you're in the market for a SA 7.62x39mm, I think the best one on the market is the VZ.58. Lighter, better machining (which is to say that it's machined...not stamped like the aforementioned options), good accuracy, battle-proven reliability/ruggedness, excellent ergonomics, a LRBHO, and it's a little bit different (which may or may not count for much). The only problems are a somewhat limited choice of accessories (which is ever-expanding as popularity increases) and the difficulty in mounting standard eye relief optics, neither of which is a deal-breaker for me.

My second choice would be a toss-up between a Mini-30 (which is a great rifle, contrary to what you may hear in some reviews) and the SIG-556R (which, despite some reviews to the contrary, is a nice rifle, at least in the 5.56NATO chambering).

 

[stubbicatt]

to my knowledge sig has never addressed any of the issues with the 556 and are still considered to be the worst paramilitary design sig has made to date.

Which issues? I have seen armoredman's videos on youtube, but I have seen several other videos there depicting flawless operation.

Thanks.

 

[JustinJ]

There are aftermarket folding options available for the arsenal you have.

The PTR32 is ridiculously heavy. The SIG would be a good option IF they have the kinks worked out. As i understand they only run well with the Bulgarian polymer mags so you gota figure out if thats an issue.

If you already have an arsenal 47 get an arsenal 74 or one in .223.

 

[henschman]

If you like the idea of a different platform from the AK, you might look into an SKS. The longer barrel is cool, and loading from stripper clips is fun and different. Also, they are much cheaper than the other ones you're thinking about... which I would think would be attractive if you're just looking for a fun range blaster.

I would stick with the designs that were actually designed from the get-go and successfully fielded in that caliber, instead of a newer commercial design where somebody shoe-horned that round into an existing action, which are unproven on the battlefield. I say go with either an SKS, some kind of AK variant, or that VZ-58 (which I don't personally have any experience with, but lots of people seem to love).

 

[stubbicatt]

I would stick with the designs that were actually designed from the get-go and successfully fielded in that caliber, instead of a newer commercial design where somebody shoe-horned that round into an existing action, which are unproven on the battlefield.

I don't know man. I understand your drift here, but I don't necessarily agree that the battlefield is the touchstone for quality. If so, then, the AR15 would not be so highly sought after since action at first battle of Pleiku or the DMZ which revealed so many shortcomings not yet rectified, AFAIK. Is a civilian equivalent AR15 fun? Some guys swear by them, but they too are not battle tested.

So long as the rifle is properly designed to feed, fire, and extract a cartridge of whatever dimension, and does so flawlessly, I would be more inclined to purchase one of those than I would a battlefield tested (and failed) AR equivalent, or any other of a myriad poorly designed rifles.

On the other hand, the AK74 is flawless as they come, and other than subtle dimensional differences to accommodate the smaller cartridge, this is an example of a round shoe horned into an existing design where it can hardly be criticized as far as function, reliability, or accuracy.

 

[henschman]

Tested and found wanting is one thing... tested and proven worthy, over 60 or more years, is quite another. And then some are too new to truly say. When the new, unproven design offers little to nothing over the tried and true one, I stick with tried and true.

 

[wally]

Pretty much everyone who has shot my PTR32, AK, Sig 556R and AR 7.62x39 prefers the PTR-32 the best. AR 7.62x39 is usually the second choice if the mag feeds 100% (reliability is only good enough for range fun )

The SIG would be a good option IF they have the kinks worked out. As i understand they only run well with the Bulgarian polymer mags

The Bulgarian "bullet" mag shipped with mine is crap, even a Tapco works better. The comblock steel mags have never given a feeding problem. I'd rate it a lot higher, except it has failure to fire issues with some brands of ammo, for example Golden Tiger averages 3 FTF in 30 rounds Golden Tiger has been 100% in all my other 7.62x39 guns.

 

[mshootnit]

I know not on your list but check out an AR pattern in 6.8 SPC II.
Advantages are increased velocity over X39, solid and centered optic platform and dramatically increased accuracy. I have and have had Arsenals but wouldn't trade my 6.8 for one if it came down to just one rifle. my setup is a 16" Armalite spec II upper (chrome lined, m4 feedramps mid length gas), aero precision lower, SSA-E trigger.

 

[Ignition Override]

TanklessPro:

An officer from a department in or maybe near Shelby County TN told me two years ago that his dept. planned to exchange their Sigs for ARs.
We were in the older gun store in Cordova TN.

He only said that a number suffered from some sort of malfunction, but did not explain what part had a problem (was it improper maint. or handling?) or which exact gun they used.

 

[kingkeoni]

One more vote for the Arsenal 7.62x39.

It's an excellent rifle that should last a lifetime.

 

[meanmrmustard]

I'd give any AR, unless there's a HUGE price gap, for Arsenals.

With Tech sights and good ammo it likes, an Arsenal will keep up with most CLd ARs.

 

[stubbicatt]

Pretty much everyone who has shot my PTR32, AK, Sig 556R and AR 7.62x39 prefers the PTR-32 the best. AR 7.62x39 is usually the second choice if the mag feeds 100% (reliability is only good enough for range fun )


The Bulgarian "bullet" mag shipped with mine is crap, even a Tapco works better. The comblock steel mags have never given a feeding problem. I'd rate it a lot higher, except it has failure to fire issues with some brands of ammo, for example Golden Tiger averages 3 FTF in 30 rounds Golden Tiger has been 100% in all my other 7.62x39 guns.

Wally, thanks for the input. I wonder, have you done anything to improve on the aluminum fore end on the PTR offering? Looks like it might get very very hot. Is it your PTR that has the issues with the Tiger ammo, or is that in reference to the SIG?

 

[wally]

My PTR has touched off every 7.62x39 ammo brand I have without fail. My AR 7.62x39 (16" carbine and an 11.5" SBR) have needed the "enhanced" 7.62 firing pin from Model-1 sales to stop the failure to fire issues with many ammo lots. The GT issues were with the SIG 556R and the ARs before getting the "enhanced" firing pins.

My PTR-32 doesn't seem to get any hotter up front than an AK or AR does, so I've no issues with the fore end, but I generally prefer a thin grip up front. I added a short rail segment up front (it was pre-drilled) so I can mount a bipod, you could put on a long one, or one further back, if you wanted a vertical grip or something like the Magpul AFG.

I hope SIG will address the firing pin issue to get the 556R reliability where it should be.

If reliability is paramount, just get an AK, but so far my PTR-32 has been 100% and it like the AR7.62x39 or SIG556R seem to have all the accuracy the ammo is capable of -- all group better off sandbags than any of my AKs.

The AR7.62x39 is worst in the reliability department because of magazine issues, the SIG556R generally feeds fine since it uses AK mags, but too many seem to have extraction/ejection issues (mine doesn't) but the failure-to fire issues with some brands of ammo is a major negative to me.

 

[Michael_Smith]

Look at Rock River's lar-47. Takes ak mags.

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=558

 

[Girodin]

On paper I really like the Sig 556. It should have been a great rifle. However, based on the surprisingly large number of negative reviews it seems the execution was lacking.

 

[GCMkc]

The PTR-32's are definitely rock solid from what I have heard. The PTR-32 is definitely on my list of WTB rifles. I already have plenty 7.62x39 and AK mags so I should be good to go. I have a PTR-91 and the rifle looks just as good as an HK91 so I can imagine that the PTR-32 would be of the same quality.

BTW, you can pick up a PTR-32 from CDNN for $899. I've bought from them before and they had super fast shipping.

On the other hand, you can never go wrong with an Arsenal AK and can get one for about the same price.

 

[Jay the Plinker]

I was on ptr91.com and they said ptr 32 where Temporarily out of production!