Just ordered a PTR-91, did I screw up?

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Shootist16

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I ordered a PTR-91. Hopefully my FFL will have it this week. I have since seen posts on problems with the PTR. Specifically FTE and head spacing gaps closing very quickly. Did I screw up?

Has PTR corrected the known issues in recent models? I suppose I wont know for sure til she gets here and I can test fire her, but I am a little concerned after seeing some posts about these issues.
 
You find posts about any firearm. I'm continually amazed at AK owners trumpeting the rock solid durability in one thread, and in another, dissecting failure to feed, malfunctions, and other quality issues.

Build 40,000 of something, there will be issues in .05%. Great QC percentage, but that's still 2,000. Murphy's Law of the Internet says that 2,001 will post on the forums bitching about it.

You never hear about the other 39,800 satisfied owners. They are busy at the range actually getting better. The 2,001 will never be happy.

Wait for Xmas to come, enjoy the anticipation.
 
Yes. You should have asked us FIRST!
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I probably should have. I actually did some reading on here before I ordered. It wasn't until I pulled the trigger that I found some threads on other forums about the issues.
 
I never heard for sure that they acknowledged and then fixed the issue. However, yours might be one of the ones that is not so picky about surplus ammo. It seems hit or miss. I have two and the one is super picky and the other is pretty good.

The picky one is out to a gunsmith now getting a HK barrel installed.

I was in the same boat as you. Did a lot of research but somehow missed all the reports of the FTE with surplus ammo problems until AFTER I started having that problem and did some searching around.

So, I would say give some surplus ammo a try and see if your is one of the lemons or not. If it is, you can either spend about $500 (between barrel and gunsmith work) or just shoot brown bear .308 ammo. It is cheap and even my picky PTR91 seemed to like it.

I just didn't appreciate that a rifle that I was under the understand that it was resilient was brought to it's knees by surplus ammo. Even some quality PRVI .308 ammo wouldn't cycle with my picky one.

Make sure you keep us posted as to how yours works out for you.
 
Read and study the ammo disclaimer in the FAQ on ptr91's website.

Brown Bear worked great in mine, which was IIRC 2006 or so production.

A lot depends on what you want the gun for. If you particularly like that design, then no, you didn't make a mistake. If you wanted a .308 rifle design basically the same as something actually used in military service in the west, for $1000 or less, then again, you probably made the right choice. If you wanted the utmost perfect SHTF the rifle, well then my opinion is that the PTR isn't it. Just one opinion, of course.
 
No, don't worry. I think you made a right decision to purchase a PTR91.

1. Head space issue: this is something which I have not heard as a recent problem. If the gap is closing in, all you have to do is replace those rollers from hkparts or scorpionarms, and head space should return to normal.

2. Failure to eject issue: My brother's PTR91 MSG91 is purchased 5 months ago with AW6XXX serial number. So far it feeds federal hydroshock, federal gold metal, american eagle, Igman surplus 7.62 x 51 M118. Yes, the first round of Igman M118 suffered a failure to eject and the bolt was locked in and we could not pull it back (we used a hammer to knock the bolt back and eject the brass), and so we stopped feeding Igman and went back to Federal Hydroshock for 40 rounds, and then 40 rounds of American eagle, and thoroughly clean the rifle, and one week later, after firing 10 rounds of american eagle, we started to feed it with Igman M118 again. It fired 80 - 100 rounds of Igman surplus M118 without a hitch. This rifle needs a break-in period, and firing 40 rounds, and thoroughly clean it, and fire another 40 rounds, and thoroughly clean it should get the process started. But you have to use American Eagle for the initial 80 round of breaking-in. If you go right to South African or British surplus, it will jam for sure. Now our rifle feeds anything you feed it, including British surplus and German DAG (don't intend to use South African on a match-grade rifle).

PTR91 use Thompson center match grade bull chrome-moly barrel which has a tighter chamber tolerance than a HK91 and it has less number of flutes (they claim that it will improve accuracy and reduce the felt recoil on one of the article doing an interview on PTR91). We are getting 1.0 - 1.4 MOA at 100 yards with American eagle, and at 200 yards, we got 0.8 MOA with federal premium gold metal.

Have fun with it. Remember break-in before using surplus. If you don't have to use surplus, don't use it. Stay within 150 - 168 grain range, do not go above that weight.

Have fun.

R
 
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Today I took my PTR91 to the range and had great fun busting dirt clumps.


I checked mine out when I first received it and the bolt gap was 100% and everything was tight. I took it to a class III dealer and compared against a HK submachine gun. We both thought the PTR looked better made. Cleaner welds, better surface finish.

Let my recommend you buy a port buffer. http://www.robertrtg.com/carryhand.html Mine is attached to the rifle. Second picture from bottom. Brass will be kicked out of the rifle 20 feet instead of 20 yards. None of today's brass had any side dents. The dents you get without a port buffer is why so many misguided people claim you cannot reload ammunition fired in a roller bolt.

I had Bill Springfield do a trigger job. He made a clean single stage pull. Price may have changed since 2007.

> [email protected] wrote:
>
> I can set you up with a pull that has virtually no creep in the 4.75 area. I
> also remove all the take up slack. Price runs $54 and return postage is
> included. Only the trigger pack is needed, personal check is fine. My address
> is:
>
> Bill Springfield
> 4135 Cricket Ct.
> Colorado Springs, Co 80918
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I purchased from PTR a rear sight with a 100 yard aperature. I prefer that to the standard 100 yard notch.

I used needle nosed pliers to jam into the turret locking fingers, to adjust elevation. I don't have pictures so you will have to search the web.

I also recommend the PTR bolt assembly tool. http://www.ptr91.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=127 It made installing the bolt head a lot easier for me.

158.jpg


The roller bolt action requires clean chamber flutes to function. This mechanism opens so early and rapidly in the pressure curve, that if the gas lubrication provided by the flutes is not there, you will rip rims, or have jams in this mechanism. This is why ammunition with a lot of bullet sealant will gum up this rifle.

Do not ignore cleaning the chamber. Use a chamber brush to clean those flutes.

I shot Australian surplus today, which is a really excellent surplus, and have never had a problem.

ChamberFlutesMP5.jpg

FlutedChamber.gif

I recommend that you only load 150 grain bullets in the thing. When I shoot 174's, which I did today, the recoil is much harsher. This mechanism was designed for NATO ball, it is best to shoot 150 grain bullets.

I shoot IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 in my PTR91. I do not recommend any slow powders in this rifle, it operates best with fast burning powders. Both of these powders are fine in this mechanism.


PTRFullLength079.jpg

PTR91PortBuffer.jpg

PTRRearSight.jpg
 
This is the first I heard of a break in period with the picky PTRs. Over on HKPRO.com the consensus is that it is due to the tighter tolerances of the barrel. Which of course won't change with any amount of breaking in.
 
I wouldn't worry.

Think of it this way, for every one person who has problems with their PTR-91 there are probably twenty others who have never had problem with theirs. When you see a someone post a complaint on a forum it's usually followed by a whole bunch of posts by people claiming that their PTR-91 works fine. The reason you see a lot of complaints posted on the internet is that people are more likely to post complaints than praise.

Don't worry just enjoy your new gun and if you have problems the first thing to do is make sure it's not just an ammo issue.
 
If you had purchased a CETME from Century, then you could worry. But the PTR is a good rifle. I got rid of mine because I couldn't afford to feed it. That rifle mangled brass worse than anything I have ever seen. I couldn't reload for it. Mags are really cheap. When I purchased mine a few years ago, they were $3 each.
 
I got rid of mine because I couldn't afford to feed it. That rifle mangled brass worse than anything I have ever seen. I couldn't reload for it.
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50 dollar port buffer solves that. I reload brass that's been fired in my PTR91. Now, it looks bad cosmetically because of the fluted chamber but most of that polishes out in the tumbler. The dents are gone with the port buffer.
 
I picked up my PTR today. I haven't shot it but the fit and finish is amazing. It looks better than my friends HK. Hopefully it functions as well as it looks.
 
Since this is an ongoing PTR91 thread, I'll join in -- I was offered an PTR91F for $950 out-the-door. It's an older JLD model with bipod and hard case but no flash hider or threaded muzzle. Is this a good deal?
 
I paid $1040 for mine shipped at Buds the only other thing to pay would be ffl transfer fees. My only complaint from the dealer was it took him almost ten days to ship it. I understand the dealer usually ships much faster than that. For a little over $100 more I would rather have the post ban model.
 
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I was offered an PTR91F for $950 out-the-door.
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That's not far off of the current selling price. Check CDNN's catalog, they had them on sale not long ago. That might give you some price reference.

No flash hider or threads? Must have been ban compliant. Personally I'd want a FH on something like this.
 
CDNN has it for $989. But add on shipping, FFL, and sales tax (I live in the same state) and it comes out to a lot more. And it does not appear to have that bipod.

Can a bayonet be mounted if it does not have a flash hider?
 
So... is $950 for a ban compliant model a good deal or should I shop around some more? I think being able to attach a bayonet is more important than the flash hider itself, so I'd be willing to take it if it does not require a flash hider to attach a bayo.
 
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So... is $950 for a ban compliant model a good deal or should I shop around some more?
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I bought a PTR-91 from CDDN brand new for $900 shipped. a little over a year ago. So $950 for a used post ban without the features I wanted would not get me excited. If you want a flash hider I would keep looking.

Whenever I buy something that is not what I want, I always regret it, especially with guns and increasingly scarce gun dollars.
 
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