Teasing the PTR63

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When I was but a wee lad, I bought, for a mere $600 in 1986 money, an HK93A3 with a handful of magazines. It was, hands down, a wonderful little carbine. Utterly reliable and accurate. Unfortunately magazines were a whopping $35 back then and I traded it for a Colt CAR-15. I have never forgiven myself.

PTR, as you know, has been making G3/HK91 copies for a number of years and I own quite a few of them. They eventually branched into MP5/HK94 copies as well and I have a few of those too. But what I have longed for is a .223 from them.

A few years back they cooperated with Century and wound up putting together some partskit guns and those got mostly favorable reviews….and disappeared from the market quickly.

Now, accroding to PTR’s website, they have reimagined the HK93 but with AR mags and a somewhat different lower receiver while keeping the lovely HK operating system. You know, the one that kicks your brass into a low-earth orbit.

The new PTR 63 is an iconic roller-delayed blowback system chambered for the 5.56mm cartridge. The feature rich design includes PTR’s new Collapsing Stock and AR Trigger Grip Housing. This rifle gives you 5.56mm in a compact platform that allows you to use almost all standard AR accessories and magazines.

(Basically, a take on the HK G41) I really, really want this to work. But the further you stray from the original design, the greater the chances of things not going as planned. (As evidenced by early PTR rifles that had problems with shallower flutes.)

Its going to be difficult, but once these things hit the market I’ll sit on my hands for about a year until the reports come in and the bugs get worked out. But….dang….looks like theres a last shot hold open but that magazine release looks like a bit of a reach. Still…this seems like progress.

5 thoughts on “Teasing the PTR63”

  1. Back in the 1980’s, I was envious of people who could afford HK firearms. My hope was for at least a SL-6 (5.56 NATO) or SL-7 (.308 Winchester), carbine with at least 10 round magazines. Alas – they were not on the market very long. Still remember the ads with the guy rappelling down a cliff waiting to use his carbine. I liked the look of those and could be convinced to purchase if price wasn’t reedonkuluz. I wonder if they would be purchased in the market we have today. Sort of a SKS package with upgraded ballistics.

    • And when I think harder, it was a sub gun the cliff rapelling dude was rocking, not the SL6 or SL7. Damn – I’m old !!

  2. Back in the ’80s, H&K 91s and 93s were available NIB for $450 – $500, while ‘Green Label’ Colt ARs where $700 – $750 at my favorite North Hollywood gun dealer. The choice was obvious. Those same H&Ks are selling for $4,000 – $6,000 today, while the Colts are fetching maybe $1,500. When it comes to firearms, always choose German for quality, accuracy and reliability.

  3. I picked up one of those Century C93 units when they first hit the market, maybe 2008? I forget.
    They sold a pistol version of it, too, iirc.
    It has been awesome! Mine was $525 new. Most people (including me) did not know they were made by PTR, so the price was hanging around $600 for a long time. Also, the mags were generally original HK 33, so expensive and hard to get.
    I tried to get another one but they have kind of disappeared from the market.
    The G41 style with M16 mags will be a huge plus.

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