Lily gilding

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Ok, I don’t need another one, but I wanted another one.

And my vendor finally had one in stock after almost eight months.

And it’s only gonna be more expensive later.

And…and….and….

Well, dang it…I’m a survivalist, I don’t have to justify it. Gaze upon the latest addition to the Absurdly Redundant Gun Collection:

The real reason is because I kinda like the G3 platform for the .308. No gas system to worry about, excellent accuracy, reliability that is hard to beat, good aftermarket support, and most importantly…the previous negatives about the G3 platform have been addressed. And to go even further, the ‘modernization’ of the G3 has made it into virtually a completely different gun.

Unfortunately, about half my collection of PTR’s pre-date the improvements (paddle release, rail, muzzle threading) that were made a few years ago. So, I can live without a rail and with metric threads on the muzzle….but that paddle release is a big freakin’ deal. Fortunately, there’s a guy out there who does ATF-approved paddle conversions. (Long story short: unless done a particular way, installing the hole necessary for the paddle mag release also allows installation of full-auto parts. This is why the original HK91’s were imported without paddle release.) It’s about $200 to have the paddle release done, but with new PTR’s going for over a grand, it makes sense to spend the money and convert my $400-$600 PTR’s that were purchased long ago.

This PTR was ordered brand new and shot very nicely right out of the box. SOP is, according to HK, to sight in at 30 meters which puts you on at 200m.

Out of the box the thing shot about 3″ low at 30m but windage was spot-on. Fortunately, I have the necessary HK sight adjustment tool and was able to adjust the sight drum accordingly. Pro: once set you will never accidentally screw up the zero on your gun. Con: the reason you won’t accidentally screw it up is because it takes an obscure and expensive sight tool to adjust the sight. (Yes, you can use snap ring pliers…with all the attendant scratching and scuffing that will subsequently occur. Buy the sight tool.)

If I were not already committed to the G3 platform, I probably would go with the AR-10. Ergonomics and modularity are the biggest selling points of the AR-10 platform, along with a small degree of commonality with AR15 stuff. However, at this point it makes no sense to change over since I’ve gotten the G3 logistics of mags, parts, etc, fairly nailed down.

Used to be the PTR and 100 mags would cost you less than an M1A and a dozen mags. Times have changed. You can still find G3 mags for less than $5-$10 ea, but dealer on the PTR’s are now about $1050…about 10-15% higher than what they were a year or two ago. And thats dealer price. Still, for creeping around the post apocalyptic landscape it’s pretty hard to find something as relatively bulletproof as that HK platform.

 

21 thoughts on “Lily gilding”

  1. Decent gun, I have the same model, the rail is nice and cheap mags are nice. I hate trying to reassemble the thing though when the roller system doesn’t want to cooperate.

  2. Does your. PTR91 set up for clamp on scope mount? I bought a GI model, and later German Army clamp on mount, with scope. I later ordered a different surplus scope with mount to compare. I ended up keeping both, so bought another PTR with wood furniture to use with 2nd scope. The clamp on mount is a bit difficult to get use to, but rock solid.

    • As mentioned in the post, newer models have a rail. The rail obviates the need for the old clamp on mount.

  3. My wife asks me if I have enough guns. Sarcastically mind you. Of course there is more than one answer but only one correct answer… I have what I need but not what I want.

  4. Nice rifle for sure. But I wouldn’t trade in my M1A Socom for one. I remember my HK91 tossed brass so far you practically had a workout retrieving it. And then reloading it was a pain with those flutes and whatnot. Also you can’t even compare the trigger to a M1A trigger. Pretty long and spongy. Not conducive to good accuracy.

    • G3 is a battle rifle, not a bench queen. Fluted empties being flung into the next zip code show the designers didn’t really care about recovering and reloading said empties.
      A Bill Springfield trigger job takes care of the 9 to 11 pound pull. He’ll also do the paddle install.
      I just ordered a Surefire WarComp in 15×1 for my PTR91SC. Not cheap, not at all. I have one on my AR308 and the difference was pretty impressive. Worth the investment.

      • I get that on all counts. Just making a comparison for me personally. As far as a safe queen none of my battle rifles are, including my SOCOM, which is as reliable as any HK or PTR. If all I could get my hands on in a SHTF situation was a HK/PTR 91 or 93 I’d be fine with that.

  5. I’d stick with the G3 over the AR10 for reliability reasons, as well as being more common.
    A couple years ago I read an article by an instructor at a big gun training school who said he had never had an AR10 finish one of his classes – G3, Cetme, FAL, M1A, all yes, but those who bought an AR10 had no end if problems.

  6. The good old days when you could get a case of 100 brand new in the wrap G3 mags (Bundeswehr surplus) for $100…shipping included.

    When I started shooting seriously (this was in the early 1970’s, kids) a HK-91 would have cost the equivalent of a month’s salary for my Dad. As I started working, I was saving and saving….finally I got to buy one, the dealer display set with a fitted wooden case, all the accessories, etc… These days? Worth probably six months salary.

    My safe has a half-dozen PTR-91s, and each has a sufficiency of magazines…. It was the best choice for a MBR until the AR-10’s became popular: Much more accurate than a FAL, way less expensive (thanks to the mags) than an M14. And despite the rumors, I’ve reloaded once-used PTR brass and still live.

    • Back in 1986 I paid $600 for an HK93A3 (telestock) with a handful of magazines. Super awesome gun and I loved it. But, as a poor college kid, I hated paying $35 (in 1986 dollars!) for a spare mag. So…I traded it off for a CAR-15 and some mags. Been kicking myself since.

      • That HK93 story is heart -wrenching. We all have one like that. Mine is of a minty-perfect colt 1911 us property made in 10/1918…. but I digress.
        I have two CETMEs (not PTRs, I know) that function flawlessly. Got me hooked on the HK roller locking system.
        Several years ago, I bought a C93 HK93 clone new for $600.00 to add to the collection. I love it! Fortunately, I was able to buy a couple dozen surplus HK mags for it for about $10 each. I decided at the time to see just how rugged they are. So I bought 1000 rds of the dirtiest, cheapo, steel-cased ammo I could get and see how far I could get before it started to fail.
        I went through the entire 1000.
        I did have 3 or 4 FTF, but probably bad primers. They extracted without a problem. I was amazed. I keep it squeeky clean. I made mine look like an HK33 with a navy lower & HK collapsing stock. Attention getter at the range.
        I have Bill Springfield triggers on the CETMEs and one on the way for the C93. Really smoothes them out.

  7. Robertrtg.com parts in Sheridan, wy. For g3 parts. F.y.i. that little clamp tool to get the bolt, rollers aligned etc. Works great.

  11. Don’t forget to spend as much each year on training as you do guns and ammo. I’m headed to my 3rd and 4th all day classes of the year in a few weeks. It’s hard to travel out of state with two small kids at home but extremely high-quality training (the kind you can’t always find from the local “know it all”) is worth it. I’m consistently surprised at just how bad the average gun owner is. They can’t shoot accurately (they think a 50% hit rate on a man-sized target at 5 yards during a cool looking mag dump is awesome), they have no idea their support gear like holsters and slings are garbage or setup wrong so as to interfere with what they are trying to do, and God forbid they have a malfunction they just stop and stare at the gun in disbelief.

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