The G3 Is Back! PTR Industries’ GI Model 7.62x51m — NRA 2016

Authors Historical Guns
The PTR-91 GI rifle from PTR Industries gives fans of the HK-pattern roller-locked rifles a chance to own an affordably priced, newly manufactured version of it for their very own.

The PTR-91 GI rifle from PTR Industries gives fans of the HK-pattern roller-locked rifles a chance to own an affordably priced, newly manufactured version of it for their very own.

The iconic “roller-locked” series of rifles designed by Heckler & Koch (HK) have been a perennial favorite with military and tactical firearms aficionados. And, thanks to the efforts of South Carolina-based PTR Industries and its PTR-91 GI model, shooters have a chance to own a newly made version of this classic 7.62x51mm design.

PTR Industries rifles are based on a Portuguese variant of the HK G3 military rifle. The company acquired HK-licensed tooling from Portugal and shipped it over to the United States to allow the company to produce a U.S.-made (and legal) semi-automatic variant of the select-fire military rifle design.

The PTR-91 GI features an all-steel trigger group housing with a paddle-style magazine release and authentic selector markings.

The PTR-91 GI features an all-steel trigger group housing with a paddle-style magazine release and authentic selector markings.

While the company has developed a broad range of variants of the basic design equipped with collapsible stocks and Picatinny rail forends as well as 7.62x39mm and pistol versions, its GI model is designed to appeal to traditionalists as well as military history buffs. From its green stock set to its paddle-style magazine release, the GI PTR-91 looks like it has stepped right out of the 1970s and 1980s and into your hands.

Recent updates to the GI model include the use of an all-steel trigger group housing rather than a polymer unit as on the company’s other rifles. The lower is also marked with the original military rifle’s three-position markings for added authenticity (although the rifle remains a semi-auto-only design). Also newly added to the design is the use of 5/8×24” muzzle threading.

The green color of the slimline forend complements the matte gray of the Parkerized steel on the PTR-91 GI model.

The green color of the slimline forend complements the matte gray of the Parkerized steel on the PTR-91 GI model.

Fans of the design know its reputation for rugged reliability. At its heart a delayed blowback design, the PTR-91 employs twin “rollers” that lock into recesses located inside the rifle’s trunnion. The force required to unlock these from the recesses keep the action closed long enough for chamber pressure to drop to safe levels. The result is a repeating rifle design that does not feature a rotating bolt or gas system of any sort, and is renowned for working under a wide range of harsh conditions. The PTR-91 GI continues this tradition and wears a tough matte-gray Parkerized finish on its steel parts.

As with the original HK G3 design, the GI model is chambered in 7.62x51mm and feeds from a detachable box 20-round magazine (available in steel and aluminum versions). The overall length of the rifle is 40.5 inches and it features an 18-inch match grade barrel with an HK-style tapered profile. The rifle weighs in at a hefty 9.5 pounds.

The GI model comes with one 20-round aluminum detachable magazine.

The GI model comes with one 20-round aluminum detachable magazine.

For more information about PTR Industries products, visit https://ptr91.com.

Shop for PTR Industries products on GunsAmerica.com at https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=PTR%2091

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  • Dwayne Gordon October 7, 2018, 1:00 pm

    All PTR 91’s and PTR 9CT MP5A3 Clone are all made on HK licensed tooling a machinery so all
    Bolt carriers
    Bolt heads
    Locking peices
    Firing pins springs
    Rollers
    Roller retainers
    Trunnions
    Barrel
    Triple frames

  • Dwayne Gordon October 5, 2018, 6:41 pm

    Own a PTR 9TC 9MM MP5A3 and a PTR 91 G.I. w/the paddle and HK profile match grade 18″ barrel and G3 metal trigger housing
    And all the Furniture and Trigger Housing are all original G3 parts the trigger is HK

  • Shooterdave June 20, 2016, 2:58 pm

    I picked up 2 of these a couple of years ago – I remember CTD I think had them for around $695. and a boatload of surplus G3 mags were really cheap. When you add in a decent tactical/railed forearm, a Springfield trigger, a genuine G3 clamp on rail, and an optic, it’s going to get pricey. I found a German surplus compatible colaspable stock and had it cerakoated and with an Eotech it makes a decent CQB setup and stays small when you want it to. The other one got 6×16 glass and shot pretty good groups probably a benefit from the trigger pack work. Nice gun and there’s tons of surplus parts out there like rollers, fp’s & springs, bolts. My cerakoated mags look(ed) factory new and were like ten bucks. IMHO it’s a really nice gun.

  • SSS NNNN May 31, 2016, 7:13 pm

    Have had the Century steel receiver clone built on FMP parts kit and the PTR GI…both
    work. The steel lower DOES have a certain retro charm however….

  • Archangel May 25, 2016, 1:10 am

    “The PTR-91 GI rifle from PTR Industries gives fans of the HK-pattern roller-locked rifles a chance to own an affordably priced, newly manufactured version of it for their very own”
    And what do you consider to be “affordably priced”?
    These “stories” never post what I would consider a truly affordable price.

    • jackalope February 8, 2017, 4:09 am

      This isn’t 1980. This rifle compared to almost any AR in 7.62×51 is a screaming deal. While mags aren’t as cheap as they were 10 years ago, they are still half of what an AR-10 PMag costs. The real question is: What do YOU think is affordable?

  • BJG May 24, 2016, 6:06 pm

    Would like it better if it were a little lighter, and chambered fore something not as powerful as the .7.62 Nato round. Maybe .3oo Blackout. or even .30 Remington.

  • Cyrus May 23, 2016, 7:16 am

    Nice if you don’t have one but I will stick with my SAR3 – 8 over stamp

  • Mark N. May 22, 2016, 1:28 am

    They even build this in a California compliant version. Well, at least until the end of the year, after which it may be a banned assault weapon, the Legislature gets its way.

    • steve May 23, 2016, 10:43 am

      MOVE ….. ( but I cant afford to move ) …… You cant afford NOT to move ….cheers from a guy right on the other side of the boarder in Oregon with a LOT highly modified banned in CA weapons “winks”

  • Dave Hicks May 22, 2016, 1:23 am

    Portuguese HK’s made in the USA GREAT Idea Most of the early. HK 91’s imported by HK were made in Portugal . Just as good as the German made HK’s. The only thing is the HK black coating is what I’m used to seeing ,BUT this parkerized finish should do the trick. I see that PTR has moved south another good idea. Welcome to the south neighbor.

    • Charles Sanderson May 24, 2016, 1:56 am

      I had a century arms version and did the history on the design. If I remember correctly the original design was for a battle rifle for Spain. The Germans bought the patent or something, put the German touch on it and everything from the MP5 to the G3 share some of the same design, it works..

      • nuh uh May 24, 2016, 8:16 am

        The roller locked design and 90% of the rest of the rifle was by Mauserwerks during WW2 as the STG45 – the younger engineers went to Spain briefly after the war and later returned to form the company H&K (no more ampersand today though).

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