PTR 91
Encyclopedia
PTR-91, is a family of modern, American-manufactured civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...

 semi automatic rifles. The design is a variation of the Heckler and Koch G3
Heckler & Koch G3
The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....

rifle. These rifles are produced by PTR-91 Inc. (formerly JLD Enterprises) of Farmington, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...

. The abbreviation PTR stands for "Precision Target Rifle".

History

The weapon is based on the Heckler & Koch G3/HK91 (the HK91 is the semi-automatic version) design used by many militaries around the globe. The assault weapons ban of 1994 (which expired in 2004) prohibited certain cosmetic features of the HK91, meaning that it could no longer be manufactured and sold to the US civilian market in its original configuration. Furthermore, the German-made HK91 was specifically prohibited from importation under the 1989 Import Ban. Subsequently Heckler and Koch ceased manufacture of the semi-automatic HK91, and since then civilian versions of the G3
Heckler & Koch G3
The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....

 have increased in collector value. The PTR-91 was developed to fill the void, as the two rifles are almost identical.

JLD Enterprises ("JLD") began manufacturing ban compliant PTR-91 rifles in 2002, after purchasing prints and tooling from Fabrica Militar of Portugal - an HK licensed factory. The ban compliant models did not have a threaded barrel, bayonet lugs, adjustable stocks, or "high capacity" magazines. Very early models, being produced directly from the purchased prints were nearly identical to the HK91 with the exception of modifications for compliance with the assault weapons ban. Subsequent to the ban's expiration in 2004, JLD began offering a wider range of PTR-91 models, many of which featured more of the original military features. JLD also began investing in research and development, and debuted many new improvements and modifications to the original HK91 design. Initially, JLD produced rifles relied heavily on imported military surplus components for G3/HK91 rifles. In fact, most parts between the HK-91 and the PTR-91 are interchangeable.

In 2005, the major assets of JLD Enterprises were purchased by the newly formed PTR-91 Inc. Mr. Jose Diaz (JLD Enterprises' founder and owner) stayed on with the new company as a major partner. With access to new capital and manufacturing capabilities from the partnership, PTR-91 Inc. made further advances in the quality and accuracy of the rifles, while expanding the number of available product lines and increasing production capability.

Today the company offers more than 25 different model variations, and has expanded into the law enforcement and military markets as well. Nonetheless in late 2010, an internal conflict over the management and direction of the firm emerged. Financial difficulties ultimately resulted in Mr. Jose Diaz leaving the company, with its future unclear as of yet.

Variations

The most well known version of the PTR-91 is the PTR-91F. This rifle features an 18" heavy target barrel, fixed plastic stock, and is the most similar to the G3/HK91 rifles. PTR also produces higher end rifles versions. The PTR-MSG91 is their mid-range rifle offering, featuring an 18" fluted heavy target barrel, along with many enhancements to make it suited for sniping or precision target shooting, such as a bipod, rail system, and adjustable stock. In limited quantities, PTR has also produced its "PTR Super Sniper" featuring a 20" fully fluted free-floating barrel.

PTR also produces several models of carbines that feature a 16" heavy target barrel. These are available with standard furniture (like the PTR-91F), as well as with many different stock, rail, and fluting combinations. A popular model is the PTR-91 KPF which features an A3 type fully collapsible paratrooper stock. All PTR-91 models are chambered in 7.62 x 51mm NATO (.308 Winchester).

In 2010, the company released a new line of products chambered in 7.62 x 39mm known as the PTR-32 series. The PTR-32s are made exclusively with 16" barrels, and are available in the same furniture configurations as the PTR-91 carbines.

Publication

PTR weapons have been featured in numerous gun magazines, such as Gun Tests, Guns and Weapons for Law Enforcement, American Rifleman, On Target, Shotgun News, and Gun World, all of which praised them for having good accuracy and reliability, characteristic of the weapon it was designed after.

External links


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctyKezaegds
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