Range report: SA R1M1 with an AW PTR91
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I've read with great interest the many and lengthy posts regarding PTR91's and their problem with tar sealed milsurp. As an owner of an early AW example, I wanted to find out if my rifle would handle milsurp, so I decided to do my own test with some South African R1M1 I picked up locally.
PTR91F 18", AW01 serial number, 12 flutes, bolt gap has held steady at 0.145.
Rifle was delivered with an HK bolt carrier and HK bolt head, and I think non-HK locking piece.
I do not have an exact round count, but certainly under 500 rounds so far; all ammo has been "commercial", mostly Federal and BVAC once fired brass. I have yet to experience any problems with the rifle.
Changes made before testing:
I added a real HK butt stock, with the properly mounted recoil buffer (greatly reduced felt recoil)
I added a new HK locking piece
Addition of HK wide forearm with bi-pod
Hendsolt z24 scope
Otherwise, the rifle is as delivered from PTR.
I gave the rifle a thorough cleaning, as I normally do, and paid a little extra attention to chamber and roller recesses.
Packed up my gear, 140 rounds of SA R1M1, 4 large pumpkins and 20 small ones (about the size of a softball), and headed to my favorite outdoor range. Weather at the range was scrappy -- windy, raining constantly, and with temps ranging from the 40's to low 50's.
I loaded up one mag with 20 rounds -- at first I had only put 10 in the mag, thinking I'd never make it through all 10 much less 20. Sited on a big pumpkin 100 yards down range, and popped of a round which hit home, and another, and another, and another…made it through all 20, no problems at all. I waited a few seconds to a few mins between shots. Ejection was just like with commercial -- violent, flinging brass 20+ feet to the right.
Load up more mags, and varied shooting speed from slow and controlled all the way to a full mag dump more or less as fast as I could manage. In al,l I put 100 rounds of the SA the the PTR with no problems at all. Accuracy with the R1M1 was quite good; at 100 yards I was regularly hitting the small pumpkins, usually on the first shot.
I have a local resource with quite a bit more SA and think I will grab all he has!
Good day for the PTR, bad day to be a pumpkin!
Hope the info proves helpful.
DJM
PTR91F 18", AW01 serial number, 12 flutes, bolt gap has held steady at 0.145.
Rifle was delivered with an HK bolt carrier and HK bolt head, and I think non-HK locking piece.
I do not have an exact round count, but certainly under 500 rounds so far; all ammo has been "commercial", mostly Federal and BVAC once fired brass. I have yet to experience any problems with the rifle.
Changes made before testing:
I added a real HK butt stock, with the properly mounted recoil buffer (greatly reduced felt recoil)
I added a new HK locking piece
Addition of HK wide forearm with bi-pod
Hendsolt z24 scope
Otherwise, the rifle is as delivered from PTR.
I gave the rifle a thorough cleaning, as I normally do, and paid a little extra attention to chamber and roller recesses.
Packed up my gear, 140 rounds of SA R1M1, 4 large pumpkins and 20 small ones (about the size of a softball), and headed to my favorite outdoor range. Weather at the range was scrappy -- windy, raining constantly, and with temps ranging from the 40's to low 50's.
I loaded up one mag with 20 rounds -- at first I had only put 10 in the mag, thinking I'd never make it through all 10 much less 20. Sited on a big pumpkin 100 yards down range, and popped of a round which hit home, and another, and another, and another…made it through all 20, no problems at all. I waited a few seconds to a few mins between shots. Ejection was just like with commercial -- violent, flinging brass 20+ feet to the right.
Load up more mags, and varied shooting speed from slow and controlled all the way to a full mag dump more or less as fast as I could manage. In al,l I put 100 rounds of the SA the the PTR with no problems at all. Accuracy with the R1M1 was quite good; at 100 yards I was regularly hitting the small pumpkins, usually on the first shot.
I have a local resource with quite a bit more SA and think I will grab all he has!
Good day for the PTR, bad day to be a pumpkin!
Hope the info proves helpful.
DJM
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I am glad to see someone with almost the EXACT same setup/trials/AW# below 1500. I also have a 18" version and a 16" version, but in both cases have put genuine HK butt stock, hand guards and buffers on and have the same results as you. The original PTR buffer was just hanging in the wind and not anchored like the HK ones are, to the butt.
I LOVE my rifles and just hope they keep on as they have since I got them 2 years ago. I have stocked up on spare parts, just in case.
Also lucked up and got 2 of the Z24 Hensoldt Scope/mount/case, ect. while CTD had them for $300.
I like them as much as the original HK 91 and 93 I owned back in the Eighties and (STUPIDLY) sold when the BRADY BILL raised prices to the point I couldn't resist selling.(LIVE AND LEARN)
Will never WILLINGLY get rid of ANY of my current pieces as I'm sure you won't.
EVERYONE seems to pick on 1) PUMPKINS and 2)MELONS !!! BAD TIMES FOR BOTH !!
I LOVE my rifles and just hope they keep on as they have since I got them 2 years ago. I have stocked up on spare parts, just in case.
Also lucked up and got 2 of the Z24 Hensoldt Scope/mount/case, ect. while CTD had them for $300.
I like them as much as the original HK 91 and 93 I owned back in the Eighties and (STUPIDLY) sold when the BRADY BILL raised prices to the point I couldn't resist selling.(LIVE AND LEARN)
Will never WILLINGLY get rid of ANY of my current pieces as I'm sure you won't.
EVERYONE seems to pick on 1) PUMPKINS and 2)MELONS !!! BAD TIMES FOR BOTH !!
Glad to hear others have had good results with SA on the lower AW numbered rifles. A real shame PTR made changes in the later AW's which has caused so much grief for the owners.
I was really surprised at the reduction in recoil from simply changing out the stock/buffer -- the difference was night and day. A must do swap for PTRs, IMO.
In regards to picking on pumpkins: while my PTR certainly did a number on the unsuspecting fellas, my buddies mosin nangat *really* destroyed them, but of course he had to shoot at them much closer as his well used nangat is not exactly, ehem, accurate! Good times for us both though!
Cheers,
DJM
I was really surprised at the reduction in recoil from simply changing out the stock/buffer -- the difference was night and day. A must do swap for PTRs, IMO.
In regards to picking on pumpkins: while my PTR certainly did a number on the unsuspecting fellas, my buddies mosin nangat *really* destroyed them, but of course he had to shoot at them much closer as his well used nangat is not exactly, ehem, accurate! Good times for us both though!
Cheers,
DJM
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