PTR 91 vs. AK 47 - which should I chose?

Which should I choose: AK-47, or PTR-91?

  • Total voters
    34
  • Poll closed .
Arsenal AK will never let you down and is a fine weapon. I have a SLR 95 converted with all Bulgarian parts by Troy Sellers at Inrange. sold off the 308 battle rifles years ago. Bolt guns for the long distance stuff, AK for the wet work.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 
Good morning:

Thank you to all who have responded thus far. I've received some excellent advice, suggestions and ideas, and I am very grateful to all of you for your responses.

I guess what is the "worst" thing for me in this situation is that I really don't NEED another long gun..this is strictly an addition to my firearm collection. Because of this, and because I am a pragmatic man, I am trying to be cost sensitive, and I want to make a smart decision in my purchase.

I recently purchased a Remington 783 in .308 Winchester for my son to use as a deer rifle, so I do have a bolt-action rifle for hunting, and long range shooting.

The AKs aren't pretty, but I think of them as the next step up from an M-1 carbine - which I think is a marvelous little gun. I am surprised from some of you that the AK is as accurate as indicated - I was always told that AK and accuracy did not belong in the same book, nor even the same page. Thus, the AK is still a contender here.

M29: excellent points in your post. You are right, I really need to think about the different calibers - as well as the different purposes for each rifle - and go from there. Isn't a Mini 30 essentially an American made AK equivalent? If I recall correctly, I believe the general word is the Mini 30 is "okay' from an accuracy perspective, but the thin barrel overheats pretty quickly. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

Range Master: I've been told the AR-10s are expensive, not very durable, nor particularly accurate. One of the guys at the LGS recommended a FAL, CETME, etc. - anything but an AR-10. He had some AR-10 types available for sale, but not an HK-91, PTR-91, or FAL type rifle in stock.

m5aw: Wow, I hadn't even considered a SOCOM 16. I know they are pricey, but that is something worth considering.

Please keep the ideas and suggestions coming. I really do appreciate all of your ideas and suggestions, and will let all of you know what I decide once I've figured this out.

Regards,

Dave
 
Try to get a pic for you.



This is what can be done with a Saiga AK-47, adding the punch of a .308, with a turned barrel and hicap mag. Nice sights, too.
 
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Hi Bud Jr.:

Wow! Nice looking rifle. What kind of accuracy are you getting from your Saiga and Super Vepr? Are the barrels chrome lined in these rifles?

Thanks,

Dave
 
Just to help you make up your mind:eek::rolleyes:;):D
Classic Beauty....:)


NORINCO.jpg
 
Just to throw a monkey wrench in and make you think...have you ever thought of building your own AR10 ? There are many companies that build components, and for the most part you can pick and choose how you want it to look, as well as build it for what you want to do with it.
 
I'd buy the AK. I'd also buy a bunch of ammo and magazines while they are cheap and plentiful.

Prices and availability can change in an instant.
 
If you're just looking for a range toy, any AK will be cheaper to feed than a PTR-91.

But if you are looking for that "one" rifle that can do it all, the PTR-91 is a much better choice. Disclaimer --- I own a PTR-91F (the 18" model) but I don't own an AK (shot plenty though).

Pros to the PTR-91 are accuracy (not sure why some guys are saying they aren't accurate), reliability, and cheap replacement parts/magazines. With an optic, a cheek riser, and a bipod you have an excellent all-around rifle that is fine with everything from cheap steel case Russian junk all the way to match grade .308.

Cons are the rifle is definitely tough on brass and it does kick harder than most other semi .308s. It's the price you pay for that heavy bolt and carrier slamming back and forth, which is what makes extraction and feeding so dead reliable (just keep the flutes clean!).

.308 Veprs are neat rifles but aren't in the same class re: magazines and parts as 91s. Plus most savvy owners want a nice premium for them now that there is an import ban in place. These don't usually sunset e.g. Chinese SKSes. If you're in states with restrictions the Veprs are usually fine while the PTR with its evil flash hider and pistol grip would be verboten.
 
If you are a peasant living in DirkaDirkastan get the AK47..
If you live in the western world and desire something that has more lethal range, is more accurate, more refined get the PTR91...
Up to you...
 
The PTR is a battle rifle. The AK is an assault rifle.

Depends on what you want to use it for. Longer ranges, the PTR. Short range the AK.

The 308 AK is one way to "kind of" get both. The 308 Saiga I had was very accurate.
 
If you are seriously looking at an AK, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not considering the Czech Vz.58 as well. The Vz. is lighter, has better ergonomics, is more compact and was reliable in my hands. All have a milled receiver that is theoretically more rigid than a stamped AK. As long as you don't plan on tacticooling the **** out of an AK, a Vz.58 is a better gun out of the box. Century makes a decent and very cheap clone in the Vz. 2008, and Czechpoint is making gorgeous assembled-in-the-USA copies assembled with high quality Czech barrels and furniture for Arsenal AK money.
 
Double-O-Dave said:
Isn't a Mini 30 essentially an American made AK equivalent? If I recall correctly, I believe the general word is the Mini 30 is "okay' from an accuracy perspective, but the thin barrel overheats pretty quickly. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Click to expand...

I suppose you could say that, but to me it is just a slightly more powerful M-1 Carbine. It works like familiar U.S. service rifles so if you are familiar with those, the controls of the Mini will seem similar to you. (The mag release is M14-ish, the safety Garand-ish, and charging the same as the Carbine.) As to accuracy, the newer ones are said to be better than the older ones and my experience is that it is true. I was not happy with my early one. My present one, in stainless steel with black composite stock, has been much better. Sometimes Minis need a more powerful hammer spring to reliably fire cheap imported ammo. That is no big expense. I shoot my handloads and have never had a misfire, malfunction, or accuracy problem with the new gun. It's great, for its intended purpose, but it's not made to be a target rifle.

Double-O-Dave said:
m5aw: Wow, I hadn't even considered a SOCOM 16. I know they are pricey, but that is something worth considering.
Click to expand...

If you can swing it, a great suggestion, IMO. I like both the Squad Scout and SOCOM models of the M-1A. I wasn't impressed til I actually handled one but that changed my mind. If you want a 7.62x51 and you want something more compact than the standard M-1A, I would look closely at both of those models.
 
Using surplus south African 308 ball ammo in my 16" barreled brand new Russian izmash saiga benchrested will shoot 1 1/2" groups(no scope) @ 100 yds. That's with me and my son shooting it so it's no fluke.
The "brand new Russian izmash saiga rifle" performs flawlessly. I never expected a ak/akm rifle to perform this accurate. For the cost of just $307 OTD brand new with taxes at the time was hard to beat. I still think it's the hottest gun to hit our shores since the sks first arrived here. The Russians at izmash did say they focused on making the saiga more accurate than its ak brothers. They did admit our calibers of 223/308 are a tad more accurate than there Russian calibers are.

The guys on the saiga-12 site are shooting better tighter groups using over the counter quality ammo. The reloads are even more accurate.

For a welded up sheet metal rifle being this accurate I'm beyond impressed.

I was on the way to purchase a new SA M1a when I spotted a full rack of the brand new saiga for just $289? M1a @$2,100 vs saiga @ $289? Down the road I did buy a all forged m14s Chinese norinco for under $400. But I prefer the lighter saiga over the m14. Long range the m14 rocks but for 500yards and under the affordable saiga can hold its own.

I have the new saiga in 223 but we haven't benched it yet. I have the 21" barreled 308 saiga but we shot it yet for accuracy. I would think the 21" barrel should shoot farther and more accurate than the 16" barrel.
 
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The answer is neither

Neither, especially if what you really want is a 308. Go with a FAL instead, preferably a well built one like the Para below.




Shot at 300 yards
 
I must add for all these many years when the first ak arrived here I never wanted one. In the later years the converted ones from full auto to semi auto by the meat cutters, butcher's at century arms looked like some were dragged on the gravel roads. While others had poor fitting wood.
When I seen the brand new Russian izmash saiga sportier in the american calibers I jumped on the 308. I have no regrets buying this one.
 
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