BIL of a very good friend is looking to sell this. Portuguese Made G3S FMP made 1/89. No idea about the scope and all I have to go by is this one picture.
What can you tell me about it and its value?

According to this page, if it is marked G3S and has a PARS import mark, it is quite desirable. I'm thinking $1500 or maybe more.

Portugese G-3 value question

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Release the Kraken

My son used a German-made G-3 in Iraq after being disappointed with the stopping power of the 5.56 mm M-4 carbine. He found it very effective.

You might PM Kurusu about this rifle. He's our only Portuguese member, I think.

Spanish CETME examples were supposedly set up for lighter 7.62 mm ammo. I hope the Portuguese variant took full power loads.

I only used it. Ammo used is regular NATO specs. It's reliable and fairly accurate. I only saw a scope I was told it was for it once, and long after my service time.

They are considered military weapons around here. And were not sold commercially to us.

A LGS has had one for $700.00 for several years they can't seem to get rid of.

Thanks for the info so far.
I have learned a little about these. They're licensed copies of the HK G3/91 made in Portugal on HK machinery mostly for the Portuguese Military. Considered by many to be the best clones made. Right up there with the actual HKs.
It seems that in 1989 the Government banned import of many military style rifles due to non compliance with 18 U.S.C. 922r. Remember the AK confusion? A bunch of these G3Ss got held up in customs limbo for a while. When those guns were finally released for sale, the were remarked as XG3S. It also seems that this little "X" makes quite a bit of difference to buyers and collectors. I found a couple of old auctions where G3Ss sold for $1100 & $1400. Plus some old for sale ads with prices in the $1500 range. But these all closed several years ago. I'm sure prices have gone up a little since then. Whereas the "X" marked guns only go in the $600-800 range.
BTW: if I'm wrong about any of this, please correct me.
I've asked for pictures of all the markings. We'll see.

Ain't it amazing the things you learn doing favors for friends.

Essentially, there are two FMP type guns.

The first are actual FMP builds that were imported as whole guns. Normally, they are import marked "Pars", though there may possibly have been a few one-offs that would be marked with some other importer. Either way, "Pars" means it's a factory built gun.

The AWB killed the importation.

More recently, FMP kits and FMP flats were brought in by Century, who assembled them here in the USA. They are still marked "manufactured by FMP", because they built the parts, but they will also be marked "Century".

The "Century" marked guns weren't assembled by a licensed HK factory, using HK trained personnel, nor HK QC standards. As such, they are worth less than the actual FMP built guns.

The Century guns aren't bad guns though. I have one and it's fine. It's not as good as a FMP build, but it's far from the other junk HK clones Century put out. Maybe they sub-contracted the builds or something, but it doesn't seem like the "trained monkeys" put them together. It really doesn't matter, it is what it is and it's not an HK licensed build. As such, they don't command the same price.

Just see what the markings say. "Pars" is worth much more. maybe not as much as a German gun, but not far behind either. "Century" is worth less. Probably under what a PTR would bring.

Oh yeah, ignore the "caught in customs" stories.

It's true that many guns were "caught in customs" and some very crazy things that seem to go against all manner of common sense were done to get them through. For example, I remember AKs being sold with both folding stocks and T-holes installed on the same gun. Hey, it had to have a T-hole, so it has a T-hole. They just didn't bother taking off the folder. It got pretty strange for a while, especially with the AK's.

The problem is that "caught in customs" is used by sellers to try to explain away things that would otherwise drive down the value of what they are trying to sell. There is no definitive guide as what was done.

Not saying the "G-3S/XG-3S" story isn't true, just that it's only a story. As you have found out, if an "X" makes it worth less, then it's worth less. "Caught in customs" doesn't matter. In fact it may not even be the reason. Many guns changed names to satisfy state level bans, or because the importer went out of business and the new importer rebranded it.

In the end, you are doing the right thing by doing the research.

Buy the gun, not the story.

1/89 is the most desirable of the FMP G3s. The 3/89 and 5/89 marked G3s were “caught up” in customs and indicated by the X. Similar story to the Mitchell Arms Yugoslav AKs. Difference is at least a few hundred dollars to most pre-ban collectors. Good luck

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Some Might Say.

Ok, just got new info.
The rifle is marked XG3s and the date is 3/89 not 1/89. However, it was imported by PARS International, Louisville, KY.
So I'm guessing what we have here is one of the original HK made Portuguese G3Ss and that its an excellent rifle. Correct?
Any guesses on value?

Edit: found some more auctions for XG3Ss and they seem to be selling in the $1200-1500 range. Plain G3S guns are at $2000+.

Not surprising as there are fewer than 200 of the 1/89 guns that came in prior to the ban. The rifle in question was made in Portugal under contract from HK (not by HK). $1300-1500 would be reasonable for a rifle like this. Unsure about the optics?

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Some Might Say.

Thanks Valmet. That's right about what I was thinking.
Waiting for info on the optics, should have it soon.

Dang, my WAG was pretty near. Usually that never happens because I'm such a cheapskate.

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Release the Kraken

Well, this is interesting. Just got the data on the scope.
Kahles/Wien 6x42 military issue and came with the rifle.
So how much is this worth? I'm not finding much about it on the internet.

edit: After a bit more digging, I've found that this is an excellent and collectible scope. Current values seem to be running at $350.

OK, I think I have everything I need now. Thanks to everybody who helped. I couldn't have done it without you.