To purchase or not... AR10 Vs PTR91

[Crbn79]

So I've been wanting to get into a solid 308 500yard rifle. I've been looking into AR10s and PTR91s. The PTR91 has been winning a lot of favor with me as of late mostly due to getting one heck of a rugged rifle, which I can completely kit out with optics for the entry price of an AR10. Heck, I can get mags for it for $4! How can you bet that??

Now comes the 2nd matter. I haven't been able to find anywhere within a reasonable drive to shoot anywhere close to 500 yards. I do have property in Michigan, but I have not been there in 3 years because it's a 6 hour drive. So, I'm afraid any 308 I pickup is going to simply be a wall-hanger, or safe queen.

Lastly, how often do you see PTR91s under $900? I've seen a ton of Cetmes, but most used PTR91s people are asking more than it would cost me buying it brand new.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I will be crass and ask, just how much money do we have for the budget?

IME, the LMT AR-10 (our friends in the UK call the L129) is one of the most accurate centerfire rifles I have had the pleasure of shooting. Shot like it had eyes.

If you just want a .308 rifle, nothing wrong with the PTR. The GayDry is the bank vault of guns.

 

[Crbn79]

My budget is $1,500. I'm only looking for a 500 yard 308 which I know the PTR91 can do all day long with a decent scope. If I can hit 12 inch steel at 500 I'm happy as a pig eating bacon.
If I go AR10, I have no $$ left for glass.

Better accuracy at more distance is great, but I don't have any illusions of finding a 1,200 yard range sitting in my back yard. Even 500 yards is going to be few and far between.

 

[01deuce]

There are 308's that can be had within your budget with scope.

DPMS Oracle around $1,000. Blythes had one on sale for $800. That would leave enough for a decent scope.
I had a ptr once, nice rifle,but I prefer the AR's

DPMS Oracle

 

[Crbn79]

If I go AR10 I'm looking at going Armalite.

 

[sloughfoot]

I will second the DPMS LR 308 rifles. At around a grand, plenty left over for optics.

 

[engineerpower]

I had a really great C91 back in the day. Must have been the Wednesday that the drunken monkeys had dried out and didn't build the rifle crooked. Really nice rifle, but I hated how hard it was to clean the chamber area of the design. As in scraping out carbon deposits with a fingernail it was so thick.

A piston AR in .308 would be about right, and would offer more options than the G3-design. Good luck on finding a range like you're looking for in Indiana...

 

[Bonehead]

If I go AR10 I'm looking at going Armalite.

If you go Armalite make sure and get the AR-10A model that allows use of Magpul's 308 PMags, other wise you will be stuck having to use Armalite's expensive proprietary mags.

 

[Hop]

I love the look of the PTR but can't imagine those claw style mounts to not shoot loose after a while. Thoughts anyone?

 

[Crbn79]

I love the look of the PTR but can't imagine those claw style mounts to not shoot loose after a while. Thoughts anyone?

PTR91 has many models with picatinny rails mounted on them.

 

[sig1473]

Any AR-10/LR-308 will outshoot a PTR-91. I had 2 PTRs and 1 SAR-8 and there is/was no comparison in terms of accuracy vs. my LR-308. I no longer own the PTRs nor the SAR-8. YMMV

 

[Crbn79]

Any AR-10/LR-308 will outshoot a PTR-91. I had 2 PTRs and 1 SAR-8 and there is/was no comparison in terms of accuracy vs. my LR-308. I no longer own the PTRs nor the SAR-8. YMMV

I think people are missing my point. If I go AR10 it's going to be an Armalite or similar quality with a lifetime warranty behind it. My biggest obstacle atm is that I have no where to shoot beyond 500 yards. I can hit a 12 inch steel all day long at 500 yards with a PTR91, same with just about any AR10, accuracy beyond this means absolutely nothing in my choice.

 

[Cannon762]

I picked up a PTR91 A3R (the version that is powdercoated, welded rail, HK wide hand guard) from Atlantic a few months ago and I like it a lot. I haven't stretched mine past 200 yards, but I was hitting 12" steel pretty easily at that distance using a 1-6x40mm Burris MTAC which had me around $1500 for the whole setup. I'm no marksman, but was getting around 1.5moa with PMC bronze. I'm sure a better shooter and some decent ammo would dial that down a bit.

Loaded mine weighs almost 14lbs, so if weight is a factor for you, you may want to steer clear, or if not having a LRBHO bothers you you may look elsewhere, but those really weren't concerns for me. The trigger is alright and can be vastly improved for $60 by Bill Springfield, that's been the best bang-for-the-buck mod I've done to mine so far.

I'm happy with it. Great looking gun, cheap mags, very reliable so far and accurate enough for my uses.

 

[roadrunner681]

I think people are missing my point. If I go AR10 it's going to be an Armalite or similar quality with a lifetime warranty behind it. My biggest obstacle atm is that I have no where to shoot beyond 500 yards. I can hit a 12 inch steel all day long at 500 yards with a PTR91, same with just about any AR10, accuracy beyond this means absolutely nothing in my choice.

does it have to be semi auto? you can get a nice bolt gun for that if you want too, i would go with the ptr 91 mags are easy to get,the guns tough as hell, and i think they look cooler than a ar10.

 

[churchmouse]

My budget is $1,500. I'm only looking for a 500 yard 308 which I know the PTR91 can do all day long with a decent scope. If I can hit 12 inch steel at 500 I'm happy as a pig eating bacon.
If I go AR10, I have no $$ left for glass.

Better accuracy at more distance is great, but I don't have any illusions of finding a 1,200 yard range sitting in my back yard. Even 500 yards is going to be few and far between.

You need to PM me.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

There's a long range up west of Ft Wayne, can't remember what it's called. They go out to 1000 at least.

I've had a PTR for a long time; the scope mount I have on it has been solid. Haven't really stretched it out, though. I do generally feed it the berdan primed crap, since between the fluted chamber and the overenthusiastic ejector it pretty well trashes the brass anyway. You'd get good reloadable brass out of the AR. A second PTR, apparently never fired, disappeared into the wilderness for $800 a couple of months ago.

 

[Crbn79]

Thanks to all for the input. My budget got killed due to unexpected bills. (love those) I'm kinda leaning towards a PTR 91 as it stands. I like the AR10, but I'm thinking that will be an "investment" type weapon, for the time being I'd like to find something for playing around with. As for bolt action, I've got plenty in that category, kinda stuck on a durable battle rifle at the moment.

Mr Evilwrench, that $800 ptr would have been right in my now gone budget.