Need Help for PTR 91

[Ender91]

Im brand new to this forum so id like to at least say hi before i ask my question. So here goes I bought this rifle about 3 years ago and since the its been an great gun with litte next to no problems. (other than its a pain to clean.) Ive put at least 1400 rounds through it mainly surplus ammo ENG and South African battle packs. Anyway on my last trip to the range after about 160 rounds i noticed it jammed alot(was crushing rounds). So I let it cool off and came back a few minutes later and tried to rack a round and the bolt wouldnt move to save my life. I had to set it on the ground and put all my weight into it before it would move. So i figured i clean it and no dice so i left it in the safe with the bolt open and called a gunsmith who had no clue what gun i was refering to so thats when i decided to try online and see what happens. Can someone please give me some advice to this matter.

[99HMC4]

Is the bolt not moving back beacuse the round is stuck in the chamber or beacuse something is holding the bolt (like rollers or debris in the cocking tube/action, ect...)? Meaning is it sticking without ammo too? Or just sticking when feeding ammo? Does it do this with differant brands of ammo, new or just surplus? Are your chamber flutes clean? Ive heard some older PTRs (JLD) have had problems with tight chambers. When you fire it and it locks up, does the bolt cycle or move any? Or just bang and the bolt stays locked in battery? Bolt gap?

[Ender91]

Yeah it is sticking without ammo, I can fire a round but it wont chamber another round. I tried purchasing some rem UMC ammo and PMC as well, and got the same results. Now ive heard talk of the bolt gap but am not that all familiar with finding out how to read it. Sorry I am sort of new to HK products and how they work, the guy that sold me the gun didnt go into alot of detail which in turn makes me look real foolish. All ive learned how to do is clean it real well.

[darthvictor]

http://gunshowonthenet.com/Gun_Manuals/Gun_Manuals2/H&K_HKG3.pdf

That'll get ya goin'. Headspace (bolt gap) is covered (not well, but there is a picture) on page 5.

Their steps are kinda vague so:

1. Remove magazine and clear the weapon
2. Close the action. Let it slam home, don't ride it at all.
3. I know it doesn't say in the manual, but disengage the safety, point the weapon in a safe direction and drop the hammer (pull the trigger). Remeber we cleared it in step 1.
4. Flip it over and look into the magazine well and you'll see the bottom of the bolt assembly.
5. Now insert your feeler gauge between the bolt carrier and bolt head. G3 manual says 0.004" - 0.020" is ok. I think PTR says 0.007" - 0.020", but don't quote me on that. Either way, you should probably be somewhere in the low teens for comfortable, efficient function.

Hope that helps.

Oh yeah, no need to apologize for asking a question you really want the answer to. Especially not here! ;)

[99HMC4]

Yeah it is sticking without ammo, I can fire a round but it wont chamber another round. I tried purchasing some rem UMC ammo and PMC as well, and got the same results. Now ive heard talk of the bolt gap but am not that all familiar with finding out how to read it. Sorry I am sort of new to HK products and how they work, the guy that sold me the gun didnt go into alot of detail which in turn makes me look real foolish. All ive learned how to do is clean it real well.

If its firing and ejecting a round but will not feed another one, doesnt sound like ammo. Try checking your locking peice or maybe even your mag. Also I would try to move the bolt assy. by hand (with the stock off and no recoil spring) all they way back then forward and try see at what point the bolt locks up (you never know, could be something like a dent in the reciever) . Also does the cocking lever move okay in the tube if the bolt is out of the reciever? Try moving it with the bolt removed but the carrier in the reciever too. Hate to say it, but its probably pretty obviuos if its locking up a .308 action. Make sure the bolt/carrier is assembled right too. Might want to use a light and check your trunnion where the rollers lock. Dont shoot it anymore and keep asking questions until you fix the problem...

[Ender91]

I checked out the website and did the bolt clearance. Its sitting at about .013 now heres the funny thing while i did the bolt space check I noticed some play in the gas tube itself so i took the handgaurd off and the tube was able to be pulled right out with the barrel off the gun. If im not mistaken but shoudnt the tube be welded to the trunnion. I took the reciever to a local 91 gunsmith and hell get back to me tommorrow so hopefully ill have some good news. I feel alittle dumb not noticing that but i think when i tried to shoot it one last time it finnaly broke that weld im real lucky the gun didnt blow up on me. Thanks for the help and info i look foward to learning more about this gun and hope to buy more HK with feel like a total novice.

[99HMC4]

Hate to say it, but its probably pretty obviuos if its locking up a .308 action.

I knew it was something like that, I just didnt think that bad. No, it shouldnt do that. Did the weld crack or was it not welded at all?

[Ender91]

Yeah it looks like the weld broke it was only welded on one side and i can see the rough grooves. It looked like a decent weld job but shouldnt they have welded the tube all the way.

[bravokilo0101]

I dont want to sound like an a-holy but this is a PTR-91 and I dont think there is a gas tube. This weapon is a roller delayed blowback operation. Gas blows back through the flutes in the chamber, no gas tube. I think the tube you are talking about holds the cocking handle and is a cam lock mechanism. If the bolt was in the forward position and rollers locked in place you could not remove the bolt and bold carrier without the cocking handle. When the tube lost its weld it was out of place and so the bolt carrier group could not slide forward again. no way that could happen. I would send to rdts to have that fixed up or someone who knows about hk's.

[SFCat66]

Did you buy it used or new from JLD/PTR? If new, then I'd check on warranty issues, and even if it's used, they *might*.

[99HMC4]

I dont want to sound like an a-holy but this is a PTR-91 and I dont think there is a gas tube. This weapon is a roller delayed blowback operation. Gas blows back through the flutes in the chamber, no gas tube. I think the tube you are talking about holds the cocking handle and is a cam lock mechanism. If the bolt was in the forward position and rollers locked in place you could not remove the bolt and bold carrier without the cocking handle. When the tube lost its weld it was out of place and so the bolt carrier group could not slide forward again. no way that could happen. I would send to rdts to have that fixed up or someone who knows about hk's.

You dont sound like an a-hole but you dont sound like you know 100% what your talking about (you are right about the cocking tube not being a gas tube thoguh). Plus he already figured out the problem. People that think only RDTS (and like companies) can work on HK style weapons (the same people that think all .50 BMGs are Barretts) bug me. Any good gun smith or a good welder can fix the issue at hand....

[bravokilo0101]

ok my bad..
:27:

[Ender91]

I know it isnt reffered as a gas tube i would like to know though what exactly that tube is called. When i dropped it off at the gunsmith I asked the guy who checked it in what the tube was reffered as and he said gas tube. And no he wasnt the gunsmith. I was just wrong with the name of it. Funny thing is the guy said he ownd a HK-91 himself.

[99HMC4]

Its a cocking tube. These types of rifles do not use gas tubes...