PTR Industries aims to ship out 'Made in SC' guns

WMBFNews ^ | 3/20/14 | Stephanie Robusto

[RC one]

AYNOR, SC (WMBF) - The gun plant is already manufacturing parts to be put together for the first shipment of guns to be stamped with "Made In Aynor, South Carolina."

PTR Industries officially moved in to the empty building at the Cool Spring Business Park in Aynor in January. The Connecticut-based business is the first gun manufacturer to open in Horry County.

For the first few weeks, crews assembled parts previously made in the old Connecticut plant. It was the easiest way to train new, local employees and keep production going while transitioning to the new plant in Aynor.

Now, PTR Industries is operating at the Cool Spring Business Park with plans to have 80 percent of the gun parts manufactured there. We have different machines that mill different parts. We get metal to turn into the receiver, the bolts, the bolt heads, the carriers," explained purchasing manager Bob Grabowski during a tour of the facility.Every piece is inspected by human hands."If anything is a little bit off, the gun wont function right," said Grabowski, stating safety and quality control is a top priority at the gun plant.Employees are trained to detect any defect, which includes sanding off metal burrs and making measurements exact."We want to make sure when we send a gun out they have it for a long, long time and it doesn't give them any trouble," Grabowski said.

The company aims to not give purchasers any trouble and to abide by the law. Crews can alter machines to make the guns state-legal across the county.

"Our guns typically come with a 20 round magazine. But we create different parts for someone in California, for example, because by law guns there can only have 10 rounds," Grabowski explained, showing a machine made specifically to trim the magazine.

All the finished pieces are put together and put to a test fire. PTR Industries doesn't shoot outside, but in a controlled environment in the back of the plant. The company uses a bullet trap where crews put the muzzle of the gun into and fire off 10 to 15 rounds."We do that many rounds because it's a semi-automatic and we want to make sure everything is cycling through and working properly," said Grabowski.

PTR Industries is now offering a 'First Run Sale' for gun enthusiasts that want a piece of the history being made. The company will even allow a purchaser to pick out their own, unique serial number for the first run of guns.

[RC one]

Designed for those who require the most adaptable defense weapons package, the new PTR-91 SBR (Short Barrel Rifle) provides superior firepower in a customizable compact package. It’s available with a collapsible paratrooper or six-position M4 tactical stock and welded scope mount for optics mounting. The handguard is equipped with 3-inch rail at the 6 o’clock position for simple and fast front grip mounting. Caliber .308 Win., 8.375-inch barrel, H&K navy style polymer trigger group, and a 20-round magazine.

Read more: http://www.shotgunnews.com/2012/04/19/ptr-91-short-barrel-rifle/#ixzz2wbGqHBPT

[grobdriver]

Ugh.
That's got to be as loud sumbitch.

[Vinnie]

Horry Co., That’s Myrtle Beach isn’t it?
Visit, pick your ser#.
Make a nice trip out of it.

[Clay Moore]

But it is kind of cool to watch fire blow 3 feet out the end of the barrel!

[bikerman]

That’s got to be as loud sumbitch.

Loud guns save lives, oops loud bikes save lives never mind LOL

[backwoods-engineer]

I want a PTR-91, but in the regular HK-91 length, not this short-barreled thing. It’s the first cousin to the FAL, a roller-locked delayed-gas rifle in 7.62 x 51.

[RC one]

I’ll bet the muzzle flash looks like a ma deuce. It seems like it would be useful for repelling a group of armed and possibly armored intruders that managed to breach your front door, especially with a quality drum mag. I can see a few other uses for such a weapon too.

[OldPossum]

Ugh.

That's got to be as loud sumbitch.

It is indeed ugly, like all other guns of that design. I will never buy anything like it. I prefer traditional rifles, you know, the ones with a barrel of some length and a wooden stock.

[marktwain]

“But it is kind of cool to watch fire blow 3 feet out the end of the barrel!”

Those pyrotechnics come at a cost of lower muzzle velocity. With that pistol length barrel, I wager that the energy of the projectile is considerably less than that of an ordinary 30-30.

[NorthMountain]

With that flash hider, it will blow jets of flame 3 feet to each side as well.

[Tailback]

I want a PTR-91, but in the regular HK-91 length, not this short-barreled thing. It’s the first cousin to the FAL, a roller-locked delayed-gas rifle in 7.62 x 51.

It's a first cousin to the G-3 not the FAL. The FAL is a gas piston driven rifle.

I qualified with the Bundeswehr using the G-3 back in the late 80's. The G-3 was a good rifle, but I didn't like that the sights weren't adjustable for windage.

[ops33]

Yep. For those employees that moved south with the company being close to Myrtle Beach isn't too bad.
They have to remember that the correct pronunciation of Horry County is Or-EEE County. From an old French Huguenot name.

[MasterGunner01]

As the proud owner of an M14 clone, several FAL replicas, a G3 clone, and a CETME replica, these rifles all have distinct personalities. The felt recoil of the CETME is softer than the G3 clone — why this is I have no idea. The FALs are Cadillacs of the main battle rifles. But for simplicity of parts and maintenance, the M14 is tops.

That short barreled PTR with its telescoping stock has got to be a real thumper in the recoil department. The telescoping stock is not particularly ergonomic. The muzzle blast has got to be fierce!

[RC one]

my current .308 is an AR10T. It’s a pleasure to shoot but it’s more of a sniper rifle than a battle rifle. A buddy has a DSA FN-FAL that he wants me to buy and I want it but Cabelas has half a dozen of those PTR91s and there’s that kel tec bull pup and the scar17 and the UTS15. there’s just no end to the guns I want to buy frankly and today happens to be payday.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This may be very important news.

A big part of the 10th Amendment movement is the idea that if guns and their ammo are made in a state exclusively for use in that state, then they are not under federal jurisdiction, because no interstate commerce is involved.

(Granted, the courts have said that “interstate” is the same as “intrastate”, but that is a nonsensical interpretation of the constitution and needs to be challenged. Up is not the same as down.)

But to do this, guns and ammo need to be clearly labeled as associated with a single state, and for use within that state only.

If this comes to pass, it should encourage states to create enabling laws for just in state gun and ammo makers to set up shop.

[MasterGunner01]

The AR-10T is a fine rifle, especially since it has been updated to the AR-15 ergonomics. Original ArmaLite AR-10 ergonomics were poor in comparison to the AR-15.

Of the M14, FN FAL, G3, and CETME — the M14 and FN FAL rifles have the best controls. The single best thing you can do for a G3 clone or CETME clone (including the HK-91 and PTR-91) is the fitting of a paddle type magazine release (similar to the M14).

The military G3 and CETME designs both have two magazine releases: 1) a push button on the right side of the magazine well and 2) a paddle type magazine release located behind the magazine well and the front of the trigger guard. When the original semi-auto only civilian HK-91 and CETME rifles were imported from Germany and Spain, the third push pin ahead of the trigger guard was deleted (along with the paddle magazine release) so that a FA trigger group would not fit the imported rifles.

The paddle magazine conversion is a legal, ATF approved modification and one you will appreciate if you have this rifle. Here's one gunsmith who does this conversion to ATF specs: http://www.triggerwork.net/paddlemag.html.

[Vinnie]

Ew, The ‘H’ is silent. I didn’t know that. Thanks.

[TurboZamboni]

there’s just no end to the guns I want to buy frankly and today happens to be payday.

I feel your pain. I like my Siggy 716.

[RC one]

It’s beauty lies in its engineering and its mission specific utility. In a CQB scenario, the beauty of that particular weapon would immediately be apparent to the individual holding it.

[RC one]

I’ll bet. How’s that gas system working for you? I have a stag model 8 that I haven’t even had a chance to shoot yet but it just got a Leupold AR 3x9 and 420 rounds of M855 so I’m looking forward to seeing if that gas operation is as great as I think it’s going to be.