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In all honesty, I never planned on buying a PTR 32 KF and it stemmed from a rather simple mistake that turned into a new gun purchase. I was online and instead of ordering 100 rounds of 5.56 ammo, I ordered a 1,000 round case of 7.62×39. I still to this day don’t understand whose mistake it was, but rather than trying to get my money back, I decided to buy a new gun. Since I was young. I grew up shooting AKs and variations of the AK system so I wanted to look for something a bit different. I checked out a few different AR-15s in 7.62×39 but ended up liking the PTR 32 most.
Specs
The PTR 32 is basically an HK 91 clone chambered in 7.62×39 with a roller delayed blowback system. The gun has a 16.1 inch barrel and weighs just over 9 lbs empty. The PTR 32 KF is not a light gun and has a typical HK rifle trigger that’s fairly heavy with a 9.5-pound trigger. The rifle came with a metal handguard that accepts Picatinny rail attachments. My PTR 32 is a 1st generation model and now they are generation 2. PTR tweaked some internal with the 2nd generation and fixed the 1st generation to take certain magazines.
I have run polymer magazines along with the Magpul PMAGs in my gun with good luck. Steel magazines often have feeding issues with my gun but the polymer magazines work well with the 1st generation guns. The rifle’s construction seems to be very high quality with clean welds on the gun with an even finish. The rifle came standard with an A2 style flash hider and it does a great job of keeping flash to a minimum. The paddle-style magazine release well known on the AK series of rifles and HK 91 is present on the PTR 32 as well. The MSRP on this rifle is currently $1336.00 for the standard model.
Range Trips
Shooting the PTR 32 is an experience of its own. The rifle reminds me of shooting an older Colt SP1 because every shot the shooter can feel the bolt cycling. The HK 91 was originally designed for 7.62×51 so the lighter recoiling round of the PTR 32 is extremely soft shooting. There’s little to no recoil with the rifle and the blowback design gives it an incredibly unique feeling at the range. The rifle isn’t as streamlined compared to an AR15 so it’s a totally different experience to run hard in drills. The PTR 32 is simplistic as design and that’s part of the challenge to run quickly in a rifle course.
One of the best parts of the rifle is the front charging handle. It operates just like an MP5 every time you load the rifle you have the option of doing that 80s action superstar slap on the charging handle to have the first round go into battery. When testing accuracy on the PTR 32, I shot a couple boxes of brass cased American Eagle 124gr 7.62×39 and was average right around 2 MOA at 100 yards. When switching to steel-cased ammunition I went with Wolf Ammunition 123gr rounds and averaged 2.5 MOA at 100 yards.
Shooting and Sights
The PTR 32 may look a bit odd with an AK style magazine sticking out of it, but when shooting drills at closer distances, the rifle is still fairly easy to transition between targets and reload under stress. I decided to run the gun slick with just irons for the last six months or so with good results so far. An accessory rail did come with my version of the rifle so it was definitely nice to have the option to either mount optics or run it just irons. The iron sights are adjustable for height and elevation and the rear sight has four different settings based on distance with a traditional HK-style front sight.
The Break-In Period
So when I first picked up the PTR 32, I did have a dozen malfunctions in the first 500 rounds of the rifle. I thought it might have been magazines but after trying different magazines it came down to cycling issues because of tolerances. This rifle had very tight tolerances and needed a good cleaning and some rounds through it before things began to run correctly.
Once I put about 550 rounds through the gun, it became 100% reliable and will feed any type of ammunition I put into it. When I was having some feeding issues I ended up calling PTR and they said it was most likely the rifle breaking in as well. The rifle has been 100% reliable since then and from what I’ve heard from owners of the 2nd generation, it is no longer an issue and the guns are 100% reliable out of the box.
Overall Thoughts
In a market filled to the brim with AR-style rifles, it’s really refreshing to shoot and try out a different style rifle occasionally. The PTR 32 is a rifle I just enjoy taking out to the range and shooting to spice up my range sessions. I feel like we get so focused on the AR15 that we forget there are a ton of different options on the market today. The gun may be a tad odd looking and unconventional but those are the characteristics that make me absolutely love this rifle.
It may be heavy and cumbersome at times, but it makes me smile every time I pull the trigger. This is one of those rare examples where shooting this rifle makes it feel like a special occasion. If you’ve been debating on picking the PTR 32 up, I would say absolutely do it. Let me know what you guys think about crazy mashup rifles like this PTR 32 in the comments below. If you have a question about the rifle or shooting, in general, don’t be afraid to send me a message on my Instagram page @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there.
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