Feanaro
Member
That said, is the PTR-91 a good choice? Or should I be looking at another variant?
The PTR-91 is a good choice but on the expensive side. If you have a little more money or are very mechanically inclined(welding and possibly barrel pressing) you can make your own. A receiver(Get a JLD receiver, the same on the PTR uses), parts kit, and US parts willcost around $400-500. You can find pretty much all of that at FAC Then you build it yourself or send it off to someone like Big50HK or IGF.
Then there is the Century Arms clones. The CETME versions suffer from parts compatibility issues(You can make nearly anything from an HK work on it with some time but many parts aren't drop in), a bass ackwards safety, and a slightly less refined rear sight. But I picked mine up for under $400 with tax. The G3 clone from CAI is in the $400-500 range. CAI has some quality control issues. They are getting much better but some of their receivers are ever so slightly out of spec in some spots(often in the magwell or mag latch areas). And they are mating random surplus parts together so the rifle might run sporadically for the first 200 rounds. They usually smooth out considerably after that. This route is cheaper but you're more likely to run into a lemon. Cherry-picking can get you around this.