PTR-91 after 1-1-2018

[LindenBruce]

Hello All,

So, my buddy bought a brand new PTR-91 with bullet button a year ago. All legal and everything, transferred through a licensed FFL. Beautiful rifle. However, he is getting nervous about what happens after this January 1st.

Does he have to register it as an assault rifle? Or can he mod it to prevent having to register it as an assault rifle? Like the AR's are doing with the mag locks? Since all long guns in California are registered now at the time of purchase, does it still have to be registered again as an assault rifle?

I know, I know, all this PC crap about what is or is not an assault rifle. It is nearly impossible to make heads or tails out of it here in Cali anymore. Okay, thanks guys. B.

[Varg Vikernes]

He would have to go featureless. Or maybe find a way to do a fixed mag and maybe use stripper clips? Idk if PTRs have a stripper clip guide?

[Nguyen]

Hello All,

So, my buddy bought a brand new PTR-91 with bullet button a year ago. All legal and everything, transferred through a licensed FFL. Beautiful rifle. However, he is getting nervous about what happens after this January 1st.

Does he have to register it as an assault rifle? Or can he mod it to prevent having to register it as an assault rifle? Like the AR's are doing with the mag locks? Since all long guns in California are registered now at the time of purchase, does it still have to be registered again as an assault rifle?

I know, I know, all this PC crap about what is or is not an assault rifle. It is nearly impossible to make heads or tails out of it here in Cali anymore. Okay, thanks guys. B.

Assault rifles and assault weapons are two different things. AW Ban is not assault rifle ban.

[jimbo74]

the rifle itself is registered as being owned property

if it has a bullet button, it needs to be now registered as an AW, unless there is a way to make it featureless, or fixed magazine

[Quiet]

Hello All,

So, my buddy bought a brand new PTR-91 with bullet button a year ago. All legal and everything, transferred through a licensed FFL. Beautiful rifle. However, he is getting nervous about what happens after this January 1st.

Does he have to register it as an assault rifle? Or can he mod it to prevent having to register it as an assault rifle? Like the AR's are doing with the mag locks? Since all long guns in California are registered now at the time of purchase, does it still have to be registered again as an assault rifle?

I know, I know, all this PC crap about what is or is not an assault rifle. It is nearly impossible to make heads or tails out of it here in Cali anymore. Okay, thanks guys. B.

assault weapon =/= assault rifle

Starting 01-01-2017, a semi-auto centerfire rifle with a "bullet button" style magazine lock and restricted features (pistol grip, etc) is considered an assault weapon. [PC 30515(a)(1)]

It is illegal to import, make, advertise for sale, transfer, or possess an assault weapon in CA. [PC 30600(a) & 30605(a)]

Because your friend legally acquired it before 2017, he is granted an exemption to possess it. That exemption ends 07-01-2018. [PC 30680]

Therefore, he has until 06-30-2018 to do one of the following:
A. Register it as an assault weapon.
B. Modify it so that it operates using a fixed 10 or less round magazine.
C. Modify it so that it does not have any restricted features.
D. Modify it so that it is manually operated (bolt-action, etc).
E. Disassemble it and never assemble it while in CA.
F. Take it out-of-state for storage or to transfer it through an out-of-state FFL dealer.
G. Sell it to a CA FFL dealer with an assault weapons permit.
H. Surrender it to law enforcement for destruction.

[OniKoroshi]

Grip wrap + compliant muzzle brake or thread protector so you can drop mags with a normal mag release or FA's DFM below.

https://www.franklinarmory.com/collections/dfm/products/franklin-armory-dfm-for-hk-platform

[loademup]

Yes, go featureless if you don't want to register...I went featureless on my PTR GI. All I had to do was put a Kydex grip wrap around the pistol grip, swap out the flash hider for a muzzle break. I will assume your buddy's rifle doesn't have any of the other Calfornia assault weapon features below, if so, get rid of them.

12276.1 (a) Notwithstanding Section 12276, "assault weapon" shall also mean any of the following:
1. A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine AND any one of the following:

2. A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
3. A thumbhole stock.
4. A folding or telescoping stock.
5. A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
6. A flash suppressor.
7. A forward pistol grip.

If you go featureless, you can get rid of the bullet button and put the normal mag release back on. If you register, you cannot do that.

[Milsurp1]

[Sputnik]

My PTR wears a grip wrap and a "faux flash hider" (just a solid tube that looks like a FH from a couple feet away). Featureless is nice except for the no wrapping the thumb part but we have to do it... for now.

[LindenBruce]

Okay thanks guys I will let my buddy know. The only feature it has is the factory pistol grip, which is just how these rifles came. So I guess the Kydex would be the way to go. And a muzzle break to be safe. Given the rifle was registered when it was purchased, it doesn't make sense to re-register it as an AW when nothing has been changed from the time of purchase. Just crazy.

B.

[kcheung2]

Okay thanks guys I will let my buddy know. The only feature it has is the factory pistol grip, which is just how these rifles came. So I guess the Kydex would be the way to go. And a muzzle break to be safe. Given the rifle was registered when it was purchased, it doesn't make sense to re-register it as an AW when nothing has been changed from the time of purchase. Just crazy.

B.

Something has changed...the politicians have gotten more bold.

But yes, my only mod was a fin grip & a brake to go featureless. And of course putting back the regular mag release.

[Don the savage]

Rtg parts has a lower that works with ar grips if you want to use a magpul gip with a fin.

[Bob Oso]

get a grip wrap with a thumb shelf

[blackrat]

Rtg parts has a lower that works with ar grips if you want to use a magpul gip with a fin.

Smart. Pricey, but clean.

Hkparts has the california compliant lookalike thread protector that resembles the stock flash hider

[loademup]

Smart. Pricey, but clean.

Hkparts has the california compliant lookalike thread protector that resembles the stock flash hider

I believe the muzzle thread protector that resembles the standard HK 91 flash hider was mentioned previously in this discussion thread:

https://www.hkparts.net/shop/pc/HK-G3-91-PTR-NY-CA-Muzzle-Brake-US-5-8-X-24-121p17927.htm

As well as satisfying the no flash hider California requirement on your PTR 91, an additional benefit of this item is that you can still mount a G3 bayonet on your rifle if you use this muzzle thread protector. All the dimensions are the same as a real flash hider.