PTR G3 - CA3

[Retired Sarge]

Oops, I did a thing again.....That will make 3 rifles bought in 31 days.

Century Arms aquired the Portuguese FMP G3 rifles, less barrels and receivers. Imported them, and had PTR assembled them with new US made receivers and barrels.

Last year they were running around $1200.00, then on sale for around $850.00 then $750.00, well the other day they were listed at $649.00 basically. Like a moth to a light, I couldn't resist that price.

So I checked in with my FFL Monday morning, then ordered one. Not long after ordering mine the price jumped back up to $750.00. I got in just under the wire.

For those who don't know what a G3 looks like, here's two pictures I swiped from the dealers site. I'll post pictures of mine once it arrives. I have a parts kit for its Spanish cousin the CETME C stashed away, picture of it is at the end.

 

[ToddsPoint]

How can you import a rifle “less barrel and receiver”? Without a receiver, it’s not even a gun. Please explain!🤷🏼

 

[Retired Sarge]

How can you import a rifle “less barrel and receiver”? Without a receiver, it’s not even a gun. Please explain!🤷🏼

Should have put they were imported as parts kits. The barrels and receivers having been destroyed prior. PTR took the parts kits installed new US made barrels and receivers making them into firearms again.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Well it arrived at my FFL today and came home with me. Been wanting one and now I have one.

Still reading up and learning about these. Left hand bolt pull, odd and takes some learning. Stiffness of the bolt, swore I was going to break the folding handle trying to get the bolt back.

Figured out how to remove the plug where the bayonet adapter goes. Wow the adapters are/were expensive if you can find one.

First impressions, dang this thing is heavy. A little wobble at the handguard, but not too bad. Everything else seems tight. Sturdy beast that is for sure.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Here you can see where the charging handle is....On the left side and way forward on the barrel with the folding piece folded.

Second pictures shows it locked back and the folding piece extended.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Here you can see where the charging handle is....On the left side and way forward on the barrel with the folding piece folded.

Second pictures shows it locked back and the folding piece extended.

View attachment 2212013
View attachment 2212014

What company and what country were the original rifles made in? I’ve never seen one of those before.

 

[Retired Sarge]

What company and what country were the original rifles made in? I’ve never seen one of those before.

The Portuguese G3 is a licensed copy of the German made Heckler & Koch G3, and made in Portugal by Fábrica de Braço de Prata.

The German made G3 is a licensed modified copy of the Spanish CETME rifle. Which in turn was born out of a Mauser rifle that was never fielded by the Germans before WWII ended.

So it's a Portuguese made G3 rifle, turned into a parts kits, sold to the US.

Long but interesting read if you like firearms. The Wiki page gives a lot of history on them.

Heckler & Koch G3 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Physics guy]

Bought a new H&K G3 back in the early ‘60s. Importer was Santa Fe Division Golden State Arms. Nice gun, wish I still had it.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Bought a new H&K G3 back in the early ‘60s. Importer was Santa Fe Division Golden State Arms. Nice gun, wish I still had it.

Cool, thanks for sharing. I still have every firearm I've bought. I just can't let anything go, whether it is good one or one that ends up being a lemon like the SCCY pistols did.

That all said I wasn't kicking it in the early 60s, I didn't bless or punish my parents with my presence until 66. The availability of Milsurps was way better back then that is for sure.

 

[ToddsPoint]

The availability of Milsurps was way better back then that is for sure.

I grew up in the 50s and early 60s. I got Boy’s Life magazine. It was the Boy Scout magazine. In the back there was an advertisement I about every issue for a surplus Boys Anti tank rifle. It was $29.95.
No ammo was available. It might have been sold by Francis Bannerman. Look him up. So much surplus after WW2 they were giving it away. There were Army surplus store’s everywhere. Many were in guys garages. I was a kid with no money so I just watched it all go by.🤷🏼

 

[Physics guy]

Cool, thanks for sharing. I still have every firearm I've bought. I just can't let anything go, whether it is good one or one that ends up being a lemon like the SCCY pistols did.

That all said I wasn't kicking it in the early 60s, I didn't bless or punish my parents with my presence until 66. The availability of Milsurps was way better back then that is for sure.

When I was preparing to move from CA to VA in the ‘90s I sold everything except for a couple of 1911s I used for USPSA competition, plus a couple of Webleys. One was a Mk IV “The Sun Never Sets” commemorative, purchased new. The other was a Mark III .38; the backstrap was engraved PSN Co (Pacific Steam Navigation Company). It appeared to be unfired! I imagined it spending its whole life in some purser’s safe. Gave both to the National Firearms Museum. I also had a Wilkinson Webley with matching Wilkinson holster. This was a commercial Mk VI with a high-gloss blue finish. Topstrap was roll-engraved Wilkinson Sword Company Pall Mall London. I wish I had kept those three Webleys. Oh well.

 

[Physics guy]

I grew up in the 50s and early 60s. I got Boy’s Life magazine. It was the Boy Scout magazine. In the back there was an advertisement I about every issue for a surplus Boys Anti tank rifle. It was $29.95.
No ammo was available. It might have been sold by Francis Bannerman. Look him up. So much surplus after WW2 they were giving it away. There were Army surplus store’s everywhere. Many were in guys garages. I was a kid with no money so I just watched it all go by.🤷🏼

A well-heeled college buddy of mine in the ‘60s had a .55cal Boys, a 20mm Lahti and a 25mm Puteaux, plus ammo for all three. Different world back then. All over .50cal and couldn’t get ATF permission to keep them.

 

[Retired Sarge]

I grew up in the 50s and early 60s. I got Boy’s Life magazine. It was the Boy Scout magazine. In the back there was an advertisement I about every issue for a surplus Boys Anti tank rifle. It was $29.95.
No ammo was available. It might have been sold by Francis Bannerman. Look him up. So much surplus after WW2 they were giving it away. There were Army surplus store’s everywhere. Many were in guys garages. I was a kid with no money so I just watched it all go by.🤷🏼

Quite familiar with Bannermans, a lot of the surplus around is because of him. Plus many countries were armed by him.

Man to have the money, I have now, back then, and to have been old enough and I would have a museum full of weapons, uniforms etc.

 

[Retired Sarge]

When I was preparing to move from CA to VA in the ‘90s I sold everything except for a couple of 1911s I used for USPSA competition, plus a couple of Webleys. One was a Mk IV “The Sun Never Sets” commemorative, purchased new. The other was a Mark III .38; the backstrap was engraved PSN Co (Pacific Steam Navigation Company). It appeared to be unfired! I imagined it spending its whole life in some purser’s safe. Gave both to the National Firearms Museum. I also had a Wilkinson Webley with matching Wilkinson holster. This was a commercial Mk VI with a high-gloss blue finish. Topstrap was roll-engraved Wilkinson Sword Company Pall Mall London. I wish I had kept those three Webleys. Oh well.

Don't have a Webley in my herd as of yet. But it is on the Gotta Get list, that seems to get bigger, no matter what I get. Mark one off the list add 5 more to it.

 

[Retired Sarge]

A well-heeled college buddy of mine in the ‘60s had a .55cal Boys, a 20mm Lahti and a 25mm Puteaux, plus ammo for all three. Different world back then. All over .50cal and couldn’t get ATF permission to keep them.

I'd be in Hog Heaven just being able to fire one of those....!

 

[Retired Sarge]

Well a package showed up last week with a bayonet adapter and one showed up today with a bayonet.

This rifle is now complete, even has an German HK made sling on it.

Picture 1, 2 the old gal complete.
Picture 3 bayonet adapter.
Picture 4, 5 bayonet attached.
Picture 6 6 spare magazines to go with the one that it came with.

Magazine markings:

HK 8/66 (HK = Heckler & Koch obviously).

G3 FMP 1/75 (FMP = Fábrica de Material de Guerra de Portugal or Factory of War Material of Portugal).

G3 11/64

G3 Crowned K 6/66 (Crown K = Manufactured in Norway by Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk often referred to as Kongsberg Gruppen).

G3 Crowned K 4/67 (Crown K = Manufactured in Norway by Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk often referred to as Kongsberg Gruppen).

G3 HK 12/70 (HK = Heckler & Koch obviously).

G3 HK 3/69 (HK = Heckler & Koch obviously).

 

[ToddsPoint]

Very nice! When will the Supreme Court throw out Illinois ban on those? We’re patiently waiting with our rifles stashed away. 🤷🏼

 

[russau]

I grew up in the 50s and early 60s. I got Boy’s Life magazine. It was the Boy Scout magazine. In the back there was an advertisement I about every issue for a surplus Boys Anti tank rifle. It was $29.95.
No ammo was available. It might have been sold by Francis Bannerman. Look him up. So much surplus after WW2 they were giving it away. There were Army surplus store’s everywhere. Many were in guys garages. I was a kid with no money so I just watched it all go by.🤷🏼

It seems that we all have had the same/similar dreams / lives as we have grown up back then ! For some of us, these weapons bring back those fond memories! My fathers cousin collected weapons. He had a room in his home that he had built to controll temp & humindity & security . It was fully alarmed and had glass show cases to display the many weapons he had.He was very carefull who knew /saw this room . I guess the word got out and his treasure got cleaned out. EVERY WEAPON /EVERTHING ! What a shame ! We never heard the out come !