Differentiating between an empty mag and a malfunction on a G3/PTR 91

[wkendwarrior2003]

I understand the G3/HK 91/PTR 91 rifles don't hold the bolt open on the last shot. My question is if this is the case how is one to recognize quickly whether the magazine is empty or if there is a malfunction of some kind going on? Is keeping count of the rounds that have been fired the only way to know for sure? Is this what soldiers who used the G3 were trained to do?

I don't really know why, but I've never really thought all that much about this until now. I know this is supposed to be a pretty reliable rifle and it's probably unlikely that a misfeed or something like that would happen...but unless you pull the trigger and hear only a "click" after firing only five of twenty loaded rounds in the magazine, how would you know there was obviously a problem unless you took the time to check??

What if you had a malfunction or something on the 17th round? Wouldn't it get kind of confusing if you thought you were out of ammo and switched mags, only to find out after that something was still not right? Do these things happen so rarely with this type of weapon that it really isn't much of an issue?

Please don't flame me or anything, I like G3s and PTR 91 rifles, I'm just curious about all this. Please forgive my ignorance.....:?

[rcnpthfndr]

"Is this what soldiers who used the G3 were trained to do?"

Nope, most of us still use the old method of placing 3-5 tracers as the last rounds of the mag. tracers start coming out, its mag change time.

as for the civillian side of the house, since most ranges around here have a round restriction in a mag for rifles, i just use HK 5rd mags

[Tuscan Raider]

Even if you were close to being out or had a malfunction, would a tactical reload
really be that bad of an idea?

The few malfunctions I had to deal with in which the trigger group was riding
too low, you could tell when that fat, heavy ass bolt and carrier didn't fly
forward.

[Super B]

I use steel smooth mags as range mags. My ribbed aluminim mags have tracers in the bottom. That way I can feel the difference at nite.

[Bryan 45]

I used my PTR in a 3 gun match last year. I haven't had much trigger time w/ this rifle. I was blazing through the stage when I pulled the trigger and CLICK! I grabbed the charging handle, gave it a tug, and CLICK.

WTF thinks me. Outloud I began to curse the Nazi engineers that fled Germany for Spain, "WHY COULDN"T YOU HAVE DESIGNED AN AUTO-HOLD-OPEN???"

A mag change of course quickly rectified the situation. More range time with the rifle is the long term solution.

I'm not going to spend the money for tracers to play on the range. I'm thinking next 3 gun match, change a mag when it clicks.

G3's don't malfunction anyway, right? ;)

[Super B]

Not unless you use SA ammo....

[Gawker]

or

Use some Cavim 308 ammo if you want malfunctions after 1 or 2 shots after the tar like material gums up the chamber flute.

[2 clicks low]

Not exactly the answer you are looking for but you can drill a witness hole or hole in the back of the magazine. I have some FN FAL that has factory witness holes

[wkendwarrior2003]

Originally posted by 2 clicks low
Not exactly the answer you are looking for but you can drill a witness hole or hole in the back of the magazine. I have some FN FAL that has factory witness holes

This is an interesting idea. I might try it on a couple someday. However, for me, I think the tracer idea might be more practical (I have a LOT of G3 mags).

[stove6]

WTF thinks me. Outloud I began to curse the Nazi engineers that fled Germany for Spain, "WHY COULDN"T YOU HAVE DESIGNED AN AUTO-HOLD-OPEN???"

I think the HK G36 has an AutoHold open.