Russian anti-tank guns

TheGrandEnigma

New member
Rating - 100%
10   0   0
Does anybody here own a PTRS or PTRD? Looking to buy one (PTRD) and trying to find some opinions on them. How hard is it o find 14.5x114 ammo?

Any other calibers people have converted the guns to (I hear necked down to take .50 bmg bullets, it will throw them at 4000fps!)? What kind of condition would be suitable (safe) to shoot?

Any other info or opinions would be sweet.

Thanks all.
 
Lots of people own PTRD. PTRS is less common, but still obtainable. PTRD's typically go for $1500-2000, PTRS's about a grand more.

14.5x114 Ammo is nearly impossible to find in Canada. If you're LUCKY to see a round or two somewhere, expect to pay ~50$ per round.
Some people have reloaded them with success, but the initial investment into reloading equipment is HUGE (dies alone are about $500), cases and projectiles are a major pain to find.

I dont see how its possible to convert a 14.5 barrel to shoot 12.7 projectiles. Its possible to convert PTRD to .50 BMG, but it would require a new, custom .50 BMG barrel - you cant use the original 14.5 barrel. I'd just buy a .50BMG rifle if you want one, although converting a PTRD might end up being a little cheaper.

.50 BMG barrels can not be reamed out to accept a necked down 14.5x114 case, because the 14.5 case is MUCH bigger and there wouldn't be enough metal left on the chamber walls to support it.
Even if you were to get some kind of a custom made barrel, you would still run into a problem of finding 14.5x114 cases, as well as buying all the ultra-expensive loading equipment for such a huge round
 
"...dont see how its possible to convert a 14.5 barrel to shoot 12.7 projectiles..." It's not. The 14.5 is a .60 calibre. The 12.7 is .50 calibre. Doubt you'll find either in Canada.
 
While specimen cartridges can be had, they are not common. Much of the current production ammunition is classified as prohibited because of projectile type. It has also been suggested that current production machinegun ammuntion is too hot for these rather old rifles.
Current .50 rifles are primarily long range precision rifles. The PTRD and PTRS rifles were intended for a different purpose. A rebarrelled PTRD might not shoot as well as any of the available .50s, as far as accuracy goes. The barrelled action recoiling back in the frame with every shot is not going to contribute to precision.
There have been reports of businesses looking to be able to supply legal inert projectile rounds. Unless this happens, these are not going to be easy rifles to shoot.
 
AND REMEMBER these all fall under the Directorate of Controlled Goods....

John

Are you sure?
I know plenty of people with these rifles who never heard of DCG.
Perhaps you're confusing something with the US where these rifles classify as "destructive devices".

Here's a quote from your website:
"This is a non-restricted firearm. Anyone permitted by law to acquire firearms in Canada may own one."
http://www.marstar.ca/PTRD-41.htm
 
Post a "WTB" ad on EE here. In this economy, i imagine there would be some gunnutz wanting to get rid of these toys.
As for ammo, try gun shows... But like i said - expect to pay ~50$ per round or more, IF you are lucky to find it.
 
I fire 3 rounds with my PTRS.... AT 65$ a round. And remember you need a giant clip for your PTRS (which is harder to find than the rifle) if you want to fire it semi-auto!
 
Given a sample, cases could probably be made on a CNC lathe. Lot of expensive swarf on the floor though!
 
Thanks for all the advice and encouragement - here's an update:

- I don't want a PTRS, but a PTRD.
- After some correspondence with marstar, it appears that the PTRD is a controlled good, so I need to be registered with them (controlled goods, not Marstar, if I can :( ) before I can get one
- I have a friend who is a machinist, so I might be able to get deals on custom cases

Now some questions:

- if the ammo is a controlled good, would it be legal to make?
- Where could I get bullets (cast?)
- what powder would I use?
- i could use .50 bmg primers if make the cases as such, right?
- what would I need for a backstop when I'm out shooting?
- are tracer rounds legal?
 
You could get a machinist to make some with a bullet sized insides, this would be for reduced loads I would imagine, these sorts of casings were made in .577/450, 20mm for the Finnish L-39, and other hard to find rounds I guess, but again this would not be cheap.

Hmm, at first I think I understood what you were saying, but now I'm kinda confused?

Sizing the bullet to the lands? Sizing the bullet to the inside of a case? Sizing a case to the chamber? Why is it for reduced loads?
 
Back
Top Bottom