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Thread: HK91 Price Check

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    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Question HK91 Price Check

    Was speaking with a contractor this morning and the subject turned to guns and ammo. He mentioned that he was looking for 7.62x51 ammo. When I asked what he was going to shoot it out of he stated be had an HK91 that he bought back before the ban and was wanting to start shooting it again. When I mentioned what a nice and valuable firearm that was he had no idea it was worth that much more than what he paid for it back then which he thought was around $1K.

    Told him it was worth a good bit more than that today and said he ought to sell it and buy some other things since he never shoots it. I offered to let him tour the armory and see if there were several somethings I had that he might like and perhaps we could work out a trade.

    From what I can tell a fixed stock, preban HK91 in excellent condition is worth around $2500 or so. Is that about right?

    I've got an early cast receiver CETME but a real 91 would be pretty sweet. Thoughts?
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    Honestly, I just can't do something like that. Unless it's a Johnson rifle or something very rare, I couldn't lay out those$$$ when there's perfectly good clones for so much cheaper. But to each his own. Lot's of things I buy you would say WTF are you thinking.

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    Guns Network Contributor 04/2013 El Laton Caliente's Avatar

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    About 4 to 5 years ago I picked up a HK91, collapsable, sling & one mag, no box or anything else, from a pawn shop in NRA Fine/Excellent for $1700. That is the cheapest one I've seen in maybe 10 years... I see them at gun shows priced at over $3,000 and the same guy is there two years later with the same rifle.

    From $2K to $2,800 depending on condition, completeness, accessories. Remember some accessories are very expensive, the original scope and canister is $450 or so. Mags are CHEAP, except the 30 rounders. A sniper model is double the price...

    Add some more:

    A PTR91 is half the price NEW and just about as good a rifle. The old Springfield SAR8 *can* be as nice a rifle cheaper, there are several sources & configurations of those so be careful.
    Last edited by El Laton Caliente; 01-23-2012 at 01:51 PM.

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    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Thanks for the replies. When I told him you could buy drum mags now for his rifle he did mention that he had at least one 30rd mag for it. I know about the PTR series and as I mentioned I have a CETME, just thought it I could work a trade for this it might kind of nice to have.

    I wouldn't lay out cash for something like this but a trade might be doable. I've got quite a bit of stuff that I no longer shoot or have never shot that has either gone up in value quite a bit, was acquired well below market or both so we'll see what happens. This isn't something I need at all so if it doesn't happen it's not a big deal.
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    Conributor 09/13 slamfire51's Avatar

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    As with all water under the bridge, I bought a NIB 91 in 1984 for $599. Like a dumb ass, I traded it for a Colt CAR-15 and put a few bucks in my pocket.

    Hindsight makes me sick.
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    Senior Member Solidus-snake's Avatar

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    HK sucks.

    With that out of the way, it would still be a nice piece to own but I wouldnt pay or even trade all that much moneys worth towards one when I could just get a PTR or in my case, a CETME that runs like clockwork.

    Depends if you feel like collecting man. The way I see the same guys year after year at the shows trying to sell theirs tho, the only real value youll be getting would be to your collecting senses.
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    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by slamfire51 View Post
    As with all water under the bridge, I bought a NIB 91 in 1984 for $599. Like a dumb ass, I traded it for a Colt CAR-15 and put a few bucks in my pocket.

    Hindsight makes me sick.
    I hear you. Back in the early 80's when I was stationed in San Diego a shipmate of mine and his buddy bought two HK94 carbines. As I recall the carbines were around $600 or so (gun shop prices), pretty spendy at the time.

    I remember thinking , "God those 94's are ugly with that long skinny barrel and who wants a collapsable stock on a rifle". Who knew? I also remember him loosing both carbines as well as two Beretta 92's when their apartment was robbed. It always stuck in my mind cause he always talked about having a carbine and a pistol that both shout 9 mike mike. Only guy I ever knew that called 9mm "mike mike".
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    Guns Network Contributor 04/2013 El Laton Caliente's Avatar

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    I thought at $1700 I couldn't go wrong and could get the money back out of it easily... I'd never pay the top price of over $3K some ask... I guess a few sell at that price. If it is NRA fine/excellent I can see trading for it to a $2500 current value if you want it and have less in the trade goods...

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    You're right, probably $2500 or possibly a bit more for a good one. They are excellent guns, very easy to service and parts are pretty reasonable and readily available.

    The 20-round magazines are plentiful and very inexpensive. The South African 30-rounders work good and they're $34.95 at What A Country.

    From my perspective, an excellent choice!

  10. #10
    was_peacemaker
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    Honestly the real HK-91 is a bit better quality than the PTR and other clones. Not that PTR is bad, but there is a reason why a lot of HK smiths I have talked to won't work on them. From what I understand the some of the early "real" HK-91's had laser cut polygonal barrels which is said to be a frictionless barrel. Problem was you couldn't shoot soft points out of them.

    The way its been explained to me by the hard core HK guys/smiths is in the early-mid 80's HK went back to a different type of forging for their barrels, I have heard you can't wear those things out. I forget his name but there is a popular HK smith (I believe he is in the midwest) he deals with NFA stuff also. He said he has never been able to wear out the forged German barrels even after putting thousands of rounds through them.

    If I am not mistaken PTR, Greek, Portugese and other HK contract guns are not laser cut, nor hammer forged and rifled a more economical way. Most of your century clones either use Greek, or Portuguese barrels. They are still good but supposedly not as good as the German barrels. If I am not mistaken the Springfields are built the same way the old Greek contract rifles were built. Another thing I have heard is that the real 91 had better quality steel parts, trunnion, and lets just say a sweeter trigger than its contract and clone cousins.

    I had a buddy several years ago that even bought a MSG-90 trigger kit, and stock for his. See with the real German deal you don't have to worry about parts count stuff. So all those really cool German accessories you can use.

    I would say between $1700-2500 bucks for one depending on condition.

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    Senior Member Partisan1983's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by was_peacemaker View Post
    Honestly the real HK-91 is a bit better quality than the PTR and other clones. Not that PTR is bad, but there is a reason why a lot of HK smiths I have talked to won't work on them. From what I understand the some of the early "real" HK-91's had laser cut polygonal barrels which is said to be a frictionless barrel. Problem was you couldn't shoot soft points out of them.

    The way its been explained to me by the hard core HK guys/smiths is in the early-mid 80's HK went back to a different type of forging for their barrels, I have heard you can't wear those things out. I forget his name but there is a popular HK smith (I believe he is in the midwest) he deals with NFA stuff also. He said he has never been able to wear out the forged German barrels even after putting thousands of rounds through them.

    If I am not mistaken PTR, Greek, Portugese and other HK contract guns are not laser cut, nor hammer forged and rifled a more economical way. Most of your century clones either use Greek, or Portuguese barrels. They are still good but supposedly not as good as the German barrels. If I am not mistaken the Springfields are built the same way the old Greek contract rifles were built. Another thing I have heard is that the real 91 had better quality steel parts, trunnion, and lets just say a sweeter trigger than its contract and clone cousins.

    I had a buddy several years ago that even bought a MSG-90 trigger kit, and stock for his. See with the real German deal you don't have to worry about parts count stuff. So all those really cool German accessories you can use.

    I would say between $1700-2500 bucks for one depending on condition.
    All HK licensed manufactures make all the parts exactly the same way......they have to, or else no license.

    HK never changed it's way of manufacturing barrels. They are all button rifled cold hammer forged.

    Not only does Greece, Portugal and Pakistan have/had a licensed factory, so does/did Bangladesh, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sweden and Turkey.


    Mind you, this only has to deal with roller locked (classic) HK small arms. All the current new stuff (crap)....compared to old HK))....is all German made, which is why (for an example) Mexico designed the FX-05, which does resemble a G36 in pictures, but almost nothing will interchange between the two (parts wise).


    While JLD (or whatever they are called now) bought the tooling from Portugal for the G3, they did not buy the barrel tooling. That manufacturing process is another extreme expense. So they tooled up with there own design in mind, to try and keep prices down as long as possible.....because they knew they would eventually have to tool up and begin making more and more US made parts as the surplus ran dry (which is why the price of a PTR has been steadily climbing over the last 8 years or so).
    Last edited by Partisan1983; 01-25-2012 at 07:01 PM.
    Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!

  12. #12
    was_peacemaker
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    Quote Originally Posted by Partisan1983 View Post
    All HK licensed manufactures make all the parts exactly the same way......they have to, or else no license.

    HK never changed it's way of manufacturing barrels. They are all button rifled cold hammer forged.

    Not only does Greece, Portugal and Pakistan have/had a licensed factory, so does/did Bangladesh, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sweden and Turkey.


    Mind you, this only has to deal with roller locked (classic) HK small arms. All the current new stuff (crap)....compared to old HK))....is all German made, which is why (for an example) Mexico designed the FX-05, which does resemble a G36 in pictures, but almost nothing will interchange between the two (parts wise).
    See I was told by some HK smiths that my Greek barrel is not cold hammer forged. Which kind of bummed me out, but the more I think about what kind of sticklers HK are with their license the more I see your point also.

    But I do know there were some early 80's models with laser cut polygonal barrels. Now I have read were some were hammer forged with polygonal rifling.

  13. #13
    Guns Network Contributor 04/2013 El Laton Caliente's Avatar

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    My HK91 has a hard chromed polygonal barrel. I don't think they were using industrial lasers on barrels in the early 80's though.

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    Senior Member Partisan1983's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Partisan1983 View Post
    All HK licensed manufactures make all the parts exactly the same way......they have to, or else no license.

    HK never changed it's way of manufacturing barrels. They are all button rifled cold hammer forged.

    Not only does Greece, Portugal and Pakistan have/had a licensed factory, so does/did Bangladesh, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sweden and Turkey.


    Mind you, this only has to deal with roller locked (classic) HK small arms. All the current new stuff (crap)....compared to old HK))....is all German made, which is why (for an example) Mexico designed the FX-05, which does resemble a G36 in pictures, but almost nothing will interchange between the two (parts wise).


    While JLD (or whatever they are called now) bought the tooling from Portugal for the G3, they did not buy the barrel tooling. That manufacturing process is another extreme expense. So they tooled up with there own design in mind, to try and keep prices down as long as possible.....because they knew they would eventually have to tool up and begin making more and more US made parts as the surplus ran dry (which is why the price of a PTR has been steadily climbing over the last 8 years or so).


    As for HK "contract guns"....they were all made to HK's specs....but there QC was horrible. They were made in volume to get as many small arms into the field as quick as possible (remember this was the cold war, and wars were a raging all over Central America, Africa, South America, Middle East and Asia).
    Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!

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    Senior Member Partisan1983's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by El Laton Caliente View Post
    My HK91 has a hard chromed polygonal barrel. I don't think they were using industrial lasers on barrels in the early 80's though.


    POLYGONAL ........my bad. I don't know why I said button
    Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!

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    Guns Network Contributor 04/2013 El Laton Caliente's Avatar

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    The CETMEs I have are all button rifled, even the kits and in the white stuff. I'm trying to remember, but I think I've seen Portugese G3 rifles with button rifling (I handled a couple Sprinfield imports several years ago). I KNOW I've seen Century rifles with button rifling, both CETMEs and G3s.

    I think (guesss?) the hammer forging is what's required. HK may be more leanent on the button vs. poly. HK is about the only Poly rifled barrels I've ever seen. IIRC some cannon and heavy MGs use them also.

  17. #17
    Senior Member Partisan1983's Avatar

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    Anyways back to the OP.....


    It all depends on it's condition, accesories, date code etc. etc.


    Anywhere from $2K-???? (as I have no idea what preban ('74) and postban HK41's are going for nowadays, let alone the sporter HK91's HK imported for a limited time after the '89 ban.
    Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!

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    Senior Member Partisan1983's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by El Laton Caliente View Post
    The CETMEs I have are all button rifled, even the kits and in the white stuff. I'm trying to remember, but I think I've seen Portugese G3 rifles with button rifling (I handled a couple Sprinfield imports several years ago). I KNOW I've seen Century rifles with button rifling, both CETMEs and G3s.

    I think (guesss?) the hammer forging is what's required. HK may be more leanent on the button vs. poly. HK is about the only Poly rifled barrels I've ever seen. IIRC some cannon and heavy MGs use them also.
    That sounds right...I'm sitting here racking my brain and wondering why I think of this or that, but in the back of my head I have this nagging little voice.....I really need some sleep.
    Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!

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    Guns Network Contributor 04/2013 El Laton Caliente's Avatar

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    Sound like me I've been working 7 days a week and going in at 5 am most of the time... I need a break.

    CEMTE licensed HK when they started so I guessing the early barrels were button rifled. I'm not sure when they went to the more advanced poly rifling...

  20. #20
    Senior Member Partisan1983's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by El Laton Caliente View Post
    Sound like me I've been working 7 days a week and going in at 5 am most of the time... I need a break.

    CEMTE licensed HK when they started so I guessing the early barrels were button rifled. I'm not sure when they went to the more advanced poly rifling...

    I have been going in 3 hours earlier than the day before since Fri......

    As for the whole ordeal with NWM and CETME and HK and FN.....it was a bit more complicated than that back in the 50's. ( I have no idea about the rifiling right now...my brain is shot and my wife's 5 year old nephew is living with us now.......I finally realize why Greeks used to throw their newborns off a cliff into the sea....
    Here's to pussy and gunpowder. One to live for, the other to die by.....Goddamn though, I do love the smell of 'em both !!!

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