I've had several PTR-91 over the years. I bought one that came as a 18" barrel and was chopped to 15". The flash hider was pinned/welded into place to make a HK dissipator rifle. Wide handguards and collapsible stocks were still reasonably priced on the surplus market. It made for a handy little rifle.
I like the thinner profile of the GIR rifles. The PTR is accurate enough, but it isn't a bench target rifle. So I prefer less weight as I'm not mag dumping it. The rail is nice as the clamp on rails aren't the best configuration.
The new nitride finish on the barrel is definitely a step up from old one. If the entire rifle was nitrided, that would be even nicer. I believe my older PTRs had a phosphate finish with paint over it, but it could have been just paint. I'm in AZ, so corrosion isn't the biggest issue here. Although I have bought several rifles & pistols that have corrosion damage on the cheap. People get complacent in AZ because it is so dry. The don't protect their guns and a swamp cooler or leak can ruin a gun quickly. I bought a Beretta 87 .22lr that was in a glovebox that leaked during the once every 2 months rain we get. It was cheap enough that I was able to have a nickel refinish done to it and it was still cheaper than a new one at the time.