[Justin]

If you're at a gunshow looking for an AK-style rifle, how can you tell if a gun is a genuine pre-ban, or an illegal post-ban that has had the features of a pre-ban added to it?

[Badger Arms]

Hehehe, Call the BATF. Hehehe.:rolleyes:

[blackrazor]

I'd imagine that the serial number would be a good place to start, should be able to tell weather the gun was manufactured before or after the ban from the serial number. Now... I know some guy's going to come along as say, "But wait, if the gun didn't have more than two evil features on it when the sun rose on Sept 13, 1994, the technically it is a post ban!" to which I must say... the burden of proof lies on the prosecuter, folks. Good luck "proving" a rifle was assembled a certain way at a certain time about 9 years ago...

[Rocko]

Basically you need to know the various importers, model #'s, countries of origin, etc. Since there are quite a few, can be a bit tough sometimes. Seems that the ones most often attempted to be passed off as prebans are some of the postban chinese guns. These will be stamped MAK-90, NMH-91, BWK-92, etc. Preban guns are the model 56 varients (7.62x39), 84s varients (.223) - problaby a few more. And these are only the chinese guns... Look out for ones that are stamped with two models numbers - ex. 56s on one side, MAK-90 on the other. These are transition guns that were caught "on the docks" when the import policy changed. While these could have been legally been converted back to naughty configuration after import (the law that stopped this wasn't passed until 11/90, but the import regs changed in 89), it is a grey area...

Rocko

[Chipperman]

If you are told the rifle is a pre ban, and the seller writes pre ban on the sales slip, couldn't they get into a lot of trouble if you then found out it was post ban?
(how's that for a run-on sentence?)

[Badger Arms]

Even BATF doesn't know or they'd publish a list. If you can't tell and BATF can't tell, they'd probably have to do some research. Unless you know, err on the side of caution. It's the manufacturer or modifier that is in violation. The buyer is only in violation if it breaks the AW ban of 1994. IIRC of course.

[gogetumnow]

I think the tricky thing about AK's is the fact that there are two bans the affect them. There's the 89 ban by Bush I, and the 94 ban by Slick. To confuse matters even worse there's the whole issue of US vs. foreign made parts.

Honestly I don't understand the dynamics of most of the laws that affect AK's. Just be super careful if you go modifying one and check the regs first.

[Justin]

If you are told the rifle is a pre ban, and the seller writes pre ban on the sales slip, couldn't they get into a lot of trouble if you then found out it was post ban?
(how's that for a run-on sentence?) Pretty good, as run-on sentences go. ;) What I'm looking for are some hard-and fast rules from our resident AK/MAK experts on telling the diff. between pre/postban guns. As such, I'd simply rather not have to deal with any imperial entanglements and just make sure all my i's are dotted and t's are crossed.

[Destructo6]

Who imported AKs prior to the 1989 import ban? Were there others than Norinco, Polytech, Maadi, and Mitchel?

Romanians, Hungarians, etc came in well after the 1989 ban and most after the 1994 ban.

[Gordon]

My Mitchell Yugo's , all with flash hiders and pistol grips, some with folders came with letter of 'certification' that they were pre ban. My Hunky M-85's are obviously preban being purchased in 86.

[Adventurer_96]

I'd advise against buying one at a gunshow. That's just a tip, though, because you can find deals that are worthwhile if you're 100% certain of the rifle's authenticity. However, unless you've done your homework, you can end up with a bogus preban.

The only reasonably priced preban AK I've seen at a show over the last year has been a Type 84S that was around $750. That same dealer has tried to sell me a so-called "transitional" gun, which he claims was imported without the folder but configured as such prior to the '94 ban. He also had a Mak 90 with an underfolder on it on the table yesterday.

That Mak 90 posed an interesting question. It was probably one of those "caught on the docks" guns, but to have a riveted trunion for an underfolder is very different. I should have asked for an explanation.

You're best bet is to surf the net for a bit and get familiarized with the different kinds of rifles available.