New Norinc SKS. Are detachable mags leagle?

[have2rotties]

Hello all,
I picked up a Norinco SKS today. $100.00 out the door from a local guy who owns a gun shop. This was one of his personal (his son's) rifles so it was don as a private sale. Anyway, He included a 30 round detachable mag with it. What are the rules on putting this on the rifle now that the awb has sunset? Where does 922r come into the situation? Is the a way to replace enough parts to make it 922r compliant like you can with an AK? This was impoted by KSI if that helps with posibly dating it.
Thanks,

 

[rbernie]

http://www.simonov.net/10orlessrule.htm

To be 922(r) legal with a modified SKS (and your 30-round magazine isn't stock), you'll likely need to replace the buttstock, handguard, gas piston, op rod, and magazine/follower/floorplate with US-made units. You can do other combinations, but this is the easiest - gets you to nine (9) imported parts.

 

[dasmi]

I _think_ in Arizona you'd be ok, but check the law.

 

[jrfoxx]

only if you then make sure there are LESS than 10 foreign parts in the gun, as you have modified it from its origional 'legal for import' condition. with less than 10 foreign parts, it is considered a 'domestic U.S. made' firearm, and any modifications are legal (aside from the obvious full-auto, supressors, etc). if it still has 10 or more foreign made parts, you can not PERSONALLY modify it (as the law states that the modifications THEMSELVES are not illegal, but the BATFE is likely to confiscate the gun, it is simply illegal to BE THE ONE who PERFORMS said modifications. normally i would also direct you to http://www.sksboards.com/forum/ , but the recently switched servers, and the FAQS and all the old info is lost. check the BATFE website and you should be able to find the law in detail (but it will be written in legal-ese as usual).

 

[have2rotties]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Looks like it is a no go on the detachable mag unless I can make it conform to 922r. Oh well no biggie. Was $100 a good price for a norinco? I know I paid more than that for my yugo.

 

[rbernie]

$100 is a very good price. They sell around here for $175-$250, with the norm being closer to $250 than $175...

 

[dolanp]

It's "10 or less" not "less than 10".

 

[rbernie]

Sure is. I generally recommend a 'standard list' because that acomodates the Yugos with their grenade launchers. But, strictly speaking, you could omit one of the items off the list I posted earlier and still be legal.

 

[klover]

My experience and understanding

has been that sks detachables don't work a darn.
Most posts on THR recommended I stay with 10rd strippers and maybe change to a 20 rd fixed mag.

The long mags tend to inhibit prone shooting by raising the rifle too high.

I sure was happy to pick one up for $125.

 

[fletcher]

My experiences have been the same as klover's - detachable magazines for the SKS are typically horrible. The US-made ones (which would be needed for the 10-or-less game) seem to fall in the bottom of the quality bin.

 

[rbernie]

The Zytel 5-round magazine sold by TAPCO isn't bad, so long as you only load 4 rounds in it. Once I figured that out, it's been 100% reliable. Since my 922(r) SKS is set up for hunting anyway, having a reduced-capacity magazine isn't a showstopper to me.

 

[natedog]

If the SKS is a pre-'89 sample, then I'm pretty sure you can modify it to take 30 round magazines.

 

[mainmech48]

Same observation as a couple of the previous posts: I personally haven't found any brand or type of aftermarket "detachable" high-cap that was functionably reliable enough for my tastes. Most of them won't actuate the bolt stop after the last round goes out either. Merely annoying for plinking, but I'd hate to find myself in the doo doo with one.

FWIW, my experience is that with sufficient practice that ten-round box can be reloaded with a stripper a bit faster than changing boxes. If ten just doesn't seem like enough for you, my advice would be to get one of the twenty-round fixed replacement outfits. Mine was from Keng's and took only minor tweaking to get 100% functional reliability. More rugged than any of the detachables I've seen and tried, and doesn't affect the handling as much either. Reloading just takes two strippers instead of one.

A better option, IMO.

 

[have2rotties]

Natedog said;
If the SKS is a pre-'89 sample, then I'm pretty sure you can modify it to take 30 round magazines.

How do you find out and prove that your sks is pre-89 import? Also where is a good source for the 20 round fixed mags?

Thanks for the replies....

 

[mainmech48]

The easiest way that I can think of to possibly establish whether a certain rifle was imported prior to 1989 would be to contact the importer listed on the stamping which should be somewhere on the barrel or receiver. If they're still in business, that is.

BATF or Customs may also be able to find out, but I wouldn't expect either to be very quick or forthcoming. The info's undoubtedly out there somewhere, it's just tracking it down and getting documentation that might be a PITA.

I've never had to deal with this particular problem, even during the late, unlamented "ban", as I kept my receipts for both the new carbine and the Choate folding stock. Sometimes, being a packrat has unexpected benefits. Since both were clearly purchased by me "pre-ban", it was a non-issue.

Keng's isn't around any more, AFAIK, and I haven't seen any new listings for the 20-rd fixed boxes in anyone's catalog for a while. I have seen quite a few both new and used at gun shows however, so my guess is that somebody's still making them and/or bringing them in. I paid about $20, but that was almost seventeen years ago. The last one I recall seeing on a table (new) was $29.95 I believe.

FWIW, converting an SKS to use standard AK mags is not your average DIY project. Without machine tools, skilled labor with at least dimensioned engineering drawings to work with,(or a Norinco-made example to reverse-engineer from), and some specially-made parts you're more likely to end up with a single-shot than not. Plus it'll easily cost much more than either an original "Paratrooper", "Cowboy" or even a new Kalashnikov clone would. Current legality questions aside, it's still not a cost-effective option, IMO.

All I can tell you is to check at the shows or on a specialized web board like simonov.com (.net?) for a current souce.

Hope this helps you out.

 

[dolanp]

It doesn't matter when it was imported. If it did not originally come with a 20/30rd mag then you cannot get around 922(r).

 

[armoredman]

Yes, it does. Anything that came into the country before they were banned from import, such as that Norinco, with the bayonet on it that came from an FFL who would know is legal to modify. Anything imported after that point cannot dance around 922(r). AFTE can enlighten further. This is a point we made when i worked at a gun shop.

 

[dolanp]

You misunderstand me. If it was imported with the feature it is legal. Since the SKS in question was not imported with a 30 rd magazine, even if it was imported before '89, it still violates 922(r) to put one in it.

 

[GunGoBoom]

legal or not, the detachables suck. I hear the Norincos will run with the fixed 20 rounder - I'd try that instead.

 

[have2rotties]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I think I will look for a fixed 20 rounder and call it good.

Thanks,

 

[GunGoBoom]

Hmm, the chinese fixed 20 rounders appear to be very hard to come buy, from a cursory search. For example, this guy has everything under the sun except those:

http://www.buymilsurp.com/store/cart.php?cat=SKS+Rifle+Parts+and+Accessories

Dunno man.

 

[have2rotties]

There is a show comming up in a couple weeks in Phoenix. I remember seeing a couple at the last one. Of course that was when I wasn't looking for one...

Thanks for the info,