Is your AK compliant ?

How would anyone know anyway? I'd like to see a case where someone got in trouble for having a foreign pistol grip on their AK.

If it's semi-auto, the gun was neutered and compliant. Generally speaking.

Is your AK compliant ?

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It does what I tell it to.

OK, the advice in this thread is absolutely horrible. Chris, you don't know what you're talkingabout. Rubber duck, most parts are stamped "USA" and yes, people have been charged. I think. I couldn't source that.

922r requires that there be no more than 10 foreign made parts on your semi-auto AK. That means that 5-6 parts (6 if you have a threaded barrel) MUST be US made. If they aren't stamped as US made, you'd better keep the receipts in your records.

If the weapon is used in a self defense scenario and its not compliant, the authorities will have BATF checked it and they will
decide to press charges of illegal conversion of firearms. Its a federal crime and offense. It can add up years to other charges to the conviction. If they dont care, you are catch free.

My 7.62X51 16" Saiga

1. NATO stock marked USA
2. Pistol Grip marked USA
3. Fire Control group 3 pieces marked USA
4. Threaded muzzle brake marked USA
5. 20 Round magazine follower, base and body marked USA

I think that's nine parts all marked USA

That's my understanding.

carbine85 said:

So if the parts aren't marked at all it's assumed that they aren't USA and it's probably not compliant?

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Not at all.

The USA is the only country to require its citizens to throw away perfectly good gun parts.

Military gas pistons are chromed carbon steel. The majority of gas pistons made here are stainless steel. Ergo, if it's non magnetic, it's probably not produced from a Russian / Romanian / Bulgarian armory. Some other parts made in the USA exhibit machining marks or other areas that are wholly not military grade.

As remarked above, quite a bit of the advice in this thread is suspect, as nobody has been publicly charged with this yet. Nobody knows how they'll determine "foreign or US made".

Id rather spend a couple bucks on usa made parts and not have to worry bout the atf.

The cited law prohibits YOU from converting a firearm, but does not prohibit you from owning a rifle converted by OTHERS, as I understand it. You can't do it, but if it has already been done, you are in the clear, with repect to THAT provision. If the gun is illegal, however, it could theoretically be seized under certain circumstances. This is only my personal understanding. I will be happy to be corrected. I am not giving advice to others. I do not pretend to be an expert on federal firearms laws, but I am impressed by how many gunowners freely counsel others on this subject.

Drakejake

Yeah, this is one big WHAT IF thread.

To the best of my knowledge all my AK's are 922r compliant.

Honestly 922r is not something that I get overly concerned about. I think the ATF has bigger issues to deal than whether or not my guns have enough US parts in it

Honestly 922r is not something that I get overly concerned about. I think the ATF has bigger issues to deal than whether or not my guns have enough US parts in it

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Yeah, but the BATF has proven they often don't care about the 'big issue' when they feel like doing something at the moment.

Really, is it that hard to check it all? If you know it's US-made but it's not stamped, keep the receipt and buy some steel stamps.

Most AKs sold right now are compliant, but check.

My Saiga isn't yet, which is why I also don't use a 30-rounder in it yet, even though I do own one (one--I'll be buying more as soon as I have a bullet guide and a new stock.)

OK, the advice in this thread is absolutely horrible. Chris, you don't know what you're talkingabout

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Sure I do. You're not gonna buy an AK clone semiauto from a dealer that hasn't been 922'ed. Perhaps you're refering to a private sale?

Yeah, but the BATF has proven they often don't care about the 'big issue' when they feel like doing something at the moment.

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True and I myself try to keep my guns compliant despite how I feel about the law, although I'll admit I don't loose any sleep over wondering if all my guns are fully compliant or not. However I can't help but think of the millions of gun owners out there who have never heard of 922r and who own guns that are not in compliance. If someone buys a used AK from a gun shop I don't think it's the responsibility of the buyer to check and see if the gun has enough compliant parts on it. The gun shop selling the rifle may want to check but I doubt many of them even bother doing so.

So this raises the question, if someone buys a rifle from a gun shop and the gun is not fully 922r compliant then how can the ATF prosecute the gun owner who bought the gun legally from the shop? If the gun was modified after the purchase was made and fell out of compliance how could the ATF prove that the gun was or wasn't compliant at the time of purchase? Also who is responsible for the gun not being compliant, the seller or the buyer?

The problem with 922r is that nobody seems to have a clear understanding of what the law states and who it applies most to. On top of that nobody can seem to site a case where anyone has ever been prosecuted for breaking 922r compliance. My interpretation of the law is that it applies more to gun manufacturers and importers as opposed to gun owners but of course I'm no lawyer.

You're not gonna buy an AK clone semiauto from a dealer that hasn't been 922'ed.

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You're really going to trust the guy at the gun store to check everything on the used rack for 922 compliance? The same guy that tells you that anything under a .45 will magically bounce off the bad guy's jacket?

Or the guy at my local shop that doesn't know what 922 is?

The one that insisted I couldn't have bought a gun that could be illegal with a 30-round magazine, because it would have to be illegal in the first place?

The one that insisted that they don't make US-made gas pistons because the bolt and piston are all one piece, and that joint I pointed out on the diagram is just a profile cut?

That's the guy you should listen to. He knows what he's about.

"So if the parts aren't marked at all it's assumed that they aren't USA and it's probably not compliant?"

"That's my understanding."


Ahem... the burden of proof is on the prosecution. They have to prove that it isn't American made.

"Military gas pistons are chromed carbon steel. The majority of gas pistons made here are stainless steel. Ergo, if it's non magnetic, it's probably not produced from a Russian / Romanian / Bulgarian armory."

Stainless steel attracts a magnet just as well as carbon steel. Perhaps you're thinking of polished aluminum?

"The cited law prohibits YOU from converting a firearm, but does not prohibit you from owning a rifle converted by OTHERS, as I understand it. You can't do it, but if it has already been done, you are in the clear, with repect to THAT provision."

Correct.

Stainless steel attracts a magnet just as well as carbon steel. Perhaps you're thinking of polished aluminum?

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Some stainless is magnetic--that stainless is often also prone to rusting if horribly abused, but is often stronger than other stainless steels. Magnetic stainless is rare enough that, if it's not visibly stainless, it's often safe to assume that it's actually chromed carbon.

Most stainless does not attract a magnet, but it also softer than carbon steels.

Which steel a company uses is up to them. Non-magnetic stainless is liable to wear quicker than carbon steels, whereas magnetic stainless can, eventually, show some rust. In the case of the latter, most companies would go with standard steels and likely chrome it.

Kilgor said:

Stainless steel attracts a magnet just as well as carbon steel. Perhaps you're thinking of polished aluminum?

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No sir. When I have build parties, I demonstrate with a commie take-off piston and a new US piston the difference.

The commie take-off piston sticks to the magnet like nobody's business, and the US piston just falls onto the workbench.

I'm sure there's some stainless that is magnetic, but I've never seen it used in the making of a gas piston.

Yes, 922r compliant...