Ak for Mini-14 swap, opinions?

[Kestryll]

I have a friend who bought an NHM-90 before the '94 ban. Unfortunatly he lives in California and hadn't heard of the registration crap until after the fact. I've seen the NHM, it is in near new condition and chambered for 5.56.
He is considering offering it for trade for a Ca. legal Mini-14 since he is concerned abut the legalities of having an unregistered AW.
Would this be a worthwhile trade or would he be getting screwed? Or is there another Cali-legal semi-auto he should consider?
I am more familiar with handguns so I told him I would ask some people who know.
Thanks!

 

[Correia]

I'm going to move this over to Rifles. You will get better responses there.

 

[cratz2]

If he can have one but not the other, then the choice seems pretty clear. If he thinks he'll be upside down, can he sell the rifle to someone personally known to him outside California for a fair price and then buy whatever KA-legal rifle he wants?

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

it's a decent trade, depending on how many magazines and what kind you give him with the rifle.

 

[benEzra]

A pistol-gripped mini-14 vs. an AK might be a close call for me, but between a 'California legal' mini and an AK, I'd probably choose the AK if it's well made and in good shape.

 

[Kestryll]

I prefer the AK but he is concerned with the fact that it is an unreg'ged AW.
He is also looking at the Marlin Camp .45's now as trade fodder.

 

[Frohickey]

Aside from the 100,000 or so people that registered their California assault weapons, he's part of the larger group of 900,000 that did not.

 

[BamBam-31]

I'm with Frohickey. Keep the AK. Buy the Mini if you want something more PC for plinking. I have friends that either did not know about the re-registration or simply refused to re-register their non-PC rifles. They're cautious about which range they bring their rifles to, but AFAIK, no one's ever gone up to someone at a range and asked to see their cards.

A cop friend of mine (NOT a lawyer) is of the opinion that the assault weapon laws are just something extra to throw at criminals if they use AK's/AR's in committing a crime.

You sell/trade that AK, you'll never be able to buy something like it again. You'll regret it for sure.