AKs - What I've Learned (Norinco in Particular)

[ugaarguy]

So, I recently bought a Norinco NHM 90 in 5.56 NATO. The rifle may or may not have been 922(r) compliant when I bought it. To be safe, I ordered & installed enough US made, US marked parts to slightly exceed the minimum for compliance.

- The standard metal thickness for AKM stamped parts (including the receiver) is 1mm: Chinese AKMs use 1.5mm thick steel for the stamped parts. Standard AKM buttstocks & forearms must be fit to the Chinese AKMs, but I like this because careful fitting allows you to get a tight customized fit to the rifle.

- The Chinese milled trigger group (at least in the NHM rifles) is a superb AK trigger group. It stinks that I had to replace it for US Compliance, but it was 3 of the minimum 6 Chinese parts I had to remove.

- Chinese AKs also have a slightly thicker barrel OD than other AKs. Good luck finding a replacement gas block or front sight base if you decide to fully de-ban a post '89 Chinese AK.

- There is no standard for .223 / 5.56 AKs. If it's not a Saiga, or if it won't use Bulgarian .223 Mags (thankfully mine will) get ready to pay through the nose for magazines. There are some AR-15 mag adapters that work with light modification to the rifle though.

- If you have to replace a piston on an AK bolt carrier for US compliance; then make sure you have a good drill & vise (or a drill press), and good metal drilling bits.

- There isn't a whole lot to these rifles. Aside from replacing a piston, they're pretty easy to work on. If you don't get an oddball Chinese rifle, AKs are fairly inexpensive, and parts - both new US, and foreign surplus - are readily available. If you don't get on in .223 / 5.56 mags are cheap & readily available. The rifles can be inexpensive, depending on which manufacturer / importer you choose.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Sorry to tell you this after it is too late. However, 922(r) only applies to assembly not possession. If you bought a rifle without enough parts you don't have a problem since you didn't assemble it - the importer did.

18 U.S.C. 922(r)

(r) It shall be unlawful for any person to assemble from imported parts any semiautomatic rifle or any shotgun which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited from importation under section 925 (d)(3) of this chapter as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes except that this subsection shall not apply to—
(1) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for sale or distribution by a licensed manufacturer to the United States or any department or agency thereof or to any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or
(2) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.

 

[ugaarguy]

Sorry to tell you this after it is too late. However, 922(r) only applies to assembly not possession. If you bought a rifle without enough parts you don't have a problem since you didn't assemble it - the importer did.

I've seen that before. All NHM-90s were imported from '90 to '93, and best I can tell, all had thumbhole stocks. This one had a wood pistol grip, buttstock, and fore end that all appeared to be Chinese. The furniture definitely wasn't US marked, nor was anything else. I know it's innocent until proven guilty; but I don't want to ever have to be in the situation of defending that I got it that way, and I didn't put the foreign made parts on it. Tapco (who most of my parts came from) is across the state from me - I don't mind buying products from a that's company based in GA, and employing many of my fellow Georgians.

 

[nwilliams]

So, I recently bought a Norinco NHM 90 in 5.56 NATO. The rifle may or may not have been 922(r) compliant when I bought it. To be safe, I ordered & installed enough US made, US marked parts to slightly exceed the minimum for compliance.

Sorry to tell you this after it is too late. However, 922(r) only applies to assembly not possession. If you bought a rifle without enough parts you don't have a problem since you didn't assemble it - the importer did.

I agree 100% with this statement!^^^

If you buy a rifle from a gun shop that is not 922r compliant then you certainly should not be held responsible. It may be different if you bought the gun as a private sale but I'm not sure on that. The fact of the matter is that if a gun shop sells a rifle that is not 922r compliant than that gun shop broke the law and not the buyer, although it may be an uphill battle in my opinion the law is on your side. If I purchased a rifle from my local shop I would assume that the gun was legal in every way, if it wasn't then that gun shop broke the law and not you as the buyer.

I don't think there has ever been a person or business prosecuted for a 922r violation but if I were brought into court for possession of a gun that is not 922r compliant then my defense would certainly be "that's how it was sold to me by the gun shop". As long as there is no evidence that the gun was altered from the time you bought it then all the blame will fall upon the seller because they sold a gun that was not legal for sale.

That said a Chinese AK is one best AK's money can buy. If I see a Norinco AK for a decent price I will damn sure consider buying it!

 

[ugaarguy]

If you buy a rifle from a gun shop that is not 922r compliant then you certainly should not be held responsible. It may be different if you bought the gun as a private sale but I'm not sure on that. The fact of the matter is that if a gun shop sells a rifle that is not 922r compliant than that gun shop broke the law and not the buyer, although it may be an uphill battle in my opinion the law is on your side. If I purchased a rifle from my local shop I would assume that the gun was legal in every way, if it wasn't then that gun shop broke the law and not you as the buyer.

First, I bought the rifle on impulse, and did my research later. Second, Chinese AKs haven't even been legally importable since 1993. I don't expect the gun shop to know the specifics of 922(r) compliance on every AK imported, much less rifles that haven't been imported in 18 years. Third, I know the folks at this shop, and they comped me in product (using their cost, not retail) for what I paid for the US made parts I put on the rifle.

That said a Chinese AK is one best AK's money can buy. If I see a Norinco AK for a decent price I will damn sure consider buying it!

I knew that much about Norinco AKMs before I bought this one. I figured a 5.56 AK, with the original chrome lined bbl, sitting in the original trunion, and mounted in an original Chinese receiver was a good idea. It was within $200 of the price of WASR-10 too.

The NHM 90s were in that gray twilight of '90-'93 when you could import rifles with standard capacity mags in the box & threaded muzzles, but no bayonet lugs & no pistol grips. I've already put a correct 84s type US made flash hider back on this one. If I start feeling like a purist I could put the blonde wood Timbersmith stock set on it, and make it look like an 84s, less the bayo lug.

 

[Ro1911]

norincos are pre922r anyway It definitely would not be compliant because it was made before the law and therefore is not subject to it.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

you did what I would do.......and did previously.

I stumbled into a polytech ak that had its thumbhole stock cut by the previous owner. It looked terrible. I though, I'll just replace the stock.....then read up on 922r. While I could have left it that way, I didnt want the problem.....I ordered a nice set of KVAR furniture, tapco trigger, a US muzzle break, etc. I had +1 US part more than needed. I looked good, and I didnt have to worry.

Yes the rifle was a better fit, nice bluing, etc. Nice find!

 

[ugaarguy]

norincos are pre922r anyway It definitely would not be compliant because it was made before the law and therefore is not subject to it.

My understanding is that in its original configuration (as in with thumb hole stock, or Bush hole stock as the AK collectors call it) you're correct. However, prior to, and immediately leading up to 922(r) there was an executive order in place that prohibited such things as replacing the thumb hole stock with a standard stock & PG, and replacing the muzzle brake with a flash hider. My understanding is that once 922(r) took effect, you had to comply with it if you modified a grandfathered firearm.

It may be a gray area, but legal gray areas are where people get hosed in court. There may not be any cases where an individual has been convicted - yet. I won't take a chance that my rifle could land me in court, and lead to me becoming the first conviction. It's kinda like the reason many of us carry handguns: as someone here on THR once wrote "It ain't the odds, it's the stakes".

 

[Al Thompson]

My Norinco 7.62 AK had some terrible trigger slap. The Tapco kit sure helped that problem.

How does yours shoot? Buddy of mine has one that shoots very, very well but strangely enough kicks a loaded round out every now and again.

 

[ugaarguy]

kicks a loaded round out every now and again.

With the one Chicom 15 rounder I have it does this without fail when I get down to the last three rounds. It loads either 2nd or 3rd to last last round, and spits the other out, leaving the last round in the mag. The last round loads with no problem. The Chicom 30 rounder doesn't have this problem.

This one had a better trigger than the Tapco G2 kit, but the Tapco kit isn't bad at all.

 

[Al Thompson]

Yep, not sure when his does the "catch and release" thing, but it really doesn't matter. His ability to hit a 6 inch gong at 60 yards off hand consistently gives me a goal.