Building your own "ammuniton feeding device"

[jojo200517]

Ok I was wondering if it is legal to construct your own rifle magazines, without any kind of license. One of my friends just purchased a Hungarian SA-2000 M. It is essentially an ak clone with the exception of proprietary 10 rd magazines. He didn't know this until after it was a done deal and he had fired the weapon. I came over and brought a few standard ak mags and they wouldn't fit or work.

link to weapon info http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/sa2000m.html

Supposedly this rifle was built to be legal during the old assult rifle ban, since the ban is currently expired modifying it to accept the standard high capacity magazines should be legal I would think but quiet a pain in the rear. But what about modifying magazines to fit it. I'm thinking just take one that is for it cut the top off weld on the bottom tube cut off a standard type ak mag. I see no problem but this rifle was specifically built to be 10 round only. If I were to be able to work something out would it be legal to make?

 

[cslinger]

A couple of different laws at play.

First, as long as you are in a state that allows full capacity magazines then there is no law in building them yourself, although you may find this harder then you think. Also note that you cannot transfer them to anybody in any state or locale where there is some kind of magazine capacity limit exceeded by what you build.

Second, in order to convert an imported gun to take full capacity magazines you must make sure it is 922r compliant. This is basically the law that says it is illegal to import a non sporting firearm and that you need to have X number of United States made parts before it is a legal conversion. In most cases doing this with an AK variant is relatively easy as there are plenty of parts, stocks, gas tubes etc. to meet the letter of this law. Other firearms may be more difficult to convert legally.

This is a very high level summary so be sure to research 922r before you start converting imported firearms.

Chris

 

[musick]

I cant comment with certainity on the legality of such a device, but my guess would be it might not be legal.

I do believe that the altering the 10rd mag might lessen its reliability factor. Might be fine for a range-only gun, but I wouldnt trust it for SD.

Thats my two cents. Currently only worth a third of a cent.

 

[cslinger]

Just to clarify 922r is COMPLETELY different then the now expired federal assault weapons ban and 922r is still in full effect.

Also state laws are still in effect, for example California, New York, Mass etc. all have their own versions of the now expired AWB that are still in effect.

Take this stuff seriously because there is ALWAYS a DA looking to make a name for themselves.

 

[jojo200517]

Oh yeah I forgot to say I'm in SC and so is my buddy, so high capacity magazines are legal here. I was kinda against the idea of screwing with the gun itself as there wasn't that many of them made, and its a heck of a lot cheaper to screw up a couple magazines than a receiver.

Thanks for the info on the 922r stuff, I'll use the google.

I'm guessing whoever imported my rifle did all the legal parts changing stuff. However I changed some stuff and the things I put on were American made parts. I see that you can't have but so many foreign parts but can ya have to many American parts? (sure hope not)

 

[nalioth]

1) "high capacity magazine" is a legal term. It has no basis in reality.

2) This thread is actually a 922r question, not a 'manufacturing' question.

3) Some of you guys should be ashamed of yourselves. Any Joe/Joanie can make magazines for themselves all day long, so long as they follows local/state/federal laws.

You don't even need a license (federally) to make your own personal firearm(s). Why would you need a license to make a magazine?

 

[cslinger]

Some of you guys should be ashamed of yourselves. Any Joe/Joanie can make magazines for themselves all day long, so long as they follows local/state/federal laws.

You don't even need a license (federally) to make your own personal firearm(s). Why would you need a license to make a magazine?

Absolutely correct, one can make any magazine they want all day long as long as it meets the laws of their local jurisdiction which what I posted They may however find it is more difficult then they think form a production standpoint.

I'm guessing whoever imported my rifle did all the legal parts changing stuff. However I changed some stuff and the things I put on were American made parts. I see that you can't have but so many foreign parts but can ya have to
many American parts? (sure hope not)

As for the gun being 922r compliant. Sometimes a firearm is imported in a legal configuration (single stack magazines, no pistol grip etc. whatever) and then converted by the importer (adding new stocks, pistol grips and milling out for double stack magazines etc.) for sale. The importer will make sure the gun has the required American parts. Sometimes, however, the gun will be imported legally and left in its legal for importation state (single stack mags, straight stock etc. whatever) and sold to the public. It is these that you have to be extra careful when converting. For example there are a great many SAIGA's that come into the country and are sold as straight stocked single stacked magazine guns. Lots of folks convert these to more traditional AK formats. In order to do so, legally, they must take care to replace enough parts with those of American manufacturer.

Now in the whole scheme of things I don't believe there has ever been an individual convicted of a 922r violation unless it was an add on charge to other "real" crimes and it is generally more of an importer regulation in terms of how it is enforced but it is the current law and you should take it seriously since no matter how remote you could indeed be at risk of prosecution by breaking the law by constructing an a firearm that would not be legally importable for civilian sale.

Since your are in SC have at the magazine building. No laws that I know of would prevent this. The only thing you could not do AFAIK is transfer any magazine you create to somebody in another state where said magazines would be illegal due to local laws.

 

[herohog]

I have taken the top of one magazine (SKS fixed 10 round magazine) and welded the bottom of a larger magazine (SKS 30 round removable magazine) creating a very functional 30 round fixed magazine for an SKS. IF you are a good welder and are mechanically adept, it is not that hard. I did all this back when Comrade Klinton came into power and all the asinine "assault weapon" garbage started. I wanted a legal higher capacity magazine. Seeing as it was still easily recharged with standard SKS stripper clips, it was a good solution to the less reliable aftermarket higher capacity magazines available at the time.