California, the Yugo SKS, and the gunsmith

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

roscoe

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
2,852
Location
NV
So - I wanted to take my buddy's Yugo SKS and make it a good, all around CA-legal rifle, because he lives in Reno, and might have to cross over the border.

I took it to a gunsmith here in Phoenix and asked to have the bayonet and grenade launcher removed, and they said no problem. When I picked up the rifle the bayonet was gone, but the grenade launcher was still firmly affixed.

They said that to remove it would cause the rifle not to cycle. I get the impression sometimes gunsmiths just don't fee like doing certain jobs, so they just punt. Now, I know that a lot of people have make their Yugos CA legal by removing the launcher, so my question is - is this a bunch of BS, or would I have to make the gas hole bigger to keep it cycling?

I looked at the grenade launcher, and it has a much bigger bore than the barrel, but it might still provide some back pressure to the gas hole.

Anybody know?

Thanks!!
 
the gunsmith is ************. Docking the barrel back actually isant that big of a job, just cut the barrel, then crown the muzzle with a carridge bolt and some lapping compound. If you want you can tough up the muzzle with a little brownells Oxpho-blue.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The grenade launcher screws off. There is a pin that needs to be knocked out first. The rifle will cycle fine without the launcher as long as the gas system is ok. For what it's worth I have a cali legal yugo that has the bayonet and a muzzle break that replaces the grenade launcher. If you need more help go here
http://wwww.sksboards.com/ Mark
 
Actually, do I even need to get rid of the grenade launcher? From my cursory reading of the statute, since the SKS has no detachable mag, it shouldn't fall under the AW ban there.


Added later - actually, yes, it is a destructive device.


mp510 - that link is blind. Could you repost?
 
Last edited:
I would go to the SKS boards, but I don't feel like registering. Someone please tell me, if I lob the barrel off right after the sight on my 59/66, will I have to modify the gas system?

And another thing, I can't seem to get the bayonet off. I find it to be a worthless item, so I want it gone. Only problem is, I can't seem to unscrew the screw that holds it in place. As a matter of fact, I beat up a good screw driver trying. What is it I need to do?
 
In California the grenade launcher has to go and a flash hider is welded on so it can't be removed. The bayonet is fine and in California it gets it C&R status. I don't know however is that would hurt its C&R status in Nevada. If it does the bayonet and bayonet lugs would have to go. It won't hurt the rifle at all. They did this to Chinese SKS' for the 3 years between the 89 ban on foreign assault weapons features and the 92 ban on Chinese weapons.
 
I don't think the feds really care about the bayo lug it's just the bayo mainly on the sporting arms clause. Most of the chinese sks's had the lugs intact, all of mine did. Mark
 
The lowdown on the Yugo 59/66 as I understand it (from being a lurker over at the Survivor board for a while):

According to the BATFE, if you remove *any* of the 'evil' features, that will void the rifle's curio and relic status. Thus, if you want to be rid of the bayonet, then you are also compelled to remove them *all* -- grenade launcher and night sights. In California, there are a couple ways to go Cali-legal, but I don't know the details of that. I have seen one importer who welded shields over the top of the grenade launcher, yielding it unuseable. I have seen far more who remove the grenade launcher, then premanently affix a muzzle brake to the threaded barrel. Still I have seen another who cut the barrel just aft of the threads and re-crowned.

As for the next question...yes, the rifle shoots just fine without the grenade launcher.

Complicated issue with that rifle, definitely.
 
The Cali problem with the Yugo is the threaded barrel not the launcher itself.
Any muzzle extension has to be permanently attached
 
In california threaded barrels are fine on rifles but they are a no no on handguns. A good example on rifles is the keltec su16ca. It's a .223 rifle that is threaded for a flashhider(which would be illegal) or muzzle break(legal). The grenade launcher is specifically mentioned as a destructive device. Mark
 
Wow, talk about a bunch of miss-information. Here is the low down.

There are two different Yugo SKSs. The M59 and the M59/66. As is the M59 is perfectly legal in California. The stock M59/66 is not.

The M59/66 has a grenade launcher which has been ruled a destructive device by CA law. To be able to import the M59/66 is a CA legal config, one can either remove the grenade launcher or cover it up by welding a piece of pipe over it.

The launcher itself can be removed by removing a pin and screwing it off. I have heard everything from “it was simple” to “act of God needed” in removing it. Once removed, the M59/66 is California legal even with the treaded barrel. Threaded barrels are illegal only on handguns here in CA.

Removing the launcher will not affect the cycling of the rifle.

Now most of the time, you can find M59/66s with a CA mod. These mods are either removing the grenade launcher and welding on muzzle break (flash hiders are illegal in CA), or welding on a pipe over the launcher.

If I were you, I would go for removing the launcher, being that you will then not have anything welded to your barrel, and then you can get an after market muzzle break.

The bayonet can be left intact as long as you don’t put pistol grip on the rifle.

Keep in mind, that Yugo SKS’s are CNRs. If you add any mods to them, you will have to play the 10 parts game as per 922r.
 
From the above link:

Various companies sell “California legal Yugos” that still have the bayonet on them—What gives?

California law prohibits the grenade launcher on Yugoslavian Type 59/66 Rifles. Various companies sell so-called “California legal Yugos”, where the grenade launcher is removed and replaced with a muzzle break. These rifles are definitely no longer C&R, and ATF has said so in writing numerous times.

However, when you modify a rifle and “void the C&R status”, you need to conform to the current requirements of Title 18 USC § 925(d)(3) and § 922(r). In the case of non-C&R SKS, the ATF has clearly said that a “folding bayonet” is one of the items that are prohibited. Which means that these companies should have removed the bayonet along with the grenade launcher.

Yet, it's hard to believe that so many companies could all be violating the law by making the GL mod. ATF hasn't been able to articulate a clear answer despite receiving more than a few letters on the subject. So it seems that “California legal Yugos” exist in something of a legal grey area.

For more information, check out the section on Modifications to C&R Rifles in this FAQ.

While at least one company claims to have a letter from ATF approving this modification, it is not clear that this modification was truly legal.
Click to expand...

Are they talking about Interordnance selling modified Yugo 59/66's as C&R's? They above is saying that IO is sellng these rifles illegally as C&Rs. Just want to know what could happen to a C&R FFL holder in CA who bought one of these rifles from IO.
 
Well, I am going to try to wrench that sucker off. Wish me luck. Good thing I have been hitting the gym lately.

I am not interested in the muzzle break, since the rifle hardly has unmanageable recoil, and I am looking to make it as compact and handy as possible without paying for a cutoff and recrown.

Rick of 'Survivor's SKS Board' has agreed to make me a threaded sleeve that will merely cover the threads for $10. Provided I can get the grenade launcher off, it sounds like a good deal.

Thanks for all the info!
 
I got my SKS from Turners here in San Diego.
It had the muzzle break installed.

looks like a spot weld?
sksweld1.jpg


You can see the bayonet is still installed.
sksbayo.jpg


Here are the markings on the barrel.. I assume these are the people to imported it?
sksmark.jpg


The stock grenade launcher is illegal in Cali.
http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/zastava.htm
 
 
joab, if you look at the text this applies to rifles that use "detachable" mags unlike standard sks's. Grenade launchers are still illegal anyway because they are destructive devices. That's why some of the features are legal by cali law on fixed mag sks's. Thats how guys are getting away with evil features on fixed mag AR's here in cali too. Mark
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Does this change make a 59/66 SKS illegal?
Replies
14
Views
2K
Limeyfellow
L
Fatelvis
  • Locked
Can I change the Yugo SKS?
Replies
1
Views
664
rbernie
rbernie
T
  • Locked
Yugo SKS for California
Replies
10
Views
1K
El Rojo
E
Snowdog
  • Locked
Yugo SKS: Bayonet + Grenade Launcher = Head Scratching?
Replies
7
Views
1K
Snowdog
Snowdog
roo_ster
  • Locked
Yugo SKS M59/66 Grenade Laucher Mods
2
Replies
33
Views
4K
rbernie
rbernie
Back
Top