Is it legal to have an SKS take AK mags?

[orangeninja]

Can you do an aftermarket conversion to an SKS to have it recieve AK mags? Is it legal? Reliable?

 

[N3rday]

I've seen and heard of people doing it so much, I assume its legal. Remember that it is completely legal to convert Saiga's to take AK mags, so I would *guess* that it would be kosher to do so for your SKS. Very appealing, as I am on a low budget and I want a good hi-cap plinker of some sort...

To your second question, i would imagine it would be reliable. the only thing that ever made the SKS unreliable were crappy aftermarket hi-caps. AK mags don't have the horrible reputation for unreliability that some of the (well, most of the) SKS hi-cap mags do, so I imagine it would work just fine. Theoretically.

 

[liliysdad]

No, it is not legal, as far as I can tell from various letters from the ATF.

You can, however, buy a SKS-D Norinco imported before the ban that accpets Hi-Cap AK mags.

 

[Stasher1]

Modifying an SKS to take AK mags is not a simple process and involves welding, cutting, and machining. The plans are available, but the end results are not worth the time/money/frustration IMHO.

If you're serious about having an SKS that takes AK mags, buy an SKS-D.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

If you really wanna do it...

From: Dept. Of Treasury
BATF
Wash. DC
To: [name deleted]
NRA
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA.

Dear Sir:


In answer to your specific questions, the following modifications of an SKS type rifle WOULD _NOT_ BE A VIOLATION of Section 922 (r):

1. Replace the existing stock and handguard with a non-folding wooden or synthetic stock having either a Monte Carlo or thumbhole design.

2. Attach a muzzle mounted recoil compensator, provided that the device is not also designed as a flash suppressor.

3. Replace the standard configuration stock with a Monte Carlo or thumbhole style stock and replace the fixed magazine with a detachable magazine. THIS MODIFICATION MAY BE DONE PROVIDED THAT THE BAYONET MOUNT IS COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE RIFLE.

4. Replace the existing 10 round magazine with a fixed magazine of a larger capacity.

5. Replace the existing 10 round magazine with a fixed 5 round magazine or install a block in the well of the 10 round fixed magazine to limit its capacity to 5 rounds.

6. Replace the existing receiver cover with a cover having a telescopic sight based and\or rings.

7. Replace the front and\or rear sight or install an ambidextrous safety.

With respect to attaching a bipod to a standard configuration SKS rifle; standard configuration SKS rifles are not approved for importation with bipods. Therefore, the attachment of a bipod would be a violation of Section 922(r)

http://www.recguns.com/Sources/IIH2.html

 

[Charles S]

It would be far easier and cheaper to just buy one that will already accept AK Mags. Then you don't have to worry about legality or reliability issues.

Charles

 

[albanian]

SKS-D and SKS-M take AK mags but they are very expensive. You will pay $300-450 for a M or D. Might as well buy a AK for that price. On the other hand, I have a Norinco that takes duckbill hi-caps (like any SKS can do) and it has never misses a beat.

The after market hi-caps get a bad rep but it takes a really messed up mag to make a SKS jam. Just buy a after market 20rd, 30rd, 40, rd or 50 rrd mag and see if it works. I bet it will work just fine and after you do it, you may decide that it is not as cool as you thought and you can put the original 10rd mag back in without any permanet damage to your gun. That is the cheap and easy way to get a hi-cap SKS.

 

[PATH]

I have an SKS Para which takes AK Mags. Best advice: buy one that was made that way!

 

[ARperson]

The biggest concern you have with legality issues is the number of illegal features...on of them happens to be a detachable magazine. If you've got 2 "evil" features and then swap the SKS fixed magazine with a detachable one, you've just made an illegal "assault weapon" and the ATF is probably planning your no-knock fire-bombing arrest warrant as we type.

However, if you remove one of the other evil features, to keep the total number to two (2), then you'd be okay.

By the way, having the SKS manufactured to take AK mags (assuming they don't alter the standard SKS in anyway) needs to have been manufactured before the AWB date in '94. If they were manufactured in compliance with the AWB, then you've nothing to worry about. But just being made to take them, doesn't automatically mean you're safe. Just something to think about.