Question of legality of modded MAK 90

[JTH]

I want to put a regular AK synthetic stock on my MAK 90. I realize the shoulder stock would have to be filed down some to fit in rear trunion. Then add a pistol grip, the two parts over the gas port and barrel are black and will suffice. Would the MAK be illegal at this point? Thanks!
JTEX

 

[Walkalong]

Would the MAK be illegal at this point?

Since you will add the pistol grip, I believe so.

I added 5 USA parts to mine to make sure.

USA Trigger - 3 parts

USA Grip - 1 part

USA gas rod - 1 part

When used with a Tapco mag, you have more than enough USA parts, but with the 5 I added, I can use any of the good surplus mags.

 

[JTH]

Thanks for your reply,
In reality, unless you use the weapon in some illegal activity and keep it as a SHTF weapon. The question would never arise. I have an Norinco SKS, Remington Wingmaster 12 ga. police issue, , 9mm Tokarev(sp?), Hi-point 9mm carbine and a vintage Winchester model 72 22 caliber. 2K rnds -7.62x39, 1500 rnds of 9mm ammo just need to stock up on more 22LR bricks and various load rnds of of 12 ga shotgun shells. Probably could use more ammo but how much is enough if the SHTF? Plan on retiring to rural NE Texas on Lake Fork, so I wouldn't starve. Hopefully far enough from the DFW metro area, about 100 miles east.
JTEX

 

[MAKster]

To convert a MAK-90 with the thumbhole stock to a pistol grip set-up you need to replace 5 original Chinese parts with U.S. made parts. The butt and the upper and lower forearm count as two parts total. A Tapco fire control group counts as three parts. The pistol grip has to be U.S. made as well since you don't want to add any new foreign parts which would then cause you to have to remove another foreign part. You can use U.S. magazines to reduce your foreign parts count, but then you are locked into using inferior U.S. mags.

 

[RX-178]

(Disclaimer: I am in no way suggesting anyone do anything that is illegal. I strongly recommend that anyone who's customizing a foreign made rifle to strictly adhere to the provisions of 922r)

How would 922r actually be enforced, is the question that I keep asking, and never get an answer on. I'm going to give you a really good example.

This is a handguard that a friend of mine laminated from scratch using birch plywood and gorilla glue, then applied the finish to. He made a stock and pistol grip also using the same laminating method. All of those parts are US-made, and therefore compliant, since he made them in his garage in Texas. But there's no markings on them, and there's no markings on imported AK furniture either.

What's to stop them from arresting you for owning any rifle that is in a non 922r configuration and claiming your parts are foreign made? How would they then prove it in court?

Let's not use AKs as an example, even. What about an AR-15? What's to stop them from arresting you and claiming that your AR-15 has internal parts made by Diemaco in Canada, and therefore isn't 922r compliant? How could they tell those parts apart from another?

This has always confused the heck out of me.

 

[pkoch62]

That's a very nice-looking handguard.

If I were your friend I'd stamp or burn (with a soldering iron or similar implement) a small "US" somewhere on the inner surface of the HG, where it could not be seen when installed on the rifle. That should do, maybe photograph the furniture at various stages of the process to prove you really did make them yourself if you want to be really sure.

And now for an even larger can of even wrigglier worms: I'm sure some of you remember the BATFE ruling last year that some types of refinishing count as manufacturing, and thus require licensing to do on a commercial scale. If refinishing = manufacturing, does this mean I if I refinish my original foreign-made furniture, it becomes a US-manufactured compliant part?

 

[RX-178]

He did photograph the manufacturing process for that exact reason. But about burning a small 'US' on the surface?


What if you burn the same mark on a foreign made handguard? How would you tell the difference then?

 

[pkoch62]

Maybe there's some kind of super-secret-squirrel forensic technique they could use on it, I don't know enough about this kind of thing to know for sure. But if they want to get you so bad that they're taking an electron microscope to your handguards they'll find something to hang you with.

 

[RX-178]

I think that if there is a presence of US made parts that are accurate reproductions of foreign parts, that would create a reasonable doubt to any evidence in prosecution of a 922r violation.

So I'd have to say I agree with JTEX53 about the chances of 922r prosecution. If you're arrested on another, more easily proven weapons charge, they'll add the 922r charge regardless of whether the weapon is or is not compliant. Otherwise, they probably can't make any 922r charge stick.

Would making a weapon with largely foreign parts be illegal? Absolutely.

Do I condone, recommend, or support doing this? Absolutely not, it's still illegal.

But your chances of getting caught, found guilty, and sent to jail on 922r? I have to be honest here, I really don't think it'll happen unless you've committed some other crime.

 

[pkoch62]

Exactly. I think it was aimed more at importers and commercial manufacturers like Century or Vector, not so much some guy making rifles for his personal use in his basement, even if it still applies to him. And of course giving them one more thing to try and stick you with if they decide to try and get you for some other reason.