SKS questions

[Vicious-Peanut]

Hello all.

I am becoming interested in an SKS and have recently learned about the 922r thing, and it doesn't make any sense to me, could someone explain it? The rifle would probably be modded with a dragunov stock a new handgaurd a red dot scope and a muzzle break. Plus whatever easy internal modifications actually help them. What would be the best model to start with that has the most after market modifications available for it? Yugo? Chinese? Also which would be the easiest to mod while staying in the legal limitations?

Let me take a shot at the 922r thing, could I add American made after market parts without changing the internal parts to American and still be legal?

 

[Technosavant]

922r refers to the legality of importing a nonsporting firearm. In short, it is illegal to have a gun that would be considered "nonsporting" that is also imported. Some other regulations fold back into this, such as curio and relic laws.

Take the Yugo 59/66 SKS. It is classified as a "curio and relic" firearm, so although it is also "nonsporting," it is legal to import and own. Now, so long as the status of that rifle is C&R (basically, you leave it as is), it is perfectly legal to own, whether or not you hold a curio and relic FFL. The moment you make permanent alteration to that rifle (anything other than a refinishing), the curio and relic status is voided, and you are now subject to 922r.

This does not mean you should prepare for a stay in Club Fed just yet. 922r provides a "10 or less" parts test to determine whether the gun is considered domestically produced or imported. If there are 10 or fewer imported parts in the gun (there's a given list of parts to count, only those on your gun count), it is considered domestic, and you can do whatever you want to it, provided that parts count is maintained.

So let's get out that 59/66 again. As is, it is a C&R rifle. Fine and dandy, but you want to tweak it. This means you will be voiding the C&R status, and it is imported and nonsporting. Time to remove "nonsporting" features. On the 59/66, that is the grenade launcher, bayonet, and night sights. Since you'll be removing the launcher in favor of a muzzle break anyway and the bayonet needs to go along with the launcher (won't lock into place without it), the upshot here is the night sites must be removed. You now have an imported "sporting" rifle, and you can stop there if you choose, add a red dot, and things like that.

However, you wish to fiddle with the it yet more, maybe putting on a new "nonsporting" stock (pistol grip type, Dragunov style would probably be considered "sporting") or a detachable magazine. That will make it "nonsporting" once again, and you need to observe the parts count issue. I believe a US-made stock, handguard, muzzle brake, op rod, gas piston, and magazine (3 parts- body, follower, and floor plate) will make you more than legal, and you can do whatever you wish at that point.

See here for a bit more info.

Still, this is where I usually ask WHY you want to do this to a SKS. The time and money spent modding the thing will make you wish you'd just gone the AK route, which have a less muddled legal environment and a wider variety of aftermarket parts.

 

[Vicious-Peanut]

Why?
1. I am in love with the way a Dragunov looks
2. Ak's are super confusing, all the Saiga, WASR, real Ak talk I don't know which one is the 'real' one that Ak parts fit.

 

[JamesM]

bayonet needs to go along with the launcher (won't lock into place without it)

The bayo mount and grenade launcher are two separate parts. You will still have to remove the bayo though (because it is a non-sporting feature).

 

[easy]

Answers here

http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?board=12.0

 

[Technosavant]

AKs aren't as confusing as SKSs. With an AK, you only need to pay attention to the type of receiver (milled/stamped) and width of receiver (basically Chinese and everybody else, but a little shaving can make anything fit). With the SKS, there's varying flavors depending on nationality. They're pretty even in that respect.