corncob
Member
Thinking of picking a few up from AIM, but I want to be able to hack on them if the urge presents itself. It seems like I once heard something about altering imported rifles?
Yugo SKS: Legal to modify?
- Thread starter corncob
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chopinbloc
Member
assuming that there are no state laws prohibiting whatever it is you are planning on doing, then you should be good to go. legal minimum barrel length is sixteen inches. the federal awb is gone so you can tapcoize your rifle at will. what is it exactly you were planning on doing? just want to cut off the grenade launcher? i'm not sure but i don't think you even have to cut it off, i think you can simply remove it with the right tools.
In their present state, they are legal C&R rifles. Once you start modding them, then they are no longer under C&R protection and the "evil" features could be (in theory) used to show you have violated import restrictions ('89 import ban) by creating a rifle not legal for import. The C&R protection trumps the 89 import ban until you start modding the rifle. In theory, once you start modding the rifle, you have to eliminate all of the evil features (night sights, grenade launcher, bayonet and mount, etc.). It is definitely a legal gray area.
This does conflict with the "CA-legal" yugo sks where they replace the grenade launcher with a muzzle brake (unsure if it is a permanent install or not). I would presume this is somehow a legal mod.
that's the background even if it doesn't make common sense.
This does conflict with the "CA-legal" yugo sks where they replace the grenade launcher with a muzzle brake (unsure if it is a permanent install or not). I would presume this is somehow a legal mod.
that's the background even if it doesn't make common sense.
You can't do certain things, like install folding stocks, or removeable magazines, that would change it from an imported 'sporting' rifle to a 'non-sporting' rifle, without bumping up against 922 regulations. In that case, you must remove enought foreign parts so that it is no longer considered 'imported'. The number of foreign parts on the rifle cannot exceed 10, but that refers only to specific parts.
Do a search on the 922 import regulations here and at TFL.
Do a search on the 922 import regulations here and at TFL.
Lonestar.45
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I don't hold the answers, but you'll find a lot of them here:
http://www.sksboards.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=12&sid=a644f58f11233743347d158ec629d2c8
From what I understand, to modify a Yugo SKS you need to win the "10 or less" game to stay in compliance.
http://www.sksboards.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=12&sid=a644f58f11233743347d158ec629d2c8
From what I understand, to modify a Yugo SKS you need to win the "10 or less" game to stay in compliance.
cracked butt
Member
With the 59/66 if you change out enough parts, I think you can get away with a pistol grip or dragonov style stock or a detachable magazine but not both. I'm pretty sure that you cannot add a folding stock to it unless you do soem serious modifications to it such as cut off the threaded part of the barrel, remove the bayonet lug etc... With other makes of SKSs its a bit easier. At least that's how I understand it, but then IANAL.
crazed_ss
Member
Mine has the grenaded launched attachetment replaced with a pretty nice looking muzzle break. It's welded on.
corncob
Member
Ok, so it looks to me like you get into the "ten parts" thing only when you change the rifle in such a way as to make it "not particularly suitable for sporting purposes." What, exactly, does this mean?
joab
Member
I changed the stock(3part) on mine
And ended up having to change the magazine (3parts), op rod(1part), and piston(1part)
I have a pretty good reference for it in my favorites I'll look when I get home tonight
And ended up having to change the magazine (3parts), op rod(1part), and piston(1part)
I have a pretty good reference for it in my favorites I'll look when I get home tonight
Corncob, it means whatever BATFE and their political masters say it means at any given time. For the purposes of this discussion it means the configuration in which the gun was imported; there is a ban on alteration of imports. I don't know all the details, but some folks are better versed than I. That law preceded the AWB and did NOT expire with the AWB.
Jim
Jim
joab
Member
chopinbloc
Member
the only part you really need is a metal punch that says USA and a hammer. 
seriously, though, my bad; i forgot about the parts game. if you really want to modify it, you should probably knuckle down and write a letter to the atf asking what you can do. during the awb, my friend called the atf field office in our city to ask if he could put a folding stock on his sks. the agent asked him if he was planning on robbing banks with it, when my friend replied "no," the agent said "then how would we find out?" i'm not suggesting that you break the law but it doesn't seem like there's alot of interest in prosecuting otherwise law abiding gun owners who simply run afoul of the labyrinthine legal code on stuff like this.
seriously, though, my bad; i forgot about the parts game. if you really want to modify it, you should probably knuckle down and write a letter to the atf asking what you can do. during the awb, my friend called the atf field office in our city to ask if he could put a folding stock on his sks. the agent asked him if he was planning on robbing banks with it, when my friend replied "no," the agent said "then how would we find out?" i'm not suggesting that you break the law but it doesn't seem like there's alot of interest in prosecuting otherwise law abiding gun owners who simply run afoul of the labyrinthine legal code on stuff like this.
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