CGSteve8718
New member
If I remember right, all SKS rifles except for the Chinese ones are C&R eligible and are fine the way they are. The reason the Chinese rifles are not is because they can't agree on an accurate dating system for them. They have one, but it is believed to only be for the Factory 26 made rifles.
You run into compliance issues with the SKS when you try to tacticool them out and modify them.
My only experience with the stupid law is with the AK platform, but this is relevant to all imports weapons made into "non sporting arms". First, you must understand that there are pre ban rifles (pre 89), while all others are either post ban imports (Norinco MAK 90s, post ban Maadi ARMs, post ban Hungarians SA 85s, etc.) or kit builds from demilled rifles that require US parts.
They are really concerned about certain features that they deem make a firearm a "non sporting arm". These are of course the evil features such as threaded muzzles for detachable brakes/devices, pistol grips, detachable high cap mags, and bayonet lugs. This is why the post ban imports had neutered configurations with thumbhole stocks, welded muzzle devices, and other stupid things done to them to make them less evil, while in essence they were still the same rifle.
On a stamped receiver (AKM) with a threaded barrel, the US parts required is six. For each part that is not listed on the ATF's parts count list, you can take away one that is required. For example, a milled receiver rifle with a threaded barrel would then would only need five parts since it does not have a trunnion. If you do the build yourself, the most common US parts used are the receiver (1), fire control group (3 parts), pistol grip (1), gas piston (1)muzzle device (1), stock (1), and forend (1 part). Magazines are also easy for compliance, but some people don't like to use them because you can slip out of compliance easily by inserting an original military mag. The mag body, follower, and floorplate can all count for 1 part. So if you have an entirely US made mag (such as ProMag, but they suck), you have 3 compliance parts taken care of.
All the rifles available through Century arms right now are kit build rifles and have the requisite US parts installed in them during assembly either by CAI or whoever they contracted to do their builds. The exceptions being the WASR series of rifles which are imported and are 100% Romanian, but because 922(r) is an import law, they are imported as low cap, sporter rifles. CAI then dremels the receiver to accept hi cap mags and adds US made parts in them for compliance. Arsenal LV rifles are the same way.
A lot of people don't realize that the M70B1s, the M70AB2s, the Tantals, the AMD 65s, etc. you can get from CAI are all kit builds. These rifles cannot be imported at all because of the configuration they are in ie. the way they were meant to be.
Be careful when you purchase things that try to entice you by saying "pre ban" or no ban. There are true pre ban rifles out there (for a much higher price), and there are rifles modified with the evil features. The former can have anything done to them that doesn't cross into NFA territory, but the latter must meet 922(r).
If you are unsure whether or not you have a pre ban rifle, Google is your friend, but it pretty much breaks down like this. The Chinese rifles had the most importers and I honestly don't know them all, but it will not say MAK 90 on it, since the "M" means modified to comply with the law (thole stock, etc.). Pre ban Egyptian Maadi rifles only came from Steyr, in Secaucus, NJ. Pre ban Yugo rifles only came from Mitchell's, pre ban Hungarians only came from Kassnar. There are no pre ban Romanians, and there are no Russian AK/AKMs in the US other than vet bringbacks or dealer samples (but those are real assault rifles anyway). SAIGA conversions do not count for this definition.
To understand the real stupidity of the law, for all intents and purposes you can have an "US manufactured" firearm by simply replacing some furniture.
These import restrictions are the reason why a Steyr AUG, the various HK rifles, pre ban FALs, etc. can cost over $5000. It is also the reason for the spawning of US manufacturers and companies that makes either rifles to fill the market (the new AUG copy, PTR 91s) or parts for AKs (TAPCO, KVAR) and FALs (DS Arms).
This has been done before numerous times, a search should get you good answers.
You run into compliance issues with the SKS when you try to tacticool them out and modify them.
My only experience with the stupid law is with the AK platform, but this is relevant to all imports weapons made into "non sporting arms". First, you must understand that there are pre ban rifles (pre 89), while all others are either post ban imports (Norinco MAK 90s, post ban Maadi ARMs, post ban Hungarians SA 85s, etc.) or kit builds from demilled rifles that require US parts.
They are really concerned about certain features that they deem make a firearm a "non sporting arm". These are of course the evil features such as threaded muzzles for detachable brakes/devices, pistol grips, detachable high cap mags, and bayonet lugs. This is why the post ban imports had neutered configurations with thumbhole stocks, welded muzzle devices, and other stupid things done to them to make them less evil, while in essence they were still the same rifle.
On a stamped receiver (AKM) with a threaded barrel, the US parts required is six. For each part that is not listed on the ATF's parts count list, you can take away one that is required. For example, a milled receiver rifle with a threaded barrel would then would only need five parts since it does not have a trunnion. If you do the build yourself, the most common US parts used are the receiver (1), fire control group (3 parts), pistol grip (1), gas piston (1)muzzle device (1), stock (1), and forend (1 part). Magazines are also easy for compliance, but some people don't like to use them because you can slip out of compliance easily by inserting an original military mag. The mag body, follower, and floorplate can all count for 1 part. So if you have an entirely US made mag (such as ProMag, but they suck), you have 3 compliance parts taken care of.
All the rifles available through Century arms right now are kit build rifles and have the requisite US parts installed in them during assembly either by CAI or whoever they contracted to do their builds. The exceptions being the WASR series of rifles which are imported and are 100% Romanian, but because 922(r) is an import law, they are imported as low cap, sporter rifles. CAI then dremels the receiver to accept hi cap mags and adds US made parts in them for compliance. Arsenal LV rifles are the same way.
A lot of people don't realize that the M70B1s, the M70AB2s, the Tantals, the AMD 65s, etc. you can get from CAI are all kit builds. These rifles cannot be imported at all because of the configuration they are in ie. the way they were meant to be.
Be careful when you purchase things that try to entice you by saying "pre ban" or no ban. There are true pre ban rifles out there (for a much higher price), and there are rifles modified with the evil features. The former can have anything done to them that doesn't cross into NFA territory, but the latter must meet 922(r).
If you are unsure whether or not you have a pre ban rifle, Google is your friend, but it pretty much breaks down like this. The Chinese rifles had the most importers and I honestly don't know them all, but it will not say MAK 90 on it, since the "M" means modified to comply with the law (thole stock, etc.). Pre ban Egyptian Maadi rifles only came from Steyr, in Secaucus, NJ. Pre ban Yugo rifles only came from Mitchell's, pre ban Hungarians only came from Kassnar. There are no pre ban Romanians, and there are no Russian AK/AKMs in the US other than vet bringbacks or dealer samples (but those are real assault rifles anyway). SAIGA conversions do not count for this definition.
To understand the real stupidity of the law, for all intents and purposes you can have an "US manufactured" firearm by simply replacing some furniture.
These import restrictions are the reason why a Steyr AUG, the various HK rifles, pre ban FALs, etc. can cost over $5000. It is also the reason for the spawning of US manufacturers and companies that makes either rifles to fill the market (the new AUG copy, PTR 91s) or parts for AKs (TAPCO, KVAR) and FALs (DS Arms).
This has been done before numerous times, a search should get you good answers.
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