Full auto AK converstion to semi-auto

C

cptmclark

New member
A friend who is an army doctor is about to head home finishing his tour and wants to ship home a souvenier AK 47, given to him in appreciation for an act of compassion and bravery. I find that I can import it as a FFL, but I don't have a NFA license, and he doesn't want to be burdened with the machinegun rules. I see a lot about converting semi to full auto, but not the reverse. Have any of you done this, and know the requrements of the law to make it a US legal semi-auto? Thanks a lot.


Mike
 
I am not a lawyer, maybe one will come along. In the meanwhile, my recommendation is to not get involved with this man.

As I understand it, it is not legally possible at all. The BATF policy is "Once a machinegun, always a machinegun." "Downconversion" to semi-auto is not legally recognized. I don't know who said you could import it on a FFL but also doubt that is so.

The Army does not allow personal weapons or souvenirs and the good doctor is probably breaking regulations sending a firearm home even if he got something semiauto to start with.
 
As I read the regs "occasional importation" by the FFL is allowed. As far as involvement with a person, this fellow is a long time friend and an honorable man. The issue of "ownership" and Army regulation is a seperate issue and is being addressed.
My question here is a gunsmithing one, about the converstion from full to semi_auto. I haven't yet found the reg about what it takes (if it's possible at all) to convert from full auto to semi-auto in a way to satisfy the law. There is abundant information on converting semi-auto to full auto, but not so the reverse. Thank you very much.


Mike
 
I repeat, it is my understanding that the BATF does not recognize ANY means of converting a fully automatic weapon to semi automatic.

Maybe I am wrong.

Edit to add: You might could treat it like the "kits" being sold. He could strip the barrel, stock and working parts off, send them in, and you could install them on a new receiver that had never, ever had any provision for full automatic operation. There is also a requirement for so many US made working parts in such guns, so several of the action parts would also have to be discarded.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.
 
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I had suggested rendering it inoperable but cosmetically as original, but have to agree that takes away from the joy of ownership quite a lot. I'll research the regs and confirm it can't happen. Just though someone might have researched it before and have the citation. No harm in trying. I can also phone the IRS (they, not ATF have jurisdiction over machineguns I think). It could legally be imported as is, I think, to a NFA dealer, and the owner buy a tax stamp to legally own it. That might be the best bet, if the "ownership" question can be resolved. If not, I still get to learn something and tried to help a friend (who is also a true American hero). I can say it's more enjoyable to converse with fellow afficianados than the IRS or ATF.
I think I should have worded my question more like "how do you convert an automatic AK rifle to semi-auto". I think I know how to convert my AR to full auto, if I wanted to buy the authorizion. Don't know how to down convert the AK however.
Thank you for the input and opinions.
 
It's easy enough to convert an FA AK to semi, but it wouldn't be a PERMANENT conversion, and ATF won't ever recognize that conversion as anything but a machinegun, so it won't be allowed to be imported.
 
The ATF is incredibly anal when it comes to these things. (Actually they are about most things.) The "Once a machine gun, always a machine gun" is true. Thus why surplus M-14s couldn't have 30 seconds of machine work done to the receiver, to make them unable to be converted back, and be sold as semi-autos.
 
Well, I still havent read the procedure, but if it's just the reciever, couldn't we just replace the reciever with a semi-auto-from-birth one and have a new gun?
 
Greetings everyone.

I understand this weapon was "supposedly" given as a gift and that holds sentimental value, but is it dipped in gold or what. Their are alot of legal issues surrounding this fully automatic weapon. Why not just use his military bank on a quality semi-auto? Even if you did somehow get it transfered, I don't think it's as easy as just buying a $200 tax stamp. Their is at least three months of waiting time, explaining why you need a fully-automatic weapon, and having a local law enforcement employee giving you his stamp of approval.
Aside from all that, I don't think you can bring it home. I recall reading a soldiers story over in Iraq and in it it told of how they did "weapon round-ups" from all the soldiers that confiscated weapons from the local terrorist and whatnot.
I know this isn't what you want to hear but I am entitled to my opinion.
Hope you get it worked out and legally.
Take care
 
Using a new receiver was already suggested. This is the only legal method to do what you want.
The IRS does not regulate machineguns. That is ATF's responsibility.
The machinegun can not be imported for transfer to an individual, nor can a regular FFL import a machinegun.
I would tell your friend to get the parts (less receiver, which is the machinegun) here, and that you will assemble it on a semi receiver.
 
It has not been legal to produce or import a privately owned "machine gun" since 1986.

Glad you other guys are weighing in on this since the OP did not believe me.
 
It's POST-86 it's DEAD

you will not get an import permit for an AK...it's not going to happen. There are NO exception for bring back war trophies. There is NO legal way to make a machinegun Semi-auto and pass BATF&E scrutiny.
There is NO way to pay any tax amount to get a wavier.

Leave it in the sand...where nobody cares and they are $ 50 to $ 100 all day long.

Civilian or TRANSFERRABLE MG's had to be made and registered prior to May 19, 1986....BAD law signed by Ronald Reagan. (Great Man..BAD Law)

New MG's can be made all day long by a Class 2 mfg BUT for LE/Military sales or Export ONLY.
 
If the doctor is really your friend, tell him that he is risking fine and imprisonment by even trying to bring or send back that rifle. And furthermore, if you go along with his scheme, you will also be at risk.

In some cases, the military and BATFE have left those things happen so they can see how big a conspiracy there is and who is getting the arms. So just when you are unpacking the AK-47 and congratulating yourself on getting it through without any problem, some nice polite gentlemen come to the door and suggest you accompany them while they tell you all about Mr. Miranda.

Don't do it, and don't let anyone talk you into going to jail for or with them.

Jim
 
Well, my technical question has certainly generated a lot of heat. I have long enjoyed the insights and comeraderie shared on this forum. I have asked questions about gunsmithing and learned a lot. When I have known the answer to questions, I have shared them. This is what I think the forum is about. Actually, I expected a short reply telling me how to make a modification. One good answer I think I got was to change out the reciever.
Thank you very much for your replies, ideas and suggestions. I know they are well meant and I know from the past that responses from most of you are well worth reading.
Insults are never welcome. Maybe I got oversensive, but nobody ever thought that before, and there is absolutely no need for any insults to a true American hero you don't know, suggestions that this question is an effort to violate some law or regulation, or especially the wisecracks implying lack of honesty or criminal intent in the qustions or lack of character in the persons asking. A friend wrote asking me asking a question I didn't know about, and I honored you by bringing the question here. If you are offended by my question, please just don't reply. I know these days most have lost respect for the best men, but I have come to expect better here. I had hoped to just copy and forward the replies I got here, but obviously I won't do that now.

I've been bogged down in enforcing federal law and regulations for decades, and know how time consuming it is to personally research into an unfamiliar area. Really good info from agents can be mighty hard to get. So I ask and appreciate informed replys to these informal questions. I would never proceed without the acutal rule in hand and discussion with the authorities, no matter what I think of them. I did spend a while today researching the regs and the law on this subject, and was appreciative of the accurate info I got from some of you. We don't have to be right but it would be nice if we would be...well,...nice. I promise not to bash your questions even if I do know all there ever was to know about it, am seven feet tall and bullet proof. I won't insult you either.

The IRS regs in the National Firearms Act are pretty simple (Yep, IRS rules, mainly due to the original tax purposes I guess). Less easy to find was that you don't have to be an importer to import a firearm, and there are provisions for a soldier to import weapons even to his own address (not surplus). The cite for the 1986 rule accurately referenced by oldcspsarge is Title 27CFR, 479.105 in case anybody else wants to read it.
 
Even without the '86 law, I don't see how it would have been possible. Foreign made machine guns not registered in the '68 amnesty would not have been able to be registered to individuals and not importable except as a sales sample. As for the receiver option, that's a lot of trouble to go to for what is essentially a parts kits. You don't have to be a dealer to import a firearm unlessit's an NFA firearms for which you have to be a licensed importer. NFA items are a whole different regime of regulation.
 
Could this guy try the DEWAT or DEMIL route to get the gun into the US?

Thanks for the suggestion. The "ownership" needs to be determined before anything else, in my opinion, and I haven't heard back on that. The law does allow for the war trophy, as you obviously know, but I'm not sure how much it would have to be wrecked to satisfy the legals. Twould be nice if it could be kept as a firing copy, even if the reciever were replaced by his armorer buddy. He is looking into your suggestion now and has enlisted the aid of the legals at his base. Someone there suggested sending to his local PD as a "training aid" or some such, which can be done, but I don't see how that would help him, as they can't transfer it. He's not interested in having a machinegun, but would really like this as the gift seems to mean a lot to him. I understand a high muckety muck appreciated this guy removing an unexploded rifle grenade from his quadricep before it popped and wanted to reward him with this thing.
 
Foreign made machine guns not registered in the '68 amnesty would not have been able to be registered to individuals and not importable except as a sales sample. As for the receiver option, that's a lot of trouble to go to for what is essentially a parts kits.
There was never a desire to transfer or import it as a machine gun. I was just asked if I knew how to legally get it to him back in the good old USof A, and preferably still functional. He wanted it semi-auto, so I asked, never having worked on one. There's no accounting for sentimental value:confused:. It may not seem practical to me, but if he wan'ts it that bad and I can help, heck, he'd do it for me. I suspect that his best help will come from his own folks in theater. It sure is an education for me, in more ways than one.
 
he might get away with bringing all parts except for the barrel,receiver,hammer retarder and autosear.

ak's are not imported into the US havent been for years. cant even import parts sets with the barrel anymore. another thing can thank bush and a republican congress for doing absolutely nothing about and the NRA.

he would need to follow 922(r) in building the rifle back up. will need a barrel,receiver and 3-4 other parts which is pretty easy trigger,hammer and disconnector.
 
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