SKS M legal questions

[Carl in CT]

I tried searching for the answers but I'm not having much luck so here goes, my apologies if they have been answered previously. I read Larry's victronic.com site and despite the awesome info there, I'm still confused.

With the SKS M mags and 922r -
It looks like the mags are still considered parts of the gun even though they came as detachable mags. So it appears that if I buy a SKS M and want to get more mags they have to be foreign? If I buy mags made in the US I then have to play the ten or less game. Is that correct?  If I go with foreign mags, do they have to be Chinese to match the manufacture country of the SKS M or will any foreign mag do?

It seems illogical that if I buy a gun designed to take detachable mags that I would have to be concerned with where they were made. Does the BATFE really consider switching mags on a SKS M or D (or Saiga, etc.) assembling a gun? If that's their logic then it seems like once you switch a mag it would technically constitute assembling so no matter what you do unless you only use the one original mag that came with the gun when it was imported you have to play ten or less. Am I missing something here?

Also, I just talked to Murray's and they can install their hammer, trigger, sear in a SKS M, it's just an extra $10 for installation because there is something extra he has to do (so I won't be trying that myself).

I think the Tapco gas piston will work but I would need to cut mine down, correct?
Can the handguard be replaced with a USA made one (maybe a cheese grater) just like a regular SKS?

My thinking is if I go with the hammer, trigger, sear, gas piston and handguard I will get the SKS M down to 10 foreign parts so it will not matter what I do with the mags (or stock). Any of this make sense or have I just lost my marbles?

[BillyBang]

That's a good question.
I would think that if your M is kept in it's original imported configuration,
you could use any AK type mag because you aren't changing the configuration of the rifle.

Once you take your M out of imported configuration by adding restricted features,
folding stocks etc., then you have to watch your foreign parts count and play the ten or less game.

You could write the ATF and ask them the question.
It would be interesting to see what they have to say about it.
Then you would have something to show in writing too.

Again, I am not a lawyer and I can only give you my opinion.

Thanks.

[LESchwartz]

Carl,

I'm not sure what your question is . . .

Larry

[Carl in CT]

Sorry Larry, I got so confused I wrote a confused question.  I actually have a couple questions but I'll state the most important one first and deal with the rest later.

With the SKS M does it matter what someone uses for the magazines and how many they use as far as 922r (assuming no other modifications)? In other words, if I buy the SKS M I am looking at, can I run out at buy whatever brand AK style mags I want from any country of manufacture in whatever quantity I want or will I be violating 922r if I don't stick with just the original mags the gun was imported with?

[Greatguns]

Carl, if I understand correctly, you are asking if you can use surplus mags from other foreign countries as opposed to only Chinese AK mags to remain legal with an SKS model M type if the rifle is in original configuration?

My understanding, and this is just my understanding, is that it would fall under the replacement part category and thus remain legal. If you had a Russian SKS and the box mag was bad so you installed a Chinese box mag it is considered a replacement part and would maintain its imported status. Should be the same thing for the model M.
On the other hand, if in doubt, what you mentioned about the 3 FCG parts, piston, and HG would also make you compliant and you could then use any mag as well.

[40below]

Carl;

If You check the 10 or less spread sheet at the top of this forum, You will see that the SKS,s that use AK mag have 16 evil parts, so You will have to change 6 or more.
Murray's trigger parts = 3
Handguard = 1
Stock = 1
Gas piston =1
Tapco mag = 3

I used Murray's trigger parts, Copperhead29 gas piston and Tapco mags to make the mark.

Copperhead29 sells His product on ebay and He cut mine to 8 11/6 in at no charge.

Note: the Tapco mag need to be modified to fit SKS's that take AK mags, It's an easy mod though.

-40

[LESchwartz]

With the SKS M does it matter what someone uses for the magazines and how many they use as far as 922r (assuming no other modifications)? In other words, if I buy the SKS M I am looking at, can I run out at buy whatever brand AK style mags I want from any country of manufacture in whatever quantity I want or will I be violating 922r if I don't stick with just the original mags the gun was imported with?

I would think that where imported mags are made is not important.  They're either US-made or not.  As long as you don't change the configuration of the rifle, you should be fine.

However, if you are still nervous about the question, you could write ATF.

Larry

[Greatguns]

Carl;

If You check the 10 or less spread sheet at the top of this forum, You will see that the SKS,s that use AK mag have 16 evil parts, so You will have to change 6 or more.
Murray's trigger parts = 3
Handguard = 1
Stock = 1
Gas piston =1
Tapco mag = 3

I used Murray's trigger parts, Copperhead29 gas piston and Tapco mags to make the mark.

Copperhead29 sells His product on ebay and He cut mine to 8 11/6 in at no charge.

Note: the Tapco mag need to be modified to fit SKS's that take AK mags, It's an easy mod though.

-40

Only difference parts count-wise between a regular SKS and an AK mag accepting SKS is the mag which adds 1 part so it should only be 15. AKs, because of the threaded barrel and MBs, have 16 parts. SKSs don't have Muzzle attachments thus only 15 parts.

[LESchwartz]

Only difference parts count-wise between a regular SKS and an AK mag accepting SKS is the mag which adds 1 part so it should only be 15. AKs, because of the threaded barrel and MBs, have 16 parts. SKSs don't have Muzzle attachments thus only 15 parts.

Actually, ATF counts thumbhole stocks differently that you might expect:  They count the pistol grip and the buttstock separately.  Thus the typical t-hole SKS-M has 16 parts.

Larry

[Greatguns]

Yeah, you are right(as usual concerning all things 922r, lol) I wasn't thinking of the stock, my bad. Sorry -40b.
I guess really then it boils down to what he actually has for an AK accepting SKS. If it has a sporter stock or military stock as opposed to the thumbhole stock it would indeed be 15 and only be 16 if it had the thumbhole stock.

[Carl in CT]

I haven't gotten the gun yet but I did just win the auction. I don't want to change a thing with the gun right now so I will write the BATFE and see what they say about the mags. In the meantime I will stick with mags it is coming with (1 reg metal 30rd AK style mag, 2 pre-ban waffle mags, 1 30rd and 1 10rd that I assume are imported). That should keep me happy for a while. The only thing I can imagine changing is the stock if I don't like the thumbhole but I doubt I will do that.

Thanks for the info everyone, Larry you are always the man when it comes to 922r!

[LESchwartz]

I will write the BATFE and see what they say about the mags.

Make sure to vet your letter here before sending it in.  Otherwise they might not answer the question you think you're asking.

Larry