AK Legality Question

[rbrthenderson]

So I was browsing the internet for some parts for my new WASR-10 and I came across the "922r rule." I had a few questions regarding this:

1 - My rifle was imported from Romania, but I purchased it from Cabelas and it is "manufactured" by Century Arms. Does this still qualify my rifle as an import?

2 - If it is considered an import, are the parts replaced by Century, (trigger group, grip and mag,) considered American made parts?

3 - If I look to add parts to this rifle, do I need to ensure that they are USA made?

The last question I have is a little unrelated, but if I want to remove the stock and add a folding stock or leave it as a pistol grip, do I need to register it as an SBR and pay the tax stamp?

Thanks for your answers in advance!

 

[indykid]

In short, yes - yes - no.

For Century to sell the rifle it has to meet the sporting purpose clause of the second amendment. To do that, we have 922(r) and Title 27 CFR 478.39 which states that you cannot make a rifle using more than 10 imported parts. Since the WASR comes into the US with a single stack mag opening, it "meets the sporting purpose" but to convert it to use standard AK mags, you have to replace enough imported parts with US made parts so that there are 10 or less imported, which is what Century does.

If you want to change any part, you can replace imported parts with imported parts and still be within the 10 part maximum. If you exchange an imported part with a US part your rifle is really sporting and incapable of doing any harm. If you replace a US part with an imported part, and change the count to 9 imported, you are creating that universe destroying rifle known by firearm haters as a "semi-automatic assault weapon" which we all know is a lie as there is no such thing, but right now that is the "rule".

Don't know about Texas, but here in firearm friendly Indiana adding a folding stock doesn't affect anything. It is only in some states like Michigan that if you put a folding stock on a rifle, and the overall length FOLDED is now less than 30 inches it has to be registered as a pistol. Again violating that which shall not be infringed.

Since the stock of a WASR is imported, you can add any folder you want and still meet 922(r) et. al. ATF measures a rifle with the stock opened, or if collapsible with it in the most extended position, so you will not have an SBR.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Indykid said it, I agree 100%

 

[cosermann]

... For Century to sell the rifle it has to meet the sporting purpose perversion of the second amendment. ...

FIFY.

 

[rbrthenderson]

Indykid, Thank you very much for that answer. It was exactly what I was looking for. Now, I'm off to buy some candy for it!

One more question just for knowledge...If I were to replace more parts with import, would I have to register it through NFA or is that just completely illegal?

 

[indykid]

Indykid, Thank you very much for that answer. It was exactly what I was looking for. Now, I'm off to buy some candy for it!

One more question just for knowledge...If I were to replace more parts with import, would I have to register it through NFA or is that just completely illegal?

The NFA registry with regard to newer rifles is just for those that measure less than 26 inches with stock open or extended, or overall length with fixed stock, and the barrel must be no less than 16 inches overall.

Unless you cut the barrel down, you can change all the parts you want without running afoul of the NFA. Oh, and those parts cannot be imported if the total imported count exceeds 10 or else the world will come to an end as your rifle becomes an evil baby killing device and sucks the light out of the sun.

Change all the parts you want, but make sure it is imported for imported, or USA for imported.

And it doesn't get any stupider when it comes to firearm laws, regardless as to how unconstitutional they are.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

If you want to make it easier to ensure the "legality" of your mods to your WASR, I suggest you visit Saiga 922r Compliance / THE LAW - forum.Saiga-12.com
There you can find discussions about this issue and somewhere in that forum you can find a link to an interactive checklist that allows you to figure out exactly how many "foreign made" parts you have on your rifle and what changing out parts will do to affect your "legality".

 

[Mordred]

The rule 922r does not apply to all states. Some states have some of their own rules that contradict this rule. i.e. folding stocks. But if i were you, i would not even worry about any of this. First of all, none of the parts other than the receiver on my ak says where its made. The russian parts do not show any difference other than color. So good luck proving where a part is made. 2ndly, to get busted for having a non compliant weapon is splitting hairs. No one gets arrested or fined for this because its simply unable to proove.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

The rule 922r does not apply to all states. Some states have some of their own rules that contradict this rule. i.e. folding stocks. But if i were you, i would not even worry about any of this. First of all, none of the parts other than the receiver on my ak says where its made. The russian parts do not show any difference other than color. So good luck proving where a part is made. 2ndly, to get busted for having a non compliant weapon is splitting hairs. No one gets arrested or fined for this because its simply unable to proove.

If the OP wants to visit the Saiga-12 forum or Gunco.net and check the threads about 922r compliance, he will see plenty of arguments for and against how ATFE enforces its rules (arbitrarily). The general trend I picked up from people far more experienced at this than I was - "flout the rules at your peril. The ATFE is capricious and arbitrary in their rulings and will not hesitate to make an example out of YOU if they catch you out of compliance". Since it's relatively easy to stay in compliance with a WASR (all the initial compliance actions have already been taken for you by the "manufacturer") all you need to do is pay attention to whether additional modifications you want to make utilize US made or foreign made parts.

 

[GLOCKBOY]

Be careful. I have a DSA SA58 and when i bought it it had a 10 rd mag. later DSA sent me a note saying to send the lower back so they could change the pistol grip so i could use 20 rd surplus mags. without the USA made grip and a import mag, i was out of compliance.