Yugo SKS, Bare-bones USA compliant, what do I do?

[Arkarayne]

It's kind of a 3-fold question:
I got a 30 round steel mag for my M59/66 SKS, and plan on just using it as an "permanent" mag like the 10'er it was born with (til I get the money to buy more mags). But the law on these guns make my head hurt.
A: Can I keep the SKS factory-stock and still use the mag?
B: What's the bare-bones to make it "Legal" to use it if needed?
3: There a way to bare-bones it and keep the wood stock? (because I prefer wood over synthetic)


FYI: After tweaking the mag a bit (actually I just re-oriented the spring) I got it to both feed properly AND lock the bolt upon empty. So the "steel detachable mags are evil" hooplah... I don't know if it's true or I just got lucky.

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[unionguy]

I don't think the Yugo SKS's have the same 922r required parts that military pattern rifles need.

Someone else can confirm/deny I'm sure.

 

[raftman]

I don't think the Yugo SKS's have the same 922r required parts that military pattern rifles need.

If you have an unmodified one, you don't really worry, since it lacks a pistol grip and comes standard with only a 10-rd mag so 922R doesn't quite come into play (just like with unconverted Saigas), I think if you change one of those things (like if you wanna use a 30-rd mag), then you do have to play the 922R game.

But yes, you can keep the original stock and make it 922R compliant. 922R states that if you're going to have a rifle that's "unsuitable for sporting purposes" (which means, if it is to have a pistol grip, muzzle brake, ammo capacity >10, or any combination of the above, among other things) it must be composed of not more than 10 foreign-made countable parts. A standard Yugo SKS, I believe is composed of 15 countable parts, they are as follows:

1. Receiver
2. Barrel
3. Bolt
4. Bolt carrier
5. Gas piston
6. Trigger housing
7. Trigger
8. Hammer
9. Sear
10. Disconnector
11. Stock
12. Handguard
13. Magazine body
14. Follower
15. Muzzle attachment

So, if you wanna use a 30-rd mag, of those 15 parts, you have to swap out enough of them to make sure that no more than 10 are foreign (in this case Yugoslavian)-made.

If your mag is US-made, that already takes care of 2 parts (mag body, mag follower), so your rifle now has 13 Yugo parts, 2 American... you simply have to swap out any 3 more of the other parts on that list, until not more than 10 are foreign made. The challenge is, unlike the AK platform, aftermarket American-made parts aren't nearly as common and varied, but it's still doable. For example, you can buy an American-made trigger, hammer, and sear, (plus the mag body and mag follower, if the mag is American) you'd be down to 10 Yugo parts, 5 American, and thus you're 922R compliant, there's also American-made gas pistons, so you can even go a little overboard if you want.

 

[trainsktg]

I thought the aftermarket mag counted as three US-made parts...body, follower and floorplate.

Edit: DISregard...I'm thinking of an AK mag (duh).

Keith

 

[raftman]

I thought the mag counted as three...body, follower and floorplate.

Keith

The standard SKS fixed mag doesn't have a separate floorplate, the mag body is all one piece. If the aftermarket mag has a floorplate, that doesn't really do you any good as far as parts count goes, because you're simply adding an American countable part, without taking away a foreign one.

edit: disregard, looks like you remembered that!

 

[trainsktg]

Ah, it looks like you quoted me before I could post my correction.

I actually had my '51 Russian sitting right next to me as I was writing. Did I look at it before I opened my mouth? Nooo...ound:

Keith

 

[Arkarayne]

Well the mag I have doesn't have made in usa stamped on it, or made in any other country. It looks like just a stamped-steel 30 round mag. Any guesses on country?

So if I replace the handguard to a tapco w/ rail(-1), remove the bayonet and cleaning rod (-0), replace the mag (-2), replace the piston if I can find one(-1?), and remove the "muzzle break" and the grenade sight (-2?), and try to find a couple made in usa spare parts.. that'll work eh?
1+0+2+1+1or2+1or2= 6, So I think i'd be covered.

And I assume these parts have to have the Made in USA on them?

 

[raftman]

Having "Made in USA" or just "USA" on them would certainly help prove that a part is indeed American in the extremely unlikely event your rifle is to be inspected for compliance. Not sure having a US-made part that you can't prove is US-made would do much good. There are American-made stamped steel 30-rd mags for the SKS, for example ProMag makes one. Maybe you can disassemble it, and see if it's marked anywhere.

Yes I believe your proposed modifications will have you covered (someone can correct me if I'm wrong), although I don't think the grenade sight is a countable part, so you'd have 10 Yugo parts and 5 American, but that's good enough for 922R compliance. The rule is not more than 10 foreign countable parts.

 

[Arkarayne]

Well I just looked over the mag and it hasn't got 1 mark on it (was in the random mag bin at the gun shop, no packaging) I don't see why it wouldn't be US-made, but I'll just ride the lightning on it til I can find one stamped USA.

Other then that.. Off to the Items Wanted section haha.. Thanks everyone for the help.

Well, one more question, besides the muzzle break, there are no other parts from the list you can lop off and that gun be happy about it is there?

 

[trainsktg]

Don't forget, keep the original parts. Although you generally won't have trouble selling a 'tactical' SKS, your potential market of buyers is cut in half unless the rifle can be restored.

Keith

 

[raftman]

Do bear in mind though, that your proposed modifications may cause the gun to lose its C&R status. As far as I know, that just means if you're to transfer it to someone out of state, it will have to be through an FFL 01; a C&R licensee will no longer be good enough.

 

[Arkarayne]

Well, as far as I know I plan on keeping the rifle for a very long time, so at this point I don't mind tweaking it. And I always keep the extra bits haha.