whats the legality of swapping the standard sks stock for something like this???

[jeremywills]

My apologies if this is supposed to be in another section of the forum.

Whats the legality of swapping the standard SKS stock for something like this???

http://www.tapco.com/product_information.asp?number=STK660166&back=yes

Im planning to go on the 21st to a Meet and Greet of other fine THR folks up in Austin and fellow member MatthewVantias and I have discussed an SKS hes interested in selling and Im interested in buying. Im 99 percent sure Ill be taking it off his hands while at the meet and as cool as the SKS is IMHO as is, it can be made even cooler. I had seen this and was wondering what the legality of it is. I have tried reading up on the BATF website etc... and did some googling and Im still confused about this whole parts count thing and all of that.

Can someone please in plain english spell out if its legal or not, and if so, what makes it legal in terms of parts count if any?

Maybe Im just confused or an idiot or both. Sorry I just wouldn't want to possibly purchase something after the fact and turn it into a non legal rifle.

Cheers
J

 

[jefnvk]

Can someone please in plain english spell out if its legal or not, and if so, what makes it legal in terms of parts count if any?

Probably no one can explain it very well in plain English.

However, the response I got from the ATF said, maybe. Depends on what SKS, when it was made/imported, what other features it has, where all the parts came from, and whether or not you feel lucky.

Some links:
http://www.sksboards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2698
http://www.victorinc.com/SKS-FAQ.html

To me, its a shady area that isn't worth it, although probably nothing would ever happen.

 

[Euclidean]

It's an American made stock which does not fold, and as a matter of fact if you read the page you'll even see that it counts as 3 compliance parts.

I can't imagine this could be illegal per Federal guidelines, but I am an idiot on a gun forum. Email, call, or otherwise contact the BATF if you are in doubt. I would personally install it on either of my SKS rifles without hesitation.

The main legal problem I can see with this is if you were to put it on a C&R SKS, it would lose its C&R status.

 

[dracphelan]

Here's a good article from the same site.

http://www.tapco.com/page.asp?id=73

 

[jeremywills]

thank you

i just cant see how they could sell stuff like that knowing most folks could wind up in trouble

but then thats free enterprise for ya, buyer beware, and since they did provide that page listing thier compliance parts its up to the end user to do thier homework and find stuff like that. I missed that somehow. I guess if Im understanding that page correctly to keep it safe you just simply make sure you have enough domestic made parts to keep the feds happy? So if you buy a Yugo with the nade launcher that falls into the muzzle attachment requirement and you have to have that additional US made part?

Anyhow, because the cost of the rifles are uber cheap and I have never done any kind of customizing before I thought it might be a fun thing to try my hand at. If I ever decided to sell it later on the modifications are non permanent so it can be put back together in its original state correct and still retain its C and R status?

Then all the upgrade parts could be sold seperately?

Thanks for the replies guys. I think in the long run it would be worth it for the experience if anything. I doubt the Feds would come knocking on the door unless you did something very illegal with it and then probably utilize the modifications to stack the deck against you.

Thanks again.
J

 

[DMK]

The problem is, the law, Title 18, United States Code, Chapter 44, Section 922(r), is unconsitutionally vague. There is nowhere where the law says folding stocks are illegal, collapsable stocks are not, or vice versa. The law says "It shall be unlawful for any person to assemble from imported parts any semiautomatic rifle or any shotgun which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited under section 925(d)(3) of this chapter as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes..." Section 925(d)(3) then simply refers to IRS code 5845(a) which deals with NFA stuff.

Where they get you is the "not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes". It is up to the ATF opinion as to what is considered sporting or not. The ATF came up with a list of firearms they did not like. According to them, you can't make a rifle from imported parts that's identical to one of them. The ATF considers the word 'identical' to be interchangable with the word 'similar'. Plain english and common sense do not fit into their agenda.

Remember, this is the same agency who tied demilled FAL parts kits together with duct tape and opined they were machine guns because they got one to actually fire a double before blowing up, so they confiscated all the kits sold and charged an importer with illegally importing and selling class 3 firearms.

 

[Chipperman]

"i just cant see how they could sell stuff like that knowing most folks could wind up in trouble "

OK, and how many people who buy a "bong" from the smoke shop use it for tobacco? Do the people working at the shop honestly think nobody is breaking the law with their products?

 

[jeremywills]

Well since you put it that way

Yea for tobbaco use only my ass LOL

I honestly think if you tried to include the correct # of parts and bought one of these stocks as long as you are not commiting crimes and just heading out to the range for some lawful target practice and possibly some deer hunting or the like every now and then you would be fine. Its something Ill consider if I buy this SKS from the fella. I don't see myself doing any hunting, it would be just mainly for Target shooting at a local range because I just happen to enjoy spending a couple of hours outdoors making noise and having fun.

Thanks for the comments and advice. Knowing me, Ill probably buy this silly rifle and just buy all this stuff and do it anyways.

Cheers
J