sks pre ban and post ban

hobbist

How to distinguish pre ban SKS from post ban and what is the difference?

boeboe

If the SKS didn't already have a folding stock and detatchable magazine fitted before the November 1990 ban, it can never legally have them fitted, regardless of the year of manufacture.If you are looking at a used one, how can you tell if it was so equipped prior to November of 1990? Unless they could trace back sales records and establish a date of the original FFL transfer, I guess someone would have to confess.Here is a good article on laws pertaining to modification of SKS rifles. http://www.recguns.com/IIH2.html [This message has been edited by boeboe (edited 10-04-2001).]

prebanfan

Ok let me see if I have this right Boeboe. If my sks did not come with a swing arm and a 30 round clip, does that mean I can not put a swing arm on and 30 round clip with it? My serial number is under 4000 so I know it's very old. Makes me a little paranoid because my gunsmith gave me the go ahead to do the swing arm and "50" round clip because it was such and early production sks. I bought the gun new, fresh out of the crate not long ago. He had several he had set back year ago. I watched him pull it out of the crate and it was covered in cosmaline. It did not have a swing arm nor did it have a high cap. mag. So does that mean that I can not "legally" install a swing arm and high cap. mag? Thanks in advace to anyone that knows.

boeboe

To do so would be manufacturing and assault rifle. Legally, that would be a felony under the provisions of the '94 assault weapons ban.Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people who have done it. And they will probably get away with it. No doubt it is a BS law, but technically it would be a felony.There are more than one "bans" related to the SKS. The '90 ban prohibits you from legally putting on the bayonet that came with the Chinese rifles! Between the '90 and '94 ban, the only way you could legally put a detatchable magazine on an SKS would be to cut off the bayonet lug! They were cracking down on Chinese SKS's long before the '94 ban hit. So there are two "bans" that apply to what you are talking about.It doesn't matter if the firearm was made before the '94 ban or not. What matters is if it was already in assault weapons configuration before that ban. The Ruger Mini-14 is an example. If it hadn't already been in assault weapon configuration prior to the ban, it can never be configured as an assault rifle. To do so would fall into the category of manufacturing and assault rifle, even though the basic firearm already eexisted.There are a lot of AR lower receivers out there that were made before the ban. PWA made AR15 receivers, and went out of business long before the ban came along. But when you see bare PWA lowers, they are advertised as post ban because they did not exist in assault weapon configuration prior to the ban.There is a lot of misinformation about what can and can't be done to the SKS, or rifles made before the ban which were not already assault rifles. There are a lot of them being converted still today, and the people will probably get away with it unless the gun turns up in a crime. But if they are looking for a reason to nail you, they would certainly use whatever means to do so.

nmyers@home.com

boeboe is correct, but it is a moot point.The hi-cap mag conversions don't work well in the SKS. By the time that you push, pull, tug, and slap to get the mag seated, you could have loaded and fired 20 rounds using stripper clips. Leave the gun as you received it, and you can enjoy shooting it with the knowledge that it will keep its value.Neal