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Preban?
seductiveone
Member Posts: 159 ✭
How do I tell if my SKS is preban? I bought a folding stock for it a couple months ago. On an other thread it was brought to my attention that only prebans that came with a folding stock can leaglely have one. If this is true, can I just put the locking pin in to keep it from folding, therefore keeping it leagal?
"Respect my authority"
"Respect my authority"
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Thank you.
"Respect my authority"
The others are supposedly illegal. However, a quick perusal of the law will throw this particular discussion way into the grey area. The SKS is one of the hardest ones to understand any of the printed word reguarding modifications. If it was modified prior to 94, then it is ok. They are all manufactured prior to 89, and are therefore, IN THEORY, pre-ban, but, since they were not configured with pistol grips, detachable mags, folding stocks, etc, they were not considered assault weapons. The modifications MAKE IT an assault weapon, however, as previously mentioned, if it was modified pre-94, then it is simply a modified rifle. The proof of modification pre-94 is the key.
A great rifle with a junk scope,....is junk.
I actually talked to an ATF agent, face to face, about this over a decade ago. What it came down to was that he didn't know what he was talking about, but wasn't willing to admit it. Even after he said he would get back to me about the matter. He did call a week later and what he told me then was obviously what he was told to say, but it too could not be substantiated in fact. And I told him so.
Anyway, the 1994 Crime Bill did affect folding stocks on semi-autos as a whole, but the placement of folding stocks on an SKS specifically, goes back to 1990, (Not the March of 1989 Assault Weapons Ban).
The agent in question, said that the folding stock SKS's had been banned from importation. I pointed out to him that there had never been a folding stocked SKS ever imported. The folding stock was a US made idea which was added to the guns by individuals after they were in the country. To make a long story short, like I said he didn't know what he was talking about. Upon our second conversation he still didn't know what he was talking about, but he now knew what he was supposed to say, (not that he understood it, just that was what he had been instructed to give as an answer from his superiors).
Actually there were a few Chinese SKS folding stocks made, just the stock, not a gun with the stock on it. The Chinese had gotten a hold of one of the US made ones, made a casting of it and starting exporting a copy of it to the US. Unfortunately they didn't get the material composition quite right and they had a tendency to break after very little use. Not to mention they were within a few dollars of the US made original, so they were short lived.
The only SKS's that would legally be able to have a folding stock on them would be Chinese ones that were imported and had a folding stock put on them prior to November 1990. To put one on an SKS today (for the first time) would be a violation of law. The Russian, Romanian, and Yugoslavian ones are allowed to have their bayonets because of the status as a Curio or relic, but they too can not have the folding stock added today. And unless they are a Vietnam bring back, there were no Russian or Romanians in the country prior to 1990. There were a few, very few, Yugoslavs that came in with the Yugo AK's prior to 1989, but they were very few and far between. So basically there were none of those that would meet the criteria.
As for the Gov't enforcing this one, there is probably little chance that they will, but they could if they were so inclined. So beware, don't give them an excuse.
LRARMSX