AK Question

[stash]

Is there any downside to an AK that does not have a flash hider/suppressor other than it does not hide the flash. Specifically talking about the SLR107-61?

[Beiruty]

no ill effect, it is an AL after all. Shoot it forever...

[74novaman]

Other than looks, no. My first AK is a saiga (just like the arsenal you're looking at) with no muzzle device. It's never been an issue for me.

Heck, the original AK-47s didn't have a flash hider either, only a slanted muzzle break to help with recoil on full auto.

If you decide you really want a muzzle device on it, it's not too hard to take off the shroud. Some sagas come threaded under the shroud from the factory, some don't. But anyone with a bit of mechanical ability can thread the barrel if they want to.

[Jumping Frog]

Is there any downside to an AK that does not have a flash hider/suppressor other than it does not hide the flash. Specifically talking about the SLR107-61?

When it is originally sold that way, no worries.

The only way I can think of this tripping someone up is if there was an imported AK that had a US-made flash hider installed on it to help get to the required number of US parts to be 922(r) compliant. Removing the US-made flash hider would make that gun illegal.

[74novaman]

The only way I can think of this tripping someone up is if there was an imported AK that had a US-made flash hider installed on it to help get to the required number of US parts to be 922(r) compliant. Removing the US-made flash hider would make that gun illegal.

EDIT: Red font for incorrect information....ready subsequent posts on how I fell for one of those gun myths.

And to make that more confusing, I believe that a muzzle device can only be counted if it is removable. For example, on my AMD-65, a US muzzle brake is welded to a Hungarian barrel. It is now a barrel extension and not a muzzle device because it is permanently attached (otherwise the barrel wouldn't be 16" and legal).

So if you weld a US muzzle device to a foreign barrel, it no longer counts for 922r..only removable devices count.

Gotta love our stupid gun laws.

[74novaman]

So if you weld a US muzzle device to a foreign barrel, it no longer counts for 922r..only removable devices count.

Not true.

Doh. A bit more research shows that I'm wrong and you're right.

922 doesn't mention anything about how its attached, so being welded doesn't matter.

Learned something new today!

Edit: I think the origin of the myth is people confusing 922r and barrel length laws. My AMD has to have a welded extension or muzzle brake to meet length laws...but that has nothing to do with 922r compliance. Grr.

[Heartland Patriot]

922r-compliance is the original assembler/builder/manufacturer's problem - not the buyer.

So if you weld a US muzzle device to a foreign barrel, it no longer counts for 922r..only removable devices count.

Not true.

And for each type of firearm, the count of how many items required to make it compliant is different. Its not a fixed number, but a percentage or something to that effect. Things such as pistol grips and buttstocks count each, trigger parts can count separately (a Tapco G2 is 3 IIRC), the list is kind of odd in some ways. Typical bureaucratic mess, of course.

[74novaman]

922r-compliance is the original assembler/builder/manufacturer's problem - not the buyer.

So if you weld a US muzzle device to a foreign barrel, it no longer counts for 922r..only removable devices count.

Not true.

And for each type of firearm, the count of how many items required to make it compliant is different. Its not a fixed number, but a percentage or something to that effect. Things such as pistol grips and buttstocks count each, trigger parts can count separately (a Tapco G2 is 3 IIRC), the list is kind of odd in some ways. Typical bureaucratic mess, of course.

In my digging around, stumbled across this handy checklist:

http://thegunwiki.com/Gunwiki/BuildAkVerifyCompliance

[Heartland Patriot]

922r-compliance is the original assembler/builder/manufacturer's problem - not the buyer.

So if you weld a US muzzle device to a foreign barrel, it no longer counts for 922r..only removable devices count.

Not true.

And for each type of firearm, the count of how many items required to make it compliant is different. Its not a fixed number, but a percentage or something to that effect. Things such as pistol grips and buttstocks count each, trigger parts can count separately (a Tapco G2 is 3 IIRC), the list is kind of odd in some ways. Typical bureaucratic mess, of course.

In my digging around, stumbled across this handy checklist:

http://thegunwiki.com/Gunwiki/BuildAkVerifyCompliance

Very handy little checklist...just uncheck the items that are US made and once you get enough items, it tells you when you are G2G.

[Jumping Frog]

922r-compliance is the original assembler/builder/manufacturer's problem - not the buyer.

No, I am looking at it from a different viewpoint. You can take a gun that left the importer as a fully legal weapon, and remove enough US parts to make it now illegal. If you sell that now modified & illegal gun to the next buyer in a private sale, it is still illegal and it is now that buyer's problem.

[Heartland Patriot]

922r-compliance is the original assembler/builder/manufacturer's problem - not the buyer.

No, I am looking at it from a different viewpoint. You can take a gun that left the importer as a fully legal weapon, and remove enough US parts to make it now illegal. If you sell that now modified & illegal gun to the next buyer in a private sale, it is still illegal and it is now that buyer's problem.

If you look at the text of 922r, its pretty short.

(r) 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 from importation under section 925 (d)(3) of this chapter as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes except that this subsection shall not apply to—
(1) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for sale or distribution by a licensed manufacturer to the United States or any department or agency thereof or to any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or
(2) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.

All the guidance we see is from the BATFE; that is their "interpretation" of 922r. Its one of the reasons I hate laws like that in the first place. Who ends up losing on that kind of deal? WE, THE PEOPLE. Its the perfect sort of law for the "inlay fine double-shotgun, celebrity charity match at the country club" kind of folks. I say, who needs those dirty, un-sporting semi-automatic rifles for a nice pheasant hunt, anyway, right old chum? (Nothing against pheasant hunting, per se, but I'm sure you get my drift).

[Heartland Patriot]

Not QUITE as open to interpretation as I thought...I found the following list after doing some digging. Still not sure how someone would know that 922r is connected with the following if they weren't a full-up manufacturer or gunsmith, something of that nature...even though I know that ignorance is no excuse, despite the laws being so large and twisted that only someone with a VERY fine law degree could seemingly know how they truly work.

§ 478.39
Assembly of semiautomatic rifles or shotguns.
(a) No person shall assemble a semiautomatic rifle or any shotgun using more than 10 of the imported parts listed in paragraph (c) of this section if the assembled firearm is prohibited from importation under section 925(d)(3) as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to:
(1) The assembly of such rifle or shotgun for sale or distribution by a licensed manufacturer to the United States or any department or agency thereof or to any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or
(2) The assembly of such rifle or shotgun for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Director under the provisions of § 478.151; or
(3) The repair of any rifle or shotgun which had been imported into or assembled in the United States prior to November 30, 1990, or the replacement of any part of such firearm.
(c) For purposes of this section, the term imported parts are:
(1) Frames, receivers, receiver castings, forgings or stampings
(2) Barrels
(3) Barrel extensions
(4) Mounting blocks (trunions)
(5) Muzzle attachments
(6) Bolts
(7) Bolt carriers
(8) Operating rods
(9) Gas pistons
(10) Trigger housings
(11) Triggers
(12) Hammers
(13) Sears
(14) Disconnectors
(15) Buttstocks
(16) Pistol grips
(17) Forearms, handguards
(18) Magazine bodies
(19) Followers
(20) Floorplates