Legalizing AK pistols with blocked gas tube?

[rubyist]

Correct me if I'm wrong but, as I understand it, an AK pistol (i.e. an AK with a barrel length shorter than 16") cannot be semi-automatic and must at least require pulling the charging handle after each shot. Rifle Gear says they make one of their AK pistols CA-legal by shipping it with a 1/10 mag (10 rounder blocked to hold 1 round).

Would it be legal to have an AK pistol that, instead of having a 1/10 mag, had a normal 10 round mag with a blocked gas tube that didn't cycle the action? When taking the AK pistol out of state to shoot, you could simply install a normal gas tube.

If the pistol's theme is polymer furniture, you could buy a wood upper hand guard to always keep on the normal gas block so it'd be a good reminder to you that it was in a temporary configuration. If it's a wood theme, get a polymer upper hand guard.

Alternatively, the CA gas tube could have a gas flow regulator control under the hand guard that could be pinned into a configuration that blocked gas. When taking it out of state, simply punch the pin out then punch it back in before coming back. Having a simple jig for this would be ideal so you don't inadvertently mess up the gas tube.

Am I correct to think that these approaches would also be legal and would make using a 10 rounder or 10/30 mag acceptable? Would a Krinkov be legal with a bullet button and this gas tube as well?

Apologies that my understanding the law when it comes to these curious species of short rifles is spotty.

[The Paper Pimp]

the gas port would have to be blocked off making it a bolt action AK. they're common across the pond. they're called straight pull actions

[rubyist]

Would a Krinkov be legal with one of these gas tubes?

[nothinghere2c]

You can have them in Cali as semi-automatics.

You only need to SSE them through a 07 FFL just like any other off-roster handgun.
Or build one from a flat and parts kit.

Toss a mag-lock on it and you're good to go.

[Merc1138]

You only need it to be single shot to buy it.

After you buy it, convert it back to semi auto and it's legal in CA as long as it has a mag lock. Then just take the mag lock off when out of state.

[rubyist]

Wow. I'm very surprised it's legal to have a semi-auto AK pistol! I think I may know what my next lamentably large outlay of cash will be.

A few followup questions:

AK pistols can be made with a normal Krinkov kit assembled without a stock, correct? Besides the stock, there's no difference?

Is it legal to have a single-action Krinkov with a stock? Or are all pistols with stocks categorically illegal?

[chead]

I wouldn't want to fire an AK with a blocked gas tube. No gas PORT would be fine, but you're not going to change that out very easily.

[rubyist]

I wouldn't want to fire an AK with a blocked gas tube. No gas PORT would be fine, but you're not going to change that out very easily.

[MrPlink]

If the firearm in question is designed to be fired from the shoulder (ie has a butt stock) and a less than 16 inches it is a "short barreled rifle" which is categorically illegal in Ca, save curio and relic models (no Krinks in this category sorry)

Want a krink in Ca? Here are your options

Build a pistol ( no butt stock)
Build it with 16inch or longer barrel (looks stupid, but legal)
Build it with an extension of the barrel that is permanently attached making the barrel over 16inches. The extension can be a muzzle device or fake suppressor.

[rubyist]

Thanks MrPlink for the breakdown. Might be fun to build a Krinkov kit and skip the stock.