SKS AK mag?

[TheShooter73]

Ok, so a friend of mine has an SKS that I've fired before and let me tell you, it's a real fun gun to shoot for a gun with no "evil" features. One day, he asked me if it's possible to convert it to take AK mags, which is something I was thinking of doing once I plan on getting my own SKS. After looking it up, I found out it is possible, but it's a ***** to do. I won't have the time due to college and work and I know my friend won't have the time either.

Does anyone know anybody in the Orange County or nearby that'll do a conversion?

[TheShooter73]

Sorry, meant to write Orange County area.

[SoberClurichaun]

No because it's illegal.

[kcheung2]

Not legal in CA, and even if it were, those duckbill mags don't work very well.

[Junkie]

Whether or not it's illegal depends on what kind of "SKS" it is. If it's a Yugo M59 or M59/66, it's legal to convert. If it's anything that says SKS on it, it's illegal. This is the same concept as off-list AR15s being legal. It's less common, but exactly the same concept.

I have an M59/66 that I've considered playing around with, but haven't gotten around to it. I'd also like to toss some better sights on it.

[TheSpaceNeedle]

So you want to remove the ten round mag and convert it to what? Use ten round ak mags?

Just buy some stripper clips and forget about it. Sks's that take ak mags have been a no no out here for awhile.

[5.56Geo]

You will be better served in buying an AK. The cost involved in converting an SKS to have the capabilities of using AK magazines (not duckbill magazines) will cost more than an AK costs and there is no guarantee it will be as reliable.

...that not even getting into the legal aspects of it.

[Chaos47]

Ok, so a friend of mine has an SKS that I've fired before and let me tell you, it's a real fun gun to shoot for a gun with no "evil" features. One day, he asked me if it's possible to convert it to take AK mags, which is something I was thinking of doing once I plan on getting my own SKS. After looking it up, I found out it is possible, but it's a ***** to do. I won't have the time due to college and work and I know my friend won't have the time either.

Does anyone know anybody in the Orange County or nearby that'll do a conversion?

Sorry your understanding of why a SKS is legal in CA is flawed.
SKS have fixed magazines. They are legal the same way as "BB" rifles are.. by having a fixed magazine with the capacity to hold 10 or fewer rounds.
Not by being a featureless rifle, because a featureless rifle must have a detachable magazine.

30515. (a) Notwithstanding Section 30510, "assault weapon" also
means any of the following:
(1) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to
accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
(A) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action
of the weapon.
(B) A thumbhole stock.
(C) A folding or telescoping stock.
(D) A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
(E) A flash suppressor.
(F) A forward pistol grip.
(2) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine
with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.

Also under the CA AWB "SKS with detachable magazine" is a listed assault weapon so if its a marked model its no go...

3rd even if it was legal its probably cheaper to just go with detachable duckbill magazines...

[Mitch]

Whether or not it's illegal depends on what kind of "SKS" it is. If it's a Yugo M59 or M59/66, it's legal to convert.

Yeah, every time this comes up the old "Yugo M59 isn't an SKS" canard pops up, but in ten years I have yet to see someone post a photo of a converted Yugo M59 in California on Calguns. And not because I haven't asked.

[Mossy Man]

Yeah, every time this comes up the old "Yugo M59 isn't an SKS" canard pops up, but in ten years I have yet to see someone post a photo of a converted Yugo M59 in California on Calguns. And not because I haven't asked.

Its a logically sound evaluation.

The only problem is that its not a large enough demographic to gain widespread support and acceptance.

When BBs and OOLs first came out, it was the same, except there was a better reason to push for its acceptance.

How many M59s are out there, and of those who's willing to test the law on a weak upgrade?

[Junkie]

Yeah, every time this comes up the old "Yugo M59 isn't an SKS" canard pops up, but in ten years I have yet to see someone post a photo of a converted Yugo M59 in California on Calguns. And not because I haven't asked.

Being a test case sucks even if you're found not guilty - or even if you aren't charged. Many cops will arrest first and then figure it out.

[calwoodbutcher]

M59/66 has a gas shut off lever to make it a single shot and has no features. If one was to install a choat mount and a nice scope, stripper clip loading would not work. They sell 5 and 10 round duckbills that would fit the bill (pun intended) and do feed well. These rifles are fairly accurate at scope distances. Legal issue is untested though.

[ArmedCMT]

Is a Norinco type 56 carbine not considered an SKS?

Ive been looking for a fixed 5rd mag but Im pretty sure the one I just got is a detachable. Im glad I got it cheap cuz it looks pretty flimsy...oh well, the hunt continues.

[Mitch]

Being a test case sucks even if you're found not guilty - or even if you aren't charged. Many cops will arrest first and then figure it out.

Then it's probably not such a great idea to keep spreading the dubious notion that a Zastava 59/66 isn't an SKS.

It probably said "SKS" on the tag in the gun store; it probably said "SKS" on your receipt; heck, the gun store guy probably wrote "SKS" on the 4473. When Turners was selling these a few years ago they called them "SKS" in their weekly ads. That's all the DA would need to do, wave around a copy of a Turner's ad in front of the jury. Or show them a Zastava 59/66 side by side with a Russian SKS, then field strip them both. Most of the parts would be interchangeable.

Same for the Norinco 56.

What expert are you going to find to convincingly testify it's not an SKS at your trial?

Just to fit the rifle with a less reliable magazine set-up? What's the point of that?

[Mossy Man]

Then it's probably not such a great idea to keep spreading the dubious notion that a Zastava 59/66 isn't an SKS.

It probably said "SKS" on the tag in the gun store; it probably said "SKS" on your receipt; heck, the gun store guy probably wrote "SKS" on the 4473. When Turners was selling these a few years ago they called them "SKS" in their weekly ads. That's all the DA would need to do, wave around a copy of a Turner's ad in front of the jury. Or show them a Zastava 59/66 side by side with a Russian SKS, then field strip them both. Most of the parts would be interchangeable.

Same for the Norinco 56.

What expert are you going to find to convincingly testify it's not an SKS at your trial?

Just to fit the rifle with a less reliable magazine set-up? What's the point of that?

I'm not disagreeing with you that its not worth the possible hassle for an inferior set up, but by your logic you could say the same thing for any generic legal AR15.

Take any off the shelf AR15, take it apart and compare it to a listed AR15 you can see they're the same. Might even say AR15 somewhere on the 4473, and the tag will probably say AR15 on it somewhere too.

The only difference is that someone took a chance with an OLL, and a bunch of other people did too, and set a precedent of tacit approval by LEO.

Nobody has done that with the M59, and probably never will because so few of them exist vs. generic AR15s.

If someone made a new production SKS called an ESKAYESSZ, it could legally be sold featureless with a detachable magazine. It just won't happen because there is no demand for it.