Whatever happened to SKS?

[NorcalGSG]

I was just curious and couldn't find by searching- I remember back in the day, vaguely, so please can someone tell me or point me in the right direction here. Wasn't there some kind of registration or ban of some type on SKS's in CA? I don't own one, & never did so I guess I never paid attention. But now I was just curious, what was the deal with that? Thanks in advance.

[M. Sage]

The SKS with a detachable magazine is banned.

[bigcalidave]

Wow. Was it past bedtime sage? That's a hell of a short answer from you

[an actual gun]

[Sgt Raven]

I think the OP is thinking of the SKS's that DOJ said could be sold and then had to retract that and buy them back. I think it was the Norinco Sporters.

[Lone_Gunman]

I used to have a Norinco SKS-D. In fact it was the first gun I ever bought. I was about 18 or 19 at the time, don't really remember now. It was a great little gun. 16 inch barrel, took AK mags, then one day I walked into the K-Mart sporting goods section and there was a huge banner that said it had been banned and I had to get rid of it. Sold it to a guy in Florida through my local FFL. Kept all the mags. Used the money to put toward a FAL.

[NorcalGSG]

Thanks guys- basically I just was not really familiar with the status of the SKS's out there. Looks like removable mag puts it on the R-R list, and the fixed mag ones are good to go, minus the launcher attachment, right? Aren't they all also C&R? Thanks

[an actual gun]

Some are C&R, some not. Yugo's are mostly too late for C&R as are the new Chinese ones. Russians are C&R that I know of.

You're right though--standard with fixed mag and no grenade launcher = legal. If you remove or replace any part on the SKS you have to play the 922r game, which usually requires replacing a few other parts with U.S. made ones.

[Amacias805]

im not sure if this is correct, because i dont own an sks or have an interest in buying one, but someone had mentioned to me that while the Yugos and some of the others are Clones, the receivers dont actually say SKS ... and could be legally modified to have detachable magazines as long as the receiver didn't say SKS?

like is said i am not sure of this because i dont own or intend to own a SKS, and even if i did, i wouldn't destroy one like that, but the idea makes sense. since it is the same reason we are able to buy OLL

[Amacias805]

im not sure if this is correct, because i dont own an sks or have an interest in buying one, but someone had mentioned to me that while the Yugos and some of the others are Clones, the receivers dont actually say SKS ... and could be legally modified to have detachable magazines as long as the receiver didn't say SKS?

like is said i am not sure of this because i dont own or intend to own a SKS, and even if i did, i wouldn't destroy one like that, but the idea makes sense. since it is the same reason we are able to buy OLL

someone smarter than me please feel free to chime in

[bwiese]

someone had mentioned to me that while the Yugos and some of the others are Clones, the receivers dont actually say SKS ... and could be legally modified to have detachable magazines as long as the receiver didn't say SKS?

like is said i am not sure of this because i dont own or intend to own a SKS, and even if i did, i wouldn't destroy one like that, but the idea makes sense. since it is the same reason we are able to buy OLL

Correct.

"Yugo SKS" is only a colloquial term.

The Yugo Simonov-pattern carbines are formally known as "Zastava Arms M59" and "Zastava Arms M59/66".

Even the Calif DOJ refers to these rifles this way [in their memo warning about the M59/66 grenade launcher being an illegal destructive device.]

For the Roberti-Roos-prohibited "SKS with detachable magazine" to include the M59 or M59/66, it would mean the term "SKS" was being used as a series, which has the following Harrott-related issues:

1.) "series" term is ONLY used in relation to ARs/AKs, not for any other guns;

2.) even despite (1) above, Harrott would require any "series" cocept to have
a list formally identifying individual of that supposed "series" (like the Kasler
list does for specifcally-banned AR & AK items)

It appears the Albanian Simonov pattern, the E. German (and perhaps N. Korean?) rifle also have non-SKS make/model designations. Other than the Albanian Simonov-pattern carbine, these others rifles are rare/nonexistent in US so it's kinda moot.

As Yugo rifles are not "SKSes" and are just semiauto fixed-mag rifles, they can be converted to detachable magazine - providing Fed. 922(r) / 27 CFR 478.39 "10 or less key foreign parts" game is also played.

[N.B. The M59/66 needs to have its grenade launcher removed or disabled before entry into CA. Common way to do this is to pin/weld a sleeve over it. One should NOT possess a M59/66 G/L device even separate from the rifle as it's likely intrinsically considered a destructive device even when separated from the rifle.]
However, any Russian or Chinese Simonov-pattern rifle should indeed be regarded as a true SKS (despite any handwaving above) and should not be modded for / possessed with a detachable mag, nor have an over-10-round fixed mag, within CA.

[Mitch]

As Yugo rifles are not "SKSes" and are just semiauto fixed-mag rifles, they can be converted to detachable magazine - providing Fed. 922(r) / 27 CFR 478.39 "10 or less key foreign parts" game is also played.

You go first.

[bwiese]

You go first.

Mitch,

I'm perfectly willing to do this, but I hate to mark up my very nice M59/66 and put Trashco compliance parts on it.

This is functionally/legally identical to having an off-list rifle, it's just that "SKS with detachable magazine" is a unique identifier that is the only R-R entity with a feature named.

If I find a cheap shot-out beater Yugo M59, I'll do it.

The other problem is that SKSes in general work just fine with fixed mags. I've heard of a lotta feed issues with the Tapco crap.

[Sgt Raven]

Mitch,

I'm perfectly willing to do this, but I hate to mark up my very nice M59/66 and put Trashco compliance parts on it.

This is functionally/legally identical to having an off-list rifle, it's just that "SKS with detachable magazine" is a unique identifier that is the only R-R entity with a feature named.

If I find a cheap shot-out beater Yugo M59, I'll do it.

The other problem is that SKSes in general work just fine with fixed mags. I've heard of a lotta feed issues with the Tapco crap.

Would this help put another nail in the RR, Kasler, Harrot coffin?

[bwiese]

Would this help put another nail in the RR, Kasler, Harrot coffin?

No.

If I had one and were somehow popped for it, it'd end up like any other legit OLL case we've had and wouldn't get to trial.

Junior DAs don't like to deal with 2500+ pages of material on standards for AW criteria and legislative/regulatory history.