Mike:
It would be illegal to "convert" a full auto AK, using the original receiver, to a semi-auto no matter how you did it. The BATF's position is "once a machinegun always a machine gun". My AK started it's new life as a parts kit that was at that time all complete except for the receiver.
A new semi-auto receiver was purchased and enough new American made parts were used to qualify as a legal and register-able as semi-auto.
I took this one step further and registered it with the BATF as a Short Barrel Rifle(SBR) before it was converted. The envelope you see in the case contains a copy of the paperwork which must be with this gun at all times. This also means it stayed in the gunsmiths' possession until the paperwork was approved.
AK kits are drying up and nearly impossible to obtain today with an original barrel since the BATF arbitrarily decided that original barrels could no longer be imported a few years ago.
IMO: Everyone should have one of these or an AR15 readily available as insurance.
As an aside: When the NFA Act was passed in 1934 the Federal Government realized even then that they couldn't outlaw this type of firearm due to the 2nd Amendment.
So what they did was require a $200 Treasury tax stamp when these were initially registered and every time they were transferred. $200 was a LOT of money in 1934 and the intent was to make it too expensive for ordinary citizens to own one. This stamp to this day is still the most expensive one in use in the United States.
Jim
Last edited by italiansxs; 03/30/14 02:03 PM.
