sks to ak mags

[justashooter]

converted a chinese para to ak mags yesterday. took about 5 hours to do the job, plus about 3 for a refinish of the stock.

begin with a detail strip, removal of the bolt hold open and spring, removal of most of the feed rails from underside, but leaving enough for the mag to seat against (about 3/32 stock remaining in the rear, and 1/16 in the front. this allows the mag to be positioned to feed). well also had to be widened to accept wider mag body.

a 1/4 steel flat was silver soldered to the underside of the receiver below the barrel and shaped to catch the front mag notch, and the mag catch and lower frame reshaped by the addition of steel and lots of try-fit grinding.

stock was installed and relieved to allow a mag, and the area in front of the mag was filled with matching wood. entire stock was stripped to refinish what had been in rough shape. chu wood (not really a hardwood) is no fun to work with, as it turns to a gummy powder under a palm sander, and has a tendency to get hairy. the very pale wood was then stained with brown shoe polish to match the handguard on the gas tube, and varnished.

test firing went well with a 10 rd mag, but a fully loaded 30 dropped out on the 3rd round, as the mag catch spring was not strong enough to hold it in place under recoil. time to hunt for a stronger spring...

(sorry, no pix)

[BattleRifleG3]

Are you aware of the law that to use a hi-cap magazine in a currently produced rifle you must have less than 11 imported parts from a list? If you've managed to do that then hats off to ya, and I'd love to hear how ya did it.

[m03]

It's *chinese*, which means it was last imported in 94/95, which means it's most likely a preban...add to the fact that alot of those (his probably included) already had the ability to accept detachable hi-cap mags.

The older detachable mags for the chinese rifles SUCK. They're hard to install/remove, and aren't very reliable. Coming up with a way to retrofit these rifles to accept AK mags is a great idea.

[torque65]

Seems to me that there was a "kit" out at one time with the required parts and instructions for converting SKS rifles to accept AK mags.
Anyone?

[Packrat]

The last Chinese weapons were imported in April '94, by executive order (and don't ask me how the Norinco shotguns are coming in--I'd love to know that myself). I don't think that converting them to use removeable magazines is legal. I certainly wouldn't be bragging about it.

The ones that were made to accept AK mags are still legal to own, buy, or sell, just like AKs with all imported parts taking hi-cap mags.

[U.S.M.C-Man]

Look at this http://www.roderuscustom.tzo.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi?s=4008bec6008cffff;act=ST;f=14;t=207 . Hope this helps.

- U.S.M.C-Man

[Mactrekr]

Contact, what do they run?
Mac

[Don Williams]

FWIW I've got a "D" model I bought thru Paragon. It works fine. Like a dumb ass I cut the 5/16" off the stock and mag well to get the AK drum feed tower to fit. It runs well with the 75 round drum but now the regular AK mags are a tad loose and wobble from left to right. They lockup fine but are loose.

[xtremerange]

Replace the required number of foreign parts to make it a domestic rifle and convert away.

For example:

Use US made

Stock, Pistol Grip and Forearm -- 3
US made Magazine -- 3
US Op Rod and Gas Piston -- 2

Combine that with there being no muzzle attachment and no trunion, then there are no more than 10 improted parts from the magic list of 20.

Other combination exist too.

Convert away.

[LESchwartz]

The normal run-of-the-mill SKS does not have the ability to utilize detachable mags . . . there's a fixed mag which requires field stripping the rifle to remove.

Converting an SKS to use any detachable mag (either AK or duckbill) is similar to converting a low-cap WASR to high-cap -- it requires ten-or-less imported parts.

Larry

PS: Download a copy of the relevant ATF brochure here: http://www.simonov.net/Files/assembly.zip

[BattleRifleG3]

Replace the required number of foreign parts to make it a domestic rifle and convert away.

For example:

Use US made

Stock, Pistol Grip and Forearm -- 3
US made Magazine -- 3
US Op Rod and Gas Piston -- 2

Combine that with there being no muzzle attachment and no trunion, then there are no more than 10 improted parts from the magic list of 20.

Other combination exist too.

Convert away.

That works if you're using SKS detachable mags. US made AK mags are not as common, inexpensive, or durable.

[xtremerange]

That works if you're using SKS detachable mags. US made AK mags are not as common, inexpensive, or durable.

Though I don't have any experience with US Made ones, I would have to agree from second hand reports. Just suggesting a route to compliance.

[Mactrekr]

It's tough to get an SKS compliant, but it can be done. The US Made duckbill mags are an absolute and complete waste of time. They're crap and I wouldn't want to shoot one at the range, much less in a fire fight. They're prone to jamming and misfeeds.
Mac

[BattleRifleG3]

Certainly can be done. Then you start to wonder why...

[Mactrekr]

Why? Why? Why do we build AK's instead of buy them? Why do you climb a mountain? My friend I do not ask why, I ask "Why Not?" ;)
Mac

[BattleRifleG3]

I meant that we do all these changes and then end up liking the original better.

[Mactrekr]

I meant that we do all these changes and then end up liking the original better.

Currently, my chinese SKS is heavily modified. It's got a Choate Dragunov Stock, Custom US made muzzle break, and non-detach slab side 20rd mag. I've got us made gas rod and piston. I like it, but would much rather have it take AK-Mags. Just for the interchangeablitiy. I find that anything can be improved on.

Mac

[AKOK]

Seems to me that there was a "kit" out at one time with the required parts and instructions for converting SKS rifles to accept AK mags.
Anyone?

I saw a Norinco at a local gun shop like this last week. Looked like the old style 30 rounder but the mag was easily detached from a sleeve. Price was $185 btw

[Cummins_4x4]

There were alot of Chinese carbine converted back in the Day in Dallas Tx by a shop. They took both mags and drums and ran well. Norinco also imported a butthole stock carbine converted to accept 30 rd mags.