Hey guys, I’ve got a Norinco NHM90 in 7.62 x 39 that I bought new at a gun show some years back. I would like to “deban” it and make it 922( r) compliant, however I have a few questions about it since it is kind of an oddball and want to be sure I get the US part count to foreign part ratio correct. As I said I purchased it new and have not done anything to it.
It appears to be a Norinco factory underfolder. Now from what I’ve read, the NHM90 and the later MAK90s were post ban and many/most were held in limbo after arriving to be made “palatable” due to the AWB. I’ve seen stated that while many came with the angled rear / underfolder receiver, they were typically fitted with the thumbhole stock and the holes for the underfolder were covered and riveted. This rifle has an open top hooded front sight and the bayonet lug is completely cut off. It also has the barrel end capped by a short pipe tack welded on (I’m assuming that the barrel is most likely threaded under there right?). While these 2 later factory modifications seem to follow the trend for AWB era AK’s ,the factory underfolder has me kinda stumped. However I’ve also read that the Chinese AK’s being imported and sold at the time were hit and miss when it came to the AWB remedies done to them(some still have bayonet lug with no bayonet, others like mine are completely cut off, some have the cap on the barrel end like mine, while others slipped through with the slanted brake, etc…) Could it be that the factory folder was left on mine and it made it through customs and ATF inspection somehow or do you think this was impossible and that it was definitely remounted after the fact by the distributor or dealer and they just didn’t tell me?
Some details, it has a triangle stamp with the number 56 inside of it next to the serial number on the receiver. It is an all numbers matching rifle (receiver, bolt, barrel, bolt shroud cover, etc..) Serial # is MS02XXX7
Here’s the thing, I know I would need to replace at least 6 foreign parts with US ones to make it compliant(Is this correct?). The problem is that I don’t know if the underfolder that is on it since I bought it this way new is original or not. Does the underfolder increase the number of US parts by yet another 1 (total of 7 instead of 6?) that Ill need to replace? There was no tab on the back of the receiver to attach a thumbhole stock and it looks like it was shipped with the underfolder on it from the factory to me. Will this be another foreign part Ill need to counter in the US replacement list with something else?
If it came with a thumbhole stock originally and someone changed it to the rear folder, will adding a US pistol grip(like say a Tapco or Hogue) just be cancelled out by the Chinese underfolder that may OR may not have come with it originally? Also I know that the thumbhole stocks were made in the US by Bishop or Boyd of hackberry wood. So IF a thumbstock was ever on here but was removed prior to my purchasing it and replaced with a ChiCom folder stock, how do I really know how many parts are factory foreign, how many US parts will need to be added to make it compliant, and basically how can I know for sure what parts NEED to be changed and will they count? Ive even tried using the following webpage( http://thegunwiki.com/Gunwiki/BuildAkVerifyCompliance )to figure it out(it would work great for a regular AK build but I’m still not sure how to use it for my particular gun because of its unknown history prior to me buying it.
My plan was to do this to it to go 922 ( r ) compliant:
#1-change the pistol grip to a US made one(either Tapco Saw style or Hogue finger grip)
#2-change the front furniture to a US made Tapco Galil or Intrafuse style
#3-change the gas piston rod to a US made Tapco rod
#4 change the FCG to a US made one from Texas AK triggers or Red Star



Also I would like to be able to make this complaint without having to use US made magazines(even though I know I could gain 2 US parts count from doing this)…I have a lot of Romanian mags that I still want to be able to use and want the rifle to be complaint without having to count the mag parts in the mix.


And depending on if I can take the thread cover off and do so, either add a slant brake or an AK-74 style US brake. This would depend again on what the final part count is.
Is there anyone who knows for sure if my gun could have made it through Customs and ATF inspection with the underfolder on it, or is it almost 100% reinstalled by the importer or the dealer/seller prior to my buying it? How would you figure out the correct and accurate way to make this 922( r ) compliant and is the underfolder gonna end up being an Achilles heel for me in getting the facts straight on this?
I’m sorry to bombard you guys with so many questions but I really need some help here and I know this is the place to come to if you need answers.Thanks to any and all that can help, I appreciate it!
pics to follow...

Your stock was added by an individual in the states. If it came in that way it had the stock removed and the holes covered up before it could be sold.

If I were you, I'd replace the FCG with a Tapco FCG. Many are against this as the Chinese FCG is supposed to be really nice, but, I'd prefer keeping the original furniture versus getting wrapped around the axle on which FCG is better.

Definitely replace the gas piston. Too easy.

You'd need one more part IF you don't mess with the muzzle threads or add a bayonet lug. Myself, I'm debanning a MAK-90 and will be using an Ironwood pistol grip. I hate changing out an original piece of furniture but the thing I hate worse is using compliance parts in magazines. If you add muzzle threads and/or a bayonet lug you'll have to add a part for each.

On mine I'm adding an underfolding bayonet. They often didn't have threaded muzzles so I don't have to have a threaded muzzle. Figure out whether you want a bayonet or not as well as the muzzle threads and go from there.

thanks guys for the input on this. Okay, so at this point it sounds like the importer or the dealer changed the stock before I got it. Im cool with that(I actually like the underfolder anyway). As of about an hour ago, the threaded barrel pipe cover went bye-bye(love my dremel! LOL!) and Im mounting(temporarily at least ) a US made slant brake (might change to a AK74 style later. I have a Hogue pistol grip and Tapco front hand guard on order. I will also be putting in an order for a FCG. Ill probably be ordering one from Texas AK triggers.
With these added onto the gun this shoud give me 6 US made parts, but I understand that its not the US part count but 10 or less foriegn count that matters, correct? If this is the case, will I have enough US parts on here to make it complaint without changing out the underfolder or the gas piston?
Also why do you mention against changing the gas piston to a Tapco or other US made one, I thought this was supposedly an easy swithout(more so than the trigger group at least)? Whats the challenge to changing the piston?

This is correct. It's 10 or less foreign parts that you are allowed to have. You'll be able to keep the folder on it if you swap out the other parts you mentioned. As far as the gas piston change is concerned, It's a little more involved than just swapping parts out so unless to have the tools and at least a little mechanical ability you're better off to just stick to the drop in replacement parts such as the FCG. To change the gas piston you have to find where it's pinned, drill it out (drill press would be a preferred method over a hand drill), swap out the piston, drill it out again, repin it, and either weld or peen the heads of the pin so that it will not come out, then grind the surface smooth. All that work for only 1 part towards your count.

In your case you want to keep the folding stock so swapping the stock isn't an option. If you use the Wiki link you have to swap out the FCG to get to the 10 imported parts, there's no way around it.

Also adding the muzzle device doesn't affect your count as long as you use a US part. As the rifle sits right now there isn't a muzzle device on it and if there was it wouldn't count if it's welded to the barrel (if a device is welded to the barrel it's considered part of the barrel and doesn't count as a device).

You're not really "gaining" a part by using a US brake because technically the part wasn't there to begin with (the "cap" that was there counted as being part of the barrel because it was tack welded on essentially giving you a threadless barrel) and US parts don't count towards your 10 imported count max. If you were to remove the cap and add a foriegn muzzle device then you would be adding 1 foreign part to the maximum of 10 imported parts you are allowed to have, unless you reweld the foreign device on thus making it part of the barrel. This is why you have to use a US muzzle device or reweld a foreign device if you choose to use one. By taking the cap off and adding a US part you're not adding to your foreign parts count. You do not have to reweld the US device. You would have to reweld a foreign device to make it part of the barrel and not count towards your 10 imported part max.

You're welcome and welcome to the site BTW.

It (922) can be a little confusing sometimes.

I "unchecked" muzzle attachment, trigger, hammer, disconnector, pistol grip, and forearm/handguards and I show 10 foreign parts=legal. I count that being 6 US parts.

Yes, The US brake doesn't count (as in you would "uncheck" it), the same as all the other US parts you're replacing. Uncheck them on the wiki page. You should end up with 10 parts.

The wiki page is to show you how many imported parts you have remaning.

ETA: I forgot to tell you that's a nice rifle you got there.

You're welcome. The whole 922 thing sucks and is a big PITA but we all have to deal with it. I'll whore my Norinco the I debanned now.



And here it is with a SAR-1 I just refinished:



I actually enjoy doing it although it cold turn into an expensive hobby real fast.

I've read thru all this thread and I'd like to offer another opinion. Thats a beautiful Chinese AK so put it back as original as possible. Here's my thoughts.
Don't replace Chinese wood
1. use Tapco FCG, 3 US parts
2. Change the Gas piston, If you can't mail it to me and I'll do it, 4th US part
3. Install a US made muzzle nut that looks Chinese, 5th US part
4. Take one Chinese mag and replace the follower and base with US, 6th and 7th US parts
5. And maybe buy an Ironwood pistol grip and sand it down to the original slim version and you could even stamp it US.
6. Change out the FSB to a preban configuration or have the little "ears" welded back
7. Change out the gas block to one with the bulge for the cleaning rod, that can be rewelded also
8. Reinstall the cleaning rod

Plug that into that parts calculator and see what you come up with.
I'm betting this will work and when your done your AK will be post ban in name only.
It'll take a little while to gather up the correct parts but it'll be worth it.
Thats what I'd do, let me know if you need any help and good luck

I'd like to know where you'd get the US made floorplate.

all good points RR, gotta be ready for those damn zombies though! I would like the gun to be compliant even without changing the mags thouh, so ill probably still change out the wood, but ill hang onto it in case i decide to put it back original one day, thanks guys! ill be sure and post pics of her once its done.

I guess I need to get rid of my Chinese parts I took off before the Gubment comes and arrests me for "constructive intent" huh?