I heard from some people that the Romanian SKS rifles are not preban, but I bought a Romanian SKS NIB and it is stamped 1959. So I was just wondering if that makes mine preban or not.
I was also wondering if anybody had problems with putting 30 rd mags in there Romanian SKS' that you can remove and attach.
thanks,

animal_mother

I think they are all preban.  However, if they did not have the extended magazine before 94, you cant legally do that.  Some of the other experts in this forum should be able to help you.

There all per-ban.

who can tell when you put that 30rd mag on the gun[;)]

Oh, brother.  This one is a [i]real[/i] can 'o worms.

Okay.  You're looking at multiple laws and a handful of executive orders to determine legality.

The date your SKS was manufactured means little, unless it was made after 1994.  (In this case, unless it isn't US made, it's illegal.)  What matters is the date of importation and what's on it.

1.  SKS used to come with the bayonet.  Then, it had to be removed.  However, it can stay on if it's NOT Chinese.

2.  The '94 AW ban applies to semiautos that have DETACHABLE mags.  If your SKS has a non-detachable type, it doesn't apply.

3.  HOWEVER, the '89 Bush import ban and some subsequent executive orders didn't allow certain modifications (folding stocks, etc.) unless they were done before a certain date.

4.  ...

BAH!  I get most laws and rules for various rifles, but ANYTHING to do with SKS legality is perhaps the most frustrating.  Write to the BATF for clarification.

I think it's safe to say that adding a bayonet, folding stock, making the rifle take detachable mags if it doesn't already, etc., is probably a poor idea.

Mike

I agree with prebans. Those stripper clips with the fixed mag work pretty well too. I'd enjoy the rifle how it is.

I've had several SKS rifles in different configurations and here's what I discovered.

- If you want a detachable mag then get one of the Chinese SKS-D models that use AK mags.  Be warned that these can only accept regular mags, the drum mags won't fit.  The adapter mags are not always reliable and are very bulky to carry around.  I got tired of them because they took up so much room in the range bag.

- Don't even bother with a scope unless you're going to attach it to the gas tube handguard.  I've got a Tasco dot-sight on mine and it is fun.  The receiver mounts are all a waste of time.  Most of them will shift under recoil.  Some are designed to clamp to the sides of the receiver for better stability but by the time you get it really clamped on there you're squeexing the receiver and the bolt can't cycle properly.  Even if you can find a mount that is rigid, you have to take it off every time you field strip the weapon.

- Don't bother trying to do a trigger job on it.  Some Brownell's Action Magic will slicj it up pretty good, but anything that involves stoning, filing, or polishing is going to be too much effort for no noticable result and might cause the weapon to go full auto.


There are only 3 things needed for the SKS:

1.  A big bunch of stripper clips.

2.  A Williams peep sight to replace the rear sight.

3.  A good stock if you really don't like the short little piece of wood that comes with it.

[url]www.simonov.net[/url]

Mine doesn't have any English writing on it at
all. Ones I always see have "Made in China"
or words to that effect. Also the receiver is
milled. It is Chinese and a long time ago I
read an article that identified the plant the
main receiver was manufactured at. I understand
that different components were manufactured at
different plants and then assembled into complete rifles ?

Edit: I checked that sight mentioned above and
my S/N is 2,3xx,xxx so I guess it's pretty old.
I might mention that the SKS is one of my favorite rifles for shooting. I can actually hit something with it. I also have fun with my
M1 Carbine and of course everyone,s favorite the
beloved AR-15. (My Colt SP-1 cost me $182.00
in March of 1965 (Pensacola, Florida) when I
bought it. Amazing how "Gun Control" drives the
prices of firearms, magazines, etc. up only for the average, honest, law biding citizens ???

Well, the "Made in China" and the serial number mean little, if anything.

The Chinese may/may not have made that rifle.  However, they didn't stamp "Made in China" on it.  (Why bother?)  Plus, if they were going to write "Made in China" on it, they'd write it in Chinese characters.  Those are some tyoe of import markings or somesuch to meet US legal regs.

Same story with serial numbers.  Why bother?  These rifles were made during the 40's and 50's, I believe.  During this time, China was BACKWARD and wasn't concerned with serial numbers...  They were only concerned with functionality and reliability.  Another guess: That serial number was stamped on my an importer to comply with US law.  (Plus, if it was put on at the factory, wouldn't the numbers be in Chinese characters?)

You could have rifle #1 out of x factory.  However, all the importer saw was a pile of rifles (or parts of rifles) and then stamped numbers on them for importation purposes.

Sorry, [b]BAT21[/b]; the SKS can be one of the greatest mystery rifles ever imported into the US.

-Your gun could have come from any number of Com-bloc nations.  (There have been cases of Chinese manufactured rifles being found in Bulgarian armories.)

- You may or may not have a parts gun.

- The identical SKS next to your SKS on the rack at the gun range could be covered under totally different laws.

- Nobody really understands what you can and can't do to modify your SKS because rulings and alws apply under the Bush Sr. importation ban of 1989, various Bush Sr. executive orders covering foreign assault rifles between 1990-1992, the clinton 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, and various clinton executive orders between 1994-2000.

Mike

EDITED to clarify some things.

Thanks Mike for input. Only modifications I
have been thinking about on this good shooter
is having in "Parkerized" ($120 down here) and
putting on composite stock on it. All parts on
rifle are stamped with same serial number including the stock.
I just thought that the rifle I have accidently
got missed when they stamped the importer, etc.
on the left side of the receiver or on the barrel under the cleaning rod.
They are bringing fairly good prices at the
gun shows down here now. I got mine around 1984 or 1985. I traded for it from another party that
advertised in the local paper.

Eek!  Leave it alone!

You probably have the bayonet still attached, right?  You've got the cleaning rod?  Did any accessories come with it?

You've got one of the few good ones out there.  Most that came in were parts gun with mismatching numbers.  Believe it or not, collectors may pay a premium for an un-screwed-with model.

If you must get a SKS to modify, get one with mismatched numbers and modify away.  Get one that has the bayo removed; this opens the door to many stocks that are wonderful but can't handle the folded bayonet.

At the [b]very[/b] worst, switch stocks but save the old stock and the hardware.  But, leave the blueing as-is.  

Mike  <-- Worries about collector value.

I bought my SKS in 1988 and it is all matching, all original and in mint condition.  I guess I fall into that 2% category.  I added the 20 rd chi-com mag but still have the original 10 rder.

Think I will keep it!

Thanks for filling me in. The Bayonet was still
attached (screw is staked), has cleaning rod and
in the butt stock is a cleaning kit and OD cloth sling. The S/N's are stamped on the Receiver, Bolt, Receiver Housing, Magazine, Stock, Trigger Guard and Gas Piston Tube. May be
on Barrel but probably would have to disassemble it to see. Thanks for all the information. It shall stay as it is. Next Gun
Show will find me one I can Parkerize, etc.