The weapon in question is a Hungarian FEG SA85M.  I am reconfiguring it and need to swap out the necessary 922r parts.  I am looking for a high quality Gas Piston.  RSA has one but theirs is specifically not for my rifle.  Is the Tapco piston good enough?

What other options are out there?

FYI, The other swaps I will be doing will be:

Ultimak Forend Top and Bottom
Ace Folder with Internal Block
RSA adjustable FCG
Ergo Grip
?? Gas Piston

By my calculations this should be 7 compliance parts correct?

Yeah,
The Tapco piston is good enough.
And its marked USA, which is nice.
It seems a bit over priced, but, oh well....
I figure if i spend the money for a US part it better say US on it.
Its a bull shit law...but got to follow it...

Thanks Savary

does my Parts count look correct?  Hate to mess that up

You dont need a US piston going by that parts list. You need 5 US parts or 6 if you have a detachable muzzle device. Tapco has very nice pistons and my site has them for less

www.MidwestArmory.com

Sweet thanks thedukeryan

Now I have a really dumb question:

I don't have the cash to get all these parts all at once.  Do I have to wait till I have all the parts in hand before I apply them to the rifle?  Or can I mount them on the weapon as I get them?  If I get the new FCG or Forend, throw it on and see how it looks, shoots...  would I then be in violation of federal law?  

Thanks for putting up with all the questions!

Quoted: Sweet thanks thedukeryan Now I have a really dumb question: I don't have the cash to get all these parts all at once.  Do I have to wait till I have all the parts in hand before I apply them to the rifle?  Or can I mount them on the weapon as I get them?  If I get the new FCG or Forend, throw it on and see how it looks, shoots...  would I then be in violation of federal law?   Thanks for putting up with all the questions!

I'm assuming this is a thumbhole-stocked rifle?

You could put parts like the FCG in, and the forearm, gas piston, etc.

You can't put the folder stock and the PG on until all 5 or 6 parts are there.

Yup, It is the Thumbhole stocked SA85M.

I am not trying to be a wiseass here, but legally, why would be other parts be ok to install but not the others?  Would it be because the stock would be a permanent modification?

I really want to have my bases covered so that Mr .gov doesn't get all pissy at me.

Check out Curtis @ ak-builder.com
I just got 2 in the mail and will be getting 2 more.  They come with a replacement rivet and sell for less that $20.  Best deal I could find.

The AK type rifle is restricted to having no more than ten of the following parts as imported parts:

1. receiver
2. barrel
3. muzzle attachment
4. gas piston
5. bolt
6. bolt carrier
7. hammer
8. disconnector
9. trigger
10. trunion (part into which the barrel is inserted, only on stamped receiver rifle)
11. buttstock
12. pistol grip
13. handguard set
14. magazine body
15. magazine floorplate
16. magazine follower.

There is no federal requrement for U.S. parts to be included on the AK rifle, but U.S. parts are included to reduce the imported countable parts and to make the rifle functional.

The Arsenal Inc gas pistons from K-VAR are quite a bit less expensive than the TAPCO pistons.
Arsenal Piston

I understand the requirements about having the US parts to get around the importation part.  My question is why would it be ok to install say the forend or the FCG as I get them but not the Stock set?  Is it because the Stock set would be a permanent mod?

CAI sells them for about $7.50 or so.

Quoted: Yup, It is the Thumbhole stocked SA85M. I am not trying to be a wiseass here, but legally, why would be other parts be ok to install but not the others?  Would it be because the stock would be a permanent modification? I really want to have my bases covered so that Mr .gov doesn't get all pissy at me.

The whole deal with 922(r) is the "sporting purposes" clause.

If you modify an imported rifle to be in a configuration that the ATF does not consider to be "sporting", then you're in violation of 922(r) - unless you've put enough domestic parts in it so that it's not considered an imported rifle any longer, but a domestic rifle.

So.

Swapping the FCG does not make the rifle un-sporting.  You've changed nothing in appearance or function.  Rifle is still "sporting".

Swapping the gas piston, or the forearm, still no change to function.  Rifle is still "sporting".

Remember that for 922(r), night sights and bipods are big bad no-no's too.  While not explicitly defined by law, a vertical forward grip would probably not be considered "sporting", so putting one of these on your rifle without the appropriate domestic parts would probably be a violation of 922(r).

Finally, we get down to the folding stock and the pistol grip.  Neither of these has a "sporting purpose" as defined by the ATF.  As such, you can't put them on without meeting the parts count requirement,

With me?

I hope I've explained that clear enough.

kythri, Thank you very much.  Now I understand.  Your explanation was perfect!

Thanks! - Don

Glad to be of assistance where I can.  

The SA-85M, (not to be confused with the SA-85) takes the short gas piston like the AMD-65.

BTW: Who is CAI, does anyone have a link?