I had a thought for something that you could do to an AR to make it RPK legal that doesn't make it look stupid or require a bullet button. What if you installed a drastically stronger spring under the Bolt Catch so that it held the bolt after every round? If you put a extension on it (ala Magpul BAD) then it wouldn't take more than a flick of the finger to reload. Rigging it like that would allow you to bypass most of the AWB bullcrap as it would turn it from an auto loading rifle into an auto extracting rifle. I'm no expert on RPK weapon laws, but do any of the Californians here who have more knowledge than I think that might work from a legal standpoint? And if it did, would it be worth it?

I would rather have a bullet button. Most of the newer ones are convertible and very low profile. You can have any evil feature you want and only downside is you are stuck with 10 round mags. But for range shooting I never load anything with more than 10 anyways its not that big a deal.  

I too am a prisoner in Cali, and I wouldn't risk it with all the a**hole cops out here. I installed a convertible bullet button that while the AR is used in Cali it stays screwed completely in and has to be engaged with a tool to operate...but if you move or just travel to another state you can, with a tool, screw the inside of the bullet button half way out to function as a "normal" mag release. I love how it works. Here is the link to what I purchased...

http://www.parallaxtactical.com/store/freelock-mini-kit-77.html

I did have to get my gunsmith to install it because the original bullet button on my M&P was glued in with loctite and wouldn't budge, but the cost was like $20 in labor and $20 total for the part with shipping. Good Luck!

I the one he's discribing is called the prince 50. You would have to be more careful with that a the range.

My AR's were all bought prior to the ban, and are RAW's so I'm lucky not to be a prisoner, but if I had to do a build now, I would pick the bullet button over your idea.
Better to rip off a few fast, then push a release in between rounds.

kz

I definitely do not suggest converting the Prince 50 into it's non-Cali compliant stage at all while in California. When it is fully screwed in, it cannot be converted back without using a special tool to screw it out. I have only used it "unscrewed" once and that was on a trip to Nevada. I wouldn't even risk doing it at the range or even keeping it that way at home. I just liked the flexibility.

Use normal bullet button inside California. Keep the normal mag release in a pouch. Take 2 minutes to swap them if you find yourself outside of California

People have had drama for doing this.  In fact this is the reason we advocate getting rid of old Prince50
nonlatching devices and moving toward bullet Buttons.   Darrin Prince has agreed and did a recall or
exchange awhile back.

NEVER unloosen a Prince50 or unlatch/convert a BulletButon variant on your AR *unless*:
- the lower is separated from the upper, and stays unattached to upper,    or
- the assembled gun is featureless;   or
- the assembled gun is rimfire,  or
- the assembled gun has no gas system and is not semiauto and is thus manually cycled,  or
- you are outside of CA



Correctamundo.


To the OP:   What you appear to be proposing is trying to render the gun kinda-sorta nonsemiautomatic.  I see risk:

(1)  what if there's a bit of bounce and the bolt catch doesn't hold the bolt?  You now have semiauto operation on a rifle with features and detachable
mag. No go.  

(2)  is the gun you propose really not semiauto or is it just a semiauto with a hangup.   There's substantial differences between a non-AW and a "broken AW".

For those wanting all features on their AR and not wanting semiauto operation,  the best and clearest way to achieving this is to remove the gas tube
from the rifle.  Then,  take a ~1/2" stub of old gas tube and block the gas port in the front sigt/gas block by instaling this stub upside down.  (Now the
gas port is blocked;   you really really don't want to shoot a rifle with an unblocked gas port.

Now you have a rifle that is cleanly & clearly non semiauto and is a manually cycled rifle. A key operational part has been entirely removed, and
there's no risk some bouncy-bouncy can result in a bolt falling and chambering a new round.

Bill Wiese
San Jose CA

Moving to Cali in a few months myself, and I am saddened by the communist un-American laws that this state enforces.  Even had to sell my Bushmaster to be compliant, despite the loss I took on it, I replaced it with a Noveske so all is well.


I ordered RaddLocks from RifleGear.  They can easily be adjusted outside of the state for use without swapping the entire mag release, which like said above, is a 2 minute process.  However, you also run the risk of scratching your lower I suppose if you do that often.


As far as 30 round mags, yes they are a no no in state.  To my legal understanding, you can however have disassembled magazines as parts kits.  As long as they are not assembled they are legal, then if you go to AZ to shoot on a weekend....