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california SKS legal question and answers?

7.5K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  AaronHorrocks  
#1 ·
I own an SKS and live in california. I purchased It during the bans legally and It was registered accordingly. I also bought a few 30 rnd magazines back in the day here legally. From what I understand I am allowed to keep and use these magazines according to the CA DOJ Q&A section on their web site. At the last so cal shoot I was told I couldn't shoot it because of the detachable magazine. I found this on the net. http://www.nramemberscouncils.com/contracosta/FaxAlerts/sksalert.shtml
This is what I did. I have norinco and yugo stock 10 round magazines and on one of them (I dont know which) Their is a bung on the back of the inner part of the magazine which is pinned on that makes the inner magazine non detachable unless you take the trigger group off. I removed this part and attached It to my legally purchased 30 rnd magazine via drilling and attaching with roll pins. Now If I was to attach the 30 rnd mag and put the trigger assembly on (which of course I haven't done yet) :) It is no longer removable unless you take the gun apart exactly like the stock mag. It should be legal as the link above stresses on the detachable mag being illegal. What do you think?
 
#2 ·
Id try Calguns.net you will find an answer. I think you by passed one problem ( sks with detachable mag is listed ) but stepped into another ( permanently attached high cap mag). But then again the sks doesn't have any "evil features". God I hate CA gun laws they are about as clear as mud. I live here try my best to figure them out but its difficult. Calguns has allot of guys with more knoledge than me. Good luck!
 
#3 ·
CA sks

I own an SKS and live in california. I purchased It during the bans legally and It was registered accordingly

if you mean registered it via FFL that does not count

if you did the paper work and registered it as an assault weapon (AW). The Ca DOJ would have sent you a copy back saying it is registered as an AW and your good to go.
 
#4 ·
I can't speak for ca. but in NJ it's all about the high cap mag.
The SKS is still (for now) considered a curio/relic provided you keep it "stock" ie you don't add a high cap mag. Even a stock S&W Sigma .40 mag is bad news. I had to special order a low cap mag for mine. Needless to say I have to keep a lot of nifty stuff at my other house.
I'm still kikcking myself in the ass for not buying more crates of Ruski SKS's when they were $65ea.
I love the one I kept for myself. Other than pistols, revolvers and shot guns it's my go to rifle, sooner or later I will shoot out the barrel and have to replace it.:(
 
#5 ·
from what im reading for the definition of an AW in california, a fixed magazine that will accept over 10rds is bad juju.

12276.1: (2)

GR
 
#6 ·
It says this on the CA DOJ website.


If I have a large-capacity magazine, do I need to get rid of it?

No. Continued possession of large-capacity magazines (able to accept more than 10 rounds) that you owned in California before January 1, 2000, is not prohibited. However as of January 1, 2000, it is illegal to buy, manufacture, import, keep for sale, expose for sale, give or lend any large-capacity magazine in California except by law enforcement agencies, California peace officers, or licensed dealers.

(PC Section 12020 (b)(19-29))
 
#7 ·
Any centerfire rifle in California with a fixed magazine over 10 rounds is an assault weapon. Also any SKS with a detachable magazine is an assault weapon. However there are weapons like the Yugo Zavasta M59/66 that is not technically an SKS. You could use your high caps detachable mags in one of these guns with no other evil features. But to do so you would have to play the import parts game to comply with 922 and you should also have enough money on hand for bail and court costs should you come in contact with a LEO who thinks you have an SKS. See the California AW flow chart below. Note that SKS with detachable magazine is listed in Appendix A under the original Roberti-Roos AW list.

http://www.calguns.net/caawid/flowchart.pdf
 
#8 ·
Seconding Daves100 and gunrunners150:

If you have CA DOJ paperwork saying that you own a registered assault weapon, you are good. If you had that sheet of paper with you at the shoot, you should have been fine.

If you do not have this paperwork, you have one option: 10 round fixed mag.
Fixed mags of over 10 rounds are not legal on any non-AW rifle in CA.

Any SKS with a detachable magazine is considered an assault weapon by CA. I believe that this is the ONLY rifle that is limited in this manner. I think lawmakers were thinking the an SKS with a detachable magazine might as well be an AK (scary, scary). Any other non-listed rifle may have a detachable magazine if it does not have any other "evil" features.

Tim
 
#9 ·
Brutal, and I thought NY was bad:rolleyes:
 
#11 ·
There's too many things you left out.

Is your SKS actually an SKS?
NO -> You're good to use a mag over 10 rounds
YES -> Is it a registered AW? -> YES -> You're good
---------------------------------- -> NO -> You can't put a detachable mag on it.


There were also a number of "sporterized" SKSs that were sold in california during and shortly after the ban. These were all illegal, it was caught after the fact, and the DOJ put out notices and posters in rest stops regaurding them.


- SKS owner in CA
 
#12 ·
Wow! this is an old one. What I found out after posting this a while ago is in california the SKS in its original form is not considered an evil assault rifle. No evil pistol grip, the kinder, gentler 10 rounds, and the fixed magazine that keeps me from going on a killing spree in a shopping mall. So I bought the fixed 10 round magazine that looks like the cool 30 rounder so I can look like an evil, un-trustable californian but only blow away 10 beer cans at a time in the desert. Even though this all seems crazy Im glad our local government is keeping me in line and out of trouble. Boy, If I can have a rifle with a pistol grip I might go totally bonkers!!!! (If I could figure out how to do the smileys I would have the roll eyes here)
 
#14 ·
Bigblock,

It's old sure... But I was gone for over 6 months on Active Duty... I'm just trying to catch up!

dave,

huh? SKSs aren't exactly a detachable mag rifle. While there are some aftermarket detachable mags, they often do not operate correctly as a consequence of the removable aspect. The original "mag" is hinged at the front and not designed for removal, only cleaning.