Mak-90 Rebuild - Opinions & Experience Needed

[Rock and Glock]

I have a post-1990 Norinco Mak-90 in 7.62X39 mm. It has the awkward and heavy thumb hole stock. As my first centerfire rifle and my first attempt to modify a weapon, I'm considering going with the evil black gun theme for the party dress. The traditional "little black dress"......More of a beginners "winter" project, so to speak.

Having no experience with after-market parts or manufacturers, I'd like your opinions on the following parts and / or ideas, all from Midway:

Stock: Tapco adjustable :



Command Arms Forends:



Command Arms Pistol Grip:



And a Wilson Combat Shok Buffer:



If you have any experience with these parts and/or the manufacturers, please feel free to voice your opinions. I'm trying to hold the costs down here, so I've avoided the higher dollar stuff if possible. Likewise, I'm fairly small and short armed, so the adjustable stock looked useful. The forend had the rails for other "toys" later.....If you share alternatives, please indicate "why" and "where" to obtain.

If you consider me just crazy for spending this on a MAK , feel free to voice that opinion too, with specificity and alternatives.

Of course, the rest of the build will insure 922 compliance, this is, for the most part, the "cosmetics".

I'll also be buying additional high-cap mags, so if you've found a particular brand or country's best for a MAK, please let me know.

Many thanks for the input and ideas!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Ben Hennessy]

On another thread I showed my AK with these parts, just from another maker. they are easy to put on and I really like the collaspable stock. I really like the looks. What are you going to put on your AK? I find the front rails useless except for lighting. I'm not sure if this is the right name for it but I would also put on a 3 rail bolt cover. That way if you use a reddot and scope or scope and laser or any combination they are at the rear of your rifle instead of being at the front rails. Being short armed like me, you'll really like the stock.

[JT]

Very important...make sure your parts count is right. If you want to put that pistol grip and stock on it, you are going to need the correct number of US parts to be compliant.

[AKsrule]

Have you considered wood ?
Much more traditional and IMHO attractive



http://www.ironwooddesigns.com/2aprod/1zAKproduct.html

These sets need to be stained , but the whole set can be had for $100

You can also buy the pieces separately and mix and match.

And yes - you will need some U.S parts to stay legal

[Ben Hennessy]

Very important...make sure your parts count is right. If you want to put that pistol grip and stock on it, you are going to need the correct number of US parts to be compliant.

OK JT I'm confussed. I seen bits a pieces of this on different threads but left not knowing what people are saying. I thought that there had to be five US items in or on your AK so they can sell in the US. Are you saying you have to put five US parts on your AK even after you own it? Or to buy these after market furniture items? As far as I know I bought my AK legally and bought my furniture and installed them legally. If I am wrong please let me know so I can have a legal rifle. This is really confussing.

[hsuCowboy98]

Heres the law that they are referring to. Maybe this will help you understand it a little more. Basically, if you change or modify a firearm that is currently considered "non-sporting" from its original form, you must include enough U.S made parts to adhere to this section. So, if you take an SKS for example, and want to put a telescoping stock on it, youre going to need to add 8 more US manufactured parts in order to stay legal with no more than 10 foreign parts. For these purposes, the SKS has 18 parts, the AK has 16, and the FAL has 17.

ASSEMBLY OF NON-SPORTING SHOTGUNS AND SEMIAUTOMATIC RIFLES FROM IMPORTED PARTS


(a) No person shall assemble a semiautomatic rifle or any shotgun using more than 10 of the imported parts listed in paragraph (c) of this section if the assembled firearm is prohibited from importation under section 925(d)(3) as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

(1) The assembly of such rifle or shotgun for sale or distribution by a licensed manufacturer to the United States or any department or agency thereof or to any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or

(2) The assembly of such rifle or shotgun for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Director under the provisions of Sec. 178.151; or

(3) The repair of any rifle or shotgun which had been imported into or assembled in the United States prior to November 30, 1990, or the replacement of any part of such firearm.

(c) For purposes of this section, the term imported parts are:

(1) Frames, receivers, receiver castings, forgings or stampings
(2) Barrels
(3) Barrel extensions
(4) Mounting blocks (trunions)
(5) Muzzle attachments
(6) Bolts
(7) Bolt carriers
(8) Operating rods
(9) Gas pistons
(10) Trigger housings
(11) Triggers
(12) Hammers
(13) Sears
(14) Disconnectors
(15) Butt stocks
(16) Pistol grips
(17) Forearms, hand guards
(18) Magazine bodies
(19) Followers
(20) Floor plates

[T.D. ATF-346, 58 FR 40589, July 29, 1993]

EFFECT ON STATE LAW
Expiration of the Federal law will not change any provisions of State law or local ordinances. Questions concerning State assault weapons restrictions should be referred to State and local authorities.

U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives

[JT]

OK JT I'm confussed. I seen bits a pieces of this on different threads but left not knowing what people are saying. I thought that there had to be five US items in or on your AK so they can sell in the US. Are you saying you have to put five US parts on your AK even after you own it? Or to buy these after market furniture items? As far as I know I bought my AK legally and bought my furniture and installed them legally. If I am wrong please let me know so I can have a legal rifle. This is really confussing.

Rock and Glock has a MAK-90, which was imported before the 94 ban. So it was legally imported with no US parts (but still had restrictions against items such as a pistol grip, hence the thumbhole stock). So to make certain changes (like a pistol grip) he has to add enough US parts.

If yours was a post ban import that was imported as a sportarized rifle and then modified by the importer, you should already have enough US parts. Things like WASR, VEPRS, SARs, etc fall into this category. So you can make changes. Just make sure that you do not change out any US parts with foreign parts, or add an additional foreign part (like adding a foreign muzzle brake to a rifle that does not have a muzzle brake).

[AKsrule]

Ben , you're just lacking info.

What matters is that the gun needs LESS than 10 imported parts
in it to allow features which are Banned on imports.

Any rifle you buy from an FFL will be US legal , the problems arise
when people Build or Modify a gun made from imported parts.

IF you buy a legal imported parts rifle and start replacing
some parts with U.S. made parts - this is OK - you are not
adding any features (such as a pistol grip or threaded muzzle )

Rock and Glock however wants to ADD a pistol grip (a feature).
His rifle does not have enough US parts in it to allow this.
He does need to add 5 US parts.

Here is a rather long discussion about the issue........

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/wb...i_auto_faq.txt

[Rob72]

TDI parts have an excellent rep (as does Choate, and Arsenal's new shielded fore end). Tapco tends to have issues, working themselves loose. More $$, but I like my ACE stocks.

[Ben Hennessy]

Thanks guys, This was real confussing. My brother-in-law is a FFL holder and never said anything two years ago when he purchased my AK for me. Nor said anything when we purchased the furniture. Just wanted to stay legal.

[Rock and Glock]

TDI parts have an excellent rep (as does Choate, and Arsenal's new shielded fore end). Tapco tends to have issues, working themselves loose. More $$, but I like my ACE stocks.

Rob72: Do you have a favorite or reliable source for the alternative parts you mention? I've seen Choate's in a lot of places, but the adjustable stock will fit my frame better (hopefully). I know I've seen ACE, just can't remember where..... Thanks for the input!

AK, JT, HSU: Many thanks for the 922 compliance discussion - I'm still in the planning stage here, and any and all 922 discussion is welcome!

Ben: Is the spring/bolt dust cover three rail scope system stable, and does it retain zero for your optics?

[Rob72]

R&G, actually I was thinking of the Choate fore ends. I have those, but have not handled their stocks. Being Choate, I'm sure they are top-notch.

As far as ACE, I bought "factory seconds/returns" for just over $100 for the stock, receiver adaptor & folding mechanism. Availibility will vary, and you'll have to call them. Mine had a few scrapes that neede Rustoleum touch-up, but no functional deficits. The best "new" price I've seen is from Gabe Suarez: http://www.onesourcetactical.com/

ACE's site: www.riflestocks.com
I got the AKFX shorty stock ($55 under "Close-outs") for my Romy G build, and it is perfect!

I got my Choate fore ends for $13 from Midway.

[sgtD]

I am pretty confused about all of this crap about parts, but my real question is how in the he** do the idiots who pass these laws figure that any of this insanity "makes us safer"?

What if I don't know the importation date of my AK? Pre-ban? Post-ban? who could know this crap if they bought a used AK at a gun show or something? It's crazy.

[Longbow]

Don't know a hole lot about the mak, But what I can tell you is, I don't believe that butt stock will work. The Mak 90 has a slanted and curved rear part to the reciever. See this picture some place you might want to check out, This place has the best info and experts on the AK, check it out here
HTH

[JT]

Depends if it is milled or stamped. And stamped can be straight or slant. Best way to tell is to take the stock off. If it's a milled MAK-90, I think you're pretty much limited to a Choate stock, or Ironwood.

I agree with AKSrule. I would go with Ironwood.

On Ironwood's web site you can see the various receiver types.


http://www.ironwooddesigns.com/2aprod/1zAKproduct.html