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AK-47 pistols

17K views 49 replies 27 participants last post by  David III 
#1 ·
Im new here, Im new to Carrying, Im new to the hobby in general so excuse me please if Im asking this in the wrong place.
Is carrying one of these ak pistols legal? I live in Michigan if thats relevant. Thank you in advance.
 
#2 ·
I have never seen an AK pistol. Any pics or links? thanks. Carrying anything registered as a pistol should be legal , however very impractical and probably not going to look go should you go to court.
 
#3 ·
Technically - yes it's a pistol so - could be carried.

But as Rocky mentions ....... it will almost for sure if used defensively land you in some hurt. It would almost for sure get an immediate ''assault'' label which in itself is not helpful!

As a fun gun for range etc ... huge grin factor IMO - but not actually necessarily a very practical beast - people love the muzzle flash tho I hear!!

To imagine one - just take as much barrel length of a regular AK as your imagination permits - and no stock - that'll be close!
 
#5 ·
Yeah, I'm with P95 and rocky.

The main thing you would REALLY need to be concerned about is overpentration. A 7.62x39 at self-defense ranges on the street will probably cut right through your target and very possibly whatever is beyond him. You would need to be DAMNED sure you have a concrete bunker or earthen berm for a background if you need to shoot. I would HIGHLY suggest you pursue another route. AK's of any size are going to be very hard to conceal - and for the size you could probably conceal four handguns that total more ammo. But concealment, yeah.. That'd be a pain. Those banana mags are going to complicate it terribly. And I'll tell you man, if I saw someone printing a Blondie at the grocery store I'd be staying real close to them and eyeing them very carefully.

What if you ever get stopped by a cop? I'm not sure there is a LEO in the United States that is going to buy that you are carrying a Blondie for SD.

The complications involved are far too high, honestly.

Rocky: This is what he's referring to (I believe):
Atlantic firearms - AR15 & AK47 rifles - Olympic arms at wholesale prices.
 
#6 ·
I ran across this on a Google Images search, pretty darn cool!

Could it be the perfect "truck gun"? I wouldn't want to try to carry it concealed, though.







Peace,
Pete Zaria.
 
#7 ·
Its not legal for concealed carry here in SC... we have a length limit and these are far above it..... but they are so fun. They are pistols in technicality only. And can be a nice compact alternative to an SBR. Fairly handy house yard home defense apparatus.

Here is one I built. I keep this hanging on the wall next to my Lazy Boy...

 
#8 ·
Lots of cool factor but, I could list 100 other handgun/firearms that I would rather carry on a daily basis.
Maybe when the polar ice caps get finished melting and the Earth turns into Water World - might be ideal for carry then.
In the real world - forget it times 10.
 
#9 ·
Lots of cool factor but, I could list 100 other handguns/firearms that I would rather carry on a daily basis.
Maybe when the polar ice caps get finished melting and the Earth turns into Water World - might be ideal for carry then.
In the real world - forget it times 10.
I agree, these are pretty cool and would be a fun gun to own, probably a great truck gun kind of thing too, but carrying one screams "I'm compensating for something". I do like the one with the nice wooden grips and holo site I posted above, though... :)

Peace,
Pete Zaria.
 
#10 ·
.....Pete those things are AWESOME. Whoa!! I'd love to have one of those but yeah.. again.. not for carry. Unless It was using it as a CCW in Iraq or something.
 
#13 ·
In MI if the barrel is 16", but the OAL is under 30", it has to be registered as a pistol. Some errant gun-phobe dreamed that law up. Here's the thing...in MI "truck guns", per se, are illegal. You can't just tote a rifle or shotgun around unless you're going somewhere, specifically, where you can use it (hunting, range, 'smitty, etc...). You can't just keep a rifle or shotgun tucked in the trunk.

BUT...with the goofy "anything under 30" must be registered as a pistol" law, if you have a rifle (INSERT TYPE OF RIFLE HERE) with a folding stock and a 16" or longer barrel....or for that matter a pump shotgun with a folding stock...you have to register it as a pistol. SO...that means that in MI that gun, a rifle or shotgun by any other standard, can be a CCW gun.

SO...to have a "truck rifle" in MI, it actually has to be registered as a pistol. Go figure. Just don't go putting a stock on anything with less than a 16" barrel lest you own a Short Barrel Rifle and end up on BATFE's short list.

In my line of work, I'm by myself in rural areas frequently. The two legged critters not withstanding, a rifle, er...excuse me...a folding stock pistol with a 16"+ barrel, may prove prudent. Last fall I found myself on some back roads in an area that was being heavily hunted by bear hunters. The guys were running the area with dogs...setting up on the mile roads and letting the dogs run. All I could do was change out my mags stoked with .45 acp 165 gr Pow'R Ball with 230 gr FMJ. I would have felt better with with something that launched 7.62x39.

That's my take on an AK type system as CCW.
 
#16 ·
Well not to be a smart a$$ carrying is not a hobbie, it takes a lot of thought and well thought out apparel selection as well as a dedication to safty and the proper mind set. now that being said not you dont want to carry an AK pistol if you needed to use it court would be a mess and most places it would be illegal, they are cool though, great fun at the range.
 
#17 ·
i cannot imagine a situation where it would be to your advantage to carry an AK pistol. even an aksu74 would have real limited use outside of a combat zone. that said i've seen some nice rifle converted to pistols that look just great and are a blast(pun intented) to shoot. the V51P is a great example but i wouldn't use it for my EDC. i wonder what the OAL for a HK91K is though might make a nice "truck pistol" in certain states.
 
#18 ·
To me that would be WAY out of line.

Other than as others have stated “the cool factor” what good would it be? How do you “presume” your going to conceal it?

I guarantee some security cop is going to notice ya, and panic, and call 911.

15 minutes later the store will be swarming with a SWAT team and news crew.

Sure, you may be within your legal rights, but all it will do is give a bad name to CCL holders, labeling us as wackos with assault rifles under a trench coat. :buttkick:
 
#19 ·
Yes. Its "non traditional" caliber. I have since added a little cheapish Holographic sight to it and cheap mount and surprisingly enough get like full choke shotgun patterns rapid fire at 50 yards holding it free hand and using the Sling as a stock. Repeatable too even after removal and reinstall of the Top cover. Not the best way to mount anything but more than good enough for bad guy elimination in a pinch. Not my main "go too" but if it were to need be I feel fairly confident with using it. 30 rounds of 22 coming at cha!

Here is a sort of crappy picture of the Holographic red dot sight mounted.

 
#21 ·
Well again... totally impractical for concealed carry... and illegal in South Carolina for concealed carry. Check your laws... but that still doesn't equal practical or sensible even if its legal.

As to another matter that your getting into...I think maybe your thinking about Armor Piercing laws. There are such things. An Armor Piercing round is a Steel core ammo that is made to be used in a Pistol. And any Rifle round that there is a Pistol built to use can be designated AP. The exceptions are any NON Steel core ammo or any round .22 or less or any round specifically exempt. .223 is specifically exempt. Lead core ammo is, by definition exempt. And .22 ammo is, by definition not AP either.

Oddly enough, there are plenty of rounds that will penetrate body armor that are exempt. Crazy law really. All 7.62X39 (traditional AK rifle ammo) Steel core ammo is specifically listed as AP and it is illegal to carry it and use it in a pistol. And therefore illegal to import as well. All AP ammo is illegal to import. And illegal to use in a pistol.

Many rifle cartridges are used in Pistols and not AP. Remember it has to meet the definition of Steel core as well. And some Steel core does not have enough steel to qualify and many Rifle bullets have no steel. So they cannot be AP. It has nothing to do with its ability to penetrate Armor really... and it was supposed to I guess... but many a Rifle bullet can be shot out of a pistol and penetrate armor but yet not be AP!

Also, remember that you cannot simply take a rifle and make it a pistol. You must first start with a Virgin receiver. One that has never been assembled as a Rifle. And you must make no provision for readily and easily attaching a Butt stock. And no provision for a forward pistol grip either. Then you are exempt from 922r compliance and length of barrel restrictions because it is not a Rifle nor a Shotgun. But be very sure you can prove you used a Virgin receiver to build it on. Keep that proof.
 
#26 ·
Also, remember that you cannot simply take a rifle and make it a pistol. You must first start with a Virgin receiver. One that has never been assembled as a Rifle. And you must make no provision for readily and easily attaching a Butt stock. And no provision for a forward pistol grip either. Then you are exempt from 922r compliance and length of barrel restrictions because it is not a Rifle nor a Shotgun. But be very sure you can prove you used a Virgin receiver to build it on. Keep that proof.
Does 922r mean that you can't put a folding stock on a standard barrel length AK that was originally imported with a fixed stock? IF the original poster was talking about keeping this thing in a vehicle this won't be TOO terribly OT, but there isn't anything in the USC about putting a folding stock on, say, a Mini-14 is there? (I'm not stating, I'm asking) Such a thing would have to be registered as a pistol in MI, and could then be CCWed, which means that it could be toted about in the trunk of your vehicle (or where-ever)...where a full stock Mini-14 could not be.

Maybe I got the wrong idea about the original intent of the original poster, but everyone is focusing on fitting a shoulder holster to the thing. I presumed that the poster was talking about keeping the thing in a vehicle, since it's illegal in MI to carry a rifle about in a vehicle. There's a lot of trees in MI, and keeping a rifle (type) lead launcher close at hand could prove to be prudent.

Besides...no closed season in MI on coyotes or feral swine. :image035:
 
#22 ·
No, like my PLR-16 (
) they aren't practical for carry - except in a war zone, maybe) - but they ARE fun to shoot and I'll bet it gets some odd looks at the gun range. I have also gotten into some VERY interesting debates at my gun club over whether my PLR is a pistol or a rifle and occasionally, a couple of folks have even commented that I was at the wrong area (the pistol range) when I was there shooting it.
 
#23 ·
These are very practical.

I know a few instructors in VA who carry a a AR pistol in their Car. Its not unheard of, and in todays society expecially in NOVA. Not a bad Idea. I actually just sold an AR Pistol to help fund another project. You have to be careful because some states have weird things about magazines that hold more then 20.
 
#24 ·
Well in Washington State no long guns are allowed to be loaded in the vehicle.
I was thinking of getting a PLR16 for vehicle carry as an emergency firearm.
After seeing the AK pistols I think I will go that route. They use the same ammo and Magazines as my MAK 91 and are cheaper then the PLR16. Now I know what to use that free money, the Government plans to give out, for.
I really love the Blond wood look.
 
#25 ·
Most everyone here hit on your choice of weapon for carry. I wanted to second what Zaraster hit on briefly and that's referring to CC as a "hobby". I assumed you were referring to guns and shooting in general, when talking about a hobby, but just in case...

Concealed carry is not a hobby. As Zaraster put it, it is a way of life. It ties to our right to keep and bear arms, protecting amongst other things, our most sacred right; life. As such it should be treated with the utmost care, respect and diligence never giving the anti's an excuse to subvert it.
 
#27 ·
... as far as I know, and if I understand what your asking, changing the stock to folding from fixed could affect a rifles applicability to 922r. For instance if the rifle was imported with more than 10 foreign parts and you change the stock from the one imported you might trigger the rest of the gun to comply with 922r in that case. Then you might have to reduce the number of foreign parts until you get down to 10 to make the rifle compliant. Any change at all of adding or changing a part can trigger compliance requirement of 922r.

For example, I had (still do) an AK built by Arsenal Bulgaria and imported with a Thumb hole stock. I changed that thumb hole stock out to a normal fixed stock. That then triggered me to bring the entire gun into compliance. I did one other thing too which was to take off the non threaded front sight group and put on the normal threaded (for a brake) front sight group with a bayonet lug. But... the very fact I changed anything caused me to comply. So I was forced to then change all the wood. The upper and lower hand guards (I wanted to anyway) and this then took care of three parts. Since it was a Milled receiver I only needed to reduce by five as I was using a USA made brake so that canceled that part out. But... I chose to change out the entire Fire Control group (I only needed two but that is three parts) to get below 10 imported parts. I ended up at 9 imported parts but now I was in compliance. Silly rules but... see how it snowballs on ya? I could be wrong but I think any change in any part, that is a listed part, triggers the 922r.

Not to mention that in some states Folding stocks are illegal. Not a 922r issue... an Assault weapons ban issue.
 
#28 ·
Good God! What a mess. So, if a guy wanted to "make" an AK pistol, according to MI law...which is what I'm assuming that the original poster was talking about, and only changed the standard (imported) wood stock with a USA made folding stock, it's a non-issue in so far as 922r is concerned?
 
#29 ·
No... not sure we are on the same wave length...

A PISTOL can only be made from a virgin receiver. It cannot and will not have a butt stock of ANY KIND. A pistol is exempt from 922r. Only Shotguns and Rifles are subject to 922r.

You cannot make an AK pistol with ANY kind of stock. That would be an SBR.

A Rifle (or shot gun) can be imported in a configuration (and many were) that has more than 10 foreign parts if it is accepted for importation (all the clearances are given and proper import license granted) and then if that Rifle is CHANGED in any fashion it can trigger 922r. 922r applies to Rifles and Shotguns assembled or repaired or altered which contain 10 or more imported parts. And then they must not contain any more than 10 foreign parts. They may very well have been imported with more than 10. And if left alone like they were imported they never have to be subjected to 922r. Only when they are changed... does it then get triggered.

Yea ... its crazy. I know of no instance of it being enforced. But it exists none the less...
 
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