US parts needed for Saiga conversion?

[BrianW 0]

What is the point in using US parts if my Saiga shotgun is still considered an assault weapon by ATF . It sounds as though the AWB affects all AW including Colt AR-15's (domestic) but others imply that the AWB is banning the importation of assault weapons.

 

Just for the sake of argument, if I move the trigger group forward, but do not use a pistol grip/thumbhole conspicuously protruding below the action, then I would not have added another ATF controlled feature. If that is so, then could I use inexpensive non-US parts for moving the trigger group?

 

This is all pretty confusing.

 

Thanks

BrianW:)

 

 

I bought a saiga 20 for my wife to try skeet shooting.  She's 5'2" and a petite build.  Let's just say that she really didn't like the one shot she took from my Remington 12ga pump.

 

The Saiga still streches her reach and with a 22" barrel and a long LOP she struggles with supporting the weight of the gun with her foreend grip streched far forward.

 

The natural solution would be to move the trigger to the forward position and use a shorter stock, which would move the gun 4 inches back for her making it easier and safer for her to control.  But there is no way to move the trigger forward without having to address it being considered an "assault weapon". 

 

Letter 32 in the link above said a gun with more than 10 imported parts.  I guess that if one converts the saiga one would then be considering the gun to be a US built gun with however many imported (original) saiga parts.  Am I correct in this assessment?

 

The second question is how many parts does the ATF consider the Saiga to be made up from? And what are these parts?

 

In other words if I change out all but 10 of the original saiga parts then I could modify the saiga to fit my wife?

 

TIA

 

BrianW  

[BattleRifleG3 16]

There are two bans

 

The 1994 AWB applies to all guns, including domestic. One or two qualifying features (ie semi-auto rifle with detachable mag) and a list of restricted features, of which you may have only one (p-grip, etc)

 

The 1989 Import ban has become a bit fluid, being wide open to expansion and reinterpretation, thus something new's banned every couple years, ie MAK-90s, FAL Sporters, etc. You can completely avoid this ban by having 10 or less imported parts from a list that starts with barrels and ends with furniture. This is where US compliant AK rifles come from.

 

No way around the '94 ban, except that it's scheduled to sunset in September. No expiration date for the 89 ban, but replace enough parts with US made ones and it's nullified.

 

I myself have thought perhaps a Saiga with a McMillan style stock could use a moved trigger group but have no p-grip, and thus have a better trigger.

[BrianW 0]

Thanks for the info.

 

What are parts in the list? (I have the Saiga shotgun, if that matters)

 

BrianW