SKS 10 to 20 mag conversion legal?

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  • NewPatriotTV

    Member
    Oct 22, 2013
    6
    Under the new law is it legal to convert a standard 10 round SKS box mag to a 20 if purchased after 10/1? It says nothing in the law requiring you to keep it at 10, assuming you buy the 20 rounder out of state....
     

    jonnyl

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 23, 2009
    5,969
    Frederick
    Manufacturing in state is illegal, but as you comment purchasing out of state is not. Do your conversion there.

    Edit: sorry, is that a "fixed" magazine? I think that's limited to 10 permanently.
     

    NateIU10

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 6, 2009
    4,587
    Southport, CT
    Is the SKS a fixed mag sks now? If so, that would be illegal. The removable magazine SKS was regulated, and is now banned as an Assault Long Gun. Even if you keep it as a fixed magazine 20 rounder, it is now a Copycat Weapon, and banned as it was not possessed prior to 10/1.
     

    BMW

    Member
    Feb 28, 2013
    99
    SoMD
    Not again!

    You are going to get a range of answers...everything from "it's illegal to convert your SKS to a detachable mag." to "it's okay to convert it; you just can't transfer it with a detachable mag." That said, you're probably okay with whichever configuration you choose as long as you don't shoot anybody with it. BUT, my advice would be to read the cursed bill and figure it out for yourself...RTFM as it were.

    Carry on.
     

    NateIU10

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 6, 2009
    4,587
    Southport, CT
    You are going to get a range of answers...everything from "it's illegal to convert your SKS to a detachable mag." to "it's okay to convert it; you just can't transfer it with a detachable mag." That said, you're probably okay with whichever configuration you choose as long as you don't shoot anybody with it. BUT, my advice would be to read the cursed bill and figure it out for yourself...RTFM as it were.

    Carry on.

    The only way it would be legal is if it were an ALG or Copycat before 10/1. Possession is illegal otherwise.
     

    amoebicmagician

    Samopal Goblin
    Dec 26, 2012
    4,174
    Columbia, MD
    if you had simply taken off the magazine, and are in possession of a detachable SKS mag it is then technically an ALG. As long as that was done BEFORE 10/1, then it's fine, and you can do whatever you darn well please with it.

    If not, then it is now illegal to do so.
     

    240 towles

    master of puppets
    Mar 31, 2009
    4,251
    ?
    not illegal if you "modified" the rifle before 0ct 1st

    But if simply removing the magazine before oct 1st makes the rifle an ALG, then if a person had disassembled the rifle prior to oct 1st, even for cleaning, then wouldn't the rifle already be a pre ban ALG? Therefor, removal of the internal mag makes no difference as the firearm was already an ALG since the first time the owner disassembled it.
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    not illegal if you "modified" the rifle before 0ct 1st
    Agreed. But if it was after 10/1 for the first time, you're committing a crime.

    But if simply removing the magazine before oct 1st makes the rifle an ALG
    According to the definitions in SB281, you have to disassemble the firearm action to completely remove a non-detachable magazine... so just yanking the fixed mag from an SKS doesn't mean you've had a detachable mag on it.
     

    JettaRed

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 13, 2013
    1,138
    Middletown
    The material question is "when" did you acquire the gun? If acquired before October 1st, who's to say what you did with your gun. If after October 1st, there is no argument you can make to say you modified it before October 1st and you are stuck with a 10-round FIXED magazine. Even putting a detachable five-rounder (literally, any detachable mag) in it to use for hunting, etc. is now illegal.
     
    Last edited:

    Rabu Rabu

    Operatoroperatoroperator
    Sep 10, 2012
    333
    Cambridge, MD
    The SKS's that are on the banned list are those that take the AK magazines with an AK mechanism, known as the SKS-D and SKS-M

    Your tapco magazines aren't what they're talking about, neither are the fixed 20 round Chinese magazines.

    It's up to you whether or not you trust the MSP to understand the difference though.
     

    JettaRed

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 13, 2013
    1,138
    Middletown
    The SKS's that are on the banned list are those that take the AK magazines with an AK mechanism, known as the SKS-D and SKS-M

    Your tapco magazines aren't what they're talking about, neither are the fixed 20 round Chinese magazines.

    It's up to you whether or not you trust the MSP to understand the difference though.

    No, you're wrong. The list of previously regulated rifles stated an SKS with a detachable magazine. Specifically, "SKS with detachable magazine". It didn't say anything about SKS-D, SKS-M, Russian, Albanian, Chinese, Yugoslavian, or any other qualifier. If the magazine was detachable, then the SKS was regulated and now is banned.

    Detachable magazine. -- "Detachable magazine" means an ammunition feeding device that can be removed readily from a firearm without requiring disassembly of the firearm action or without the use of a tool, including a bullet or cartridge. Criminal Law Article, §4-301(f), Annotated Code of Maryland
     

    highfructosecornsyrup

    Active Member
    Apr 2, 2012
    613
    baltimore city
    No, you're wrong. The list of previously regulated rifles stated an SKS with a detachable magazine. Specifically, "SKS with detachable magazine". It didn't say anything about SKS-D, SKS-M, Russian, Albanian, Chinese, Yugoslavian, or any other qualifier. If the magazine was detachable, then the SKS was regulated and now is banned.


    This is a confusing thread but it looks like sks with detachable mag is banned. If you obtained it (with detachable mag) before 10/1 by grandfather it should be ok right? if you put the fixed mag back on, after 10/1, its legal but if you swap back to the detachable mag where exactly does that put us? is this a grey area or does it depend on who points the finger ?
     

    iH8DemLibz

    When All Else Fails.
    Apr 1, 2013
    25,396
    Libtardistan
    How about we all just agree that the fixed, 10 round magazine is the single most reliable magazine made for the SKS. As in I've never seen one fail to feed a round or hold the bolt back on the last shot.

    The Crapco's and all other duck-bill styles are basically junk and were marketed and sold during the huge SKS craze. Just because it's available doesn't mean you have to buy it. Kind of like NcStar products.

    It takes three hands to change a detachable SKS magazine because you have to hold the bolt back while holding the magazine release back while removing the magazine.

    You can reload faster with a stripper clip and you won't have any malfunctions. The SKS, as designed, is a fantastic semi-auto rifle. Leave it alone.


    P.S. And that's a strange question for a first post.
     

    Docster

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2010
    9,768
    How about we all just agree that the fixed, 10 round magazine is the single most reliable magazine made for the SKS. As in I've never seen one fail to feed a round or hold the bolt back on the last shot.

    The Crapco's and all other duck-bill styles are basically junk and were marketed and sold during the huge SKS craze. Just because it's available doesn't mean you have to buy it. Kind of like NcStar products.

    It takes three hands to change a detachable SKS magazine because you have to hold the bolt back while holding the magazine release back while removing the magazine.

    You can reload faster with a stripper clip and you won't have any malfunctions. The SKS, as designed, is a fantastic semi-auto rifle. Leave it alone.


    P.S. And that's a strange question for a first post.

    Yes, it IS a strange question for a first post but then there are noobs who are starting new threads about issues already discussed to death, and asking questions that have been anawered a thousand times. Either they are from the dark side, too lazy to search, or can't read.
     

    JettaRed

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 13, 2013
    1,138
    Middletown
    This is a confusing thread but it looks like sks with detachable mag is banned. If you obtained it (with detachable mag) before 10/1 by grandfather it should be ok right? if you put the fixed mag back on, after 10/1, its legal but if you swap back to the detachable mag where exactly does that put us? is this a grey area or does it depend on who points the finger ?

    It shouldn't be confusing. If you owned the SKS before October 1, 2013, you owned it in any configuration you wanted to put it in. If you acquired it after the 1st, you should keep it in original form. Converting it to one with a detachable magazine technically makes it a banned gun.


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    iH8DemLibz

    When All Else Fails.
    Apr 1, 2013
    25,396
    Libtardistan
    While informative, that doesn't answer the question.

    Personally, I've used the Tapco mags without any problem ever.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

    Leave that wonderfully reliable and well thought out original 10 round magazine in place and there is no question to be answered.

    By the way, I agree with your points on Maryland's magazine ban. An open forum is not the place to discuss bending, skirting, or going around the law.
     

    highfructosecornsyrup

    Active Member
    Apr 2, 2012
    613
    baltimore city
    It shouldn't be confusing. If you owned the SKS before October 1, 2013, you owned it in any configuration you wanted to put it in. If you acquired it after the 1st, you should keep it in original form. Converting it to one with a detachable magazine technically makes it a banned gun.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

    You're right it shouldn't be. Unfortunately some idiots wrote some stupid laws then every time a thread like this pops up you get 15 diff interpretations of it. Reading all them makes it confusing.

    They way you put it there makes sense.

    I agree do agree on leaving the fixed mag, I never had any desire to change it out.

    Didn't some come with 20 rd fixed mags? My guess with that is the same law applies being its over 10.
     

    JettaRed

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 13, 2013
    1,138
    Middletown
    Leave that wonderfully reliable and well thought out original 10 round magazine in place and there is no question to be answered.

    By the way, I agree with your points on Maryland's magazine ban. An open forum is not the place to discuss bending, skirting, or going around the law.

    Thanks. I also agree that the fixed mag is not only functionally reliable, but it also isn't going to get lost.


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