A question to gun owners

[Elysian]

I figure the AH community would know the answer to this one.  

I have a nice .223 Remington longrifle plinker that I can get gobs of ammo cheap for.  It's fun, but I am looking to get something with more power for my collection.  I have my eye on the AK74 semi-automatic (or copy of it), but I live in California.  Can anyone enlighten me on if I could legally own one here?  To me it is just another semi-auto rifle (albeit  a high-powered one).  Would CA law see it that way or as an illegal assault rifle?

Thanks for any insight.

Frburger

[lasersailor184]

Leave California.

[Tarmac]

Hey Ely!  Long time no see, how ya been?  You flying again?

Not that wikipedia is the difinitive source, but here's a starting point:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_%28by_state%29#California

Sounds like there's a list of banned firearms, but it hasn't been updated so you just have to buy a civillian/renamed model that isn't on the list yet.

[Hornet33]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Leave California.

That was going to be my first response.

As far as the AK74, the round that thing fires isn't really any better than a .223  In fact the bullet is smaller in diameter 5.45 vs 5.56 but a bit longer so the mass of the 2 rounds are fairly similar with about the same knock down power.

If your looking for a more powerfull long gun that can reach out and hit something with good power I would sugest looking at a .308 There are several semi auto .308's on the market but a bolt action is going to be more accurate and you have a wider choise of makes and models in a bolt action. Plus those are legal in Comiefornia, were as a semi auto is getting into the grey areas of the laws out there.

[GoldenP51]

What are you looking to do with the rifle?  Just go target shooting for fun every once and a while?  Or are you looking at hunting game?

Jon

[Shuffler]

Originally posted by GoldenP51
What are you looking to do with the rifle?  Just go target shooting for fun every once and a while?  Or are you looking at hunting game?

Jon

My question too.....

I like a 270 for deer and all around. Pity I never have time to hunt anymore   lol.

[Elysian]

Man, reading that CA gun law, looks like a mess...  Just a quick scan makes it look a bit silly and full of loopholes as well.  Time to talk to the local gun store.

I'm gonna use the rifle for target shooting and as a collector's item of sorts.    

Hey Tarmac .  Doing ok and yeah, been flying a bit in AH.  You keeping safe in your job I hope.

Frburger

[Elysian]

The local gun store said that the closest to an AK74 they could sell me was an Armscor MAK22.  

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=85671650

This looks pretty crappy IMO.  Not sure why this rifle is legal and the AK74 semi-auto is not?  Guess I have some learning to do about CA gun law hehe.  I have houses in AZ and OH but I live mostly in CA so I'd rather be able to have it here :/.

[eagl]

Check with other firearms dealers.  Don't trust the answer you get from just one shop.  Also, see if you can find a guy with a federal firearms dealer permit who doesn't run a full-time gun store, and see what he says.

You should also specifically ask about purchases made out of state, and what can be legally brought into the state if it's been purchased out of state.

[lasersailor184]

Isn't Armscor the Chinese company that makes their guns by slave (prison) labor with questionable quality?

[eagl]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Isn't Armscor the Chinese company that makes their guns by slave (prison) labor with questionable quality?

They probably use lead paint too

[Boroda]

Originally posted by Hornet33
As far as the AK74, the round that thing fires isn't really any better than a .223  In fact the bullet is smaller in diameter 5.45 vs 5.56 but a bit longer so the mass of the 2 rounds are fairly similar with about the same knock down power.

Russians and Western countries measure caliber differently. Westerners measure maximum barrel diameter and Russians measure minimal. It's all about rifles. So the caliber is almost exactly the same.

Edit: i mean NATO 5.56 = Soviet 5.45 - Russians don't count rifle depth into caliber.

[Spikes]

The Remington .270 seems to work fine for us.

[eagl]

If you want something "standard", try something in a 30.06.  If you want something really gucci, find a rifle chambered in 7mm rem mag.  Big bada boom.

[Boroda]

Originally posted by Elysian
The local gun store said that the closest to an AK74 they could sell me was an Armscor MAK22.  

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=85671650

This looks pretty crappy IMO.  Not sure why this rifle is legal and the AK74 semi-auto is not?  Guess I have some learning to do about CA gun law hehe.  I have houses in AZ and OH but I live mostly in CA so I'd rather be able to have it here :/.

It's .22LR rimfire AK-shaped decoy. Free-bolt automatics, gas-chamber is cosmetic. Nothing to do at all with Kalashnikov design.

AK-74 is an automat (assault rifle) that uses a low-impulse hi-velocity ammo similar to NATO 5.56mm, but a little less powerful.

5.45 Soviet ammo shipped to troops is usually 10-20% more powerful then it's specifications though.

All I can advice is go buy an SKS. Soviet ones are the best. You are not allowed to own a full-auto weapon, so SKS is obviously a better choice then a castrated AK clone, due to longer barrel and generally better accuracy in semi-auto.