How to tell when a rifle was imported?

[dar48]

So, I know it isn't an AK, but it is still Communist, and they are all fun, right? I picked up an SKS at the show this weekend for pretty cheap. It is marked as a B-West imported, Norinco (Factory 26) made SKS. Has a few handling marks since it is obviously older, but had a layer of dried cosmolene (even worse than gooey, I promise), which may have been the original packing grease. It's a full size, not paratroop, but it's mounted in what looks like a paratroop stock. The serial number wasn't as helpful as most Chi-com serials on AKs are (for telling when imported), and I was wondering about this one. It was missing the bayonet, but still has the "lug" assembly and was also missing the cleaning rod. I already have a nice Russian SKS, so I'm not totally concerned about originality on this one, but my question is: how to tell when it was imported? Was the bayonet removed to meet import regulations against "assault rifles," or taken off by someone over here because they didn't want it? I don't want to jump through hoops for 922r compliance on a $125 gun, but would it be legal to (re)-install a bayonet without breaking the law or adding US parts? I've already scoured simonov.net trying to find answers, and I can't tell for sure. Thanks for any input you may have.

[Para Driver]

I don't think you'd have any issue reinstalling a bayonet.. look to see if it has any 922r parts, I doubt it does.. I don't even know if you can get 922r parts for these??

[dar48]

Originally posted by Para Driver
I don't think you'd have any issue reinstalling a bayonet.. look to see if it has any 922r parts, I doubt it does.. I don't even know if you can get 922r parts for these??

No, it's all original Chinese. You can get compliance parts for the SKS, and theoretically, anyone who puts one of those Tapco stocks on their Chi-com or Yugo SKS have to meet compliance requirements. I understand that because it is a change from it's imported configuration. If mine didn't come in with a bayonet, I'd have to meet 922r specs in order to put one one. My only question is whether or not it was, and if there is a way to find out. Thanks for the comments.

[instr8]

I can tell what year it was made, but unfortunatly, AFAIK, about all you can do to discern the year of import is a just look at the features and try to guess. I wish I knew the what and when of the features, but I don't. I really doubt if you could even pinpoint the year. Maybe a period of a span of years is about as close as you will get. If the importer still exists, you might try calling them. I have several SKS's that have had magazine upgrades and I always wondered if they were 922r compliant.

[diana-ar15]

B-West went out of business before the '94 Clintoon AWB

[capt ron]

unless you can prove that the china sks was imported before nov 1989 you cannot put a bayonet on it. i don't know any way for a civilian ( non-atfe) to be able to trace it back , most of the importers went bankrupt or out of business. to many sks's with the same serial #'s on them, etc.

sks's from other countries have been declared c&r and can have the bayonets on them. ( no it doesn't make any sense does it.)

i was a dealer back then and we had to remove all the bayonets from the china sks rifles ( as per letter from atfe.). we did not have to remove the bayonet lugs.
later they made them remove the bayonet lugs before importing them, so the bayonets could not be put back on them.

i had several hundered rifles ( 20 rifles to a box) and it was a pita.

sold the bayonets for $1.00 each for tent stakes.

the stocks on the sks rifle and the sks carbine ( paratrooper) are the same.