Aquiring a “sporterized AK” and converting it from a civilian-style hunting rifle into a respectable tactical weapon is not difficult but you may need some guidance from a gunsmith.
Why buy a rifle if it needs to be converted?
Buying a high-quality, sporterized AK will assure you of getting a foreign-made receiver, barrel, trunion and other essential parts. With better-quality parts, you’re going to have a better gun from the get-go. Naturally your converted rifle must be 922r compliant.
If you’re serious about converting an AK, there are numerous videos that can show you how. Note that it’s more than just swapping out a few parts.
With most AKs you’ll have to move the trigger group, and that requires a skill set that the average person doesn’t have. This article from Dinzag Arms provides a good overview on what it will take in terms of parts and labor to convert a sporterized rifle.
Complying with the Law
When you start your buying journey, the term “992r Compliance” will rear its ugly head.
This refers to Title 18 Chapter 44 Section 922(r) Of the United States Code. Essentially it restricts semiautomatic rifles and shotguns to no more than 10 imported parts from a list of 20. For the buyer it may seem like an odd bureaucratic convention, which it is, but it’s a good idea as a consumer to have a basic understanding of the provenance of your rifle’s parts.
I am not an attorney but its common sense that if you plan to customize your rifle you’ll want remain compliant with the law.