So if you rather not use USA magazine replacement parts you’re left with what anthony1 mentioned. Just pick 4 USA replacement parts from (6)-(11) of the foreign imported parts on the rifle and you should be good2go.
How does adding a bullet guide to the trunion alter things so much that 922r is invoked or becomes an issue?
Bullet guide isn’t even on the list of recognized compliance/non-compliance parts, (that I’m aware of anyway), and I imagine would fall into the scale somewhere around where a trigger guard, rear sight, mag release lever or cleaning rod would.
Its a part, but its not a 922r relevance part.
Or is it due to furrin mags getting stuck into it afterwards?
Easily reconciled by purchasing US made mags.
If in fact the bullet guide is a ‘thing’, obtain a US manufactured part which in turn would (should) keep things in the currently legal configuration the rifle is in.
I’m not a lawyer and the above is how I understand it, not neccisarily how it may actually be.
I take no responsibility if I’m wrong and issues arise for any who decide to follow it without doing thier own research and confirmation.
Bullet guide on its own is irrelevant to 922r. Converting the Saiga to accept a magazine holding more than 10rds without the necessary USA made parts would mean that you manufactured a firearm that could not otherwise be legally imported into the USA. So once you go down the road of converting the Saiga rifle to accept magazines holding more than 10rds, you then have to swap out the necessary amount of imported foreign parts on the rifle with USA made parts.
The ability to accept a 11+ round magazine is a non-sporting feature and modifying an imported semi-auto centerfire rifle to accept such magazines requires 922r parts compliance.
Installing a bullet guide to a Saiga rifle, gives it the ability to accept a 11+ round magazine. Thus, it will need to comply with 922r.
non-sporting features:
[ul]
[li]Ability to accept a large capacity magazine
[/li][li]Folding/telescoping stocks
[/li][li]Pistol grips
[/li][li]Ability to accept a bayonet
[/li][li]Flash suppressors / hiders
[/li][li]Integrated, military-style bipods
[/li][li]Grenade launchers
[/li][li]Night sights
[/li][/ul]
Actually it doesn’t as the mag latch will not allow a standard AK type mag to even fit all the way in let alone lock in any sort of useable fashion. The latch has to be modified or physically moved to a different location.
AFAIK Saiga does not import with anything larger than a 10rd mag except in thier shotguns so coming up with a factory standard mag would be exceedingly difficult I imagine. leaving any standard capacity mags as US manufacture and thus compliant
(‘standard’ as in regular capacity, not neutered undercapacity 10rd BS)
As a means of working it to avoid compliance issues as described by TROJAN, ie: not converting the rifle itself, presumably one could modify the mag to fit the Saiga.
One can definitely modify a standard mag to work in the thing, that’s a given, but whether its a legit means or not is what’s questionable.
Dunno.
Appreciate the info/answers just the same though.
ETA:
And in regard to part of the OP’s original question, yes, there is a fire control group out there that will get you into US parts without having to convert the receiver.
I just don’t recall right off who has it. Tapco wants to come to mind, but I’m not positive.
One of the easiest things to do is replace the piston with a US made part. They can be hard to get out but it works. And use US magazine components and you should be good to go.