|
1943 - |
After reviewing several designs, the new rimless 7.62x39 medium
power cartridge is adopted and named the "M43". The Soviet
weapon designer Sergi Gavrilovich Simonov converts one of his previously
developed carbine designs, the SKS41 (which shot a 7.62x25mm pistol cartridge
commonly used in Russian submachine guns), to utilize this new intermediate
range cartridge. |
|
Spring 1944 - |
Prototype models of the new SKS were shipped to the Byelorussian
front for use against the Germans.
|
|
1945 - |
After rave reviews of the new Simonov design by soldiers,
Simonov's newest carbine is approved and dubbed the "SKS45".
|
|
1947 - |
Kalashnikov's newest design is approved and designated the
"AK47".
|
|
1949 - |
SKS Model 1945 is adopted by the Soviet Union.
Full scale Soviet production begins.
|
|
1951 - |
The AK47 enters production. In time, the SKS will
be phased out as this new design incorporates select fire, a detachable
magazine, raised sights, and a pistol grip.
|
|
1953 - 1954 |
Production is stepped up as a second factory, Izhevsk, starts
to produce Soviet SKS's.
|
|
1955 - |
Soviet production of the SKS ends.
|
|
1956 - |
SKS production is shifted from USSR to Peoples Republic of China (Type 56).
In order to support the newly emerging communist regime, the USSR sends
technicians to China to demonstrate
|
|
1957 |
Romania begins producing SKS (See the notes at bottom) |
| 1959 |
Yugoslavia begins
producing SKS's |
|
Late 1950's - |
First SKS's are imported by U.S.
firms on a very small scale. 7.62x39 ammunition is scarce in the United States
until the 1980's. |
|
1964 - 1975 |
Chinese Type 56 SKS rifles come to the United States in larger numbers with troops returning from Vietnam.
|
|
1986 - |
Congress amends the 1968 Gun Control Act. This permits
the importation of non-automatic military long guns designed before 1945. |
|
1987 - |
Large scale importation of Chinese Type 56 rifles begins as a result of McClure -Volkmer Act.
Yugoslavian SKS's are
imported in small quantities by Mitchell Arms for only one
year.
|
|
1988 - |
A Chinese SKS variant is imported. Generally known as the Type
84 or SKS-D, it is designed to accept a detachable AK-47 magazine.
|
|
Jan 1989 - |
The Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act (AWCA) becomes law and includes "SKS with detachable magazine." At that time there were two distinct models - one with a fixed magazine (Type 56) and one designed to accept an AK (Avtomat KaIashnikov) type detachable magazine (Type 84). Additionally, the AWCA directed the Attorney General to publish an identification guide for law enforcement use.
|
|
Late 1989 - |
Deputy Attorney General Paul Bishop is assigned to the AWCA project to deal with Office of Administrative Law related matters.
|
|
1990 - |
President Bush imposes import restrictions on Chinese SKS style rifles. The Type 56 can no longer be imported if it is equipped with a bayonet and the Type 84 is prohibited.
|
|
Late 1990 - |
Aftermarket detachable magazines become available for SKS rifles originally designed to use only a fixed magazine.
|
|
1991 - |
Congress further amends the 1968 Gun Control Act to allow the
importation of obsolete surplus military weapons from the former communist bloc
nations. |
|
Jan 1991 - |
Attorney General Lungren takes office. |
|
Feb 1991 - |
SKS definition in P.C. 12276 is identified as problem by the Attorney General's staff. Deputy Attorney General Bishop is reassigned to AWCA project.
Attorney General's office begins working with Senator Roberti on SB 263 to "clean up" the AWCA
|
|
June 1991 - |
Attorney General's staff proposes that the SKS be deleted from AWCA via SB263. Senator Roberti opposes the Attorney General's proposal.
|
|
Oct 1991 - |
Governor Wilson signs SB 263 but no attempt is made to clarify definition of SKS in P.C. 12276. |
|
1992 - |
Deputy Attorney General Bishop convenes a group of forensic experts to produce the Assault Weapon Identification Guide and to help formulate the Attorney General's AWCA registration policy.
|
|
Early 1993 - |
Attorney General's office approves the sale of Chinese SKS "Sporters" which use "AK" detachable magazines.
|
|
March 1993 - |
James Dingman is arrested in Santa Clara for possession of an unregistered assault weapon (Chinese Type 56 with an aftermarket detachable magazine).
|
|
April 1993 - |
NRA requests the Attorney General's assistance in winning a dismissal of charges against Dingman. Deputy Attorney General Bishop subsequently meets with the Santa Clara District Attorney and informs him that the Dingman firearm does not require AWCA registration.
|
|
April 1993 - |
Assault Weapon Identification Guide (AWIG) is finally published. Dingman's rifle is not covered. The AWIG states "the SKS rifle was originally manufactured with a fixed 10 round magazine. However, the modified version by Norinco which accepts a detachable AK type magazine is an assault weapon." Pictured in the AWIG is the Type 84 SKS.
|
|
June 1993 - |
Attorney General distributes the AWIG with information bulletin number 93-16-BCII. The bulletin notifies all California law enforcement agencies that firearms identified in the AWIG must be registered.
|
|
Aug 1993 - |
Attorney General Lungren and Deputy Attorney General Bishop testify before the Assembly Public Safety Committee The topic was "Implementation of the Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act".
|
|
Oct 1993 - |
Attorney General's staff works with NRA to secure dismissal of charges in a "SKS with detachable magazine" case in Nevada County.
NRA writes to the Attorney General and asks that he clarify a number of AWCA related issues. The Attorney General does not respond.
|
|
Dec 1993 - |
NRA asks the Attorney General to exercise his supervisory authority over the Santa Clara District Attorney concerning the Dingman prosecution. The Attorney General does not respond.
Approximately about 950,000 SKS's
were imported in 1993 alone.
|
|
May 1994 - |
Attorney General's office refuses to accept registration for Dingman's rifle as they contend it is not covered by the
AWCA.
|
|
Late 1994 - |
Dingman convicted of violating P.C. 12280(b). Dingman appeals the decision. Attorney General's staff informs Santa Clara County that they will not handle the Dingman appeal as they don't believe Dingman violated the
AWCA.
|
|
Oct 1994 - |
L.A. Times reports that President Clinton strikes a deal with Russia's President Yeltsin for the potential importation of millions of Soviet era firearms and billions of rounds of ammunition. As a result of that agreement a huge number of 1950's production Russian SKS rifles are imported by U.S. dealers. All are equipped with bayonets.
|
|
May 1995 - |
Two Deputy Attorney Generals (Bishop and Steve Boreman) testify before the Senate Criminal Procedure Committee in support of AB 132 (Battin). This was an NRA sponsored bill which would have put the Attorney General's interpretation of the SKS issue into the AWCA. AB 132 was defeated in large part because of opposition from the Santa Clara District Attorney's office.
|
|
Aug 1995 - |
Attorney General's office informs Assemblyman Granlund that their interpretation of the AWCA concerning the SKS is based on "sound legal reasoning".
|
|
July 1996 - |
Dingman conviction is upheld by the Court of Appeals for the Sixth District.
|
|
Aug 1996 - |
Assemblyman Battin asks the Attorney General to petition the Sixth Appellate District to reconsider the Dingman case.
Dingman's petition for rehearing is denied.
Attorney General's office asks the Sixth Appellate District to reconsider it's decision in the Dingman case.
Attorney General's request is denied.
|
|
Sept 1996 - |
Dingman appeals unsuccessfully to the California Supreme Court.
|
|
Sept 1996 - |
Attorney General's office asks the Supreme Court to "on it's own motion order review of the Court of Appeals decision..." in the Dingman case. Chief Deputy Attorney General Stirling writes "The impact of the courts' opinion cannot be over stated because of the millions of SKS rifles and after-market magazines currently in circulation. Tens of thousands of California citizens may become criminals simply by using a perfectly lawful rifle with a lawfully purchased magazine without adequate notice that such activity brings them within the proscriptions of the
AWCA."
|
|
Oct 1996 - |
Based on the Attorney General's request the Supreme Court grants review of the Dingman case. Such a request by the Attorney General is "unprecedented"
|
|
Feb 1997 - |
Attorney General files amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of Dingman. They request that the opinion of the Court of Appeals be "reversed"
|
|
Aug 1997 - |
L.A. Times criticizes the Attorney General for his "assault weapon" failures. |
|
Sept 1997 - |
Attorney General withdraws his amicus brief and states that it "inaccurately reflects the view of the Attorney General". Deputy Attorney General Bishop is reassigned after six plus years of work on the
AWCA.
|
|
Nov 1997 - |
Attorney General informs the owners of SKS Sporters that their rifles are assault weapons and "must be relinquished to a local police or sheriff's department". Such rifles cannot be registered because they were purchased after June 1, 1989.
|
|
Dec 1997 - |
Attorney General notifies licensed firearm dealers and law enforcement about his revised position on SKS's.
|
|
NOTES - |
Estimates vary,
but there may be as many as 2 million SKS rifles in the US, and between three and five hundred thousand SKS rifles (Chinese and Russian) in
California alone.
The Attorney Generals' pre September 24, 1997 interpretation of the AWCA concerning the SKS has been conveyed in numerous training sessions for peace officers, criminalists and prosecutors during the past four years.
"Aftermarket" magazines for the SKS are not interchangeable with AK-47 magazines.
One year after
the Chinese began manufacturing SKS's, the Romanians started their
production. Two years after that, the Yugoslavians. Now I'm curious to know the start date of Yugoslavian
production. Did the Russian technicians do a "road tour" of
newly emerging communist countries starting SKS production plants to shore up
the governments of these new allies?
|
