Jim:
A note on you post of 12/15 about the SAR-8. I wish I could point you to a
single place on the Web where you could verify this, but there isn't one.
I gathered this info from a number of gun discussion boards after my (opportunistic)
purchase of an SAR-8 at a gun show.
There are two distinct SAR-8s, both handled by Springfield Armory. One is
a steel receiver, made in Greece on original HK tooling. Known there as the
SAR-3,
it was changed to the SAR-8 by over striking the markings on the gun. Being
an import, there are some restrictions on what you can do with it, such as
adding flash hiders. [JWR Adds: See the correction on that point,
below.]
There is also another SAR-8, built in the US on an Imbel aluminum receiver.
It qualifies as a US manufactured gun, and since the 1994 ban is dead, are
pretty much able to be modified as you wish. [JWR Adds: Actually,
being built on an imported receiver, it still needs to have 10 U.S. made parts.] It
has some minor differences from a "real" HK,
but nothing that can't be dealt with fairly easily. You can recognize these
by the aluminum receiver, green furniture and rail machined into the top of
the receiver. As I mentioned earlier, I bought an SAR-8 a couple of years ago
for a song, NIB. Mine is one of the Imbel aluminum receivers, so I view myself
as fortunate
(although many would disagree--the Imbel receivers seem to have a bad reputation).
After some initial teething problems that I was eventually able to trace to
bad magazines (lesson learned--stick to steel), it's been a reliable performer.
If anything ever goes wrong with it, Springfield has a lifetime warranty, and
there are quite a few stories of folks being offered M1As as direct swaps or
as a "swap plus small amount of boot".
I'd like to find one or two more of these, but interestingly enough, the few
I see are commanding prices above what I paid for mine. Make of that data point
what you will. I enjoy your blog, even though I don't get to stop by as much
as I would like.
Keep up the good work.- The Freeholder
Mr. Rawles,
I have read and enjoyed both your book and the Survival Blog. I have found
them very useful and thought provoking. Whether I agree with something or not
is of no consequence EXCEPT when the information is factually in error and
might mislead some folks who depend on it. Such is the case with the following:
The SAR-8 (Springfield Armory's clone of the HK91) are well made (much better
than the CETME). Their only serious shortcoming is that they lack a flash hider.
Be advised that a large number of SAR-8s were illegally retrofitted with flash
hiders. (The 1994 ban expired, but the original import ban that bans flash
hiders is still in effect!)
I am an 07- FFL/SOT so I keep up on these things. The 1994 ban DID restrict
flash hiders and threaded barrels along with folding stocks, high capacity
mags and
bayonet lugs. Of course, it is gone. The 1989 import ban DID NOT forbid
flash hiders, threaded barrels or the other “evil features”. What
it DID do was mandate not more than 10 imported parts on certain guns. Therefore,
the addition of a flash hider to an SAR-8, FAL, HK, AK etc will require that
the gun be in compliance with section 922 and have NOT MORE than 10 imported
parts. If the gun was originally equipped with 10 or fewer imported parts
you can add all the “evil features” you wish so long as you do
not thereby exceed the limit of 10 imported parts. I hope this clears up
a common misconception that might lead folks to think they can’t add
a flash hider or other feature to their SAR-8 or other gun. Sincerely, -
M.G.
JWR Replies: My most humble apologies for the error.
Thanks for pointing that out. I will go back and will correct my original post.
Assuming that the fake (unslotted) pinned-on
pseudo flash hider that
these rifles came with counts as one of the ten requisite U.S.-made parts,
then removing
it
and replacing it with an original German, Greek, Pakistani, or Portuguese-made
flash hider
would be a violation of the Federal law, unless you
substitute an American-made part to "keep up the parts count." Ditto
for removing the original goshawful-looking thumbhole stock. I recommend
T. Mark Graham of Arizona
Response Systems as a source for the replacement U.S.-made parts,
as well
as some great gunsmithing and refinishing services. See: http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/home.htm
