After nearly 60 years of advancement, the AK action has been used for practically every type of longarm, and now several quality hunting rifles are based on the AK design, specifically the Saiga and VEPR (named for game animals.)
Some states don't allow semi-auto rifles for hunting. Some do but have configuration restrictions, ie features of the old dead Clinton Ban. Some just ban the AK design, including Saiga rifles, even though they're functionally the same as a Remington 7400.
I'm looking to build an AK based hunting rifle in 444 Marlin, and would like to know where it's legal to have and to hunt with. Particularly with certain features, since the trigger group used in a thumbhole or pistol gripped version is far better than in the one with the classic curved stock.
I was also thinking the same things about a Saiga 12ga shotgun.
All I know so far is that PA allows only semi-auto shotguns, no rifles, and that anything AK is illegal in CA. Also that NY has the AWB copied so only a stock Saiga shotgun would be legal there, though a p-gripped rifle with solid stock would be ok too.
Capacity is a non issue, mags are easy to replace and block.
