Executive Order Curtails Kalashnikov Imports from Russia

[appal_jack]

Executive Order Curtails Kalashnikov Imports from Russia

Ukraine-related Sanctions; Publication of Executive Order 13662 Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List 7/16/2014
​Today, OFAC is introducing the Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List to identify persons operating in sectors of the Russian economy identified by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to Executive Order 13662. Directives found within the list describe prohibitions on dealings with the persons identified.
...

KALASHNIKOV CONCERN (a.k.a. CONCERN KALASHNIKOV; a.k.a. IZHEVSKIY MASHINOSTROITEL'NYI ZAVOD OAO; f.k.a. IZHMASH R&D CENTER; f.k.a. JSC NPO IZHMASH; f.k.a. NPO IZHMASH OAO; a.k.a. OJSC CONCERN KALASHNIKOV; f.k.a. OJSC IZHMASH; f.k.a. SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION IZHMASH JOINT STOCK COMPANY), 3, Derjabin Pr., Izhevsk, Udmurt Republic 426006, Russia; Registration ID 1111832003018 [UKRAINE2].

Ukraine-related Sanctions; Publication of Executive Order 13662 Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List


http://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/ssi.pdf

Note that this Executive Order does not affect all Russian goods, only those from concerns named. Why did rifles need to be among them? I oppose gun-control being enacted under false pretenses.

Russian Kalashnikov pattern rifles have been imported for many years in 'neutered' forms as Saiga Sporting Rifles. Most Saigas came in with their 'evil' military features removed, i.e.- no bayonet lugs, folding stocks, flash hider mounts, etc. Since about 2009, there has been a 'golden age' of Russian factory imports, where more truer-to-military form Kalashnikov-pattern semi-automatic rifles and shotguns have come in to the US. These include the SGL series of Saigas, the VEPR 12 Shotguns, and most recently the VEPR 1V version of the RPK in 5.56 caliber.

The executive order brings all this to a close - no more of the high-end accurate versions, no more neutered Saigas, nothing firearms related from Russia.

I wish that I had been able to afford a VEPR 1V or two. They were beautiful rifles that will be highly collectable in years to come. In my estimation, they went from $1K rifles to ~$3K+ rifles overnight thanks to this Executive Order. Even before the panic-pricing though, these accurate semi-auto AK copies were not being bought or used by criminals - they are expensive pieces marketed to militaria collectors and serious shooting enthusiasts.

-app

[upaloopa]

1. What the hell is a serious shooting enthusiast?

How do you measure the seriousness or level of shooting enthusiasm?
Maybe in rounds per second fired at pumpkins or something?
Are the guys with rifles in Target serious shooting enthusiasts? Does it revolve around how scary looking your gun is?

Maybe it is just the possession of a fetish for military style weapons.

[hack89]

2. People that compete in shooting sports

semi-automatic rifles are the standard for many rifle competitions.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. re: "What the hell is a serious shooting enthusiast?"

There kind of analogous to "assault weapons" and "pornography" in that I can't really define a list of qualifying requirements but "I know them when I see them."

[appal_jack]

4. All enthusiasts can seem a little crazy to non-enthusiasts.

All enthusiasts can seem a little crazy to non-enthusiasts, but there are certainly degrees of craziness. I'm not a stamp collector, so it's a bit of a stretch for me to hear about old adhesive-backed pieces of paper selling for thousands of dollars or more, but I understand that collectors value historicity and other qualities of rare stamps.

I don't know anyone who brings their rifle to Target, or other symbolic open carry events. Even though I am adamantly pro-2A/RKBA, I consider rifle-toting at grocery stores, etc. to be an act of brazen stupidity, guaranteed to alienate many in the community while doing nothing to advance our rights or cause.

But I do know many Kalashnikov enthusiasts. They come to the hobby for many reasons. Some lived through the Cold War times, some admire the AK's reliability and simplicity, some collect many military items, from vehicles like the M35 A2 trucks, to US historical rifles like the M1 Garand, to Kalashnikovs. A VEPR 1V can't fire rounds more quickly than any other semi-auto, and it uses the same round as millions of AR's and other common rifles and pistols. What does distinguish it is its iconic RPK-74 components and abundant Molot factory proof marks. Things collectors care about. If all you want to do is shoot pumpkins, there were many cheaper options, even before the Executive Order.

-app

[appal_jack]

5. There is a petition to the WH regarding this now.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/lift-imposed-sanctions-izhmash-kalashnikov-concern/HWHyZhdt

-app

[derby378]

6. Signed, thanks! (n/t)