The guy in the article didn't build a full-auto AK-47, although he did commit a couple felonies along the way[1]. First, he mounted the magazine lock too too f

The guy in the article didn't build a full-auto AK-47, although he did commit a couple felonies along the way[1]. First, he mounted the magazine lock too too far back, which allows the magazine to be detached without the use of a tool - a felony in California on a semi-auto rifle with a pistol grip. Secondly, he says Back in my garage I use a grinding wheel to cut the receiver in half and the other components into pieces. I put the scraps back in the cardboard box the kit came in and leave it for the garbage truck. This is an improper demill. To demill a receiver you must cut it into three pieces. Therefore, when he left the receiver out for the garbage truck he effectively transferred his rifle to the garbage truck without going through an FFL, which is another felony. Finally, the process for actually obtaining or building a fully automatic rifle (assuming it's not outlawed by your state) is arduous and expensive. The short answer is that you have to go through extensive background checks by the FBI and BATFE in order to get a $200 NFA tax stamp, which takes months to be approved for. You also have to get a signature from your local sheriff, who can just decide he/she doesn't want you to have one if they wish (alternatively, you can go to a lawyer to set up a special trust to assign NFA devices to). Finally, the actual cost for a select-fire AK receiver, of which there are limited supply as they have to have been registered with the ATF before May 19, 1986 (and there are no more being manufactured for civilian use), is between $15-20K (here's a current gunbroker auction[2] for reference). For a longer description of this whole process see: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MediaPages/ArticleDetail.aspx?mediaid=159 http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MediaPages/ArticleDetail.aspx... [1]: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=767020 http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=767020 [2]: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=343242987 http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=34324298...