A changing import context
AK-pattern rifles reached the United States through many countries and under many model names. Federal import evaluations in 1989 and 1998 changed which configurations could be approved for import. Manufacturers and importers responded with model designations and configurations intended for the market of the time. That history helps explain thumbhole stocks, altered magazine arrangements and labels that have no exact counterpart in a military naming system.
This page describes that history without giving legal advice. Current classification depends on current law, current agency guidance and the facts of a specific item. The ATF import information page states that rifle importability remains tied to the agency's 1989 and 1998 studies. It is the appropriate starting point for present federal information.
Common designation families
| Designation | Associated origin or family | What the label can suggest |
|---|---|---|
| MAK-90 | Chinese commercial family | A U.S.-market semiautomatic configuration, commonly seen with altered furniture forms |
| SAR-1 / SAR-2 / SAR-3 | Romanian commercial family | Related model labels distinguished in part by chambering |
| WASR-10 | Romanian commercial family | A later U.S.-market designation within the wider Romanian branch |
| WUM-1 / WUM-2 | Romanian commercial family | Earlier export labels associated with different chamberings and configurations |
| Romak | Romanian export designation | A family label appearing with model numbers and configuration differences |
| MISR | Egyptian-associated commercial designation | A U.S.-market label that requires attention to the exact marked model |
| SA-93 / SLR-95 / SLR-96 | Bulgarian-associated commercial families | Model names associated with milled receiver configurations in the U.S. market |
| SA-85 | Hungarian-associated commercial family | A market designation whose suffixes and configuration details matter |
The table is a reading aid, not a compatibility chart. Labels were not applied with one universal logic, and spelling, punctuation or suffixes can carry meaningful distinctions. Country-of-origin markings and receiver construction should be read beside the model name.
Reading a U.S.-market marking
Record the exact model, chambering and country text before translating it into a broader family. Next identify whether the receiver is milled or stamped and note fixed external features. A thumbhole stock, for example, may reflect the import-era configuration, but furniture can later be changed and does not prove the receiver's original specification.
Separate the historical model name from the name of a current importer or manufacturer. The former can help classify an object; the latter does not justify a claim about quality, defects, safety or reliability. This reference makes no comparative judgment about Century Arms, Norinco, Arsenal, Zastava, Valmet, Sako, FEG, Maadi, Steyr, Wolf, Izhmash or any other named entity or product.
What this page does not do
It does not explain how to change a rifle's configuration, calculate domestic-parts counts, adapt a magazine system or meet a compliance threshold. It also does not interpret state law. The regulatory record is included only because it explains why historically related rifles arrived under different names and with visibly different furniture or interfaces.
For object identification, continue with the terminology guide and receiver comparison. For a current legal question, consult the responsible government authority or qualified counsel rather than treating a historical reference page as a rulebook.
Neutrality rule: a designation is evidence of market history. It is not evidence for a sales claim, a safety claim or a manufacturer ranking.