Norinco MAK 90 (Covert History Of The Chinese AK)

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The MAK 90 by Norinco is a semi-automatic assault rifle sometimes called the “Chinese AK”, or incorrectly spelled “MAC 90” but nevertheless, it has a fascinating history, especially when viewed from the perspective of the United States. It was intentionally designed to bypass the importation ban on other AK-47s. 

Even though it was only imported for four years, millions of MAK 90s made their way to gun enthusiasts here in the US. The quality of MAK 90s and other Chinese AK-47s is on par with the best AK makers such as Russia and Germany. 

Most gun enthusiasts know that AK-47s got their start in Russia in the hands of famous Russian firearms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov. Many also know that dozens of European nations produced their own variants of the AK-47 over the years. 

However, fewer people know that China produced its own variants and that their MAK 90 is the most common Chinese AK type rifle you will find in the United States today

Read on to learn more about the interesting MAK 90 that was designed specifically for importation into the United States, in order to sidestep a ban on imported firearms.

History of the Chinese MAK 90 Assault Rifle

The MAK 90 semi-automatic assault rifle is a product of China made by a company called Norinco and was specifically designed to be imported to the United States and sidestep the importation ban on other AK-47s.

That’s because in 1989 US President George H.W. Bush, in response to a mass shooting at a California school, banned the importation of military-style rifles that were deemed “not for sporting use”. 

These included rifles with pistol grips, bayonet lugs, and threaded barrels, all of which are present on most AK-47s. His action effectively banned all imported AK-47s in production around the world at the time. 

In response, Norinco, which had been producing Type 56 AK-47s in China since 1980, decided to make a few changes to their AK and rename it the MAK 90. 

MAK 90 stands for Modified AK, 1990. They even added “Sporter” to the name sometimes, just so there was no confusion to the US government what their purpose was. 

The MAK 90 was imported to the US for just four years, from 1990 to 1994 when Norinco was banned by name in the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, also known as the Federal Assault Weapon Ban of 1994. 

It’s impossible to know exactly how many MAK 90s came into the United States during those four years, but the number is extremely high. 

A Washington Post article from March 9th, 1994, six months before the Assault Weapon Ban passed, reported that “Between January 1993 and [January] 1994, federal authorities approved permits for 2 million firearms from China, the majority of them were MAK-90 or other military-style rifles.”

Is a MAK 90 an AK-47?

The MAK 90 is a semi-automatic AK-47 type rifle. It has the same internal components as any other AK model and has the same overall look. It takes the same ammunition and uses the same magazines. But technically it’s not an AK-47 made by Russian firearms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov.

If you ask the Russians, however, they would tell you that it’s just an unauthorized cheap knockoff of an AK-47, and they would be right, to an extent. China did not pay any royalties to Russia for use of their patented design when they manufactured millions of their MAK 90s. So in that regard, they are illegal copies of AK-47s. 

It gets even more confusing when you throw America into the mix. Back in 1989, President George H.W. Bush banned the importation of some semi-automatic rifles that were deemed not for “sporting” use. 

Those that were banned included rifles named AK-47. It also banned rifles with certain “military, non-sporting” features such as pistol grips, bayonet lugs, and threaded barrels. 

The Chinese specifically designed the MAK 90 (90 stands for 1990, the year it was manufactured) to pass the US import ban requirements. It had a thumbhole stock, which allows your thumb to wrap around the grip for support but is technically not a pistol grip.

So, the MAK 90 was specifically designed to be different from the AK-47 in order to bypass the Bush 1989 ban, further strengthening the technical argument that it’s not an AK-47. But it is.

MAK 90 Specs vs AK-47 Specs

	MAK 90	AK-47
Caliber	7.62x39mm	7.62x39mm
Overall Length	35.1 inches	35 inches
Barrel Length	16.34 inches	16.3 inches
Weight without magazine	7.7 lbs	7.6 lbs
Receiver metal thickness	1.6mm	1mm
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Max Rate of Fire	600 rds per minute	600 rds per minute
Muzzle Velocity	2,350 ft/s	2,350 ft/s
Max Effective Range	350m (380 yds)	350m (380 yds)

What does “922r Compliant” mean?

This can get a little complicated, but it has to do with building or modifying a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun. 922r refers to a section of the US Code, which is US law. 18 USC 922 subsection r states that it’s illegal to build a firearm from imported parts that are identical to a firearm that is banned from importation. 

The ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) clarified the law somewhat by saying that a rifle or shotgun from the banned list is legal if it does not have more than 10 foreign made parts. 

They published a list of 20 firearms parts which I’ve listed below. In order to make a foreign banned firearm legal, it must include at least 10 parts that were made in the United States. Here is the parts list:

(1) Frames, receivers, receiver castings, forgings, or stampings

(2) Barrels

(3) Barrel extensions

(4) Mounting blocks (trunnions)

(5) Muzzle attachments

(6) Bolts

(7) Bolt carriers

(8) Operating rods

(9) Gas pistons

(10) Trigger housings

(11) Triggers

(12) Hammers

(13) Sears

(14) Disconnectors

(15) Buttstocks

(16) Pistol grips

(17) Forearms, handguards

(18) Magazine bodies

(19) Followers

(20) Floorplates

Just to reiterate, 922r isn’t about an assault weapon ban, it’s about an import ban. In order to make a banned imported rifle (or shotgun) legal, it must contain at least 10 U.S. made parts from the list of 20 parts above.

Assault Weapon Ban of 1994

The Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act of 1994 is usually referred to as the Assault Weapon Ban. Long story short, it banned firearms based on the combination of several cosmetic features. A semi-automatic rifle was illegal if it accepted a detachable magazine and had two or more of the following features:

• Folding or telescoping stock
• Pistol grip
• Bayonet mount
• Flash hider or threaded barrel designed to accommodate one
• Grenade launcher

Manufacturers were easily able to modify their rifles to meet the requirements to be legal, without making any substantive changes to the guns that made them more or less lethal. 

However, several firearms manufacturers were named by name in the legislation, and Norinco was one of them. So MAK 90s were imported to the United States for a total of only four years, from 1990 to 1994. 

How does a MAK 90 differ from other AK-47s?

The MAK 90 originally came with a thumbhole stock making it unique in the AKM family. The thumbhole allows the firer to get a full-handed grip on the rifle without the use of a pistol grip. In 1989 with President Bush’s ban, and with the later gun control legislation that turned into the 1994 Assault Weapon Ban that President Clinton signed, the difference mattered.

Another small but significant difference when it came to the assault weapon ban was the absence of a bayonet lug. That’s the small piece of metal below the barrel that a soviet-style bayonet attaches to. 

Only a military rifle would need to attach a bayonet, right? That was the thinking behind the assault weapon bans in the late 80s and early 90s. It is a purely cosmetic difference. It doesn’t make a MAK 90 any less lethal than a Russian AK-47. But that’s how politicians and anti-gun lobbyists think. 

A threaded barrel is another seemingly minor difference that in no way affects the deadliness of a rifle but was a consideration when writing gun ban legislation. 

Their reasoning was that a threaded barrel allows the attachment of suppressors, flash hiders, and other gadgets to the end of the barrel. Norinco got around this by simply placing a small tack weld on the muzzle brake, therefore permanently affixing it to the receiver. 

These small but meaningful differences were the reason that MAK 90s were able to be imported during the 1990s and beyond, while AK-47s from other countries were banned. 

Are Chinese AK-47s any good?

Chinese weapons, like many of their products, can be excellent quality. iPhones are made in China, and they are extremely well built. Many Chinese products, however, have a reputation of being poorly made. 

Their rifles are no exception. There are several variants of the Chinese AK-47, and the quality varies greatly between them. 

One of the best Chinese AK-47s was the Type 56, made by PolyTech. These are the holy grail of Chinese AK-47s and can sell today for upwards of $3,000 – $4,000. They were extremely well made, with 1.5mm thick sheet metal receivers instead of the standard 1mm thick that European manufacturers used. 

They also had thicker barrels than their European cousins which made them more accurate. Not as many PolyTech AKs were made, especially compared to Norinco, so that also increases their value today.

Norinco was the other main manufacturer of Chinese AK-47s. They produced more AKs in China than all other companies combined. 

How many AKs has Norinco produced?

Norinco was formed in 1980 as a manufacturer of military arms and ammunition. In addition to the MAK 90, Norinco also makes the Type 56 AK-47. It is a traditional Soviet-style AK, except that it has an SKS style under folding spike bayonet permanently attached.

Far more Type 56 AKs have been produced than the MAK 90. All in all, Norinco has produced between 10,000,000 and 15,000,000 AK-47s since production began. 

How can you identify a Chinese AK-47?

There are several ways to identify where an AK-47 comes from. The first and most reliable way is to check for manufacturer markings. These will be on the receiver, usually on the left side. It will usually tell the model (example: MAK-90 Sporter), the serial number, and the country of manufacture. 

Most factories that make AK-47s also stamp their factory stamp on the receiver. Norinco’s stamp is a triangle with the words “Norinco” across the middle. Some other information you may see stamped or etched are the caliber and the importer name and location.

A less reliable way to identify Chinese AKs, specifically the MAK 90 is by the unique thumbhole stock design. I say that this is less reliable because the thumbhole stock can also be purchased as an aftermarket accessory and added to any AK-47. 

As I mentioned previously, the Type 56 AK from China has the spike-style bayonet permanently attached. They are the only type of AK-47 to have a permanent bayonet. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Caliber is a Norinco MAK 90?

MAK 90s come in two calibers. 7.62x39mm is by far the most common, but you can also find them in 5.56x45mm which is common with the AR-15. 

Is a MAK 90 Legal?

Yes, MAK 90s are legal to own. Millions were imported legally between 1990 and 1994. After that, the Federal Assault Weapon Ban of 1994 named their manufacturer Norinco, specifically as a banned importer. However, any weapon that was imported legally is still legal to own, regardless of import bans.

What is a MAK 90 Sporter?

MAK 90 Sporter is another variation of the name “MAK 90”. The “Sporter” was added to some guns to make sure that the United States customs inspectors knew these firearms were for sporting purposes. The term sporting is important because that term was cited specifically in the Gun Control Act of 1968 which President George H.W. Bush used to ban non-sporting rifles in 1989.

What is a Pre-Ban MAK 90?

There is technically no such thing as a pre-ban MAK 90, since the ban was in 1989 and the MAK 90 was first produced in 1990. But you will often hear gun collectors refer to “pre-ban” MAK 90s. That just means a Chinese Type 56 AK that has all of the banned features, such as pistol grip, bayonet lug, and threaded barrel.

How Much is a MAK 90 Worth?

Today, a MAK 90 is considered a valuable AK variant. Used MAK 90s in good condition can go for around $1,200 – $1,500. 

Is the Norinco MAK 90 Milled or Stamped?

All MAK 90s were made from stamped sheet metal receivers except for one lot of rifles imported by C.J.A. (China Jing An) in 1993. Those receivers were milled from a solid block of steel.