They were available to law enforcement and military only since 1984.
My dad isn't law or military. He's an oil rig, toolpusher, coonass from louisiana. He bought his AK at a gun shop in Rayne, LA. The shop had servral AKs and ARs on the self in plain view. Its registered as a "Rifle" and nothing more. Thats the loop hole that let people buy AKs and ARs even with the ban.