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i know it is illegal to have pistols in Canda you need to have a permit. i would check with the NRA website i know they talk about it sometimes in the magazines i receive.
Pistols are illegal, but rifles are permitted. Contact Canada Customs on importing into Canada.
Pistols are NOT illegal in Canada. Sometimes our large left wing/politically correct population jumps the gun (pun intended) by telling others that handguns are illegal when most certainly they are not. All handguns are considered either Restricted or Prohibited with the most popular calibers being restricted only.
In general:
Rifles and shotguns are Non-Restricted.
Handguns, some semi-auto guns, and "assault rifles" are Restricted.
Automatic capable weapons and smaller handguns are Prohibited.
There are a few small exceptions to the above.
Non-Restricted License requires you to take a gun safety and knowledge course and pass a small exam. Course and exam take one day. Background check is done and you will receive your license after a minimum of 28 days. These firearms can be used and carried wherever they are not prohibited. Almost all urban areas do not allow firearm usage outside firing ranges but rural areas are okay.
For Restricted you need a Non-Restricted license and need to take and pass an additional course. Course is about 4 hours long. You need to demonstrate a need for a restricted license. Self defense is NOT an allowable need. (We think self defense is impolite in Canada). Being a member of a gun club is the justifiable need stated by almost all permit holders. You would also need an Authorization to Transport these firearms from one location to another which is done provincially. Some provinces are more gun friendly than others. Prairies and North are generally more gun friendly than urban Quebec or Ontario. Blanket authorizations are available.
Prohibited weapons are grandfathered and only allowed to be owned (or passed on to family) by people who owned the weapons before they became illegal. These weapons may not be imported into Canada except with Ministerial Approval.
You do not need to take the courses I understand to obtain a license from what I understand. You can challenge the exam anytime. Each exam (Non-Restricted and Restricted) was 50 True/False Questions + 5 minute Pass/Fail practical exam when I took the course. Courses are run by private instructors and any gun shop, sports outfitter, or hunting club can point you the right way for the next courses. Many instructors run a "one weekend" Non-Restricted and Restricted course + exams. Non-Restricted is on Saturday and Restricted course is on Sunday usually. Cost is anywhere from $50-$200 for both courses. They help you with all the paperwork and basically you walk away with a sealed envelope with your application and exam results to drop off in the nearest post box.
By the way, technically "concealed carry" is not illegal in Canada either. Canada is a "may-issue" jurisdiction as opposed to "no-issue" in the US context. The form is here: Form CAFC 680
Understand though that for "other" usage it does require ministerial approval, and that generally implies that only the politically connected need apply.
Pistols are NOT illegal in Canada. Sometimes our large left wing/politically correct population jumps the gun (pun intended) by telling others that handguns are illegal when most certainly they are not. All handguns are considered either Restricted or Prohibited with the most popular calibers being restricted only.
In general:
Rifles and shotguns are Non-Restricted.
Handguns, some semi-auto guns, and "assault rifles" are Restricted.
Automatic capable weapons and smaller handguns are Prohibited.
There are a few small exceptions to the above.
Non-Restricted License requires you to take a gun safety and knowledge course and pass a small exam. Course and exam take one day. Background check is done and you will receive your license after a minimum of 28 days. These firearms can be used and carried wherever they are not prohibited. Almost all urban areas do not allow firearm usage outside firing ranges but rural areas are okay.
For Restricted you need a Non-Restricted license and need to take and pass an additional course. Course is about 4 hours long. You need to demonstrate a need for a restricted license. Self defense is NOT an allowable need. (We think self defense is impolite in Canada). Being a member of a gun club is the justifiable need stated by almost all permit holders. You would also need an Authorization to Transport these firearms from one location to another which is done provincially. Some provinces are more gun friendly than others. Prairies and North are generally more gun friendly than urban Quebec or Ontario. Blanket authorizations are available.
Prohibited weapons are grandfathered and only allowed to be owned (or passed on to family) by people who owned the weapons before they became illegal. These weapons may not be imported into Canada except with Ministerial Approval.
You do not need to take the courses I understand to obtain a license from what I understand. You can challenge the exam anytime. Each exam (Non-Restricted and Restricted) was 50 True/False Questions + 5 minute Pass/Fail practical exam when I took the course. Courses are run by private instructors and any gun shop, sports outfitter, or hunting club can point you the right way for the next courses. Many instructors run a "one weekend" Non-Restricted and Restricted course + exams. Non-Restricted is on Saturday and Restricted course is on Sunday usually. Cost is anywhere from $50-$200 for both courses. They help you with all the paperwork and basically you walk away with a sealed envelope with your application and exam results to drop off in the nearest post box.
By the way, technically "concealed carry" is not illegal in Canada either. Canada is a "may-issue" jurisdiction as opposed to "no-issue" in the US context. The form is here: Form CAFC 680
Understand though that for "other" usage it does require ministerial approval, and that generally implies that only the politically connected need apply.
Co-signing with Ajau. These are the facts about gun ownership in Canada.
For restricted firearms (i.e. handguns), you must be a member of a shooting range/club.
Your guns are legal under lock & key at your residence and for transport to your club only!
You must use your restricted firearm to your licensed range only!
No CCW and NO plinking anywhere other than the range.
The application process is also more 'involved' for restricted class than non-restricted, often taking up to 6 months for the application to clear.
To the OP: Yes you can hunt in BC (see non-restriced class). Not sure about non-citizen however.
Co-signing with Ajau. These are the facts about gun ownership in Canada.
For restricted firearms (i.e. handguns), you must be a member of a shooting range/club.
Your guns are legal under lock & key at your residence and for transport to your club only!
You must use your restricted firearm to your licensed range only!
No CCW and NO plinking anywhere other than the range.
The application process is also more 'involved' for restricted class than non-restricted, often taking up to 6 months for the application to clear.
To the OP: Yes you can hunt in BC (see non-restriced class). Not sure about non-citizen however.
I know when I applied for the restricted license that I applied at the same time as the non-restricted license. The restricted weapons license form wasn't much longer than the non-restricted form but I know that they ask for character references and that they will notify your spouse and ex-spouse that you have applied. As well, they will ask them if they have any objections. Took about 1.5 months for me to receive my non-restricted & restricted weapons license card. One card for both licensing levels and you need to display this card whenever you purchase a gun or ammo (you need the license to even buy ammo in Canada). Additionally, there is no waiting period in Canada for gun purchases unlike many US states. Canada has a federal gun registry (for now) and they officially transfer the gun to you instantly via the phone or the web when you buy one. This is very similar to the NICS check in the US.
In all, our system isn't perfect in Canada but for rifle and shotgun folks it is okay. The licensing system isn't onerous and the info they cover for the exams should definitely be mandatory, as it is.
Our handgun system in Canada though is draconian for lack of a better term. Since personal self defense in considered impolite and uncouth by our political classes, intelligentsia and cultural elites we are hindered with obtuse restrictions and regulations. There should be a very difficult and thorough, but possible, system for folks to be able to transport handguns without the Authorization to Transport regulations. As well, I believe we should have a process to achieve a conceal carry license with a system of additional exams and checks without having to solicit massive amounts of donations for the current government in power thus becoming politically connected. Our handgun storage laws are extremely strict but livable. As well, joining a licensed gun club in Canada isn't much of a problem and outside pacifist Quebec, gun clubs are present in every city and town in Canada.
I would be very interested in seeing what would happen if gun laws were devolved to the provincial level. I suspect the influence of urban Ontario and especially Quebec would wane considerably thus loosening up gun laws in the rest of the country very quickly.
Urban Ontario and Quebec (Windsor-Quebec City corridor) comprised more than 50% of the population of Canada and it is the most liberal and anti-gun region of Canada. They dictate to the rest of us (for now).
I feel your pain Ajau! I live in the Toronto area and the overwhelming consensus of people I meet is "guns are bad!"
Although I don't agree with concealed carry (too wild west!), and I can't see that ever happening in Canada, I have to say overall, the laws here are well intentioned, though cumbersome.
I personally don't want to see guns in the hands of unstable people, and having them under lock & key makes a lot of sense especially if there are kids in the house.
I feel your pain Ajau! I live in the Toronto area and the overwhelming consensus of people I meet is "guns are bad!"
Although I don't agree with concealed carry (too wild west!), and I can't see that ever happening in Canada, I have to say overall, the laws here are well intentioned, though cumbersome.
I personally don't want to see guns in the hands of unstable people, and having them under lock & key makes a lot of sense especially if there are kids in the house.
The thing is though that Canada is a "may-issue" jurisdiction therefore there are already hundreds of people who have a conceal carry permit. I personally have a "friend of a friend" who is a Q.C. and has done work for the Liberals who has a concealed carry permit. Here in the West outside the cities, quite frankly it is the "wild west." That's why I would prefer our gun possession laws devolve to the provinces. The prairies shouldn't have to live with Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal gun prejudices.
The thing is though that Canada is a "may-issue" jurisdiction therefore there are already hundreds of people who have a conceal carry permit. I personally have a "friend of a friend" who is a Q.C. and has done work for the Liberals who has a concealed carry permit. Here in the West outside the cities, quite frankly it is the "wild west." That's why I would prefer our gun possession laws devolve to the provinces. The prairies shouldn't have to live with Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal gun prejudices.
Concealed carry is something of a myth in my experiences... Everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who has a permit... Yah know?
As for the wide open prairies, I agree the rancher or farmer out in the middle of nowhere might need a firearm. But whats wrong with a rifle or carbine? Pistols are pretty limitied in the wide open. Much easier to hunt with a rifle. Besides, unless your packing a serious hand cannon, your not going drop a wolf or a bear or Sasquatch. And everyone knows you don't have Sasquatch in the praries - he's out in B.C.
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These are the facts about gun ownership in Canada.
