Canada recently ditched its hugely expensive highly ineffective federal gun registry. Oh wait. Not yet. But soon. Maybe. Meanwhile, the bureaucrats governing our neighbors to the north are making a move on ammunition. According to vancounversun.com, the good folks at Natural Resources Canada have cooked-up some “proposed” regulations which will require the nation’s gun owners to lock-up their ammo, as they must their guns. (Canadian ammunition suppliers must clap eyes on customers’ Possession and Acquisition Licence before they can sell them cartridges.) The new ammo-related regs kick-in this summer after a 75-day “consultation” period. [Click here to read the draft of the new law.] But wait! That’s not all!
The proposed regulations also seriously restrict the use of big-game rifles, since the regulations define “small-arms ammunition” as bullets no larger than .50 calibre. But in Canada, calibres larger than .50 – such as the .577 Snider and the .505 Gibbs rounds – are frequently used to hunt bears and other large or dangerous game.
Since these large bullets are not defined as small-arms ammunition in the proposed regulations, [Natural Resources official Jean-Luc] Arpin said, they will fall into a more general category of blasting explosives. As a result, shooters who use large calibres will have to acquire explosives licences – such as those needed for dynamite – to continue hunting with large-bore rifles.
But that’s not all!
Owners of antique firearms – such as those who re-enact historic battles – also will see their hobby hobbled by the proposed rules. Antique, muzzle-loading black powder guns are considered “non-firearms” under Canada’s firearms classification system, meaning their owners are exempt from the onerous registration and licensing requirements to which users of more modern guns must adhere.
But under the proposed regulations, owners of such guns would be unable to legally purchase black powder unless they have a firearms licence.
So the next time someone talks about “common sense” gun laws, remember that the “slippery slope” gun control thing isn’t just a theory. It’s a strategy.
I live in Canada… and god this country sucks about firearms laws.
Can I move to Usa please?! 🙂
Come on down! If you need a familiar climate, come to Minnesota.
I agree, come on down! And bring some of that great Canadian beer with you before they start regulating that too!
I did, Carl. This place is great. Feels less like Germany down here.
Can you use a semi automatic for deer hunting up there?
NOW ask yourself if the existence of the NRA is a good thing.
Without the lobbying groups, we would be looking north and thinking “oh man, tough to be them” a lot less often.
Organizations other than the NRA appear to have been more effective in recent years. My personal opinion is that the modern NRA has as its primary goal ensuring the continued existence of itself above all else. (example: their efforts to negotiate an exemption in the Disclose act.)
I prefer the GOA and supporting good state based pro gun activism groups.
Prefer who you like — there wouldn’t be a gun left in America without the NRA.
The secret police would still have guns, which proves your point.
I’d love to see Mike-numbers comment on that. “It’s not a slippery slope, it’s just common sense stuff! Those reinactors don’t really have a need to reinact.”
In Canada the “slippery slope” has been gone for some time.
In Canada there are only “cliffs with a long fall to the bottom”.
Sad.
Humans. They never learn.
HSB
…isn’t just a theory. Its a strategy.
Well said. I’ll remember that.
I’m waiting for Canada’s next law which says all Canadians must be locked behind bars between the hours of 9pm to 6am for their own safety.
That won’t happen. That’s when Canadians buy most of the liquor and cigs. No taxes worth a crap there if that happened.
Canada should pursue a law requiring all politicians to be securely locked up. You know, like they have in Chicago.
Unfortunate.But not surprising.
Look on the bright side;ammo companies now have a reason to make a new caliber.Enter the .499 ST,a .50 BMG short cartridge.Send royalty check C/O ST…..
It’s worse than it seems. Each bullet has to be kept in its own individual securely locked container.
Okay, I’m kidding. Not even Ottawa could be that stupid.
Did I just hear someone say “Challenge Accepted” in a Canadian accent?
What accent? Eh. Yes, there is no disagreement that Canadian gun laws are terrible. There is hope though that positive change will come in the future if the Conservative Party continues to govern.
So we won’t be able to use 14.5x114mm PTRD anti tank rifles on coyotes anymore. That sucks!
Sounds like sane and reasonable gun control measures to me.
Hose heads!
How about a ban on bodyguards, especially armed ones, for gun-grabbing politicians? Make them live under the laws they lay on everyone else’s backs and see if they don’t get some different priorities.
It’s funny…I don’t hunt, or even own firearms for that matter (used to), and even I think the rules and regulations about firearms are ridiculous. Complete waste of time and money.
why do we as law abiding canadians have to be looked at as criminals for owning guns?? frigin government,and all the bleeding hearts out there!
I am Canadian and quite proud of it. I have purchased nine rifles in the last three months, and about 8000 rounds of ammo with no problem whatsoever. And I have full medical, love being Canadian.
Hey guys, I am a Canadian and a gun owner and I really dont see the problem with requiring a safety course to own a rifle, shotgun or handgun. If you want to put your gun in the hands of someone who doesn’t know how to use a gun, be my guest, but I wouldn’t do it. I am absolutely sure that I would not want my local gun shop selling guns to criminals, and so I am happy to go through regulation to ensure that guns are harder to get for criminals. Some people might have problems with this, but the legislation is there in order to protect those who haven’t done anything wrong and allow them to have firearms, while stopping unsafe people from attaining them. If you honestly think that we would be better off allowing absolutely anyone to own a firearm and not know how to use it safely or responsibly, then you are not a responsible person.
I’m the gun owner my self and i agree about the courses… but my dream was to buy PTRD that anti tank rifle… and wait so now i need to get a special licence for it?
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