Barrel install legality

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marshall13

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Hey everyone just looking for some thoughts on the legality of a project I have been thinking about. I have a 16 inch Thompson 1928 barrel could I install it on say a Lee Enfield receiver (modifying the receiver of course) and still have it be non restricted?

Being a bolt action center fire rifle with a the barrel being "factory produced" and not cut or modified to be that length and meeting OAL would that conform with the rules of being non restricted? Or would modifying the receiver to accept a under 18.5" barrel factory produced or not cause it to become prohibited? Could I make a thread adapter and therefore am not really modifying but adapting the receiver/barrel?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
 
A lot of short barrelled .45 Lee Enfields have been made.
What threads are on your barrel? Original Thompsons used square threads. No. 4 threads are 1-14. Making an adapter bushing could be challenging.
 
To be completed honest I hadn't even measured the shank vs receiver threads to look at the practicality of making something like a bushing, I was more just worried about what was a legal modification and what was not to keep it NR. Just really trying to not break any laws before I even start that's all!

But having said that yes they are square and a quick measure shows the Thompson threads are .850 - 10 so yes that may be challenging
 
My only thoughts on this is that barrel could be worth way more as is than stuck on a Lee.
Legal wise you are fine, just don't shorten it .
 
marshall said:
My only thoughts on this is that barrel could be worth way more as is than stuck on a Lee.
Legal wise you are fine, just don't shorten it .
Click to expand...

How would parts for a prohibited firearm be worth anything? As a Thompson barrel in Canada, it's worth it's weight in scrap steel. Use it on the Lee without remorse.
 
Awesome thanks everyone! Glad to see it's been done and is somewhat common. Sounds like this project might be a go!

As for the value I will say I certainly didn't pay very much for the barrel and I bought it from a vendor who deals in parts not even privately. Tags on it and everything and looks unfired. My guess is it's from a Kahr arms or some remake and not an original being 16" and looking as absolutely spotless as it does.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always believed the barrel had to be factory installed to be legal, not something you can do yourself . :confused: One of those weird takes on Canadian gun rules.

Grizz
 
Grizzly Adams said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always believed the barrel had to be factory installed to be legal, not something you can do yourself . :confused: One of those weird takes on Canadian gun rules.

Grizz
Click to expand...

I believe it’s factory (manufactured) to the length it is. If it had to be factory installed it would be illegal to rebarrel any rifle. It cannot be cut or modified to be below 18” (18.5” for a semi auto) but if manufactured, it can be virtually any length, as long as it’s over the 4” prohib status. (For manual actions). As mentioned there are numerous .45 ACP Lee Enfield conversions out there. I’ve ordered a 16” .223 barrel for my Savage coyote gun, and had it installed. The important part of the law is the statement that it cannot be cut, or altered to be below the minimum
 
I still don't understand the cut, or altered part, and how could it be proven? I have a 12" factory barrel for a Baikal shotgun... I know it came from the Russian factory, because that is where I bought it... technically, I could throw it on my gun, but how would I ever be able to prove it? I have no paperwork, and being Baikal, there is zero information on line. Put it beside one of the Dominion or Norinco SW2000 guns, and it would be identical, but, I think, illegal?
Lee Enfield sporters, as mentioned, were often altered, and came with all sorts of barrel lengths, again, how could it be proven that they were manufactured, or cut?
Really looking for some clarification here, and the actual wording in the legislation is very ambiguous...
Thanks!
R.
 
wording seems to say if a existing barrel is cut to below a specified length it becomes prohibited .A shorter barrel manufactured in a shorter length is acceptable and OAL is adhered to 26"/660mm in bolt CF and 22 RF .CF semi appears to require 18.5 min barrel and adhere to min OAL to maintain NR

Not sure how else to answer .The law is ambiguous to say the least as the Mares leg is an enigma
 
pmatuk said:
wording seems to say if a existing barrel is cut to below a specified length it becomes prohibited .A shorter barrel manufactured in a shorter length is acceptable and OAL is adhered to 26"/660mm in bolt CF and 22 RF .CF semi appears to require 18.5 min barrel and adhere to min OAL to maintain NR

Not sure how else to answer .The law is ambiguous to say the least as the Mares leg is an enigma
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The mates leg is not an enigma. It’s not a handgun, it’s not semiautomatic, and it’s not a variant of anything named. The only remaining thing it can be is a Non-Restricted firearm.

Barrel length only applies to center fire semiautomatics long guns and handguns. Overall length only l applies to centerfire semiautomatic long arms and modified firearms. If a firearm doesn’t fall into any of those categories, and is not a variant of something named, it’s Non-Restricted.
 
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From: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/page-18.html#h-38

Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46)

Act current to 2019-02-28 and last amended on 2018-12-18.


PART IIIFirearms and Other Weapons

Interpretation

Marginal note:Definitions
84 (1) In this Part,


prohibited firearm means
(b) a firearm that is adapted from a rifle or shotgun, whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration, and that, as so adapted,
​
(i) is less than 660 mm in length, or
​
(ii) is 660 mm or greater in length and has a barrel less than 457 mm in length,
​


--------------------------

Seems pretty clear how a rifle or shotgun whose barrel has been sawn or cut to be shorter than 457mm will be classified. What isn't so clear, to me, is what might count as "any other alteration."

Conventional wisdom here and from many other places suggests installing a barrel that came from the factory of less than 457mm (18") leaves the rifle or shotgun classified "unrestricted." I wouldn't want to be dragged through court to demonstrate installing such a barrel didn't fall under the "or any other alteration, and that as so adapted" portion of the definition thereby making my rifle or shotgun "prohibited." Technically, installing a barrel on rifle different from the one it was manufactured with could be interpreted as an adaptation since a change has been made to the original factory configuration. It would be difficult for the Crown, however, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a particular rifle or shotgun didn't leave the factory with the factory barrel of less than 457mm unless there was clear evidence of such.

I'm sure lots of people will disagree with this interpretation. I just don't want to be the one to test it. If others do, then they can fill their boots.
 
It is established practice and policy that installing a replacement barrel does not result in prohibited classification as long as overall length greater than 660mm is maintained.
Let's hope that the powers that be don't adopt your interpretation.
 
tiriaq said:
It is established practice and policy that installing a replacement barrel does not result in prohibited classification as long as overall length greater than 660mm is maintained.
Let's hope that the powers that be don't adopt your interpretation.
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I had wondered the same thing myself. I spoke with a verifier at the firearms center who confirmed that a newly manufactured barrel is ok so long as it is not a semi-auto centerfire and your OAL is 26 inches or greater.
 
tiriaq said:
It is established practice and policy that installing a replacement barrel does not result in prohibited classification as long as overall length greater than 660mm is maintained.
Let's hope that the powers that be don't adopt your interpretation.
Click to expand...

So who, and how is it determined that it is a factory barrel? Particularly in the case of a non advertised, foreign manufacturer? There is no way to prove that the barrel is factory, just as there is no proof of it being cut down?
I'd like nothing more than to slap that barrel on... but the potential consequences have me concerned.

R.
 
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