Well, not to take anyone's side here, this is what CZ underestimated. Czechs are not all that familiar ( or at least back then they were not) with the insidious Canadian gun laws and particularly not experienced with vicious and back stabbing RCMP lab culture. Converting of full auto receivers into semi-auto is not a new concept and all over the world, when you remove half of the trigger mechanism and solidly weld in a steel block, that receiver has been firmly altered for the civilian market. You would have to machine it off on a mill just as if it was the original part of the receiver cast. It is "our" Canadian law, that opens the door for this technicality to declare such a receiver a prohibited weapon. Further more, the RCMP lab's FRT# system in itself is not even a law. It is merely their technical opinion but it goes back to our messed up Firearms Act in combination with CCC that allows the FRT to be claimed a law. Our federal government repealed the long gun registry, RCMP avenged it by deliberate reclassification a CZ and Swiss, it has nothing to do with right/wrong. They simply can and so they did. The federal government tabled C-42 and what happens next? Further classifications on new potential firearms to Canadian market are in practical terms halted. Why ? Because they can halt it. The law allows them to do so. Anyone who thinks our national police force is here for our protection and service is just hopelessly naive.
Sent..with the same instant reply back from CZ.
(I used your email as a base for mine as well Jay.)
Good morning,
I am writing to you regarding the recent reclassification of your company's CZ858 rifle in Canada.
I want you to know that I can no longer use my CZ858 rifle because they have been reclassified as prohibited by the Canadian RCMP Firearms Lab.
This reclassification apparently occurred because your company allegedly decided to start converting Full Auto receivers to build semi automatic rifles, and this means Canadians who own these firearms are now in possession of a prohibited firearm according to Canadian Law.
If this is in fact true, then it was done either in an attempt to defraud the Canadian market, or through simple negligence. Either way, I would hope a company with your reputation would help to clear up this matter for your loyal customers in Canada.
Thank you.If you are writing concerning CZ 858 in Canada, please note that CZ did not recieve any official statement from Canadian Goverment regarding the change of the status of the weapon.
CZ will inform all owners of CZ 858 through our exclusive partner for this weapon in Canada, Company Wolverine, about our next steps.
Best regards,
Petr Kallus
Senior sales manager
Sent my letter and got the same auto reply.
Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun.
Email sent. Thank you very much for organizing this!
I live in an RCMP town. A local mountie personally removed the poster from our gun club (posted by the club president) that stated that CZ858 owners were prohibited from using their 858 on the range. A RSO present at the range told me the mountie said the reclassification was an abuse of non-existent power and that he was directed by the Divisional Commander (Alberta I guess) NOT TO ENFORCE the reclassification. I shoot side by side with mounties at the range and have never had my papers inspected. The rank and file boys are good men; the lab and Ottawa culture are politicians with self given powers.
"Never trust quotes you read on the internet"
- Abraham Lincoln
Sent
Supporter of the Henderson legal fund