Antique Firearm Letter

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dieselsot

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I just purchased an antique firearm off an American auction site and from the research ive done it seems the easiest way to provide proof of its antique status is to request a letter from the CFC declaring its antique status.

The seller in the US is going to hold it for me while I obtain all the necessary paperwork, and has provided zoomed pictures showing all identifying marks so I am wondering once I fax all these to the CFC, what kind of turnaround time should I expect for the letter. I have provided the seller with a deposit, so that he can be patient with the process.

Thanks for any advice beforehand.
 
Have the seller call 506-624-5380 ext. 1060 before 4:30 pm Ont. time. The tech. (at CFC) can verify the firearm over the phone and provide documentation for them.
 
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I registered a Martini rifle back in February that the CFC told me was an antique, it has been four months and I still do no have the certificate and on their website it is still showing as being processed.
 
I purchased an antique cartridge revolver from the USA (Johnson & Bye 44 calibre revolver). I am a verifier so I found the entry in the Registrar's Firearms Reference Table and emailed the information to the seller. In my letter which was included in the shipment, I stated the gun was an antique and included the FRT information. Customs would only have to look up the number I provided for the gun and compare it to the information in the FRT where it states that it is classed as an antique.

Came through as regular mail to the local post office. No problem.

I then tried to register it and got back a letter stating it was classed as an antique and does not require registration.
 
Dumby said:
I registered a Martini rifle back in February that the CFC told me was an antique, it has been four months and I still do no have the certificate and on their website it is still showing as being processed.
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You cannot register an antique gun and don't need to.
You can de-register however, that's when you get the letter.
 
Carefull useing the FRT # as i had two Antique S&W DA 44 Russians seized because i got the seller to put the FRT # as declared contents.
Customs dont use the Disk or didnt 3 years ago. and said we failed to declare contents.
Anyway i apealed the decision to Seize and Won but it was a Bloody Nightmare lasted 4 months.
Better to get a CFC RCMP Letter stateing the guns a perscribed Antique.
Get the seller to put it in the Parcel with the gun for our Customs.
Alot of guys thinking there doing it right are just getting lucky as alot of parcels go unopened.
They might use FART discs now but i doubt it.
If the gun was and old percussion pistol or something obviously Antique then they might let it thru SOMETIMES.
Ive imported over 40 Antique revolvers and i have seen alot of Weird things happen.
Customs have been ex to deal with since i won my Apeal!
I have not had a problem in 3 years or so.
They are more aware of the Perscribed Antique Laws now than in the past.
Just make 100% sure the gun IS a Perscribed Antique. ;)
 
As far as antique guns go, they are exempt from export/import licensing, so you can declare them the way you want - they are non-firearms and you have to declare them accordingly. If the Firearms Act states that antique are not firearms, it would be illegal to declare them as such. Sorry for the Customs - too bad.
 
I was just trying to point out how Not to get your stuff Seized and have a fight with customs for 4 months.

If ya want to go thru what i did declare it as a rubber banana if ya want :D

I think Antique Firearms ARE still considered Firearms for Storage and Transportation so if Customs wanted to be Dicks they could be.

After what i went thru its easyer to just get a CFC letter but really ya dont need one.
Just be prepared to wait wait and oh ya wait somemore.
 
Oh, I hear you and I am on your side! But the Parliament specifically stated, that for the purposes of export and import they are NOT firearms. Whatever Customs are doing different is lawmaking and not their cup of tea.

I fail to observe how different would be your shipment of an antique from a shipment of a brand spanking new Rem 870 from the storage and transportation standpoint. Same brown box and same scotch tape on the outside, and on the inside one is a firearm and other is not.
 
:) Well me keeping the Customs Happy has taken alot of stress away from the importing thing its bad enough dealing with some sellers down south.
Tho most are EX sellers! ive had a few that ive shaken my head about!
I like the customs thing to be hassel free.
Im buying more guns up here now anyway as theres some ex deals this side of the boarder latley and way less stress.
I think your Correct about the transporting thing if its going thru the mail.
Once ya get it home tho and open a Antique Revolver parcel then its gota be transported in a locked case from then on.
But no Trigger lock :) Thats a whole diffrent thread tho!
 
Even though the criminal code says that antiques are not guns, Customs also goes by the Customs Act which appears to be totally independant of the criminal code and the firearms act. A couple of years ago I brought a 1800 vintage flintlock pistol accross by hand, declared it as an antique and a non firearm and was informed that for their purposes it was a firearm but not modern.

cheers mooncoon
 
dieselsot said:
I just purchased an antique firearm off an American auction site and from the research ive done it seems the easiest way to provide proof of its antique status is to request a letter from the CFC declaring its antique status.

The seller in the US is going to hold it for me while I obtain all the necessary paperwork, and has provided zoomed pictures showing all identifying marks so I am wondering once I fax all these to the CFC, what kind of turnaround time should I expect for the letter. I have provided the seller with a deposit, so that he can be patient with the process.

Thanks for any advice beforehand.
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svt-40 This is the question ! Stay on topic,and leave the politics out of it.

nessy357
 
Appreciate all the suggestions. Just to be safe I will be waiting for the CFC antique status letter while I remain optimistic and patient :)
 
-How about just checking with the CFC or a local verifier for a copy of the FRT printout for the firearm in question, which confirms Antique status? That and a receipt from the seller confirming the identity of the firearm & its age is what I brought when I imported an Antique. Okay, I also happened to have a copy of the CBSA import regs for Antiques just in case the folks on duty at the time weren't on top of the regs. It helped, and it all went smoothly.
 
OK FRT Discs are not that great as some guns that are made before 1898 and after 1898 are listed as Non Antique!
It dont list Ser # cut off dates.
Like S&W DA 44 Russians or French 1892s or colt 1878 DA Frontiers or Colt thunders or colt 1892s or ECT all made pre and post 1898
If the gun in Question was only made pre 1898 then it WILL be listed as Antique on your FART disc.
But theres alot of guns made pre and post 1898.
Thats why im not big on the FART Discs
unless this has recently changed which i doubt!

Mooncoons 100% right on Customs to! they run to the beat of a diffrent drum than the CFC or CC.
 
nessy357 said:
Have the seller call 506-624-5380 ext. 1060 before 4:30 pm Ont. time. The tech. (at CFC) can verify the firearm over the phone and provide documentation for them.
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I talked to CFC last week re, bringing a "prescribed antique" from the States, the phone # mentioned above is the phone # from the States to the CFC, ext 1060 is the tech who can verify your "firearm" over the phone, provide documentation to travel with the firearm over the border.
Cheers nessy.
 
nessy357 said:
svt-40 This is the question ! Stay on topic,and leave the politics out of it.

nessy357
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You quoted the wrong posting, but I understand what you tried to quote.
This has nothing to do with politics. If you don't know what my question means, I can explain: 'their purpose' is only a law, as long as it is officially published. If this is something internal to the customs that we as a general public have no way of knowing, that is not binding.
 
I have the seller declare them as antique american or British sportinggoods onthe customs declaration no mention of pistol gun etc. I then have the seller enclose the FRT print off if there is one or letter from the Verifiers network stating its antique status .I have brought in 5 so far only one has been opened my 1867 rolling block pistol but it had an FRT report in the box marked for Canada customs and came to me no problems . If its one that is not on the discs then it gets harder .
 
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