Antique Handgun Hunting / Carrying in the Bush

sportee

sportee

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Ok, ive had a couple folks ask me a question here and im not sure of the answer. Ive been told that hunting with an antique handgun in Saskatchewan is not illegal like in other provinces. Since a prescribed antique is not considered a firearm (for some situations) does this mean that carrying my antique revolver into the bush is ok? In Sask here, the hunting regs state that you are considered to be hunting if you are carrying a firearm in this manner and only restricts the use of exploding ammo, automatic firearms ect but does not mention handguns. I spoke with a co-worker who is an ex-conservation officer and he went through the regs with me...after review he said it looks like its ok. does anyone have any more info on this? I realize that this kinda relates to the old threads about carrying an antique in the bush...im just wondering if Sask regs allow a little more relaxation than some of the other provinces.
 
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Well i have been told by a B.C CFO that as far as me packing my Antique revolvers in the Woods that as he and his other CFOs see it as compleatly legal going by the regs the way there writen.
But Hunting i think its pretty clear its ilegal tho some guys are trying to get that changed.
More i like haveing the gun for target shooting in remoat locations is my reason for packing antique revolvers.

Dont think id hunt with one unless in a survival situation. As im kinda a crappy shot with a pistol free hand!
the Rem 870 would be my true survival hunting gun :)

Read your Antique CFC RCMP Letter. ;)
It clearly states This Firearm does not require Registration and you do not have to be licenced to to possess it,
BE AWARE , However that and Antiqiue Firearm is still Considered a Firearm and therefore the STORAGE and Display ,Transpostration and HANDLING of Firearms Regulations DO APPLY

Thats on every CFC RCMP letter i have.
Im sure SASK is not much diffrent than B.C when it comes to these Regulations.
 
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im with you on the carrying issue...the only reason i would want to take one in the bush is a little target practice. Also, the added protection would be nice. Ther are mountain lions in the valley's here and bears further north. Ive met up with a mountian lion in the bush once...intimidating animals, fortunately it decided i wasnt a threat..or food:) Still, i wouldnt mind the peace of mind, especially with my little girls along for the hike.
 
The STORAGE and Display ,Transpostration and HANDLING of Firearms Regulations are very specific for antiques and in ways less tringent from other firearms. Follow the part of the regs for antiques. They are towards the end of that set of regs.
 
"...(for some situations)..." Exactly. It's not a firearm for registration purposes, but is for everything else. Just because it's an antique or replica of one, doesn't mean you can carry it. If you're found with one, even just target shooting, you can still be charged.
 
sunray said:
. If you're found with one, even just target shooting, you can still be charged.
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You can take your antique gun to the range and shoot it just as any other gun...or do you mean in the bush? It seems to be dependant on the CO that you encounter... The one that i talked with said that he could find nothing to say a person could not specifically carry an "antique handgun" in the bush/field or hunting it so he wouldnt consider it an offence.
 
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Who is this guy?

sunray said:
"...(for some situations)..." Exactly. It's not a firearm for registration purposes, but is for everything else. Just because it's an antique or replica of one, doesn't mean you can carry it. If you're found with one, even just target shooting, you can still be charged.
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That is completely false.

The situations referred to (where an "antique" that is not a "firearm" for the purposes of the Firearms Act is still a firearm for the purposes of the law) are the safe storage, handling, and transportation regulatory requirements and (common-sense) criminal misuse charges such as pointing a firearm, possession of a firearm for a dangerous purpose, carrying a concealed weapon dangerous to the public peace, possession of a firearm at or enroute to a public meeting, or using a firearm in the commission of an offense.

Any lawful use is a lawful use.
If a province does not otherwise prohibit use of such a firearm for hunting, said use of an "antique" handgun would be legal.
 
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Ya can be charged with alot of things in this day and age Sunray! dont meen they will result in a conviction.
Tho Being smart about the issue is a good idea.
By me asking the B.C CFOs frist off and being told its in the regs and YES i Could do it! is enough for me to do the pack in wilderness areas but i wont or hope others wont be stupid about it and force the issue to court.

HUNTING with a Hand gun is Ilegal in B.C
 
dingus said:
Ya can be charged with alot of things in this day and age Sunray! dont meen they will result in a conviction.
Tho Being smart about the issue is a good idea.
By me asking the B.C CFOs frist off and being told its in the regs and YES i Could do it! is enough for me to do the pack in wilderness areas but i wont or hope others wont be stupid about it and force the issue to court.
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Exactly!

To address nessy's question...Handgun hunting is illegal in Canada...It seems that some provinces may have grey areas or not specifically apply this to prescribed antiques however...
 
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"...result in a conviction..." It'll cost you in 5 figures or more to go to court. It's all very well and good to beat charges, but it costs a fortune. Know some guys who were charged with a bunch of trumped up charges 25 years ago. It cost them 20 grand EACH to beat the charges. It'd be at least twice that now. Lawyers charge you to talk to them on the phone.
"...in the bush?..." Yes. A range is fine. Preferably outdoors. Lots of smoke from BP.
"...being told its in the regs and YES i Could do it!..." Get it in writing.
"All matchlock, flintlock and wheel lock long guns are classified as antiques no matter when they were made."
"Percussion cap long guns and muzzle-loading black powder handguns made after 1898 are not classified as antiques even if they are copies of an earlier antique model."
"newer handguns, including matchlock, wheel lock and flintlock handguns made after 1898, are classified as restricted if their barrel length is over 105 mm"
Ever seen a flintlock, wheellock or matchlock revolver? Percussion revolvers aren't considered to be antiques. Neither are replicas of them.
 
Pre-98 percussion handguns are antiques; post 98, they are restricted or prohibited based on barrel length.
There are matchlock pistols commercially available; Dixie used to sell a wheellock pistol. These aren't revolvers, of course, but they don't qualify as antique.
 
To comment on a couple of statements made by previous posters; I think some of the prairie provinces may not specifically prohibit handgun hunting. That does not mean it is legal, just that it is not specifically prohibited and it is quite possible that you would be charged under the criminal code rather than the wildlife act of that province. BC specifically prohibits handgun hunting.
I believe Dingus said he had been told by a CO that carrying an antique handgun in the bush was legal; unless on paper, that is something that is not worth the paper it is not printed on. It means that that particular CO would not charge you but you could just as likely be charged by the next one you met. It further does not particularly meet with the requirements for transportation and loading being described by the CFC. These appear to say that you don't need a license to own and don't need to register the handgun but since it is considered a gun in many other aspects, presumably in the strictest interpretation the antique handgun can only be shot where registered handguns can legally be loaded and shot.
The problem with spoken advice from police or from COs is that they often do not know the law, particularly where it applies to anything even slightly out of the ordinary. They know it is illegal to carry a modern handgun (except perhaps in the seedier parts of Toronto and Vancouver and only if you have a criminal intent) :>) but the laws concerning antiques or even how to recognize one is almost always outside their knowledge and they end up telling you what they think the law might say or should say.

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
To comment on a couple of statements made by previous posters; I think some of the prairie provinces may not specifically prohibit handgun hunting. That does not mean it is legal, just that it is not specifically prohibited and it is quite possible that you would be charged under the criminal code rather than the wildlife act of that province. BC specifically prohibits handgun hunting.
I believe Dingus said he had been told by a CO that carrying an antique handgun in the bush was legal; unless on paper, that is something that is not worth the paper it is not printed on. It means that that particular CO would not charge you but you could just as likely be charged by the next one you met. It further does not particularly meet with the requirements for transportation and loading being described by the CFC. These appear to say that you don't need a license to own and don't need to register the handgun but since it is considered a gun in many other aspects, presumably in the strictest interpretation the antique handgun can only be shot where registered handguns can legally be loaded and shot.
The problem with spoken advice from police or from COs is that they often do not know the law, particularly where it applies to anything even slightly out of the ordinary. They know it is illegal to carry a modern handgun (except perhaps in the seedier parts of Toronto and Vancouver and only if you have a criminal intent) :>) but the laws concerning antiques or even how to recognize one is almost always outside their knowledge and they end up telling you what they think the law might say or should say.

cheers mooncoon
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I like the way you put that.
I talked to the CFO on the phone once regarding replacing the barrel on my wifes Patriot pistol. I wanted to know how to change the reg, cert, with the new serial # ? His reply was -----------------------------------------
"Tell Thompson Center to give the barrel the same serial # "???? It was pointless trying to explain that the barrels are already serialised.
 
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No Doug i said serval B.C CFOs Not COs Big diffrence there.

And as far as getting it in Writeing i dont need to,
as the Regs i have Clearly state i can discharge my Antiques Anywhere its legal to discharge a Non Restricted Firearm.
I got them Regs with me.
The Surry CFOs pointed out the parts that affect me and my Revolvers so i highlited them sections In case i meet a zealous Cop Or CO as in Conservation officer. ;)
If ya take the time to actully Read the regs you will see its there. Im not gona argue with you guys that think its ilegal.
Im just gona enjoy my guns alot more than you i guess :)

look under Aplication
(3) Sections 5 to 14 DO NOT APPLY To Firearms when they are USED or Handled by Individuals in the course of any of the follwing Activities when they are Lawfull
(a) HUNTING AND TARGET SHOOTING
Then we go to section
(5) Sections 5 to 13 DO NOT APPLY TO ANTIQUE FIREARMS.
So everything from section 5 to 13 do not Apply end of arguement!
The Surry B.C CFOs wouldnt give me anyting in writeing because they said they dont have to if you can read its all there for you to see in the Regs they use to!
I talked two 3 or 4 diffrent ones all said as the regs are writen its legal. Go ahead and do it.
Do you stop going target shooting on Crown land cause the CFOs wont give yopu a personal letter stateing its legal to do so?
NO of course not.
If they started writeing letters for stuff allready writen they would get nothing done.
Anyway i do it and am gona keep on DOING IT, LOL
 
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I stand corrected about CFO vs CO however I think you would still be extremely wise to be covert about it no matter what the law may say or appear to say. And with regards to the quality of advice from the CFC, is there anyone out there who believes that the Lee Enfield Company made double barrel shotguns in Belgium? I have been assured this is so by the CFC although not in writing. :>)

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
I stand corrected about CFO vs CO however I think you would still be extremely wise to be covert about it no matter what the law may say or appear to say. And with regards to the quality of advice from the CFC, is there anyone out there who believes that the Lee Enfield Company made double barrel shotguns in Belgium? I have been assured this is so by the CFC although not in writing. :>)

cheers mooncoon
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I agree with the covert thing 100% ;)
 
Wow, it seems that i may have stirred things up with the original question here. I think in the end its best not to push things...Im with dingus on the whole subject. I wouldnt mind taking the antique into the bush, but to ease my wifes mind with regards to bears, cougars ect...not hunting.

here's a little somthing i found in the Criminal Code...


(3) For the purposes of sections 91 to 95, 99 to 101, 103 to 107 and 117.03 of this Act and the provisions of the Firearms Act, the following weapons are deemed not to be firearms:...this includes antique firearms.

and here is what 117.03 applies to:

Section 117.3 – seizure on failure to produce authorization.

So an antique handgun cannot be siezed for failure to produce authorization to a CO...
 
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