Do antique small ring Mauser rifles have any reputation or desirability in Canada?
I'm an American who owns an 1895 Chilean Mauser rifle manufactured in 1896 or 1895 by Loewe in Berlin. It has a sporterized stock with the fore end cut short, and the handguard removed, but is otherwise in decent original condition with original bluing and unmodified barrel chambered in 7x57 Mauser. These Loewe Mauser rifles are regarded as one of the most "capable and modern" antique firearms in the USA, and can be found for less than $200 US in used sporterized or barreled action form. Unmodified original condition rifles can sell for $400 to $700.
I'd much prefer to restore my rifle if I can ever find a spare stock, or even a reproduction stock, but I have considered modifying it, or another antique Mauser that has already been permanently modified, to qualify as a "prescribed antique" under Canadian law, by rebarreling it to a larger caliber like 8.6 Blackout or .338 Federal, and replacing the magazine with a single-shot "sled". My goal is to have the most capable, but most easily legally transported rifle for sporting use and possibly even wilderness protection. Regarding cost of modifications, and if the effort is even justifiable, I am a hobbyist facsimile of a gunsmith, and I have the tools and facilities to rebarrel and headspace a Mauser action, as well as access to a semi-retired gunsmith or two to teach me/bail me out.
I also own another good contender for a rifle fitting this purpose, in the form of an antique 1873 Springfield Trapdoor Rifle in .45-70 that was previously sporterized into a "90% there" facsimile of a cavalry carbine. The barrel is 24" instead of 22", the rear sight is rifle pattern instead of carbine pattern, and all the metal is finished with an unnatural, pungent cold blue (I swear that chemical cold bluing has a distinct scent, and that if you can't 100% trust your eyes, you can definitely 100% trust your nose on this one). I only paid $300 US at a Cabela's gun library for it, too. However, my "converted Chilean Mauser" idea would still be faster to load and cycle (even as a single shot), and would be chambered in a more modern cartridge with greater range, energy retention, and potentially less recoil with the right handloads.
I've read suggestions that the RCMP can be contacted with questions regarding the legality of a particular item as a "prescribed as antique" firearm, but I'd like to hear about experiences and opinions from the antique-owning Canadian public.
In the USA, pre-1899 manufactured cartridge firearms are somewhat desired for their less stringent regulations.
I understand Canadian law / RCMP regulations have a similar classification for antique cartridge firearms with more intricate regulation, like prescribing pre-1898 manufactured cartridge rifles with a bore greater than 8.4mm and no magazine-feeding ability as antiques not even needing a PAL to possess or acquire (and presumably use for sporting purposes).
I'm an American who owns an 1895 Chilean Mauser rifle manufactured in 1896 or 1895 by Loewe in Berlin. It has a sporterized stock with the fore end cut short, and the handguard removed, but is otherwise in decent original condition with original bluing and unmodified barrel chambered in 7x57 Mauser. These Loewe Mauser rifles are regarded as one of the most "capable and modern" antique firearms in the USA, and can be found for less than $200 US in used sporterized or barreled action form. Unmodified original condition rifles can sell for $400 to $700.
I'd much prefer to restore my rifle if I can ever find a spare stock, or even a reproduction stock, but I have considered modifying it, or another antique Mauser that has already been permanently modified, to qualify as a "prescribed antique" under Canadian law, by rebarreling it to a larger caliber like 8.6 Blackout or .338 Federal, and replacing the magazine with a single-shot "sled". My goal is to have the most capable, but most easily legally transported rifle for sporting use and possibly even wilderness protection. Regarding cost of modifications, and if the effort is even justifiable, I am a hobbyist facsimile of a gunsmith, and I have the tools and facilities to rebarrel and headspace a Mauser action, as well as access to a semi-retired gunsmith or two to teach me/bail me out.
I also own another good contender for a rifle fitting this purpose, in the form of an antique 1873 Springfield Trapdoor Rifle in .45-70 that was previously sporterized into a "90% there" facsimile of a cavalry carbine. The barrel is 24" instead of 22", the rear sight is rifle pattern instead of carbine pattern, and all the metal is finished with an unnatural, pungent cold blue (I swear that chemical cold bluing has a distinct scent, and that if you can't 100% trust your eyes, you can definitely 100% trust your nose on this one). I only paid $300 US at a Cabela's gun library for it, too. However, my "converted Chilean Mauser" idea would still be faster to load and cycle (even as a single shot), and would be chambered in a more modern cartridge with greater range, energy retention, and potentially less recoil with the right handloads.
I've read suggestions that the RCMP can be contacted with questions regarding the legality of a particular item as a "prescribed as antique" firearm, but I'd like to hear about experiences and opinions from the antique-owning Canadian public.
In the USA, pre-1899 manufactured cartridge firearms are somewhat desired for their less stringent regulations.
I understand Canadian law / RCMP regulations have a similar classification for antique cartridge firearms with more intricate regulation, like prescribing pre-1898 manufactured cartridge rifles with a bore greater than 8.4mm and no magazine-feeding ability as antiques not even needing a PAL to possess or acquire (and presumably use for sporting purposes).
