Collector vrs Shooter Designation -Advice Opinion

[Fitz]

I am wondering if having Collector Status might some day be beneficial should Municipalities be able to regulate restricted firearm storage. I cannot imagine having to schedule a visit to a firearm collection in a storage facility and probably have to pay some kind of monthly fee for the privilege.
I thought I had kept reasonably knowledgeable about our ever changing Canadian firearm regulations but after reading here on CGN it would appear I missed something. And I have some technical questions about being a collector vrs a shooter and seeking some opinions on strategy if the Liberals do get some of the latest proposals implemented.
My story is that I have had what is now called restricted/prohibited status since the early 1980's. It started with an inheritance and then progressed to purchasing US Civil War revolvers (now called antiques) that I had registered at that time in my name as a “Genuine Collector” by the local firearm registrar. During the Allan Rock era of heightened concern over what collector/shooter status allowed I decided I had to either get in or get out of handguns and I joined a club. In the years following it seemed the least path of resistance when I bought something to say the purpose of purchasing the firearm was for shooting. Forty years later I have firearms I have bought that are historical pieces (still restricted) that I have no intention of shooting, I have collector examples that could be used but I choose not to and firearms that I take to the club. I swear somewhere along the line I had to declare on a license renewal my status as a shooter or collector and could not declare I was both. So everything I have is shooter status. And yes I understand that I have a license which is different than the certificate for the firearm.
Fast forward to today and I realize that some individuals have firearms registered to themselves categorized as collectibles and that same person has other firearms registered as for shooting purposes. Looking forward to the Liberals stupid idea to have a municipality store restricted firearms might it make sense to have some firearms designated as “collectibles” that could be stored at home? Since the government often grandfathers status on short notice, I wonder if a person should not become Collector approved and designate critical firearms as collectible now. So my questions to you are:
Who do you call to start the Collector status process? The 1 800 731 4000 number and ask for who?
I assume the collector status is attached to your Firearm License. Does the license say both Shooter and Collector or does the type of status come only when you call in a new transfer purchase and you make a declaration ?
Does your firearm registration certificate for a specific firearm say it is collector or shooter or does it say on your permit to convey/license these firearms can be transported by the owner to a club but by default the collector firearms are not listed. Anything relative to Ontario that is different?
If I had collector status now would it slow down the transfer approval for future firearm purchases?
Do you think it is possible that some restricted collectible firearms might be eligible to be stored in the home?
Thanks for your input

 

[bertn]

if the liberals get their way there will not be any civilian firearm ownership in the near future except for a few rifles ans shotguns allowed for "registered" hunters.

your collector status might let you keep them at home for now but don't you want to shoot yours??

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Collector vs shooter? I went through this with my father and the Quebec CFO. He was an international level competitor in rifle and pistol (Olympics, World Shooting Championships, Bisley, and lots of friendlies). They tried to reissue him a Collector RPAL without explanation. We immediately wrote back and back the CFO $hit for changing legal documents and meddling in his personal affairs, club memberships and freedom of association. They corrected the paperwork, but never explained themselves or apologized. He was therefore a Shooter until his death. The same way Quebec tried to give him a nice hardcover bound book to record all his firearms. It is a nice book, but was an utter waste of money and staff effort.

Your story is simple, firearms came into your possession and under your life circumstances, you never saw a need to go shoot them. But now you feel compelled to justify your continued possession of them. My advice is to buy a $400 Tokarev in 7.62x25 and apply to join a club. The sequence of steps doesn't really matter, just get out of the passive ownership state and into the active state. I have no magic powers, but I suspect someone will look at collectors as easy pickings for further restrictions.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Further to the above - the Regulations include extra inspection provisions for collectors vs shooters. Why would you allow someone from anywhere to enter your residence for the purposes of looking at your stuff for compliance? If you were ever in the military, you'll remember how vulnerable you felt during room inspections by course staff. Same principal but punishments aren't CB or extra duties, they're court dates and serious money to defend yourself.

 

[mooncoon]

I have chosen not to be a collector because it gives the firearms office permission to inspect my house at any time (in theory convenient to me). The fact that you declared you owned a firearm for collection does not automatically make you a bona fide collector. My understanding is that to be a bona fide collector you have to submit a written 4 page "exam or declaration" demonstrating you are knowledgeable and why you collect. Among the questions I saw, included writing a paragraph of why you collected with 3 choices --- for historical interest, for technical interest and a third which I forget. There are 3 boxes depending on your choice and if you fill more than one out, your application will be rejected.
I am not aware of a rule that says you may not shoot a gun owned for collection (except for full and converted full automatics) You would have to be a member of a gun range to have permission to transport your guns to a range

I would suspect that if a city prohibited storage of handguns within city limits, that would include those for collection. Also as a indication of political mindset, our local Green Party MP believes that all guns for collection should be welded up. Declaring guns owned for collection would make you vulnerable should that opinion become widespread amongst politicians. Further, while our local range records when you attend and what ranges you use, it does not record which guns you shoot. Point being that while the records would potentially show you as an active shooter, it would not show that you did or did not shoot any particular gun

cheers mooncoon

 

[kc34]

I have chosen not to be a collector because it gives the firearms office permission to inspect my house at any time (in theory convenient to me). The fact that you declared you owned a firearm for collection does not automatically make you a bona fide collector. My understanding is that to be a bona fide collector you have to submit a written 4 page "exam or declaration" demonstrating you are knowledgeable and why you collect. Among the questions I saw, included writing a paragraph of why you collected with 3 choices --- for historical interest, for technical interest and a third which I forget. There are 3 boxes depending on your choice and if you fill more than one out, your application will be rejected.
I am not aware of a rule that says you may not shoot a gun owned for collection (except for full and converted full automatics) You would have to be a member of a gun range to have permission to transport your guns to a range

I would suspect that if a city prohibited storage of handguns within city limits, that would include those for collection. Also as a indication of political mindset, our local Green Party MP believes that all guns for collection should be welded up. Declaring guns owned for collection would make you vulnerable should that opinion become widespread amongst politicians. Further, while our local range records when you attend and what ranges you use, it does not record which guns you shoot. Point being that while the records would potentially show you as an active shooter, it would not show that you did or did not shoot any particular gun

cheers mooncoon

I submitted the declaration to become a collector a number of years back when I renewed my RPAL and it wasn't big deal to do. People collect for their own reasons and their own interests and I just clearly stated mine and it was accepted.


"I am not aware of a rule that says you may not shoot a gun owned for collection"

Exactly. Being a collector or shooter are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Cameron SS]

Collectors have a lower bar to be subject to warrantless inspections.

Firearms owned for collection purposes are notneligible for or subject to automatically issued ATTs.

Collectors are sometimes called upon to prove additional information or knowledge of collected firearms at time of transfer or license renewal.

There is no downside to being a 'shooter'.

Personally all of my firearms are owned for all lawful permitted purposes under the firearms act.