Gsg-16 legal status - public announcement

Blue Line Solutions

Expired Business Member
We are writing this to explain the background concerning the legal status of the GSG-16 rifle.

Blue Line, as German Sport Guns official and sole Canadian representative (not "another company that imports GSG-16") have worked together with GSG on the classification of the GSG-16 rifles for years. Finally, a few months ago, we received a letter from the RCMP confirming the Non-Restricted classification for the GSG-16 Canadian Model (FRT number 195454). Throughout this process, we have spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees in an attempt to approve for Canadian market GSG rifles of a similar look.

The ATI GSG-16 model (FRT number 195456) was instantly classified as prohibited after its initial introduction at the SHOT Show and remained so according to the RCMP website as late as last week.

It is very easy to confirm the above information with RCMP FRT Division over the phone, should you wish. Please take a look at the screenshots below, taken off the RCMP website on September 11, 2019.

We were aware of the ATI GSG-16 Prohibited classification all along, hence our surprise when we heard that these prohibited rifles were imported into Canada from the United States. The ATI GSG-16 prohibited guns were also publicly advertised as Non-Restricted and sold as such to the Canadian public.

We are not law enforcement, and it is not our job to deal with such issues. However, it does surprise us that these situations happen at all. It is also not our job, nor intention, to publicly announce or discuss on CGN details that would adversely impact the innocent buyers of the ATI Prohibited guns.

A few days ago, we received a phone call from the police in regards to the GSG-16 firearms questioning their classification and origin. We informed them that the Blue Line Solutions is the official Canadian representative of German Sport Guns. We further stated to them as well as to the BC CFO, that all of our GSG products were coming directly from Germany, and provided them with the official Canadian GSG-16 Model Non-Restricted FRT number.

Thankfully, the RCMP's response was to change the ATI GSG-16's Prohibited status to Non-Restricted status. We want to believe that there will be no further repercussions for anyone, and this is the final resolution to this situation.

We are all adults; as such, we are solely responsible for our actions. We are writing this not as advice but rather a plea; be careful when working with gray-market dealers and buying firearms from them. Please, purchase products from your local Canadian dealer, who is obtaining these products from the manufacturers' official representative. This situation could have ended catastrophically for many who were fooled into buying, and having in their possession, Prohibited Rifles under a wrongfully claimed Non-Restricted status.

Also, please do not believe the lies you read on the internet and think twice before accusing and formulating an opinion concerning someone who is diligently working in our community's best interest.

Thank you,
Blue Line Team


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So if I understand correctly, instead of trying to get the ATI GSG-16s prohibited, you actually got them reclassified as non-restricted?
 
Seems like IRG was the business trying to start #### this time. Too bad all you panicking drama queens prematurely started burning the ‘witch’. Such an emotional bunch. Any chance BLS can import bulk amounts of tissues and tampons for the CGN community?
 
All it sounds like to me is that there was a mix up on the FRT and it is now corrected (thankfully in everyones favour)...but, as per CGN fashion, it went off the rails fast/furiously. Nothing to see here...movin' on...awaiting my forthcoming GSG-16. Thanks.
 
Thanks for clearing this out,have just had one thing to say,stop acting like that the GSG 16 it is owned by you,like you said the GSG 16 was presented to shot show and was for sale in the USA way before it got the non restricted status here in canada.If you you did point out some fabrication line to gsg to make it less looking to a mp5 to get it non restricted,good and thank you,but we are in a free market and im pretty sure you would have did the samething as the other importer if you had the opportinity.
 
Please tell me how 1 import of the exact same rimfire would result in different classifications.

It would be like

Glock Austria being restricted but Glock USA prohib
 
I don't understand how the"other" company has a non restricted FRT for the rifles they are bringing in.....
And have sold, what you say makes no sense.
 
Please tell me how 1 import of the exact same rimfire would result in different classifications.

It would be like

Glock Austria being restricted but Glock USA prohib


There are 2 different versions with 2 different FRT #'s. It's not that they had different importers, its because they are 2 completely different firearms (in the eyes of the law).
 
Btw if IRG was a "grey market" and specially in the firearms industry my guess would be the RCMP would have shut them out since the time,so stop calling them Gray market ...
 
How are they d;cks?
They posted a copy of their FRT right in the beginning.

The GSG-16 was deemed prohib. Blue line spent the time and money to work with GSG to get it approved for the Canadian Market as NR. The "ATI GSG-16" which was readily available in the states was considered prohib, but the Canadian version was deemed NR. IRG brought in the ATI version and sold them as NR when they were prohib still. Look at the time and data stamps on the FRT IRG posted and the one that Blue line posted. Long story short, IRG could've been shuttered as they were selling *technically* prohib rifles as NR, but the RCMP reclassified the ATI version as well after the fact.

I'm sure there is much more to this as most of us don't work in either of these companies or the departments that handle this stuff. But at the end of the day, IRG cried foul, some idiots ran with it and now we have both sides of the story.

The rumor mill will be running at full speed within the next couple hours I imagine.
 
Blue line is jealous they brought their version in first.
Plain and simple, name calling a firearm importer gray market...
Come on.
They have FRT and are legally selling guns, albeit way before blue line...many times.
 
Btw if IRG was a "grey market" and specially in the firearms industry my guess would be the RCMP would have shut them out since the time,so stop calling them Gray market ...

This is a fantastic example of a grey market situation. Pretty much the same gun, but technically different. They sold it as the same thing minus the trigger, but it won't be covered under warranty by GSG if something breaks. It will have to go to IRG for them to send it to ATI.

"A grey or gray market refers to the trade of a commodity through distribution channels that are not authorized by the original manufacturer or trade mark proprietor. Grey market products are products traded outside authorized manufacturer channel." The IRG version was sold outside the Manufacturer authorized channel. To go back a little ways, it would be like selling a brand new Toyota Matrix at a GM dealer that should be selling the Pontiac Vibe. Make sense?
 
So if I understand correctly, instead of trying to get the ATI GSG-16s prohibited, you actually got them reclassified as non-restricted?

Actually, we didn't communicate with the FRT division over this issue at all. We were contacted by police officers who were inquiring about this matter. It is a misconception that anyone can influence the decision of the RCMP over the product classification. We can only apply for product classification, submit the technical information they ask for, and send a sample if they request.
If the requesting party is unhappy with their decision, they can challenge their decision in the court of law, which is what we did back in 2008 over the GSG-5 rifle.
 
This is a fantastic example of a grey market situation. Pretty much the same gun, but technically different. They sold it as the same thing minus the trigger, but it won't be covered under warranty by GSG if something breaks. It will have to go to IRG for them to send it to ATI.

"A grey or gray market refers to the trade of a commodity through distribution channels that are not authorized by the original manufacturer or trade mark proprietor. Grey market products are products traded outside authorized manufacturer channel." The IRG version was sold outside the Manufacturer authorized channel. To go back a little ways, it would be like selling a brand new Toyota Matrix at a GM dealer that should be selling the Pontiac Vibe. Make sense?

It's the damn same rifle non the less,even in the ATI FRT in the section of product ID it say GSG 16,this is not a kalasnikov 16,same rifle,make sense ?
 
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