Gun Lobbies and Magazine caps
- Thread starter SCUDatk
- Start date
I don't think there is a firearms organization in Canada that supports the useless mag capacity regs, and I think that if we were in a period of firearms law reform through legislation, the magazine capacity regs would definitely have to be reformed.
Look, as it stands now - the mag capacity regs only effect people with firearms licenses and registered firearms. It's a pretty serious offense to be found in possession of a "overcapacity" magazine and can result in the revocation of your license and firearms registrations.
Plus, many of the firearms effected by these regs are restricted to certified gun clubs.
Criminals, of course, fear no penalty from having an "overcapacity" magazine. They're not supposed to be in possession of the gun in the first place, and a little thing like the "clip holding too many bullets" isn't really in their lexicon of concerns. Madmen don't care, if they go to the trouble to acquire the firearm legally, a little paper registration and mag capacity regs aren't going to stop them.
Dawson College in 2006 proved that.
Firearms licensing and registration were sold as being essential to public safety, but a firearms license holder with a registered firearm in possession of a magazine holding more than 5 or 10 shots is suddenly an unnaceptable risk ?
OK then, firearms licensing and registration are obviously failed concepts.
There are hundreds of thousands of these magazines in Canada. No, you won't see them on firearms ranges but they're still out there.
The mag capacity limit was brought in under PC Justice Minister Kim Campbell's Bill C-17 in 1992 as a result of Marc Lepine having a 30 shot magazine in his Mini 14 when he murdered those female students in Montreal in 1989. Also, in response to the Indians at Oka in 1991 having 30 shot magazines in their semi auto AKs.
The Quebec coroner's report on the tragedy stated that the magazine used played little part in the severity of Lepine's act. The politics surrounding the Oka incident probably indicate that mag capacity regs would have been the least of the concerns of the Indians who took up arms.
Kim justified it on "nobody needs more than 5 shots for hunting" which among Red Tories, Liberals and socialists is the only reason Canadians are allowed to own guns.
There was a provision in Bill C-17 for provincial attornies general to grant "exemptions" to the reg for competative target shooters, none ever did before the Liberal Bill C-68 was passed in 1995. C68 extinguished this exemption.
Canada's National Firearms Association has consistantly addressed this issue with the Government of Canada each time we have had the opportunity to address the issue of firearms law reform with them.
It seems funny that this should be discussed when there are much larger issue regarding firearms law reform, but our members and a vocal majority of the firearms community want these mag capacity regs gone or at least amended.
I truly believe that if the CPC government did little things like amend the mag capacity regs, they'd see their election coffers and their riding campaigns filled by earnest members of the firearms community during the next federal election.
I didn't say that would be wrong, I just say that it's strange.
Blair Hagen
Executive Vice President
Canada's National Firearms Association
www.nfa.ca
Oh cool, actually got a reply from someone at the top of NFA (thanks to everyone else that replied too!). I actually wanted to email NFA to ask about this, but didn't feel right because I'm not currently a member. I soon will be though.
To clarify, I think the current regulations are pretty useless as well.
So if you, and many others agree that this mag capacity regs are useless, why isn't the gun community in Canada more vocal about it? Or am I just not hearing about it?
All I want is a 10rd SKS.
EDIT: Also, thanks for the detailed reply!
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skeetgunner
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Burlington
Its not the biggest challenge we face, but it does pop up from time to time. I suspect you're just not hearing it.
Don't we all?
There are work a rounds though, if you want a non-restricted semi-auto carbine with more than five shots. The Beretta Storm, XCR, AR180b and Sig P550 can all use 10 round pistol mags.
Not specifically. Mag capacity laws are part of what every group is fighting. Getting the FA into court and declared unconsitutional is more important. Doubt it'll ever happen since the FA's provisions were made part of the Criminal Code.
