gunsmiths and PALs

Dentside

Dentside

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Hello All,

Not a technical gunsmithing question, but more a query about gunsmith protocol that I hope someone can clarify for me. Moderators can feel free to move this where appropriate if not here.

I recently contacted a gunsmith to do some barrel work. The work would only require the barrel, not the entire firearm, to be dropped off with the gunsmith. Since this gunsmith is not local to me, the barrel will need to be delivered or shipped. The gunsmith is asking for a copy of my PAL to be shipped along with the barrel.

I'm loathe to send out copies of my PAL when it doesn't seem necessary. My PAL has no bearing on the work required. Pardon my ignorance, but is this a standard with gunsmiths? If so, is it based on a legal concern about working on potentially illegal firearms or some such thing?

Thanks...
 
Under no terms should a gunsmith require your pal except to transfer back into your possession "the firearm" receiver or frame portion of the firearm. The rest is just considered pieces of metal or polymer that could just as easily be sold at the hardware store.

Find a new Smith if they are unwilling to cooperate.
 
Give him the number and expiry but if you can order a barrel without a pal, so can he.
They don't need anything else. This issue has been discussed to death on here.

I'm curious if there's a gunsmith "loophole" for possession, do they legally require one or is it coincidental no one gets into the trade unless they love and shoot guns already.
 
Last edited:
onetwentyish said:
Under no terms should a gunsmith require your pal except to transfer back into your possession "the firearm" receiver or frame portion of the firearm. The rest is just considered pieces of metal or polymer that could just as easily be sold at the hardware store.

Find a new Smith if they are unwilling to cooperate.
Click to expand...

If business licensed the smith will need your PAL whenever they _receive_ a firearm/receiver _from_ you, not when they return it. _And_ record it. If operating just under his personal PAL, the above is correct.

I can think of another possibility - you are asking the smith to work on a barrel for a prohibited pistol (i.e. a prohibited device) - it's a grey area in law, and the CFO holds the _opinion_ that these can only be possessed by someone both with a prohibited PAL and a gun to match the barrel. This is such a corner case though that I doubt we are talking about this here.

Any other parts, there is no requirement for a PAL, that is absolutely correct.

Probably should move this to legalese...
 
This is a licensed smith. The smith tells me a PAL must be kept on file while the firearm is in the shop. If inspected by the CFC, the smith says he must be able to put a name and a PAL on each firearm. Still not sure why this is necessary for just a barrel, but I'm sure the smith is just covering all bases and making it a blanket policy.

Thanks for the replies.
 
Dentside said:
This is a licensed smith. The smith tells me a PAL must be kept on file while the firearm is in the shop. If inspected by the CFC, the smith says he must be able to put a name and a PAL on each firearm. Still not sure why this is necessary for just a barrel, but I'm sure the smith is just covering all bases and making it a blanket policy.

Thanks for the replies.
Click to expand...

Identity of the owner including PL information. Not the actual PAL.

I assume that the gunsmith wants to be comfortable that his customers are legal owners - that he is not doing business with illegals.
But that does not require a copy of the PAL.

The good thing of course, is that a customer can take his business anywhere he chooses.
 
If you're not comfortable giving unnecessary information shop around for someone else that you are comfortable dealing with. It's just like my decision not to deal with a certain CGN business member who requires an upload of both your firearms license and your drivers license to purchase from them. Ask too much and you don't get my money. Simple really.
 
If a licenced gunsmith does not keep a record of the owner of a fire arm in the shop, he is in violation of the regulations.
A barrel is not a firearm, but he is making a work order, so just covering all the bets/ bases is my thoughts.
 
Some people like to go above and beyond what the law requires.

My assumption is that a PAL might be regarded by your gunsmith as the mark of a 'good guy', and the lack of a PAL combined with a firearm barrel might be regarded by your gunsmith as (representing) a 'question mark', and that a 'question mark' is a someone with whom your gunsmith just doesn't want to be associated.

You might not like it, but that's the gunsmith's prerogative, just as it's yours to choose to go elsewhere. Me, I won't buy from irunguns for the same reason.
 
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