Magazine limits for hunting with shotgun in Ontario

[coreyd]

You are confusing the wildlife act with the firearms act. Dont worry, a lot of people do it, and on occasion I do too.

The wildlife act is written to be 3 rounds in the gun. So one in the chamber, 2 in the tube. It does not say anything about shell size. if you are using mini shells, you are supposed to be limited to 2 minishells in the tube. But what mad lad would do that? So the CO's will measure your tube for 2.75" shells.

I understand your view of the matter, but you are confusing a mag capacity from the firearms act with the wildlife act. I know you are talking hypothetical, im not saying your upto no good.

If it helps, My 3.5" shotguns are plugged so they can only fit 2x 3.5" shells and fits like 2.5x 2 3/4" shells (not 3x). I hope this helps.

I agree with you and ButcherBill. I am not confusing anything. My assertion was based on no specified size in the Fish and Wildlife act and the wording of the firearms act where it says no more than 5 of the shell the gun is made for.

If a gun is a 3.5", a tube length that is 8.5" long meets the "no more than 2" if using the size of shell the gun is made for. This should be a given. Even if someone is using shorter shells, provided they don't have more than 3 in the gun total they should be fine. It would be unreasonable to expect a permanently plugged (as required by law) shotgun to be altered each time you switch shell length.

 

[hoytcanon]

I agree with you and ButcherBill. I am not confusing anything. My assertion was based on no specified size in the Fish and Wildlife act and the wording of the firearms act where it says no more than 5 of the shell the gun is made for.

If a gun is a 3.5", a tube length that is 8.5" long meets the "no more than 2" if using the size of shell the gun is made for. This should be a given. Even if someone is using shorter shells, provided they don't have more than 3 in the gun total they should be fine. It would be unreasonable to expect a permanently plugged (as required by law) shotgun to be altered each time you switch shell length.

JHC... you still don't get it... it is possible to plug the tube so that it will only take two shells regardless of their length;

2 X 2 3/4" = 5 1/2"
2 X 3" = 6"
2 X 3 1/2" = 7"

The differential between two 3.5" shells and two 2.75" shells is 1.5"... if you plug so that you can just get in two 3.5" shells, you cannot get in a third 2.75" shell... another words your gun fits all shell lengths and meets the 2+1 legal requirement... how do you think every single camo 3.5" autoloader is plugged???

 

[rkm456]

If a gun is a 3.5", a tube length that is 8.5" long meets the "no more than 2" if using the size of shell the gun is made for. This should be a given. Even if someone is using shorter shells, provided they don't have more than 3 in the gun total they should be fine. It would be unreasonable to expect a permanently plugged (as required by law) shotgun to be altered each time you switch shell length.

What advantage would an 8.5" long magazine have over a 7 inch magazine unless you were intending to jam an extra shell in there?

The whole point of this thread is where does the "maximum of two 2-3/4" shells" come from. There is no law that says this, I was asking if anyone knew of case law. The 2-3/4" thing seems like an "arbitrarily made up by bureaucrat" BS.

See above.

 

[1963beretta]

Here in stubble country the CO's carry a flexible tube that fits in the magazine , if any red isn't visible on the tube you're in violation with the associated fines and yes it is set for 2.75" shells. I did have a dozy CO put the tube in my sxs and the look on my face woke him up and we both had a laugh.

MNR in Ontario uses the same flaxible tube you speak of. The CO's that check me on the lake I hunt waterfowl on have used it on my gun. The old neighbour at the cottage was fined as his brand new Hatsan had a plug installed from the factory at was a little short. There were two CO's that day, one was kind enough to go into the neighbours workshop that is next to the lake and helped him cut a wooden dowl that was long enough to plug the mag. Poor neighbour thought he was getting off...but they ticketed him anyway.

 

[1963beretta]

JHC... you still don't get it... it is possible to plug the tube so that it will only take two shells regardless of their length;

2 X 2 3/4" = 5 1/2"
2 X 3" = 6"
2 X 3 1/2" = 7"

The differential between two 3.5" shells and two 2.75" shells is 1.5"... if you plug so that you can just get in two 3.5" shells, you cannot get in a third 2.75" shell... another words your gun fits all shell lengths and meets the 2+1 legal requirement... how do you think every single camo 3.5" autoloader is plugged???

For the win....

 

[blasted_saber]

Life is really simple when you dont overthink things.

2 3/4" is the accepted minimum length of most shotgun shells and has been for over a 100 years.

Yes, mini shells exist, but they are an exception and not what the law is referring too

 

[0faustus0]

JHC... you still don't get it... it is possible to plug the tube so that it will only take two shells regardless of their length;

2 X 2 3/4" = 5 1/2"
2 X 3" = 6"
2 X 3 1/2" = 7"

The differential between two 3.5" shells and two 2.75" shells is 1.5"... if you plug so that you can just get in two 3.5" shells, you cannot get in a third 2.75" shell... another words your gun fits all shell lengths and meets the 2+1 legal requirement... how do you think every single camo 3.5" autoloader is plugged???

Mini Shell = 1.34 inches

7" ÷ 1.34" = 5.22" --> 5 Shells in the tube!!!

Sooooo much for 2+1 ....

 

[medvedqc]

Here in stubble country the CO's carry a flexible tube that fits in the magazine , if any red isn't visible on the tube you're in violation with the associated fines and yes it is set for 2.75" shells. I did have a dozy CO put the tube in my sxs and the look on my face woke him up and we both had a laugh.

MNR in Ontario uses the same flaxible tube you speak of. The CO's that check me on the lake I hunt waterfowl on have used it on my gun. The old neighbour at the cottage was fined as his brand new Hatsan had a plug installed from the factory at was a little short. There were two CO's that day, one was kind enough to go into the neighbours workshop that is next to the lake and helped him cut a wooden dowl that was long enough to plug the mag. Poor neighbour thought he was getting off...but they ticketed him anyway.

even if you can feed more than 2 rounds but not 3 just by curiosity?

 

[hoytcanon]

Mini Shell = 1.34 inches

7" ÷ 1.34" = 5.22" --> 5 Shells in the tube!!!

Sooooo much for 2+1 ....

As has been said, and anyone with a stitch of common sense can see, the laws were made with "commonly available" and "commonly used" ammunition in mind... the old and outdated 2.5" loads were not considered, nor were new, uncommon and largely unused extra short ammo... but if you think you will get away with more than two of the short loads in the tube, think again... and in the field, you better plug the gun for them... the laws were made when the options were 2.75" and 3"... and then the 3.5" became more common and even so, the longer shells do not present a problem for the current demands of the legislation as has been pointed out repeatedly.

 

[Papaclaude]

Here in Ontario, I have had my shotgun checked a few times (many years ago). The CO used a piece of plastic he inserted in the mag. If it went all the way in, you got to donate the gun to the MNR auction and a nice commemorative ticket. If it didn't go all the way in, you got a thank you and have a nice day. There never was any question as to the type of ammo I was using - although back then, 3 1/2" didn't exist.

Afterthought:
2 1/2" shells for old shotguns have been around since the Lord was a corporal and are still commercially available. I wonder if you could get three of those in a 3 1/2 gun (given that crimped shells are about 1/2 inch shorter than fired, I would think you could, but have never tried it).? If so, I wonder if anyone has ever been convicted under that regulation?

 

[1963beretta]

even if you can feed more than 2 rounds but not 3 just by curiosity?

Yes, that was my experience. My waterfowl gun is a 3.5”. The CO inserted this flexible tube into the mag to verify that it is within the measurement of holding two 2.75” shells. On my gun, my plug is long enough to allow 2 shells of anything over 2.75” as per Hoyt’s previous post. I’ve never tried, but I can likely put in two 2.75” shells and stuff one more mini shell in there. But the CO’s that checked my gun check based on a 2.75” shells. Mag tube plugs can vary in length as mag tubes vary in length. Their only concern is nothing more than two 2.75” shells