Plinking off range with 10 Round Mags

TimberPig said:
So long as you have a PAL or POL you are legally allowed to carry a firearm in the bush in BC. If it is hunting season, and you don't have a hunting license, you could be assumed to be hunting without a license and be hassled, although they have no proof and would not press the issue.
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I am pretty sure unless the CO actually sees you shoot at game there is no way they can say you are . I always take my guns in the bush with me and have never had a problem even when stoped by the CO here in BC.


I think I would look a bit harder into the "if you have a gun, you are hunting law in Ontario" as that is pretty much saying You may only use a gun at the range and that is it.

I was just reading the ontario regulations and have found nothing Stating "if you have a gun in the bush -- YOU are hunting" , It dose state you must wear hunter Orange . So if you arnt wearing hunter orange ,I would take it you are not hunting.......................;)
 
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blacksmithden said:
It was my understanding that if you were in the bush when there was an open season.....use deer for this example....and you were carrying a firearm of a caliber that could be used to hunt deer...and you didn't have a license....then you could be considered to be hunting/poaching. If there was no open season, and you were carrying say a 30-30, and a bunch of targets...then you were ok. If I'm not correct here, when did this change?
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I had a conversation with an MNR officer a few years back about it. In the bush with a gun EVEN a UNDER 500fps pellet gun, you ARE hunting.

Even sitting in camp next to the lake shooting a can.

so have real targets to shoot, not just a tree or can or something.
 
So the verdict is for Ontario: I CAN shoot my scary unrestricted black gun in the woods or some other safe, out of city limits place, as long as I have proper targets with me and am wearing hunter orange?

What about the 10rd magazines? Would I call the CFO about this or MNR?

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies.
 
Well to avoid being dinged for hunting, take TARGETS with you.

Hard to call it hunting if your shooting at a paper target. That there demonstrates what your doing, as opposed to just shooting away, where it's left open to the imagination.

Seem's logical to me.
 
Who cares about the MNR. Just let them fine/jail you, and then go to court and have the judge give them the shaft because they have no evidence you were hunting.

This is just nonsense, if the MNR screws around with you and makes up laws out of thin air, then let them have it.
 
BCboy said:
I am pretty sure unless the CO actually sees you shoot at game there is no way they can say you are . I always take my guns in the bush with me and have never had a problem even when stoped by the CO here in BC.


I think I would look a bit harder into the "if you have a gun, you are hunting law in Ontario" as that is pretty much saying You may only use a gun at the range and that is it.

I was just reading the ontario regulations and have found nothing Stating "if you have a gun in the bush -- YOU are hunting" , It dose state you must wear hunter Orange . So if you arnt wearing hunter orange ,I would take it you are not hunting.......................;)
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Since I am in BC, I have no idea what goes on in Ontario, as I said, here it could appear as if you are hunting without a license, but like you say, unless you are caught with game or shooting at game, you will never be charged.
 
I think the guys concern is more with the 10 round mags in the semi rifle than the woods part, I would have as much info on what was discussed about the legality of the 10 round "pistol" mags in your 180b, because you will probably have to explain it to whoever shows up,most enforcement guys are not going to know or believe you can use them.
 
I wouldn't bother wearing hunter orange. A MNR officer would then say you are hunting seeing as you are wearing hunter orange. However, carrying paper targets would be a good idea, even if they are print outs off the web. I have heard that this hunting vs target shooting can be a real pain in the ass above the French. Down here in the rural south, people are usually pretty calm about shooting. If you are really worried about it, get a small games license and tell the officer you are hunting skunks but since no skunks have shown up yet, you are shooting at that can. (Skunks are open all year long) As always, get landowner permission and have a safe backstop.

If the officer questions the legality of the equipment, anything could happen. Carry paperwork and be prepared for the worst. Some officers are so stupid they can not pick up a phone to verify information you have provided, personal experience speaking here. Hello, if you don't believe the insurance is valid, why don't you call the issuer of the insurance? Cost me $$$ on that one, ####ing officer. Or in the above scenario, calling the CFC.

Hope this helps
 
So help me out here, I'm trying to figure this out. Since the general rule is semi-auto centerfire magazines are restricted to 5 rounds, and pistols are restricted to 10, then the logic is that if a pistol mag happens to fit a rifle it is somehow legal to have more than 5 in the mag. I understand it would be legal to own the mag, but is it ok to use it in a rifle?

If this is the loophole people go for, personally I would be very reluctant to hope any officer who sees me shooting in an allowable but uncontrolled area with my "scary black gun" would see the logic in this and leave me alone, especially the way the gun control is being pushed in Ontario! But if this is something that you feel is worth fighting legally, all the power to you. I would be interested in hearing more about this practice.
 
Kix said:
I understand it would be legal to own the mag, but is it ok to use it in a rifle?
[...]
If this is the loophole people go for
[...]
I would be interested in hearing more about this practice.
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In order:
- yes, without reservation. The law is silent on use, speaking only to design and manufacture.
- it's not a loophole, don't be calling it that.
- you should practice more - we all should. "Rights" that are unused wither.
 
blacksmithden said:
It was my understanding that if you were in the bush when there was an open season.....use deer for this example....and you were carrying a firearm of a caliber that could be used to hunt deer...and you didn't have a license....then you could be considered to be hunting/poaching. If there was no open season, and you were carrying say a 30-30, and a bunch of targets...then you were ok. If I'm not correct here, when did this change????

How are you supposed to ever target practice if there isn't a range around ???? Go buy a deer license and only go out plinking when season opens??? I think you're taking the "your hunting no matter what" idea past what the laws actually are.
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+1

Remember, most LE are just trying to make sure that everyone and everything is o.k. As long as it is not open season for big game and you have paper targets with you, and are shooting on crown land with all reasonable precautions (Backstop, not near homes etc...) then you aren't doing anything illegal.

In the event that someone does come by, be polite, answer his/her question and show your papers. (PAL and Reg) There should not be any problems. I have done this many times in Crown land just north of North Bay. No one even bothers. I've even heard other plinkers in the distance at other gravel pits in the distance.

We need to remember that there is the law (minimum standard of compliance). If you break it, they've gotcha. Then there is best practice. So all this talk of black rifles and LE comming up with GUNS drawn is anti LE histeria. :slap:

When LE aproaches you on Crown land in your favourite shooting pit, just secure the weapon (unload and make safe) then place it on the ground or in a case right away. While this is not a legal minimum. It is polite, common sense to help LE understand that you are not a threat.

If your VZ-58 is non-restricted, then when you show you registration proving by serial number that it is , weather it looks mean or not the LE hasn't got a leg to stand on if he tried to do anything to you. If he tries to take you to court, represent yourself and laugh at him when the verdict "Not guilty" is read. You could even get representation and counter sue for illegal seizure, detainment or whatever else someone might hypothetically try. Then again laugh in his/her face when the LE officer has to eat his hat for being a doorknob that doesn't know how to do his job. However, I would like to stress, that this nothing like this has happened to me or anyone I know personally. In the rare times that we have come upon LE, the worst they have ever done is inspected our paperwork to make sure everything is on the up and up. (As is their job)

I can't speak about the ten round mag. I was under the assumption that semi-centre fire was 5 only, hunting or not. That is why high cap mags are allowed, but only if they are pinned to 5. I assume this applies. In the case of a pistol mag and round fitting into a rifle, the rules say semi-auto centre fire is pinned to five. So as I understand the law, you cannot use a 10 rnd mag in any crown land plinking unless it is rimfire.

5 for semiauto-centrefire- anywhere.
Shotgun - 3 for hunting in Ontario, 5 for semi-auto non-hunting and unlimited for non-semi-auto. Ex If pump, then no limit. You can have a mile long magazine tube if you wanted. :shotgun:
10 for handgun - range only
 
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