POL/PAL for antiques?

I should make it clear that I do not consider all border agents stupid and I am sure they are familiar with the law on things which they commonly see. Antiques are not commonly seen and their age is only obvious in some cases to those who are very familiar with them. David gives an example of how much booze a person can cross with; duty free booze and cigarettes are very common items and the amounts I am sure are well known. Antique firearms are much less common and therefore much more vulnerable to personal opinions.

cheers mooncoon
 
BrotherRockeye said:
I'm thinkin the only real reason anyone would "need" an RCMP letter to verify antique status is in the event you run into an RCMP officer in the field.
Seeing their own letterhead may expedite matters in getting you and your antique iron on your way.
But I'm just theorizing...
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Yes good Point to bring up.

As far as Mooncoons Run in with the Border gards ect i think its a diffrent bunch working in the Mail centers, they get alot more mailed Antique firearms than guys walking thru Declareing them.

Walking thru customs with a bunch of old flintlocks pokeing out everywhere and a coonskin hat might raise a few eyebrows :D
 
I would think that if you're taking your antique onto Crown land for some target practice it might save a lot of time and hassle if you had a letter to show to a CO that happens by.

It's never happened to me, but does anybody have experience with CO's questioning the antique status of your legitimate antique firearm, and if so how did you deal with it?
 
I have an antique coming from the US that i had to register online in order to get the letter.

Think i will apply to derigister it after it arrives, just to see what happens.
 
jethunter said:
I have an antique coming from the US that i had to register online in order to get the letter.

Think i will apply to derigister it after it arrives, just to see what happens.
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While you're at it, you can also inform them that you're going to a gun show (soon) with the intent of selling it for cash to anyone interested.

Personally, I highly doubt that it's an actual 'registration', it's probably just a firearm identification step that speeds up their work. I'd be willing to bet that it gets flushed down the toilet as soon as they approve it & send you the letter. They've probably decided to transfer a bunch of people who were assigned to these functions and replaced them with an automated system, lol! :p I wonder though... since the registry computer system is so reliable that one can get a Weller soldering gun registered and approved (lol!), what other "possibilities" does it open for us, eh? :yingyang:

Anyway, as long as there ain't any changes in the actual law, I am not concerned about any of it. I will be getting an antique rifle in the mail soon and I'll make sure to get a letter for it once it arrives (it's coming from another province). The letter can save tons of headaches, especially if you live in a province like Quebec... where the CFO has a bad case of anal rabies that just won't go away. :eek:
 
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jethunter said:
I have an antique coming from the US that i had to register online in order to get the letter.

Think i will apply to derigister it after it arrives, just to see what happens.
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Dont worry its Not a Registration. It looks and feels like it tho.
But its not Registered.
You wont have to Deregister it.
You will see in a week or so you will get a RCMP Antique letter in the mail on that gun.
I went thru the same thing recently and when the letter comes theres no Reg #s it still lists the gun as a perscribed Antique Ect Ect just like before.
 
dingus said:
Dont worry its Not a Registration. It looks and feels like it tho.
But its not Registered.
You wont have to Deregister it.
You will see in a week or so you will get a RCMP Antique letter in the mail on that gun.
I went thru the same thing recently and when the letter comes theres no Reg #s it still lists the gun as a perscribed Antique Ect Ect just like before.
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I hope that's right, but I just can't believe that we register online only for the fun of it.

Before:
1. send email with pictures and request letter
2. receive letter

Now:
1. send email with pics
2. Recieve email from firearms tech with verier's info
3. register firearm online with info provided by verifier
4. email online registration applicaton confirmation number to firearms tech
5. receive letter

Of course they are not "registering" antique firearms. They are just asking you to provide the serial number, model, cartridge, bbl length, your name, your address, your PAL#, and your reason for acquiring. Thank god they aren't registering it...
 
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jethunter said:
I hope that's right, but I just can't believe that we register online only for the fun of it.

Before:
1. send email with pictures and request letter
2. receive letter

Now:
1. send email with pics and receive antique letter
2. Recieve email from firearms tech with verier's info
3. register firearm online with info provided by verifier
4. email online registration applicaton confirmation number to firearms tech
5. receive letter

Of course they are not "registering" antique firearms. They are just asking you to provide the serial number, model, cartridge, bbl length, your name, your address, your PAL#, and your reason for acquiring. Thank god they aren't registering it...
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Yes i know i dont like it Either.


I have requested a Antique letter (the old way) that could not be done online.
It was for a Non FRT#ed antique one.
They had to do it the old way.
 
This spring I picked up a Merwin Hulbert out of Ontario that was registered 12(6). I phoned a CFC tech, told her that Merwin, Hulbert & Co went broke five years before the .32 S&W Long the gun was "supposedly" chambered for was even introduced. Also having consulted an expert who told me the serial # dated the manufacture about 1883 helped. She tapped some keys, took my email, and hours later there was a pdf letter in my inbox. I have a Forehand & Wadsworth coming that I intend to do the same with.
 
I have crossed the border twice in the last month, with my 14 ga (easy Dingus :D) muzzleloader. I don't have a green card for it because they (CBSA) refused to give me one ?? unlike my 3 other flintlock long guns ?
Bt I was assured I would have no problem returning with it, and the CBSA didn't even bat an eyelid when I declared it.
Cheers nessy.
 
nessy357 said:
I have crossed the border twice in the last month, with my 14 ga (easy Dingus :D) muzzleloader. I don't have a green card for it because they (CBSA) refused to give me one ?? unlike my 3 other flintlock long guns ?
Bt I was assured I would have no problem returning with it, and the CBSA didn't even bat an eyelid when I declared it.
Cheers nessy.
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LOL Im now looking for a 24 Ga SXS to :D Thanks to Killer Canuck pointing out to me cases are way easyer to get and there not on no stinking lists either.
 
Killer Kanuck said:
All I know is that I plan on filing an Access to Information request in a couple months time to see if this information is being kept.
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I can tell you it is, I got mine recently and the info regarding evey antique I have requested a letter for is there, listed just like my "registered" modern guns.
 
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41 Colt said:
I can tell you it is, I got mine recently and the info regarding evey antique I have requested a letter for is there, listed just like my "registered" modern guns.
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Well if they got a copy of every letter i requested then i bet my file is the bigest LOL :p
 
With the amount of buying and selling that goes on, that data would become obsolete pretty fast. When I sell the antique, I always include the antique letter. It goes with the gun, no matter how many owners had it before me. I've requested antique letters for guns that I never ended up buying. I wonder how many antique letters have been issued for antiques that are still in the USA?
 
i was wondering when they would start plugging this "antique" hole in the firearms act.

when you have on CGN such statements as "WTB antiques" or "PAL not required" , do you really think the "powers that be" don't have access to websites?

the RCMP may have decided to monitor the flow of antiques.

of course someone will bring up the tinfoil hat statement.;)
 
I don't think the antique regs are a hole in the act,rather a reflection of the majority of people who collect them.
Your statement has merit however,and you need only look at the responses,or lack of,that dubious types get in this forum.
We have all seen the type that just want a handgun with no papers and have zero interest in the antique side.
They get slammed,never to be heard from again.
THAT is a telling factor on our side IF the "powers that be" monitor websites,which I'm sure they do. ;)
 
true statement BR.

but it always seems the "powers that be" have to justify their postion, and that is not necessarily based on reality.

at any rate i'll take off my tinfoil hat now. :D
 
hornhead said:
i was wondering when they would start plugging this "antique" hole in the firearms act.

when you have on CGN such statements as "WTB antiques" or "PAL not required" , do you really think the "powers that be" don't have access to websites?

the RCMP may have decided to monitor the flow of antiques.

of course someone will bring up the tinfoil hat statement.;)
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The RCMP Letters State right on them NO Licence or Registration required to own the said Antique.
So i doubt they Dont know about this.

Seeing that (No Lic or Reg Required) typed in a gun add should come as no big surprise.
Im not worried about the letters being on file.
The goverments file everything thats just what they do.
I have requested letters on hunderds of guns i never got so my files must be big.
But being as the the guns movement does not get monitored the fact some letter is on file meens squat!
 
having the letters on file may just be for verification purposes as well.
it would be pretty simple to create your own letter from another for any antique you choose.
without them having it on file there is no way to verify that they issued it.
 
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