problems getting an antique letter

jimbo45

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so i purchased an 1877 colt in 41 colt made in 1878 verified by the serial number with a phone call to colt so i call cfc for antique letter a couple mts ago they make me register it and say it will print out the letter but instead i get a reg certificate for it and after numerous attempts they wont let me derigister it and issue a letter they say i need proff of its date of manufacture so seems i may need a historical letter from colt
 
If it fits into "their" description of an antique then why would you ask for a letter??? By asking for a letter you are giving them carte blanch to use their infamous crystal ball and who knows where that might end!
 
Call the CFP and ask to talk to a firearms technician. Don't talk to anyone else except a fireqrms tech if you are talking about antiques. It's a bit late now you can probably get it straightened out if you talk to a firearms tech.

You don't need a letter from colt. There are lots of references in books and online that provide date of manufacture by serial number. Scan or use a link in your email to the CFP. A letter from colt is not required.
 
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The RCMP/CFC recently got "called to acount" for asking people to register their antique firearms (ask me how I know ;) ).....things may be changing rather soon....:yingyang:...
 
Techs are extention 1090, right? You may need to email them photos, don't have the email handy right now.
 
If the serial number is below 111,500 what would the problem be ?...:confused:

(Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values, By Norm Flayderman)
 
As someone who has recently acquired an antique, any info on legality, and rcmp letters, would be greatly appreciated.... any chance of a PM too, Cyclone?


Legality is pretty simple (store it unloaded, transport it in an opaque & lockable case, discharge wherever a non-restricted can be discharged)....:yingyang:..


For RCMP letters :wave: , you basically "try to register the thing, wait for the system to generate an error message [i.e. cannot be registered b/c it is an antique], and then receive an 'antique-status letter' at the end of the process"....;)



I know it's an @$$-backward process :( (esp. b/c they make you attempt to register a non-firearm !...f:P: ) , and that's part of the comment/complaint to the MP's as of late !.....:canadaFlag:
 
rcmp letters are just like registering anyway mite as well just register it and if you live on toronto just hand it over with the rest. if you can prove by the s/n its antique thats all you need carry that and a copy of the reg's with you(make sure you print up that neat little chart above. thats very cool by the way guys i already made a few print outs of it) and you should be good to go
 
Well, seeing as one does not require a (R)PAL to own an antique, and no records of transaction are needed, one could just get a friend to obtain the letter...

Interesting comment. Interesting, because it begs the question of HOW can someone try to register an antique firearm with the CFC if that person only collects antiques and doesn't have an RPAL? Is there some sort of a double-standard we don't yet know about? (example: if you admit to having an RPAL, they'll automatically register your antique... if you say you don't, it's the old system where they actually have to do the legwork of verifying it for you prior to sending the letter).

I've met quite a few collectors like these who don't want to bother with the red tape of getting an RPAL, but still collect antique class firearms, which is fully legal of course. So, in essence, if the OP did not have an RPAL, how could they forcefully send him a reg certificate for his pre-1898 .41 Colt and put the onus of proving actual status on him?

Also, how are you supposed to obtain letters prior to shipping antiques from the States? Are you supposed to register a legally antique firearm that's currently in someone's private collection down in Alabama and then go through the hellish task of sorting all the paperwork for importation, THEN have it deregistered once it's here? Can anyone say RED TAPE and BACKDOOR GUN CONTROL???

(Seems like some old time Lieberal-appointed bureaucrats at the CFC are in dire need of being shown the door by PM Harper, as their "best before" date expired in the late 1990's... along with the rest of the Lieberal reign)

:mad:


Hint: Next time, tell the techs that you don't have an RPAL or that you're not going to disclose your license number. They used to ask your permission for that, but the argument was that it would simply speed up the process of obtaining your proper mailing address, etc. It had nothing to do with forcing reg certificates down your throat though.
 
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Personally, I like to have the letter. It removes all doubt, and one is not trying to interpret a chart to an already suspicious game warden or police officer. The letter states things clearly and concisely, and it includes the serial number of the antique.

We've discussed this before, and I really don't want to get into an argument about it again. But in my opinion it really is not like registration. The owners of antiques are not identified as such in the CPIC system. And one does not notify anyone when one sells or trades an antique. How many guns that have antique letters with them still belong to the person whose name appears on the letter? I would guess that most don't.

I've imported a few antiques from the U.S. I prefer to wait for an email copy of the antique letter before having the gun shipped, and then ask the seller to place a copy of the letter in an envelope on the outside of the parcel. A Canada Customs officer who handles imports of firearms called not long ago and expressed his approval of this method. It saves a lot of time. Otherwise, Customs may contact the verifiers for information, or they may mail you a letter asking for information. Having the antique letter on the parcel saves a lot of time and hassle. (Of course, Canada Border Services isn't so pleased that they forget to add on the GST and provincial taxes.)

Your experience may vary, but this works for me.
 
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