Re activating forgotten target pistol

00fxd

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Hello all. As a possible new guy to this hobby, I have a question.
I have a friend of a friend who may have an old H&R .22 target pistol unused, still out on the homestead.
Their mother bought it new in 1953 and it has been mostly unused since that time except for shooting gophers in the past.
If I were to encourage him/her to look for it, what would it take for a licenced guy to activate it for use?
 
Assuming it qualifies for Restricted status it starts with phoning it in and explaining the situation. Initially I'd leave it with the present owner. They will want the model number and serial number to use for finding the FRT number for that model of gun They will likely require you to get it verified by a gunsmith or a store in the area. They'll have all sorts of hoops for you to jump through in terms of moving it to where it can be verified. And part of the checking will be to verify a serial number on it to check if it was ever reported stolen or used in a crime and to try to contact any last known owner if they have such information on file from the old system.

At least that's what the last one I heard about had to do to get an old previously "lost" gun back on the books and into use. But as always YMMV.
 
Thanks all, I am unsure how to proceed, don't want to say the wrong thing. and have it arbitrarily confiscated by an unsympathetic officer.
And yes, once it is back in the system this family heirloom is at the mercy of whims, but it is not of much use as it is.
So Deuce or Mark, if you recently done this, some advise of steps to take is what I am asking.
Thanks
 
So Deuce or Mark, if you recently done this, some advise of steps to take is what I am asking.

I have not done a restricted but did register a couple non-restricteds during the days of the LGR. You call the CFC and get talking to a person. Tell them you want to register a previously unregistered gun. You will have to explain the situation. I would tell them it is a long lost family heirloom that just surfaced and you are registering it because none of the family are licensed and both you and they want to follow the law. I would also tell them it is stored in your safe for legality and safety if they ask about that. They will decide if you can talk to a verifier over the phone to confirm the details or if you need to go to a verifier in person. Both mine were verified over the phone.

If you go that route you will talk to a verifier (I can't remember if I called a different number or if they transferred me, could be either) and they will have you describe the gun, ask you questions regarding make, model, type, markings, serial numbers, barrel length, etc. You need the gun in hand for this part to answer detailed questions. If they are satisfied with the verification they will give you a reference number and their ID number, then you call the CFC again and give them the info from the verifier. They will get the paperwork started and get it into the system. Eventually you will get paperwork in the mail (or maybe by email these days, my ATT and transfer notifications come by email now) and then it is legal.

One thing to be VERY sure of before you call is that it is NOT a prohib. If it is they will expect you to turn it in or otherwise destroy it and a family heirloom will be lost forever.


If anyone has corrections or updates to the registration and verification procedures I posted above, please post them.


Mark
 
One thing to be VERY sure of before you call is that it is NOT a prohib. If it is they will expect you to turn it in or otherwise destroy it and a family heirloom will be lost forever.


Mark

They will tell you that without mentioning you have to option to transfer it to a 12.6 guy.
 
Ok. Here's what to do and how to do it...
Ensure you have a licensed individual.
Figure out what class the firearm in question is... this is very important.
If it's a restricted gun call the CFC and inform them you'd like to register the gun. If the story about buying the gun new in 1953 is true it will be registered. They'll want to know where the registered owner is... you may have to provide a death cert. they will also want to verify the gun, sometimes they'll do this on the phone but you might need to go to a verifier. It's not hard, the cfc is there to do this job.
I have bought guns at garage sales and informed the cfc of this and still had them brought into the system...ymmv.
...and yeah. The end game is every gun registered.
 
They will tell you that without mentioning you have to option to transfer it to a 12.6 guy.

Both firearm and '12.6 guy' must be grandfathered. In order to be grandfathered, a firearm had to be re-registered in the new (Canadian Firearms Centre) system, and before their arbitrary cut-off date. In the case the OP has mentioned, no grandfathering (of the firearm in question) is likely to exist.
 
Check if it is restricted. Since H&R's only semi-auto pistols were .25 and .32 calibre and thus prohibited, it's going to be either a nine shot revolver or a break open single shot. Revolvers are measured from the muzzle to the forcing cone, so you can place a ruler next to it. Since it's the target model, it's likely a six inch barrel.

Is it a revolver or single shot? And if it is a revolver, is it a solid frame or break open?
 
Thanks again for the replies all.
As a novice I am not understanding most of the abbreviations used in these replies.
12.6 guy?
The subject pistol is an H&R Sportsman, 6" barrel. I expect that is licence-able, so it would be restricted - not "prohib" [prohibited]?
I have a strong feeling that the pistol was registered in 1953/4 - and then put in a drawer. Do these records still exist?
The original owner is deceased.
Can some please explain more on the implications of the Grandfathering?
I have been told I am paranoid about all this, and I agree but I come by it honestly when dealing with bureaucracy.
I would be more than a little miffed if, because of a wrong step or opening a can of worms with questions that I can't answer, this little pistol gets confiscated and destroyed by some zealous individual after disturbing it from it's peaceful existence in a drawer somewhere. I intend to tread very carefully.
Thanks again.
 
Working from memory, I did internet research and have determined it is an H&R Sportsman, 9 shot revolver, break open, .22 long rifle, 6" barrel.
I thank you all for your thoroughness, I should have been more clear on some points. I'm learning.
 
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Assuming it qualifies for Restricted status it starts with phoning it in and explaining the situation. Initially I'd leave it with the present owner. They will want the model number and serial number to use for finding the FRT number for that model of gun They will likely require you to get it verified by a gunsmith or a store in the area. They'll have all sorts of hoops for you to jump through in terms of moving it to where it can be verified. And part of the checking will be to verify a serial number on it to check if it was ever reported stolen or used in a crime and to try to contact any last known owner if they have such information on file from the old system.

At least that's what the last one I heard about had to do to get an old previously "lost" gun back on the books and into use. But as always YMMV.
Last restricted I registered they verified it over the phone.

I see why they would do it, because I'd they actually check and things do not match up, your in a world of hurt!
 

Fair question, but OP seems determined to follow the offensive laws of this land regardless of how unreasonable they are.


Thanks again for the replies all.
As a novice I am not understanding most of the abbreviations used in these replies.
12.6 guy?
The subject pistol is an H&R Sportsman, 6" barrel. I expect that is licence-able, so it would be restricted - not "prohib" [prohibited]?
I have a strong feeling that the pistol was registered in 1953/4 - and then put in a drawer. Do these records still exist?
The original owner is deceased.
Can some please explain more on the implications of the Grandfathering?
I have been told I am paranoid about all this, and I agree but I come by it honestly when dealing with bureaucracy.
I would be more than a little miffed if, because of a wrong step or opening a can of worms with questions that I can't answer, this little pistol gets confiscated and destroyed by some zealous individual after disturbing it from it's peaceful existence in a drawer somewhere. I intend to tread very carefully.
Thanks again.

12(6) is the prohibited category for short barreled handguns (and all .25 and .32 caliber handguns, regardless of barrel length). To prevent serious opposition to this change the government of the day grandfathered all gun owners that already owned one of the 12(6) pistols by a cut off date. That means those gun owners can own 12(6) handguns until their death (unlike you and I, who are out of luck due to an accident of timing). For a 12(6) gun to be grandfathered it had to have been properly registered in the old system prior to the PAL days. If it never got registered in the previous system (like the gun in question here) then it cannot be brought forward into the current system and will be confiscated for destruction by the authorities.

You aren't paranoid at all, the system and the 'people' (using that word very loosely) inhabiting it are not your friends and certainly don't have your best interests at heart. Making sure you have your ducks in a row before ever coming to their attention on this is very smart, not crazy or paranoid.


Working from memory, I did internet research and have determined it is an H&R Sportsman, 9 shot revolver, break open, .22 long rifle, 6" barrel.

In that case it is not a 12(6) prohib and you should be fine to register it.


Mark
 
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