Why does the Canadian RFB have to be different?

superlative

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
46   0   0
Location
Calgary
Canadian law: "The firearms barrel may not be shortened to less than 18.5 inches while still maintaining an overall length of 26inches however it can come from factory with any sized barrel as long as the firearms overall length maintains 26inches."

Now the American version of the RFB is 26" long, as is the Mare's Leg (which is legal in Canada); therefore why did Kel Tec create a Canadian RFB with an 18.5" barrel and no muzzle brake? The American RFB is legal as-is by Canadian law!
 
Semi auto centerfire guns in Canada MUST have a 18.5 inch long barrel OR longer, otherwise they are deemed restricted.

Don't confuse manual actions like pumps, bolts, levers, which CAN have shorter barrels IF they are factory manufactured.

Cheers
Jay
 
Canadian law: "The firearms barrel may not be shortened to less than 18.5 inches while still maintaining an overall length of 26inches however it can come from factory with any sized barrel as long as the firearms overall length maintains 26inches."

Posters above me have answered your question but have not corrected you on this.

A barrel may be shortened to 18 inches or greater, not 18.5. Factory barrels may be any size (as you correctly stated) but in the case of pistol barrels, a factory barrel under 4.1" is prohibited.

If you think this is silly I suggest you contact your MP. Not only is the law absurd, but it's so needlessly complex that enthusiasts, professionals and law enforcement alike can't get it straight.
 
Posters above me have answered your question but have not corrected you on this.

A barrel may be shortened to 18 inches or greater, not 18.5. Factory barrels may be any size (as you correctly stated) but in the case of pistol barrels, a factory barrel under 4.1" is prohibited.

If you think this is silly I suggest you contact your MP. Not only is the law absurd, but it's so needlessly complex that enthusiasts, professionals and law enforcement alike can't get it straight.

what you're saying contradicts the others who say what I said in the op doesn't apply to semis
 
what you're saying contradicts the others who say what I said in the op doesn't apply to semis

to be non restricted and semi auto center fire it must have an 18.5 inch barrel AND be 26 inches OAL.
any non semi center fire can be shortened to 18 inches. it can be shorter if it came that way from the factory.
if its semi and center fire with a barrel less then 18.5 its restricted.


please correct me if im wrong.
 
what you're saying contradicts the others who say what I said in the op doesn't apply to semis

I don't see any contradiction.

to be non restricted and semi auto center fire it must have an 18.5 inch barrel AND be 26 inches OAL.
any non semi center fire can be shortened to 18 inches. it can be shorter if it came that way from the factory.
if its semi and center fire with a barrel less then 18.5 its restricted.


please correct me if im wrong.

ANY barrel may be shortened to 18". The only consideration semi-auto centre-fires get is that between 18-18.5 you have created a restricted firearm. There is no prohibition on shortening semi-auto centre-fire barrels to a length under 18.5"....doing so merely changes the firearm's classification. That's what I was saying in my earlier post.

Strictly talking in terms of barrel shortening law...that's all there is to it. You of course have to know the classification rules to stay legal....since going down to the minimum on your semi-auto centre-fire creates a restricted...which is a problem if you never get around to registering it as such....or don't hold an RPAL.

For firearms classification,

a prohibited firearm is:
- any firearm declared prohibited
- any firearm capable of firing multiple rounds with each trigger pull
- any variant of a named prohib
- any pistol with a barrel under 4.1"
- any firearm where the overall length has been modified by sawing, cutting, etc so that it is less than 26" in overall length
- any firearm where the barrel has been cut down below 18"

a restricted firearm is:
- any firearm under 26" in overall length
- any semi automatic centre fire rifle with a barrel less than 18.5"
- all handguns which are not prohibited
- any firearm declared restricted, including any variants of the named restricted

a non-restricted firearm is:
- any firearm not restricted or prohibited
 
Last edited:
I don't see any contradiction.



ANY non-pistol barrel may be shortened to 18". The only consideration semi-auto centre-fires get is that between 18-18.5 you have created a restricted firearm. There is no prohibition on shortening semi-auto centre-fire barrels to a length under 18.5"....doing so merely changes the firearm's classification. That's what I was saying in my earlier post.

thats what i just said. i never said anything about making a semi auto prohib by shortening it. i said "TO BE NON RESTRICTED and semi auto center fire it must have an 18.5 inch barrel AND be 26 inches OAL."
and then i said "if its semi and center fire with a barrel less then 18.5 its restricted." i was saying if its not semi auto you can shorten it to 18 inches and it still be non restricted, even shorter if it came that way. i never said a semi couldn't be shortened past 18.5, i just said it would make it restricted.
 
"...Why does the Canadian RFB have to be different?..." We're not in the U.S. And you should be thankful you aren't too. Stateside you'd have to comply with Federal, State and sometimes municipal firearms laws. The latter not only about discharge by-laws.
"...must also be marked 308win instead of..." Daft difference of one being the NATO designation for the cartridge. No exporting military stuff. Or else!
 
To come across the border the Canadian version must also be marked 308win instead of 7.62x51.
Because 308 is much safer than 7.62. :jerkit:
Sad but true.
Not true.
To leave the USA it must be marked .308 or .223 so that they do not export their military hardware.
Canada doesn't give a rats ass if your rifle is 5.56 or 7.62
 
Not true.
To leave the USA it must be marked .308 or .223 so that they do not export their military hardware.
Canada doesn't give a rats ass if your rifle is 5.56 or 7.62

Did you just say the exact same thing in a different way?
I never mentioned which country made the rule only that it can't go across the US/Canadian border in a northerly direction if it was marked 7.62.

Thanks for clarifying that though :slap:
 
Did you just say the exact same thing in a different way?
I never mentioned which country made the rule only that it can't go across the US/Canadian border in a northerly direction if it was marked 7.62.

Thanks for clarifying that though :slap:

Your wording implies that Canada has a problem with firearms marked as 7.62x51.
This may give people the impression that firearms marked 7.62x51 may not be imported when there is no truth to this.
I can order an Accuracy International which comes from Great Britain in 7.62x51 NATO and have it imported without any problem.

Even though our wording is slightly different the end result is nowhere near the same.
 
Did you just say the exact same thing in a different way?I never mentioned which country made the rule......

No you never but to be fair..... your wording (and the fact we were talking about asinine Canadian laws) implies the reg is from the Canadian side. I took your comment the same way as thumprr did. No big deal.. it's all been cleared up now. The US DOJ is just as ridiculous as the Canadian law.. no rhyme or reason and their take / stand on things seems to vary month by month.
 
7.62X51mm or 7.62mm NATO is on the US State Dept. restricted list making it very difficult to legally export. As with Canadian firearms restrictions, it doesn't have to make sense, it's government policy. Whether or not a certain shipment is approved for export is entirely arbitrary and can depend on what bureaucrat is the working that day or even the time of day, etc...
 
I don't see any contradiction.



ANY barrel may be shortened to 18". The only consideration semi-auto centre-fires get is that between 18-18.5 you have created a restricted firearm. There is no prohibition on shortening semi-auto centre-fire barrels to a length under 18.5"....doing so merely changes the firearm's classification. That's what I was saying in my earlier post.

Strictly talking in terms of barrel shortening law...that's all there is to it. You of course have to know the classification rules to stay legal....since going down to the minimum on your semi-auto centre-fire creates a restricted...which is a problem if you never get around to registering it as such....or don't hold an RPAL.

For firearms classification,

a prohibited firearm is:
- any firearm declared prohibited
- any firearm capable of firing multiple rounds with each trigger pull
- any variant of a named prohib
- any pistol with a barrel under 4.1"
- any firearm where the overall length has been modified by sawing, cutting, etc so that it is less than 26" in overall length
- any firearm where the barrel has been cut down below 18"

a restricted firearm is:
- any firearm under 26" in overall length
- any semi automatic centre fire rifle with a barrel less than 18.5"
- all handguns which are not prohibited
- any firearm declared restricted, including any variants of the named restricted

a non-restricted firearm is:
- any firearm not restricted or prohibited

As my friend found out, not everyone can legally shorten a barrel. It must be done by a specially licensed gunsmith/manufacturer. My friend bought a used police 870 with a 16" barrel. the CFC sent him a letter that it was prohibited as the barrel had been "cut off". the barrel had been properly cut by the Quebec police force, but that was not good enough. He eventually surrendered the barrel but not the gun.
 
As my friend found out, not everyone can legally shorten a barrel. It must be done by a specially licensed gunsmith/manufacturer. My friend bought a used police 870 with a 16" barrel. the CFC sent him a letter that it was prohibited as the barrel had been "cut off". the barrel had been properly cut by the Quebec police force, but that was not good enough. He eventually surrendered the barrel but not the gun.

The problem was the barrel being 16 inches not that it wasnt done by a lisenced smith.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom