Purchasing non-grandfather full autos in Canada?

[Pte. Jay]

Hello everyone,
I have a question about obtaining full-auto rifles/sub-machine firearms in Canada. Is there any way to obtain them? (A level of the PAL maybe?) Do they always have to be grandfathered for purchasing to be allowed? (Meaning, can I go to the U.S and purchase me a brand new full-auto AR variant?)

As always, my apologies if this has already been discussed somewhere in the hundreds of pages of this section, I couldn't find it.

Regards,
      Jay B

 

[Loachman]

Presuming that you mean legally, no.

 

[Robert0288]

Take a look here: http://www.nfa.ca/resource-items/firearm-classifications

As far as I know, there is no way of obtaining a new 12.x license, other then maybe as a museum curator.

 

[MikeL]

You're 15/16,  you can't even get a PAL/RPAL yet and you want to know where to get a automatic weapon? 

Why do you want a automatic weapon anyways?  Semi auto is sufficient for civilian shooting.. even for the majority of Military rifle shooting

 

[blacktriangle]

Hello everyone,
I have a question about obtaining full-auto rifles/sub-machine firearms in Canada. Is there any way to obtain them? (A level of the PAL maybe?) Do they always have to be grandfathered for purchasing to be allowed? (Meaning, can I go to the U.S and purchase me a brand new full-auto AR variant?)

As always, my apologies if this has already been discussed somewhere in the hundreds of pages of this section, I couldn't find it.

Regards,
      Jay B

Honestly...why would anyone need a full auto rifle? I don't even like firing the C7/C8 on auto. Unless ordered to do so, I will never use it personally. So why does a civilian need that kind of ability?

 

[JorgSlice]

No.

Firearms Program - View this for all your needs on How and What of a PAL and the legalities of Firearms in Canada.

Grandfathered means if you were to purchase an Automatic Firearm in Canada, prior to 1998 when it was legal to do so on an FAC, and then when Autos were deemed illegal, you'd be "grandfathered" into the new program and permitted to keep them for Collection only. Automatic weapons are illegal for purchase and import in Canada, as mentioned, the only way you'd be able to get one is for Museum Collection purchases and the RCMP may require their in-house gunsmiths to do some tinkering to disable the firearm before giving it back to you.

You can buy a Non-Restricted/Restricted Class AR-15 that is Semi-Auto only on a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) only after completing the Non-Restricted and Restricted  Canadian Firearms Safety Courses.

You're 15/16,  you can't even get a PAL/RPAL yet and you want to know where to get a automatic weapon? 

Why do you want a automatic weapon anyways?  Semi auto is sufficient for civilian shooting.. even for the majority of Military rifle shooting

Youth are permitted to gain a PAL with parental guidance. The Youth-PAL is very restrictive as seen at my link:

A Minors' Licence will enable young people to borrow a non-restricted rifle or shotgun for approved purposes such as hunting or target shooting. Generally, the minimum age is 12 years, but exceptions may be made for younger people who need to hunt to sustain themselves and their families. Applicants must have taken the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and passed the test. The fee to renew a minor’s licence is waived.

Once a person turns 18, they are no longer eligible for a minor’s licence. Instead, they must apply for a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) and pay the applicable fee. Currently, the fee only applies to the first PAL. Fees to renew a licence or modify licence privileges are waived.

----------------

Definition of a prohibited firearm

According to the Criminal Code, a prohibited firearm is:

a. handgun that has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length, or is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge, but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union,

b. a firearm that is adapted from a rifle or shotgun, whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration, and that, as so adapted, is less than 660 mm in length, or is 660 mm or greater in length and has a barrel less than 457 mm in length,

c. an automatic firearm, whether or not it has been altered to discharge only one projectile with one pressure of the trigger, or
d. any firearm that is prescribed to be a prohibited firearm

Maintaining grandfathered privileges

To stay grandfathered for a particular category of prohibited firearm, an individual must have continuously held a registration certificate for a firearm in that category from December 1, 1998, onward. To be able to hold a registration certificate for a firearm, an individual needs a licence allowing them to possess that class of firearm. It is therefore essential that firearms licences be renewed before they expire.

All registration certificates issued under the former law (prior to December 1, 1998) expired on December 31, 2002, so it was important to have re-registered the firearm(s) under the Firearms Act before the old certificate expired. Contact the CFP for more information or assistance.

Exception to grandfathering

If a person is not grandfathered, the only prohibited firearms they may possess or acquire are handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm or less or that discharge .25 or .32 calibre ammunition, and only if all of the following criteria are met:

a. the handgun was made before 1946, and
b. the handgun was registered in Canada on December 1, 1998, and
c. the individual is the child, grandchild, brother, sister or spouse of the lawful owner, and
d. the individual is acquiring it for an approved purpose such as target shooting or as part of a collection.

Under these circumstances, the individual can lawfully acquire and possess the handgun in question, but they are not grandfathered or authorized to acquire more prohibited handguns

Reading material for you:

Classes of Firearms
Restricted Firearms
Prohibited (Illegal)

 

[MikeL]

Youth are permitted to gain a PAL with parental guidance.

A minor's license is not a PAL.

A minor’s licence permits the borrowing of non-restricted firearms (ordinary rifles and shotguns) for the following activities:

target practice
organized shooting competitions
hunting
being instructed in the use of firearms

A Possession and Acquisition Licence allows individuals in Canada to possess and acquire firearms as well as ammunition.

You can buy a Non-Restricted/Restricted Class AR-15 that is Semi-Auto only on a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) only after completing the Non-Restricted and Restricted  Canadian Firearms Safety Courses.

Not quite...  you don't have to do the course.  The course is also nothing unless you do the test,  pass it as well as the background checks,  ref checks, etc.  Instead of doing the course,  you can challenge the tests.

 

[JorgSlice]

A minor's license is not a PAL

Your quote even lists the two as different things..  minor's licence for those under 18(12-17) and a PAL for those 18 and over.  A minor's licence is not equal to a PAL.

Simply a technicality of adding 3 letters that shouldn't have. I still listed the privileges and restrictions of a Minor's Licence any way.

 

[Pte. Jay]

Nono, I have no intention of obtaining a full auto, I was watching some videos on YouTube about Americans firing full autos and it got me thinking, so I did a little research on the topic, but didn't get straight answers. Thanks though, very helpful!

 

[eurowing]

Why do you want a automatic weapon anyways?  Semi auto is sufficient for civilian shooting.. even for the majority of Military rifle shooting

I would want one just for fun shoots!  Why would anyone want a motorcycle that does 300KPH? The reasoning of "you don't need it" doesn't work well with me.

 

[MikeL]

I would want one just for fun shoots! 

Only if we could have shoots like this in Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPzwZXhLr2k

Plus lots of money to buy the guns,  ammo, etc  ;D

 

[Pte. Jay]

Only if we could have shoots like this in Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPzwZXhLr2k

Plus lots of money to buy the guns,  ammo, etc  ;D

Oh my goodness, that must have hurt his eyes... (The machine gun and the guy with the hat)

 

[BernDawg]

The only legal way to fire full auto in Canada is to join the CF and do your time. If you're really lucky you can join the Infantry and get to fire all of the MG's we have. ;-)

 

[Pte. Jay]

The only legal way to fire full auto in Canada is to join the CF and do your time. If you're really lucky you can join the Infantry and get to fire all of the MG's we have. ;-)

That, sir, is what I intend to do!

 

[JorgSlice]

A minor's license is not a PAL.

A Possession and Acquisition Licence allows individuals in Canada to possess and acquire firearms as well as ammunition.


Not quite...  you don't have to do the course.  The course is also nothing unless you do the test,  pass it as well as the background checks,  ref checks, etc.  Instead of doing the course,  you can challenge the tests.

I am quite aware, I am a long time PAL holder and own many firearms myself, but either way you have to have that paper that either says you completed the course or you challenged it and passed. Checks are standard with application. It's all there on the website I linked.

 

[MeatheadMick]

The only legal way to fire full auto in Canada is to join the CF and do your time. If you're really lucky you can join the Infantry and get to fire all of the MG's we have. ;-)

Ranges aren't nearly as fun as plinking though   and plinking FPSRussia style would be an awesome day!

http://youtu.be/5F1o1BrXP1A

Everyone's hiding over there in a bunker, because they all think I'm going to die *smiles*