I'm on my way to Alaska in a week. I was thinking of taking a Mossberg 500 12ga. for survival purposes. It has a 20" barrel and a high capacity tube the length of the barrel. Is this gun legal to take through Canada? If it is how much hassle is there clearing customs in Canada with it? I intend to have it unloaded and the Ammo in a fabric bag with other survival gear. I have been trying to find out the Canadian rules and a little bit confused by them. I find references of having to have the gun in a locked case, out of sight for example. I know there is a fee for having it about $50, I think. How much hassle is there really in taking it?

a64pilot wrote:I'm on my way to Alaska in a week. I was thinking of taking a Mossberg 500 12ga. How much hassle is there really in taking it?

I made a lot of trips up and down the Alcan 20-30 years ago, ferrying airplanes that were bought and sold, and always packed a shotgun with me. But... The road was wilder then, NAV aids were nonexistent, and in crappy weather getting lost was a very real problem. Customs, especially Canadian, were lax and they knew all of us frequent flyers anyway, so the rule was "don't ask, don't tell."

Last year's trip up to work was the first time I'd flown myself up in about eight years. What a difference! New rules, red tape and regulations, HUA attitude and NO sense of humor at all. I didn't pack that trip, and I'm glad I didn't.

And the bottom line is, if it's just a highway trip, with some quick side trips up top once you get there, you're not going to need a weapon anyway. It's just extra paperwork, weight, and what the heck do you do with it when parked at night? Leave it in the airplane to be stolen, or lug it to the motel.

When flying the highway you're never going to be more than a few miles away from road and people, and even taking the Trench isn't going to pose a long term survival problem if you have to park somewhere along the way. The remotes at Fort Ware and Mackenzie both reach out a long way, and SAR knows where you'll be. Besides, GPS makes brave navigators out of all of us.

I take a gun with me no matter where I fly. Maybe not a shotgun but I always have a gun. I would rather have one and not need it than need one and not have it. Just my 2 cents worth.

We've been though this before. I carry a loaded banana creme pie.

zane wrote:We've been though this before. I carry a loaded banana creme pie.

What does this do to your W&B?

a64pilot wrote:I'm on my way to Alaska in a week. I was thinking of taking a Mossberg 500 12ga. for survival purposes. It has a 20" barrel and a high capacity tube the length of the barrel. Is this gun legal to take through Canada? If it is how much hassle is there clearing customs in Canada with it? I intend to have it unloaded and the Ammo in a fabric bag with other survival gear. I have been trying to find out the Canadian rules and a little bit confused by them. I find references of having to have the gun in a locked case, out of sight for example. I know there is a fee for having it about $50, I think. How much hassle is there really in taking it?

http://www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca/online-en_lig ... fs/909.pdf

Firearm Definitions

A non-restricted firearm is:
- An ordinary rifle, shotgun or combination gun that is not described below
as being restricted or prohibited.

A restricted firearm is:
- A handgun that is not a prohibited firearm.
- A semi-automatic, centre-fire rifle or shotgun with a barrel length less than
470 mm (18.5 inches) that is not prohibited.
- A rifle or shotgun that can fire when its overall length is reduced by
folding, telescoping or some other means to less than 660 mm (26
inches).
- Any firearm prescribed as restricted (including some long guns).

A prohibited firearm is:
- A handgun with a barrel length of 105 mm (4.1 inches) or less.
- A handgun designed or adapted to discharge 25 or 32 calibre ammunition.
- A rifle or shotgun that has been altered to make it less than 660 mm (26
inches) in overall length.
- A rifle or shotgun that has been altered to make the barrel length less than
457 mm (18 inches) where the overall firearm length is 660 mm (26
inches) or more.
- An automatic firearm and a converted automatic firearm.
- Any firearm prescribed as prohibited.

NON-RESTRICTED FIREARMS

(Ordinary rifles and shotguns)
Once this declaration has been confirmed by a customs officer, it is
valid for a period of up to sixty (60) days. This confirmed declaration is
also a temporary firearms licence and registration. If you are remaining
in Canada for more than sixty (60) days, you may extend the validity of
your confirmation by calling the Canada Firearms Centre at 1 800
731-4000 and asking to be transferred to the Chief Firearms Officer
(CFO) of the province or territory where you are.

RESTRICTED FIREARMS
Once this declaration has been confirmed by a customs officer, it is
valid for up to sixty (60) days or until the expiration date of your
Authorization to Transport (ATT), whichever comes first. This confirmed
declaration is also a temporary firearms licence and registration. If you
are remaining in Canada for a longer period than stated on your ATT,
you must call the Canada Firearms Centre at 1 800 731-4000 and ask
to be transferred to the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) of the province or
territory where you are.

A friend's experience:

I fill out the form shown in my first post as required, then when I cross the border they will ask if you have any weapons, I usually show the border guard the form as soon as I pull up to the gate. I never have had any problems if i have enough money to cover the cost of imports to canada. ($25.00cd per gun.)

You do not have to file the form in advance unless you are importing a restricted weapon. if you are taking a shot gun or rifle you can show the form and pay at the border.

OBTW they don't even ask to see the weapon.

When you have the gun import form filled out [what I attached above] they will ask you to move out of the gate and park the car and come inside to enter the weapon in the computer and pay, then you are free to go anywhere in Canada

In a nutshell, if the firearm is non-restricted (normal shotgun or rifle, not an assualt rifle) simply have the form filled out and ready when you reach customs and be prepared to pay a $25 fee per weapon.

If it is restricted (all those things listed above including most handguns) you must mail the form in advance, with fees enclosed, and get advanced approval.

If it is prohibited, forget about it.

Zane,

We need to have a serious conversation.

pif_sonic wrote:Zane,

We need to have a serious conversation.

You're thinking I should carry a mincemeat or Shepherd's Pie for bear protection? I agree.

1-800-CANPASS
You'll need to call them anyway for customs but they have someone that you can talk to about the firearm declaration. You'll be met at the ramp by an RCMP type, show & tell time and off you go.

Another option would be to ship it from one dealer to another and have it waiting for you when you get here. Depending on what the charge is for that, you can pick one up at Wally World for a couple of hundred.

I went through in 04..Canadian Customs was no problem...had downloaded and filled in the forms before leaving home....shotgun...they took my money and never asked to see the weapon or checked the plane.
Now coming back into US was a different story....at Cutbank....had to unpack and produce the weapon for a once over and SN# check...

It was suggested I get a form from Customs ...sort of a pedigree for the weapon....to prove I had it when I left US next time....seems there is a problem with Canadians selling "illegal" weapons to US citizens rather than turn them in to CA govmt....really was no problem...I got the pedigree ...good for ever cop said.... Last time into CA by road, I was asked once about a firearm and 5 times about bear spray......guess they consider a shot gun a defensive weapon but bear spray is an offensive weapon...nice to know logic is a problem within govmt no matter which country...

Once&futr,
Thanks, that's what I needed. For the others, It's just insurance, I don't expect to ever need it. Call it a weakness if you must, but the knowledge it's there if I ever did is worth the $. A gun is just a tool, nothing more.
I looked into the bear spray, but after seeing a UH-1H come within inches of crashing when the tear gas grenade went off inside of it, the concern of it's effectiveness, and the fact that the Canadians have as much of a problem with it as they do with a gun, made up my mind.

12 years ago I flew to Campbell river with my wife for some salmon fishing. I packed my 45 ACP and thought nothing of it and had no paperwork.

Pulled into customs and was asked about firearms and I sain no way. No search so felt fine. After about an hour of rest at the motel we got a call to come to the front desk. An RCMP officer was waiting for me and I just about filled my pants.

What it was all about was that we were picked by random to be the tourist of the season. Got all kinds of neat stuff including a ride in a float plane (single otter). We flew way back to some remote water.

Do the paperwork or leave it behind.

Tim

I'll do the paperwork and pay, I'm the person that always get's caught if I try anything.

a64,

Don't worry about Canada Customs, and if its' what you describe, you can just show up and declare it, and they'll fill out a form, etc.

Coming into the US, be prepared to produce the weapon, though.

You won't be met by RCMP on these deals, by the way, but by Canada Customs. RCMP might be the ones to haul you off to the hoosegow, but Customs is the greeter. Most times, they don't even greet you.

If you are going to clear somewhere that they normally don't meet people, be sure to file the form in advance, and pay the fee. That way, they may still not come visit.

When I came through in a car, Canada Customs filled out the form on the guns. On one, one number in the serial number was written down wrong, and it was really hard to tell whether it was a 6 or an 8. When I came back into the US, the US Customs guy asked if I'd declared the guns. Yep. Let me see the Canada Customs forms. I should have told him those were my personal property, and not available, but what the hey.

He looked at the guns, decided that this .22 was probably a terrorist weapon, and immediately started a search for some reason to arrest me.

This went on for over an hour, at which point an older Customs guy came in the door, took one look at me and said, "Jeezz, you sure have deteriorated since high school". "What the hell is the hold up here?" The young guy explained to his supervisor that the Canadian customs paperwork had a different serial number than was on the gun.

The supervisor suggested to the young Customs guy that a .22 rifle was probably not their biggest problem of the day, even without a serial number, and kicked us free. He got my cell number, and about 30 miles down the road called to apologize for the hassle.

So, just make sure they get all the numbers straight.

MTV

If you are an AOPA member, give them a call and they will send you a neat little packet of info with literally everything that you need to know.

If you aren't a member....JOIN. Then repeat the step above.

Also you can find the same info on their website.

Before you leave the country for Canada, Mexico or where ever, fill out Customs Form 4455. List anything of value: guns, spotting scopes, cell phones, sat phones, etc. Serial numbers where applicable. Show everything to the U.S. Customs people on the way out and they will sign the form (which is permanently good). On the way back, they aren't supposed to hassle you about bringing anything on the form back into the country. Doesn't work for beer.

375HandH

375,
I hate to say this, but why stop to clear customs on the way out? I don't think there is any requirement to do that, so I'll just try to see what happens. I have had a couple of run ins with the CBP exporting aircraft. That's what they call themselves now. The BP part I think is what makes them feel important now. Don't even go through Key West or Miami. I will go through Fort Pierce from now on when headed south.

Yep,

Frankly, I contact US Customs as infrequently as possible. I can honestly say that those guys are the least public friendly LE organization I've ever run into.

Canada Customs, on the other hand, is like a breath of fresh air.

MTV

Before you leave the country for Canada, Mexico or where ever, fill out Customs Form 4455. List anything of value: guns, spotting scopes, cell phones, sat phones, etc.

Forget the guns when going south into Mexico

Tim

why would anyone want to go to Mexico??????