TheGunBlog.ca — The number of so-called “Restricted” handguns and rifles owned by Canadian individuals rose to a record in June after more than five years of uninterrupted monthly increases, as federally licensed gun owners bought semi-automatic pistols and rifles for plinking, recreation and competition.
- Target shooting is one of Canada’s safest and most-popular sporting activities.
- 833,170 “Restricted” firearms were registered to individuals at 30 June 2018, according to RCMP data provided to TheGunBlog.ca.
- 154,538 “Prohibited” firearms were registered to individuals at that date.
- See the interactive charts and explanations below.
- Read: Gun Licences Rise to Record in June After 21 Quarterly Increases
What Is a ‘Restricted’ Firearm?
- All firearms and licensed firearm owners in Canada are tightly restricted.
- All gun owners must apply to be licensed by the federal police and be registered with the federal police.
- Even though all firearms are restricted, the law classifies them under three labels: “Non-restricted,” “Restricted” and “Prohibited.” All are legal to own with the right licence.
- “Restricted” firearms are uniquely registered to their owners by the federal police.
- They require specific permission from the police to buy, own and take to the target range.
- They may be transported only between specific locations authorized by law and by the police (e.g. home, target range, gunsmith, airport).
- The law says you may use a “Restricted” firearm only for sport shooting or collecting, not for hunting.
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