‘Restricted’ Firearm Ownership Rose to Record in June

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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