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Old 07-17-2005, 10:19 AM
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gypsy gypsy is offline
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Join Date: May 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by porngod
Not completly true i'm afraid. It is not 'illegal' to import but since the canadian gov't has taken no actual stance on the issue of 'airsoft' the rifles themselves have been maintained in a grey area, and simply to stay on the safe side more then half of airsoft rifles that are being imported PRIVATLY are siezed and destroyed. You could however import the pieces (almost all of them) individually without incident (cost prohibitive) but you are best off simply sticking with canadian based suppliers who pay for the licenses to import these goods properly into our country.


Maybe you should educate yourself before you you make such bold statements:

From the Canadian Firearms Centre:
http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/info_for-...s/airguns_e.asp

If you own or want to acquire an air gun, here is some information you should know about how the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code apply to them.

Air guns (also known as BB guns, pellet guns, spring guns or air soft guns) fall into three categories:

air (pneumatic system),
spring (spring-air), and
gas (CO2/nitrogen).

For purposes of the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code, air guns can be broken down further into the following four categories.....:

3. Air guns that are replica firearms
These are air guns that are not powerful enough to cause serious injury or death, but that were designed to resemble a real firearm with near precision. Replica firearms, except for replicas of antique firearms, are classified as prohibited devices.

In particular, some air guns that are commonly called air soft guns may fall into this category. These are devices that have a low muzzle velocity and muzzle energy, and that usually discharge projectiles made out of a substance such as plastic or wax rather than metal or lead.

Although replica firearms are prohibited, you may keep any that you owned on December 1, 1998. You do not need a licence to possess them, and they do not need to be registered. However, as an individual, you cannot import or acquire a replica firearm. If you take a replica firearm out of Canada, you will not be able to bring it back in.

The Criminal Code sets out some penalties for using a replica firearm or any other imitation firearm to commit a crime.

The Canada Firearms Centre (CAFC) receives many enquiries from people wondering whether a low-powered air gun would be considered a replica if it resembles a real firearm in terms of its shape and size, but it is made of clear or brightly coloured plastic, or is much smaller in size.

Many of these devices have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. As a general rule, however, those made out of clear plastic and those that are significantly smaller than the real version are not classified as replicas. Brightly coloured paint does not necessarily exclude a device from the definition of a replica. If you have questions about a particular make and model of air gun you may contact a firearms technician by calling 1 800 731-4000, ext 1094.

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From the Canadian Criminal Code:

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-46/index.html

"prohibited device" means

(a) any component or part of a weapon, or any accessory for use with a weapon, that is prescribed to be a prohibited device,

(b) a handgun barrel that is equal to or less than 105 mm in length, but does not include any such handgun barrel that is prescribed, where the handgun barrel is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union,

(c) a device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm,

(d) a cartridge magazine that is prescribed to be a prohibited device, or

(e) a replica firearm;

"replica firearm" means any device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, a firearm, and that itself is not a firearm, but does not include any such device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, an antique firearm;

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From the Canadian Border Security Agency (aka Customs):

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp....html#P145_4714

"Replica firearms

Replica firearms are not classified as firearms but are designed or intended to exactly resemble a firearm with near precision. We do not consider a reproduction of an antique firearm to be a replica firearm.

Replica firearms are classified as prohibited devices and cannot be imported into Canada."

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Thus, you as a private citizen cannot import airsoft legally. There are ways to import airsoft, yes. You can get yourself registered as a propsmaster or armorer/weapons technician in the movie industry.

That means you have to join IATSE (the TV + movie worker's union), be employed by a production company in the movie/tv industry, take the training and pass the licencing requirements and apply for a pyrotechnician's permits. You need tohave a PAL with minimum Restricted allowances, and apply for a Prohibited exemption (why? Because you need to train movie stars with fully-automatic blank-firing guns, and you need to transport them to the shooting site, silly). Then you need to spend roughly $8000 in permits. THEN you need to build/buy a gun vault or safe-storage facility to ensure that you can properly store any such devices.

In the end, after all of that, you have to convince the CFO (Chief Firearms Officer) AFTER you have completed all the above that you have a legitimate need for business to import airsoft guns as "movie replicas" - and even after you have completed all of the above, he can still say no. It's at his sole discretion, and there is no one to appeal to. If he says no, you aren't getting licensed - no way, no how.

I know this because I work in the industry part time and I know the one guy in Winnipeg who has these licenses.
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