• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

Canada Border Crossing with firearm?

SteelShooter

NES Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
12,844
Likes
9,034
Location
MA
Feedback: 31 / 0 / 0
Tried a search but didn't come up with anything. Planning a drive to Alaska, wondering if anyone has any recent (since 10/2022) crossing with a firearm. Looks like just about everything is illegal, but there are some exceptions for just crossing through Canada and some shotgun exceptions. The rules are written worse than MA laws and if you happen to get it wrong and try to cross with an illegal firearm they get to confiscate it and keep it, even if you did the paperwork.
I know I can ship to a dealer in AK, but was hoping to have something with me on the drive.
 
Tried a search but didn't come up with anything. Planning a drive to Alaska, wondering if anyone has any recent (since 10/2022) crossing with a firearm. Looks like just about everything is illegal, but there are some exceptions for just crossing through Canada and some shotgun exceptions. The rules are written worse than MA laws and if you happen to get it wrong and try to cross with an illegal firearm they get to confiscate it and keep it, even if you did the paperwork.
I know I can ship to a dealer in AK, but was hoping to have something with me on the drive.

Don't do it, you're better off skipping canada if you're taking guns, there's a cool US based water taxi/ferry in WA that you can just drive onto with your guns and all.

Canada is a shithole of firearm regulation.
 
Tried a search but didn't come up with anything. Planning a drive to Alaska, wondering if anyone has any recent (since 10/2022) crossing with a firearm. Looks like just about everything is illegal, but there are some exceptions for just crossing through Canada and some shotgun exceptions. The rules are written worse than MA laws and if you happen to get it wrong and try to cross with an illegal firearm they get to confiscate it and keep it, even if you did the paperwork.
I know I can ship to a dealer in AK, but was hoping to have something with me on the drive.
I am not a lawyer, however, my experience has been as follows. There are a TON of Canadian rules. If you have a standard bolt action rifle, or over/under or break action shotgun, you need a certificate of importation for the purpose of transit, and declare the firearm at the checkpoint, have it in a locked case, ammunition in a second locked case, and NEVER mention self defense as a reason.

I have been through Canada with a century old Remington model 11, and with the new laws there, because it is Semi-automatic, I couldn't bring it today, because it holds more than 3 shells.
 
Last edited:
Just call the Canada border folks. They'll point you to the right forms and fees.

People go darn near every day PCSing in and out of Alaska with firearms and ammo.

Fudd long guns only, no handguns, and up to 5K rounds of ammo with some oddball caliber restrictions.
 
Common sense is illegal in Canada. That's all you need to know. They love their rules and regulations and have no sense of humor. They are very polite when writing out your tickets though. $162.50 for no seatbelt. They didn't laugh when I asked who came up with the 50 cents....
 
I know a guy who filled out all the right forms and was able to bring in a hunting rifle for a hunt on Anticosti Island. It was several years ago, though.
 
I know I can ship to a dealer in AK, but was hoping to have something with me on the drive.
What for?

I would assume that handguns are next to impossible and will need to be locked. So what good is a gun locked in a case that is inside a trunk going to do?

On top of that you have to worry about storage laws every time you stop. Can you leave it unattended in a trunk? ... what about in a motel/hotel? ... how big of a headache is it to get back in the U.S with that gun and how much time will you waste with some rookie trying to call 3 supervisors?

It is already causing you a headache and you are not even on your trip. F*ck, it is giving me a headache just thinking about this.

The answer is simple. SHIP THEM.
 
I know a guy who filled out all the right forms and was able to bring in a hunting rifle for a hunt on Anticosti Island. It was several years ago, though.
I would assume there are companies that specialize on this stuff, maybe the same that charge a sh*t ton of money to bring tourists hunting.
 
Or, Illinois, NJ, NY, CA, CT, MD, DE, WA, OR, MI, MA or any other leftist state that offers me nothing but a hard time. I'll just keep my ass right here in Kentucky.
Those States offer submarine tours?

MI is not terrible. I will go hunting there this year, north part, we can bring rifles with the MA license, and looks like getting a hunting license is easy to do online.

Laws for locals might s*ck a**, but I am looking at it from the point of view of bringing a rifle for hunting.
 
I did this for a hunting trip about 10+ years ago, made it through but I’d rather have 24th a of a colonoscopy. Never again, the rules regulations and opinion of the border police changed daily. Despite have quadrupled checked , having printed documents it was a shot show. Lesson Don’t and when you think you are good to go, Don’t. If someone says it’s not that bad Don’t.
 
I legally brought my G-21 and (10 round) magazines into Canada for an IPSC match with some friends. Interesting procedures at the time and I'm pretty sure that it would not be possible today.

It was a different world then..............
 

Always ask for the king's permission first and get all the forms signed properly. And if you just bring a single shot 12 ga or a double barreled shottie like Obama/Biden says the 2nd amendment is supposed to protect, I think Canada still lets you have those... IF you have a good reason to have one, i.e. specific hunting event.

That last video - the pair of snow bunnies in stasi uniform can cavity search me anytime.
 
Last edited:
I've crossed several times in the past 10 years going bird hunting in Quebec and the Maritimes, but only carrying one double barrel shotgun - no experience otherwise. In my experience, CAN border agents are, on the whole, much nicer than some of the a$$holes at the US border I've encountered when returning.
 
I know a guy who filled out all the right forms and was able to bring in a hunting rifle for a hunt on Anticosti Island. It was several years ago, though.
I used to shoot IPSC handgun matches in Canada, eh? around the turn of the century. I had to mail order paperwork, and there was almost confusion and "never saw dis befo" at customs, but never a problems. Handguns are now banned for all but grandfathered owners so things are different now. There is also a $50CDN (I think) registration fee when you are bringing in the allowed types of long guns, assuming of course that your papers are in order. Some were before and some after the 10 round mag limit.
 
Yea, I guess I'll stick with the bear spray and ship my Bear protection to Fairbanks. Trying to get all the way up to Prudhoe Bay.
 
Yea, I guess I'll stick with the bear spray and ship my Bear protection to Fairbanks. Trying to get all the way up to Prudhoe Bay.

Long gun or hand gun.

Who are you shipping to? If an FFL, they probably won't transfer a handgun to you as it's illegal(unless there is a goofy AK carve out).
If a friend(or yourself), don't ask don't tell is an option--USPS priority mail flat rate stuff is the best way to go for affordability and timeliness.

Regardless, if you're shipping to an FFL ensure they are able to transfer it to you when you get there. Squarebanks is an easier drive then getting down to Anc.

Definately reccomend planning your trip through Cananda well along with hotel reservations, but if you're going during the travel season you don't need the crazy extra stuff some people bring. You might need that north of Fairbanks though.
 
Any chance you can rent a gun once there? I thought I saw something on that years ago.

Say I want a .44 mag for bear defense or what?
 
I think you can ship a handgun to yourself, care of the place you will be staying. The package should be left unopened and delivered to you, not handled as a transfer by an entity not an FFL. An FFL cannot legally transfer a handgun to someone not a resident of the state in which the transfer occurs, and I don't believe there is an exception for "but I already own the gun...".
 
In my experience, CAN border agents are, on the whole, much nicer than some of the a$$holes at the US border I've encountered when returning.
That's almost universally true no matter which other country.

Also: aside from Canada's rules, if you don't declare it on the US side before leaving, you won't be coming back in with it. They'll treat it like an import, and it's not happening.
 
Back
Top Bottom