Canadian firearm law with regards to disabled WWII guns?

Kevin R Brown

...Alright; this pertains to some fiction I'm writing:

If someone stipulates in a will that a disabled (rendered totally useless; firing pin removed, barrel filled-in, etc) firearm (an old pistol) is to be passed along to a beneficiary within the will, would the firearm actually be handed over the the beneficiary? Or would they have to, like, go through some red tape & stuff first?

Thanks for any help.

Dunadan019

http://firearmcentre.ca/inhereted_firearms.html

I don't think it matters that it's disabled but I can't find any specific ruling that says that.

Iceman.USAF

We handled disabled M1's all the time in ROTC/CAP, and never had an issue (US, Massachusetts). That's not to say some nervous cop won't pop you, as it LOOKS like a real rifle.

Bendery It Like Beckham

Since there is no special exception listed in the rules for acquiring a disabled firearm I draw the conclusion that you would need the same licenses and processes for as if it was a live firearm. Just because a gun is disabled that does not mean it is no longer a gun. For all intensive purposes it is still a gun, it is just a broken gun.

Iceman.USAF

I guess it all depends on the definition of "firearm" in your area. I believe weapons that are concrete filled/pin removed are no longer considered weapons in MA.

Artreus

That's not entirely helpful seeing as how firearm laws probably vary greatly between US and Canada

JHunz

The 800 number listed a couple times in Dunadan's link is probably the place to ask that question. If they're the ones licensing firearms they're going to be the ones who know what counts as one.

Andrew_Jay

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EggyToast

In this case you can use the common fiction tool of "A Lawyer Did It." Unless it's a central point of the story.

Cycophant

Assuming we're talking Canadian law here, a "firearm" that has been properly (meaning done to legal standards) deactivated is no longer considered a firearm, and can be treated like any old regular object in terms of giving it to other people and being inherited.

If you want to get the low-down on what is considered proper deactivation, this link seems to offer the details pretty well.

Everywhereasign

I had to deactivate a few pistols (in Canada). I called one of the RCMPs 800 numbers and they forwarded me to a document extremely similar to the one Cycophant linked to.

After doing a bit of hammering and welding, you need to send in the documentation to show that they are deactivated. Afterward, it's just a hunk of metal in the shape of a gun. You can will it, give it away, sell it at a garage sale, or bury it in soft peat for 2-3 weeks. Whatever you want.