Traveling to Canada for vacation

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ridgewalker

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Hi. So I am bringing the family on a road trip and will be crossing from Washington state into British Columbia. It might be by ferry to Victoria or drive across the border near Vancouver. Then we will have to return to Washington to bring my daughter back to the Seattle airport because she doesn't have time for our entire road trip. Then the wife and go back to BC to drive to Alberta and Banff National Park. After that we will return to the USA, probably at Montana or Idaho.

There will be lots of camping along the way and normally on my camping trips in the USA in bear country I bring a 3 inch barrel 629 44 magnum revolver. Can I make multiple international crossings as described above with this which I am the legal owner of. I seem to remember that revolvers have to have a barrel of at least 4.25 inches in Canada. I could bring my 6 inch barrel 629 as an alternate. Incidentally I will have bear spray which would be my first option.

So if you have knowledge and experience with these matters, crossing back and forth between USA and Canada and having possession of a revolver in Canada I would appreciate your information.
 
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Almost certainly NO on taking a handgun. You'd have to take a safety course, jump through hoops and get approval from the Provincial Chief Firearms Officer. They don't consider hunting or self-defense as valid reasons to obtain a permit. Even if you obtained the permits/approval, the handgun would need to be unloaded and the gun and ammo would have to be secured in a locked container.

You can take certain rifles and shotguns for hunting purposes, but you need to fill out a declaration form at the border. Last time I hunted Canada, there was a fee. I'm not sure if they consider protection a valid reason to bring a rifle/shotgun into the country.

Do yourself a favor and thoroughly research this with Canadian law enforcement. Make sure you don't have any loose ammo in your vehicle; they are very strict and the penalties severe.

Canadian requirements for taking firearm / rifle to Canada to hunt

A friend was fishing Canadian waters and had a flare pistol in his boat. He was arrested, his boat impounded and he faced felony charges. I believe he finally resolved it without a conviction, but it cost him about 6K in fines.
 
As said, don't do it; besides you'd have to declare upon exiting the US and fill out that paperwork as well.
 
Well thanks for all the help. This forum is great.
I guess bear spray will have to do. Unless that's illegal too. Any opinions about that?
PS. Thanks for the tip about checking car for loose ammo. You never know what might be lurking around in some corner.
 
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As said above many times, don't do it. I recently crossed the border at Vermont. Honestly answered the question that I owned firearms. That got my car searched and a wait inside while I assume a further background check was conducted.
 
I know this place in Mississauga - that's right it is a family vacation - never mind. If you get the wrong Canadian LEO you may get a new wardrobe and room mates and your self defense insurance is probably no good there.
 
Leave the gun. Go to Canada. Lots to see and do. Have a really good time. Come home. Lots of very happy memories. I took my wife to Niagra Falls, etc. on our 38th anniversary. She wanted to go ... so ... I wanted to go. If she had wanted to go to Fiji or the Antarctic ... I would have wanted to go. Might have carried a firearm to the Antarctic. Most likely would not have fiddled with one going to Fiji. Would be hard to come up with a rig I would wear w/ flip flops and a swim suit. Canada? Never had a moments problem up there. Really nice place. We will be going back again. When we get back home, my guns will be waiting ... along with the cats. Neat thing is ... we'll get to go on a trip to a really nice place. And, we won't have to fool around trying to explain to a LEO why we disregarded the clearly posted law of the land. JMHO. Sincerely. bruce.
 
You are legally allowed to get eaten by a bear in BC but you have to ask permission to defend yourself from said eating. Prepare for paperwork and a wait (followed by a denial to defend yourself). Avoid BC if you can, its not an accurate representation of Canada.
 
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Double negative!! Also CPB don't play anymore. Went to Vancouver crossing thru Blaine. Killed an hour at Peace Arch park and talked with an CPB agent who was on watch to make sure no one from Canadian side walks over. Asked him about firearms, he said negative. I was already told not to do it from researching.

On our way back, I had a empty 50 cal ammo can in my rig and forgot about it. Well . . . they saw something "interesting" during scanning and issued me a secondary. Secondary are not fun. They turn the rig upside down, open everything and can't even use the restroom before or during the search.

Then the questions . . . why do you have an ammo can? where are your guns at? and on and on.

Then a Sr. Inspector talked to us and I told him I forgot it was still in the rig and I'm a gun enthusiast. He said "oh really", smile and let us go quicker.

This was in 2018.
 
When I was on my way to Alaska I was asked if I had ever been finger printed in the USA, I replied I had, they asked what for...I said my license to carry I am from the great republic of Texas......they nearly striped searched me and they did strip search the motorcycle. The only reason they didn't strip search me was because I was in my two piece aerostich and had on only my riding underwear and the agents were female......it was not a very friendly experience.
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oneounceload said:
Sorry, I do not agree with this mentality. There are thousands of places to travel to where you can be safe from fear and have a great time without a gun.
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I agree. While I had an unpleasant experience crossing the border, I have been to many beautiful places in Canada. Whistler, Vancouver, Banff, among other places. I plan on seeing more.
 
Sixgun100 said:
I agree. While I had an unpleasant experience crossing the border, I have been to many beautiful places in Canada. Whistler, Vancouver, Banff, among other places. I plan on seeing more.
Click to expand...


And that goes for Europe, South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific island nations and on and on. This phobia of "If I can't carry a gun there, I'm not going" really is silly and could almost border on grounds to give the antis a reason to take your guns; life is too short to lock oneself away in the house with a gun loaded at the door "just in case there is a break-in"
 
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