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FIREARMS

Course Classifications

All firearms in Canada fall into one of three classes - Non Restricted, Restricted and Prohibited

Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) - Non Restricted
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Non-restricted firearm are any rifle or shotgun that is neither restricted nor prohibited. Most common long guns are non-restricted, but there are exceptions.

Non Restricted license gives you access to firearms such as shotguns and most sporting rifles.  

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Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) - Restricted
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 A Restricted license gives you access to firearms such as handguns and other firearms that the RCMP classed as  Restricted.  

Definition of a restricted firearm

According to the Criminal Code, a restricted firearm is:

a handgun that is not a prohibited firearm,

  1. a firearm that

    • is not a prohibited firearm,

    • has a barrel less than 470 mm in length, and

    • is capable of discharging centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner,

  2. a firearm that is designed or adapted to be fired when reduced to a length of less than 660 mm by folding, telescoping or otherwise, or

  3. a firearm of any other kind that is prescribed to be a restricted firearm

Prohibited Firearms
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Definition of a prohibited firearm

According to the Criminal Code, a prohibited firearm is:

  1. a handgun that

    • has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length, or

    • is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge, but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union,

  2. a firearm that is adapted from a rifle or shotgun, whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration, and that, as so adapted,

    • is less than 660 mm in length, or

    • is 660 mm or greater in length and has a barrel less than 457 mm in length,

  3. an automatic firearm, whether or not it has been altered to discharge only one projectile with one pressure of the trigger, or

  4. any firearm that is prescribed to be a prohibited firearm

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If a person is not grandfathered, the only prohibited firearms they may possess or acquire are handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm or less or that discharge .25 or .32 calibre ammunition, and only if all of the following criteria are met:

  • the handgun was made before 1946, and

  • the handgun was registered in Canada on December 1, 1998, and

  • the individual is the child, grandchild, brother, sister or spouse of the lawful owner, and

  • the individual is acquiring it for an approved purpose such as target shooting or as part of a collection.

Under these circumstances, the individual can lawfully acquire and possess the handgun in question, but they are not grandfathered or authorized to acquire more prohibited handguns.

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