Travel to Canada

B

Bluehorizon

Inactive
Hi everyone. My family is planning a trip this summer through several western states. A portion of the trip will go through Canada for 2-3 days. It appears that there is no way to take my handgun into Canada. We will be entering and exiting Canada at the same place.

All of the states we will be traveling through reciprocate my states concealed carry permit. I don't want to be unarmed for the entire trip, just because I can't take the handgun into Canada for part of the trip. Does anyone know of a resource available that will allow me to leave my firearm someplace before entering Canada and then retrieve it on the return trip?

Thoughts I've had so far = local shooting clubs near where we will cross the border, mailing it back to myself before crossing the border and then go the rest of the trip without, use a pawn shop close to the border (get a small loan putting the handgun up for collateral, then retrieve in a few days).

Other ideas? Gotchas on the ideas I've presented?

Thanks.
 
Others who have faced this conundrum have been given the suggestion that they find a gunsmith near the point of border crossing and check their pistola in at the infirmary for cleaning, then pick it up when returning.
 
If you know your border crossing, call Canadian customs at the border and ask where they send people to that inadvertenty have a weapon with them and do not know the Canadian laws.

Canadian customs will generally tell a person that has a weapon to turn around and go home, leave the weapon at home (this is not just pistols), or if that is not possible/practical, they usually have a local FFL(s) that has/have agreed to "hold" the firearm for you (for a fee) until you return to the US.

Alternate, get a list of FFLs close to the border crossing and call them to see if they will "hold" your weapon for you until you return to the US. Around here $20 is considered a resonable "fee".

BTW: If you hide the weapon, do not declare it, and it is found...it's 5 years guest residency in the local Canadian prison, never be allowed back into Canada, and a $50k fine.... NOT something you would want to do. There is no "get out of jail free" card for this.....

If you have an illegal (in Canada, but not the US) weapon (this includes mace too) and you do declare it, they will turn you around and send you right back to the US, right there at the border.

How do I know this? I'm Canadian, (I do live in the US and am a US citizen too) and I have had US friends complain to me about what happens. Forturnately, all of them have been turned around and not gone to jail.

So find an FFL (or friend if you have one close to there) near the crossing that will hold it for you. Not a big deal. The FFLs have safes to keep it safe for you.
 
check a local PD

Now this has been brought up before and so I can't take credit for this suggestion.

It was suggested and in that thread someone did say it works. Call a local police department in that border state and see if they will hold the firearms for you while you are out of country and then pick up after you come back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top