r/canadaguns • u/ZealousidealTopic545 • Mar 20 '26
Application / Regulation advice The legality of full custom builds
So I recently have gone down a rabbit hole for long range precision shooting, and i'm watching a lot of these guys down in the states, they build their platforms from scratch with all custom parts that they assemble themselves. and it got me wondering about how that might work in canada.
im aware you can add custom parts to existing guns but pretty much all of these guys that im seeing are not starting from an existing gun and its all separate parts from different manufacturers and then assembling it.
I've spent a good couple hours on google, searching about the legality of building your own gun in canada but pretty much everything i'm finding is on eighty percent receivers or 3d printed ghost guns. so I was wondering if anyone has any experience with that, is there any kind of special process that you have to go about when doing it?
Edit- thanks for the info it seems some people are thinking I want to make my own receiver. I'm not looking to make a receiver just all market parts and the assembling them.
12
u/DoYouGetSarcasm Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
The receiver is the firearm. You can not make a receiver unless you have a business licence. Thats basically the only limit you're faced with in this situation.
You can make all the other parts from blocks of metal or wood or whatever (edit: likely not a barrel from scratch, but you can cut down a blank). Or buy the pieces and attach them to the receiver that was legally made by a business.
Other limits: cutting down barrels too short, some restrictions on making magazines (not to large for a semi or handgun)
7
u/Primary_Judge Mar 20 '26
As of 2023, you can't make your own barrel anymore. I'm 99% sure of this.
2
u/Katamori777 Mar 20 '26
Why's that?
9
u/Acceptable_Visit_115 Mar 20 '26
"Barrel" got defined as a "firearm part" after C21, so that it's now include in Criminal Code 99.
6
8
u/Primary_Judge Mar 20 '26
Criminal Code 99 says manufacturing of firearm parts is trafficking. "firearm parts" includes barrels of any firearm according to Criminal Code 84(1).
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/section-99.html
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/page-14.html#h-117002
1
u/Katamori777 Mar 20 '26
Damn, I missed that memo.
Is reloading considered as manufacturing ammo?7
5
1
u/Troycifer_tron Mar 21 '26
"Every person commits an offence who... manufactures or transfers... a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm, a non-restricted firearm, a prohibited weapon, a restricted weapon, a prohibited device, a firearm part, any ammunition or any prohibited ammunition knowing that the person is not authorized to do so under the Firearms Act or any other Act of Parliament."
Where in the Firearms Act does it say we can't make firearm parts? We meaning PAL and RPAL holders.
All I can find is, "A person may transfer a firearm part to an individual only if the individual holds a licence authorizing them to possess firearms."
1
u/Primary_Judge Mar 21 '26
on 2025-10-10. Previous Versions
Marginal note:Weapons trafficking
99 (1) Every person commits an offence who
(a) manufactures or transfers, whether or not for consideration, or
(b) offers to do anything referred to in paragraph (a) in respect of
a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm, a non-restricted firearm, a prohibited weapon, a restricted weapon, a prohibited device, a firearm part, any ammunition or any prohibited ammunition knowing that the person is not authorized to do so under the Firearms Act or any other Act of Parliament or any regulations made under any Act of Parliament.
firearm part means a barrel for a firearm, a slide for a handgun and any other prescribed part, but does not include, unless otherwise prescribed, a barrel for a firearm or a slide for a handgun if that barrel or slide is designed exclusively for use on a firearm that is deemed under subsection 84(3) not to be a firearm; (pièce d’arme à feu)
1
u/Troycifer_tron Mar 22 '26
"Every person commits an offence who manufacturers or transfers... a non-restricted firearm... a firearm part... knowing that the person is not authorized to do so under the Firearms Act..."
So what does the Firearms Act, that this references, say about it? Without the Firearms Act you'd say that no individual could sell a non-restricted firearm. We obviously can. The Firearms Act talks about transferring and it requires being licensed to possess the relevant item. That's what I referenced earlier. I see nothing on manufacturer of firearm parts.
8
u/95accord Mar 20 '26
Buy the parts and build it. Like legos but for men.
I have a fully custom FTR rifle. Perfectly fine. Most high end competitors have full custom rigs.
8
u/MasterScore8739 Mar 20 '26
I don’t believe Canadians are allowed to actually build our own firearms from scratch the same way Americans are.
We are however able to buy a premade receiver and than add the parts required to get it functional. Naturally we still have to abide by the law and build it to to level of license we have.
So if we only have a NR license, if we have to have the finished firearm be within the NR category. If we have our RPAL, then you could assemble something that would fall into the restricted category.
If we do go the restricted route, you have to call and have the firearm verify as restricted and obtain a certificate for it.
As for 3D printing or milling a receiver, sadly we’re out of luck. You’d have to obtain a business level firearms license. I don’t remember exactly what it’s called, but the average Canadian isn’t going to go that route for shots and giggle.
2
1
u/Iokua_CDN Mar 20 '26
So basically going any barreled action and build from there you should be good.
1
u/Acceptable_Visit_115 Mar 20 '26
You are not allowed to manufacture your own firearm without a BFL. In this case the "firearm" is the receiver.
So you can buy a receiver and populate it with a stock, a barrel, a magazine, etc.
1
u/Iokua_CDN Mar 20 '26
As other comments have said.
You need your Receiver and now also your barrel to be legal parts, then you can build from there.
There are also kits to assemble, like they have black powder muzzle loader kits with barrels and receivers and a stock that you can assemble.
But look up barreled Actions, they are the pretty bare necessities, just s barrel and an action, and you can go from there.
Another option is a bit more work, but buying a gun and then selling the barrel and stock (so better to find a gun with a desirable stock or chassis on it so someone actually wants to buy it from you. Not just a basic cheapo plastic stock) and then build from the Receiver.
Or there are still a few options of just a receiver. I see Maple Ridge Armory does their Straight Pull receiver that you can build off of. I've also seen a remington 700 receiver that you could build off of.
So really it's finding where you want to start from.
Bare receiver to build everything off of? Barreled Action to have the receiver and a Barrel Or something more put together that you want to just customize and swap parts off of
1
u/Longjumping_Deer3006 Mar 22 '26
What is the rule regarding 22lr barrels? Because I have seen 8-10" barrels for the 10/22, and the only thing I found is that the overall length has to be 26" and over to be NR.
0
u/Barbarian_818 Mar 20 '26
There are a few companies who manufacture firearms in Canada. So there is a legal way to do it. I just don't think it's available to individuals.
41
u/Primary_Judge Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
You buy the action, add a barrel, trigger and chassis. Perfectly legal
Edit: The action is still serialized. You can then buy a custom bolt, set proper headspace to match your new barrel. I think you're misunderstanding the custom builds.