r/canadaguns • u/BayGullGuy • Apr 10 '26

Application / Regulation advice Handgun inheritance

Hi all,

Wondering if there’s something I’m missing.

My dad has a handgun (.22 revolver) that he inherited many years ago. He has his RPAL and is the legal owner of the gun.

He wants it to become mine when he passes.

With our current gun laws is there anyway to have it become mine either before or after he passes?

I’m thinking there’s not, but looking for advice.

31 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

61 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/snowylambeau Apr 11 '26

In 2024, my father and I did this with the family Luger (<105mm) that my great-uncle took from a German who didn’t need it anymore in North Africa.

If it’s pre-1946 and it was registered before 1998, then as a direct family member you can inherit it and you will have a 12(7) restriction added to your RPAL.

It’s a bit of a slow process, and you should do it before he passes. If you have your RPAL, contact the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000 and they’ll walk you through it.

2

u/BayGullGuy Apr 11 '26

I’ll have to find out how old it is. Dad was born in the 60s and the guy he got it from had it then.

1

u/snowylambeau Apr 12 '26

If it’s a Smith & Wesson K-22, they were common before 1946.

Whether or not he registered it is the other question.

It’s worth checking out, and I found it to be a fun father/son project. Good luck.

2

u/BayGullGuy Apr 21 '26

It actually is a K-22.

1

u/snowylambeau Apr 21 '26

It’s a classic. If it’s in decent shape it’s worth maybe $1300, but it’s also a cool heirloom for you to pass on when the time comes.

There’s a serial number on the bottom of the butt. If it starts with a K, you’re out of luck and it’s from 1946 or later. If it doesn’t start with K, google the serial number and you should be able to find a manufacture date.