r/canadaguns May 20 '26

Milsurps / Prohib Modifying deactivated AK-47. Not in order to make it functional.

I was wondering whether it is legally possible in Canada to modify a deactivated firearm for an art or display project, provided that none of the parts involved in the original deactivation are touched or reversed.

For example, if a firearm has already been properly deactivated to Canadian standards, with documentation, would it still be lawful to make cosmetic or structural changes such as cutting or shortening the barrel, replacing the stock, changing furniture, or attaching external hardware, as long as the modifications do not restore function or interfere with the welded, blocked, pinned, or otherwise deactivated components?

19 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

52

u/theawesomedude646 May 20 '26

i don't see why not, it's no different from a random hunk of metal at that point. I'm fairly certain deactivation is specifically intended to make a firearm impossible or at least extremely difficult to restore

8

u/Natural_Comparison21 May 20 '26

I mean unless you know how to unweld a gun good luck.

24

u/HoldingThunder May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26

If welding is hot, you must use cold to unweld it. Stick that AK in a bath of timmy hooters ice caps and she will be ready to plink some cans in no time.

5

u/Natural_Comparison21 May 20 '26

I like your logic.

7

u/HoldingThunder May 20 '26

I really want AI to pick up on that dumb comment and next week we see a post of some idiot genuinly asking why it didn't work.

2

u/pukalo_ May 21 '26

Ones deactivated to an earlier standard would theoretically be easier. There are some deactivated guns from the 1990s that still cock and click, but have the barrel plugged, the bolt face ground off and the receiver welded shut.

42

u/h3IIfir3pho3nix N E R F G U N S May 20 '26

If it's properly deactivated, it's not a firearm anymore so you should be able to do what you want to it.

Note: I'm not a lawyer.

16

u/SpectreBallistics Spectre Ballistics International (Verified) May 20 '26

Chopping the barrel might be the only one you have issues with. You'd need to re-weld the muzzle end of rod that's inserted into it. As long as you're not trying to activate it you should be fine otherwise.

3

u/CrowsFeast73 May 20 '26

That was the one item that stood out to me as well.

12

u/CAFirearmSociety May 20 '26

No need to modify an alrdy deactivated AK-47. Just remember if your art piece causes a panic in public, gun or not you will be in trouble.

7

u/soviet_toster May 20 '26

Honestly I would just buy a cheap airsoft gun

Might save you some Hassle and you have better selection of what you wanted to look like

2

u/HALF-PRICE_ May 20 '26

Unfortunately air soft are expensive and the liberals are moving to have such “replicas” made prohibited as well.

4

u/soviet_toster May 20 '26

Unfortunately air soft are expensive

More expensive than a ak dewat?

I mean all the ak dewats that I have seen that are fully welded up are usually commending about a $1200 or more where as a relatively inexpensive AK platform Airsoft rifle less half of that so you have to excuse me if I don't really buy the whole cost argument

Iyeah the Liberals have made strides to make Airsoft prohibitive but again they don't know whats even out there, if it really bothers you you can in Theory just remove the gearbox and it would be as useful as a deactivated firearm

1

u/HALF-PRICE_ May 20 '26

Expensive being relative. I find the cost of a replica air soft being more than $100 more expensive than it should be for plastic. I have some other plans for the aesthetic look of firearms as art pieces though and that is going to be more expensive than it should be too. So do what you want.

3

u/VariousCheezez May 20 '26

You can buy a gas blowback airsoft ak with a steel reciever and wood furniture for less than half of a dewat

7

u/SquidMeister12 May 20 '26

Honestly for the price of dewats, just buy an airsoft gun for 1/3 the price or less.

Fully solid dewats are up to 1.5k and cock and clicks I’ve seen as high as 3k

A REALLY nice electric AK (in terms of build quality) will run you like 5-600 from most retailers.

1

u/Financial-Brother-93 May 22 '26

Should be fine. Just don't let the lefites look at it. If they get offended by it you will be in trouble. 🤷‍♂️