r/canadaguns • u/shaunderford • 20d ago
Application / Regulation advice Traffic stop
Hello just wondering if I’m legally transporting a firearm (non restricted) and I am pulled over by a police officer am i under obligation to inform the officer i have a firearm in the vehicle?
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u/westleysnipes604 19d ago
I was told you're better off telling them before they are ginna search. But there's. Nothing wrong with omitting the fact you have firearms unril they ask you if you do or are acting like they are gonna search you. I was also told to never unlock my gun case for a cop to verify if it is legslly stored. If they don't trust that the gun is legally stored when the caee is locked as per Canadian law then they might trx and jimmY the trigger lock. We all know that someties they are finicky and might just slide off. You're better off them breaking into the case in this case because many cops dont know the laws as well as you might think.
I have 2 experiences with police while I had firearms in m car.
Example 1.
Pulled over for no lights. Cop asks me if I have anything illegal in my car which I reply no and mention I'm on my way back from skeet shooting.
Cop asks to see my gun ( mossberg 590 marine, the long mag tube version)
When he sees the soft case he gets a bit excited and asks me, I shit you not
"Is it sawed off? " lol
Shows how little many cops know about guns and our gun laws.
Example 2
I had a dead car battery at the range and my cell had no service but I could still call emergency however.
I reluctantly called 911 and asked them to get me a tow truck to jump me. I debated hitch hiking home but I didn't wanna leave guns in my car or hitch with them. I beleive it was a B&T TP9 and maybe a GHM9 or Glock. 2 small cases.
The dispatcher said she needed to send an officer and asked me to stand away from my car with my hands visable.
2 cops in 2 cars showed up. One (Sargent) I knew really well and he left basically when he saw it was me.
Thr officer basically asked what was up and I told him I figured calling 911 qas better then leaving guns in my car at the gun range parking lot. The range is a keylock gate on a highway.
He asks me if the guns are stored legally and I tell him yes.
That was it. He didn't ask to check.
I was releived as my range is in a rural area where 99% of shooters are sighting in hunting rifles. So a TP9 is definately out of place there.