HOW TO GET A 22LR HANDGUN EXEMPTION IN BC (AB has a similar process)

1. PREREQUISITES

Obtain your RPAL (Restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence) and an active BCTSA (British Columbia Target Sports Association) Membership.

2. COMPLETE C-21 EXEMPTION FORM and submit to BCTSA

Fill out the designated C-21 22LR exemption form and submit it via email. Wait 1-2 weeks to receive your official Exemption Letter. This is make and model specific for each letter.

Alberta has a similar process with exemption letters that are open ended for multiple makes and models.

3. CHOOSE & PURCHASE FIREARM

Select a handgun to purchase from a Canadian or US retailer. Send your Exemption Letter to the retailer/importer (required by Global Affairs Canada and CBSA for the handgun import permit paperwork and transfer). If importing, the importer will do the paperwork, shipping and clearance for you.

Requirements:

• Must be strictly .22LR caliber only.
• Minimum 4.17-inch (106mm) barrel length.

4. FINAL RCMP SUBMISSION (AT REQUEST)

Send your Exemption Letter via email when specifically requested by the RCMP Firearms Centre on behalf of the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) (Miramichi, NB).

5. RECEIVE APPROVAL & REGISTRATION

Receive your transfer approval and registration certificates via email from the RCMP.

6. RECEIVE DOCUMENTS

Receive your physical registration certificates via mail from the RCMP.

7. RECEIVE HANDGUN VIA MAIL

Receive your .22LR handgun(s) via mail.

Requirements Checklist

To qualify, your application must reflect the following criteria:

• Is a member of BCTSA and in good standing
• 25m Pistol (ISSF Program -- Olympic/Paralympic program training discipline)
• Is training (Check off)
• Training, generally (Check off)
• Promise to train

The BC Target Sports Association is that Provincial sport shooting governing body in BC.  The SFC is the National Sports Organization.

What this means, is that if you are training, competing, or coaching in an Olympic or Paralympic discipline using Handguns, BCTSA can provide an exemption allowing you to purchase appropriate handguns.  Generally, this means .22 caliber pistols.  You are not expected to be proficient or competitive, just wishing to train in the sport.  BCTSA offers this to all BCTSA members, including the members of Affiliated Clubs. BCTSA met with the Chief Firearms Officer for BC and worked out a process for this exemption. Acceptable Firearms are generally .22 calibre.  Entry level handguns are acceptable, as are the more expensive, competition quality handguns.

Before you apply for a Transfer Exemption, you should locate a Handgun to purchase.  Many stores no longer carry or order Handguns, so please do your shopping before you ask to transfer a Handgun you can't find to purchase.  BC is not Texas.  The availability of Handguns here is an issue, especially with this being one of the few avenues left for purchasing one.

To be eligible, you need to EITHER: Train, Compete or Coach.  Only one is necessary.  More is better, but only one is necessary.  This is about intent, so if you are training to compete in the sport, please check off Training and Competing, as that is the intended purpose of the Handgun transfer. Do not send a shopping list of what you MIGHT like to transfer if you can find one, only what you have found and will transfer.  Shopping lists will be denied. 

Disciplines

• 25m Pistol

Eligible 22LR Handguns (Example Brands)

Note: Under this exemption, firearms must be for .22LR caliber only and Minimum 4.17-inch (106mm) barrel length.

US Import Note: Handguns can be purchased from the IRUNGUNS US store in Arizona. They are then imported to their Canadian warehouse in Alberta and shipped directly to the customer. IRUNGUNS handles all the necessary cross-border import paperwork on your behalf. There are also other combinations possible such as from an auction to the importer. Any extended magazines are clipped to 10.

Double check that the handgun is listed as Restricted on the RCMP Firearms Reference Table (FRT). You can also check if it was previously sold by a Canadian retailer online (many are still listed just out of stock). There are some AR pistol variants for example that are prohibited.

EXAMPLES -- Basically any handgun you can find in the USA that is 22LR and classified Restricted with a Minimum 4.17 inch (106mm) barrel length can be imported:

Ruger

• Mark IV Target (5.5" barrel)
• Mark IV 22/45 Lite (4.4" barrel)
• Mark IV Competition (6.875" barrel)

Taurus

• TX22 Standard / T.O.R.O. (4.6" barrel)
• TX22 Competition (5.25" barrel)

Browning

• 1911-22 A1 Full Size (1911 Platform) (4.25" barrel)
• 1911-22 Medallion Comp / Black Label Full Size (4.25" barrel)
• Buck Mark Camper / Camper URX / Camper SR (5.5" barrel)
• Buck Mark Challenge / Plus / Medallion / Black Label (5.5" barrel)
• Buck Mark Lite Gray / Lite Green URX (5.5" barrel)
• Buck Mark Contour Pro / Contour Stainless (5.5" or 5.9" barrel)
• Buck Mark Plus UDX / Rosewood UDX (5.5" barrel)
• Buck Mark Field Target Micro / Plus Micro Bull (4.4" barrel)
• Buck Mark Micro Bull RMSC Suppressor Ready (4.4" barrel)
• Buck Mark Plus Vision / Field Target Vision (4.4" or 5.9" barrel)
• Buck Mark Hunter (6.875" barrel)

GSG (German Sport Guns)

• GSG 1911 .22LR (1911 Platform) (5" barrel)
• Firefly Threaded (4.7" barrel)

Walther

• Colt Government 1911-22 (Licensed 1911 Platform) (5" barrel)
• PPQ .22 / PPQ M2 .22 (4.6" or 5" barrel)

Smith & Wesson

• SW22 Victory / Victory Target (5.5" barrel)
• Model 41 (5.5" or 7" barrel)

Sig Sauer

• Sig Sauer 1911-22 (1911 Platform) (5" barrel)

Chiappa Firearms

• 1911-22 Custom / Puma / Standard (1911 Platform) (5" barrel)

American Tactical (ATI)

• M1911 .22LR Tactical (1911 Platform) (5" barrel)

Mauser

• Mauser Rimfire 1911 (1911 Platform) (5" barrel)
• Mauser Rimfire M20 Threaded (4.75" barrel)

Kimber

• Rimfire Target (1911 Platform) (5" barrel)

Armscor / Rock Island Armory

• XT22 Standard / Combo (1911 Platform) (5" barrel)

FN Herstal

• FN 502 Tactical (4.6" barrel)

Volquartsen

• Black Mamba / Black Mamba LLV (4.5" or 6" barrel)
• Scorpion (4.5" or 6" barrel)

KelTec

• CP33 (5.5" barrel)

Beretta

• M9_22 (4.9" barrel)
• U22 Neos (4.5" or 6" barrel)

Glock

• G44 with factory extended/threaded barrel kit installed (4.5" barrel)

Steyr Arms

• RFP (4.2" barrel)

Pardini

• SP / SP Bullseye (4.7" or 6" match barrels)

Feinwerkbau (FWB)

• AW93 (5.9" match barrel)

Hämmerli

• Forge H1 (1911 Platform) (4.25" or 5" barrel)
• X-Esse (5.9" match barrel)

ISSC

• M22 Target (5.5" barrel)

Grand Power

• K22 Standard (5" barrel)
• K22 X-Trim Mk23 (4.25" barrel)
• K22 TS (6" or 8" barrel)
• TR22 Stribog / Stribog .22 LR (8" or 10" large-format barrel)

CZ (Česká zbrojovka)

• CZ 75 Kadet (4.7" or 4.9" barrel configurations)

Excel Arms

• X-22P Pistol (4.375" or 4.5" barrel)

Morini

• CM 22M / CM 22M RF (5.11" match barrel)

Match Guns

• MG2 (5.98" match barrel)

Benelli

• MP 90S / MP 95E World Cup (4.33" match barrel)

Tanfoglio

• Force 22 L / Force 22 Standard (4.7", 5.2", or 5.7" barrel)

Bersa

• Thunder 22-6 Target (6" barrel)

Rossi

• RS22P (6" barrel)

Tactical Solutions

• Pac-Lite / Pac-Lite IV (4.5" or 6" receiver barrels)

Hello all,

I have a family member who recently passed away who owns some handguns I was wondering if there is anyway to have the passed down to me? The guns themselves are older cowboy style guns and I recently have been interested in Cowboy Action Shooting but obviously cant buy a revolver for the sport and this would be a great opportunity to not only get one but also keep the collectible in the family.

With the laws in place is this even possible anymore?

Thanks in advance

Hey everyone, I am considering getting the PAL license (restricted and non-restricted), and I wanted to ask if there are any cons to being a PAL holder in Canada?

Is it true that the government can pose you as a suspect if anything happens in the area where you live (firearm related) or just in general is it true that the government keeps an eye on you as a PAL holder?

I have absolutely no intention of forfeiting my working AR15 to the state.

That being said, if it comes down to the wire and they start leaning on us even harder as October 30 approaches, are they expecting to steal intact, working rifles?

Because I have a chop saw, and will cut my rifle into pieces and bring the scraps in a bag to the cop shop. Because fuck ’em is why.

Being the dickhead statists they are, you would probably have to make sure that the scraps have a “trigger lock” and are enclosed in a locked hard sided container.

Any thoughts?

I signed up for my range safety course today and completely bombed it.

I acts/proved fine enough but when it came time to test with a pistol for the life of me I could not reload it. My hands got excessively sweaty and pulling back the slide was near impossible for me no matter how many times I wiped my hands.

Eventually nerves got to me and derailed my whole progression were I started to make mistakes on fundamentals like acts/proves, maintaining trigger discipline and not following procedure, and this was just in the classroom with a denatured pistol and dummy ammo.

Even with wiping my hands over and over again, on the range it was more of the same which resulted in me not passing the test. By the end I believe I was even trembling due to my nerves.

Of course not passing is a good thing in terms of safety, you wouldn’t want someone unsure of themselves handling something so dangerous. However how does one get better at this?

It is prohibitively expensive to go to a range as a non member and shoot, and even then when you, the parts that I failed at the most like actually reloading/acts and proves are already done for you, which teaches you nothing in terms of what to do.

I’ve always been a fairly nervous guy and am prone to excessive hand sweat. Honestly when playing video games with a controller, I wear gloves as my hands tend to profusely sweat.

This is a hobby I hoped to get into and I have already spent a decent amount of money + time invested into it however it seems like there is not really an avenue to get better at this. I contemplated practicing with a bb but it doesn’t feel anything like the real one, with the real glock I was using being much tighter and harder to get the slide to lock.

Not really sure what things I should focus on and how I can combat it. It could be my finger/ hand strength, nerves, sweaty hands of a combination of everything.

I feel really bummed out, like something is fundamentally wrong with me. Hell, even young children were doing it successfully on the range, while I, a full blown adult was not.

In other news, I had to get another three pack this weekend.

i was wondering with the violence increasing (i am in montreal, people break in houses is increasing) why Verney-Carron Flash-Ball is not allowed?

I check the law and I saw the joules etc but can we decrease the PSI of it? I know they're mostly associated with law enforcement in some countries.

just wondering if a company had release a news for an equivalent.

Edit: for **self-defense**

Non Canadian here (this should change in the near future). I live in the Netherlands currently and before that Spain, and the UK. Here in the Netherlands there are essentially zero restrictions on air guns and pistols, no license required. In Spain you're limited to 24.2 joules without a license, and the UK is the most restrictive at 16.3 joules.

I was looking at getting an air pistol to do some target practice in the garden, but since my plans are to move to Alberta in 2027/2028, I would want to take it with me. I learned that to do this I would need a PAL, which is obviously not possible to get until I'm a resident. Something that Canada views as a real firearm is just allowed here in the Netherlands with no issue. Very strange to me considering Europe gets a reputation for over regulation. Even in the UK where I'm from, which is pretty anti gun, an easy to obtain airgun is not so easy to get in Canada with a PAL.

My question is, has Canada always been this hard on air guns or is this a result of the Trudeau era policies?

Why Does the “Protection of Life” Handgun Exemption Exist in Canada?

I’ve been doing some research into Canadian firearms law, specifically the exemptions related to restricted and prohibited handguns, and I came across something that raised a lot of questions for me.

Under section 20 of the Firearms Act, there is a category that allows individuals to possess restricted firearms or prohibited handguns for “Protection of Life.”

• The individual (or others) must face imminent danger from another person

• Police protection must be insufficient in the circumstances

• Possession of the firearm must be reasonably justified to prevent death or grievous bodily harm

What I find interesting is that an ATIP request reportedly showed that only one person in Canada currently holds this exemption.

Why does this category exist in legislation if it is almost never granted?

Has anyone tried to apply for this or has experience with this.

Someone in my household was recently falsely accused of sexual assault. As part of their bail conditions, they are prohibited from possessing firearms, crossbows, and other weapons.

I own three recently prohibited firearms in my collection. Their lawyer has advised that the bail conditions may be considered breached simply because the firearms are in the home. Hopefully, the lawyer can have that condition clarified or amended. If not, I’ll need to transport the firearms to a trusted friend for storage.

What is the process for obtaining an Authorization to Transport (ATT/ATP) for recently prohibited firearms? Is it still possible to get one? I’d rather not participate in the buyback program.

I mean, we need pistols for hunting and self-defence if a bear is running at you and is near.

Bought this box of norinco 7.62x39 and there was a round missing…

idrc about the loosing 50cents but is this potentially something I should be worried about/bring up?

I bought it from Canadian tire, I’m hopping this is just a manufacturing error or something not theft.

Had a phone call with the CFO wanting to apply for one. They told me they are likely tweaking the program or ending it entirely soon, as people have been taking advantage. They told me I could still apply but they may not process it. I did anyways and they approved it very quickly.

Not sure what the overall outcome will be but if anybody was debating applying just get it done now.

Edit: The ‘taking advantage’ was that they told me people had lent out entire collections of 10-20 guns across the province to different people.

My question is about the purpose of getting a PAL. I have done quite a bit of research on how to get a PAL in Canada and I found a place near my house. I have shot many firearms in my life and I always have fun shooting. I grew up around firearms too so I am pretty comfortable around them (taught as a kid about muzzle sweeping and trigger discipline). That being said I’m still a total newb. I have also been warming up to the idea of possibly getting into hunting (although I’ve never hunted before). What is the culture and people like around gun ranges? Firearms seem so heavily regulated in Canada, I was wondering if people who have gotten their PALS find that it was worth all the effort?

I just wonder, why don't they make these guns with rimfire and centerfire calipers ? is there a law against that ?

Anyone know what the current status of the buyback is? While I oppose it in principle, I bought a Springfield M1A for pure novelty and jumped at the chance to get virtually all of my money back for it. I went through the application process and now, crickets...

I need to move to Toronto next month but I really don't want to spend 1 week to drive. Planning to sell my car and take the airplane there. I can ship my long guns to my friends there but how can I ship my pistols to Toronto? Is it possible or I have to drive there myself?

Question for all the milsurp guys. Wife and I have been kicking around the idea of moving to Canada from the States, most likely the Winnipeg area since she has family there. I have 2 bolt guns and a lever action that I want to take with us if it becomes a reality. Where would I start this process, and is Canadian law goofy when it comes to flash hiders and bayonets? Any help or advice is appreciated!

Recently got my exemption for 25m pistol and can buy a 22, anyone here familiar with the importing process or with any stores that might still maintain a stock of them? Any help would be greatly appreciated the ones around me don’t have any currently.

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.

Hi all, I inquired about getting an ATC for wilderness protection, the CFO called me and said my case is valid, the only issue is I don't currently own a handgun so they wouldn't be able to enter one on the RCMP application - wouldn't be able to apply. Is there any way to get around this? I have a reason for ATC which would get approved but don't currently own a handgun.

I got my exemption and purchased a pistol on may 18th, the first week of June the CFO had the papers and a week later I got the reference number. It’s now been over a month, with one follow up call and they said ‘it’s still on their desk and hasn’t been reviewed’

I own a couple other registered pistols from pre-ban times

How long have others waited for this process to be finalized?

UPDATE: received transfer notice this morning !
4 days short of two months after purchase