For those that carry Guns and Overlanding

[Trikebubble]

It's been a while since I've done it, but I frequently traveled to Canada to hunt and am familiar with the process for bringing firearms into Canada. But what's the reverse process? Meaning: Canadians bringing their FA into the US and then back again?

Any Canadians that have done it? I'm curious as to what hoops we force you to jump through.

I looked into it, and it is do-able but seems to be a bit of a pita. From my recollection you have to obtain and fill out some Homeland Security form, listing/detailing the specific firearms (and possibly ammo too?) you want to bring into the US ans the specific reason, along with proof of the reason (hunting tag, or invitation/registration to a gun course or competition)....then submit it for approval. Once you have that approval you have to take it with you as you cross the border.

I was inquiring as we took a trip far North this past summer and as I was bringing my shotgun I wanted to see the possibilities of taking it into Alaska. We decided in the end to only visit Hyder (where their is no US border control), I could not get a concrete answer on the phone from US customs as hot to deal with wanting to cross that border. I called Canadian customs and all they cared about was if I was legally allowed to possess and carry the firearm I was returning back into Canada with. I then called the local RCMP detachment in Stewart, BC (beside Hyder on the Canadian side) and the officer was more interested in our trip and telling us the best places to visit 9he was a very decent person to talk to). I asked if we could leave our firearms at the RCMP detachment while we crossed into Alaska to go look at the Salmon Glacier (which is, ironically, back in BC further up the road) and he laughed and said if everyone who was traveling over the border at Hyder had to leave their firearms at the detachment they would be inundated with guns. He said not to worry about, just make sure I was transporting legal, and to just head across the border and make sure I declared it coming back into Canada.

Let's just say (hypothetically speaking here) that if someone was to have followed his advice, and crossed the border into Alaska at Hyder and went to view the Salmon Glacier, that on their return the Canadian customs may have simply enquired if they had a firearm, asked to look at their license, asked if it was beign transported legally (did not actually look or check the firearm or ammo) and (hypothetically speaking still here) let the folks go on their way....after chatting about the best places to visit in Northern BC and the Yukon.

It was a rare experience (hypothetically speaking again) to see a little common sense prevail when it comes to anything to do with firearms and any sort of government regulation or control.

 

[waveslider]

Interesting. Does Canada have an equivalent construct as our Form 4457 - which in layman's terms is a way to prove that you owned something before you left with it so that you don't get accused of importing something that you purchased (or stolen) abroad?

I have a booklet of 4457s that have saved my bacon multiple times regarding travel abroad with firearms - and have even found other countries that use it as their "record" of ownership even though it is a US-based procedure and document.

 

[MOguy]

Unfortunately, I think the founding fathers assumed a lot, specifically that we wouldn't become a nation full of retards who react, losely translated as "think", emotionally instead of rationally.

Do you not think "retards" did not exist back then? They left a nation that had at least enough people they didn't agree with (retards by your definition?) and risked it all to start here. I think they were very aware that "retards" as you call them, existed. They felt it was so important to be able to protect yourself and the way of life they wanted to live that they made sure they could stop, by using deadly force, people who were a threat to the they wanted to live. A good example of this was the US Revolution.

Our founding fathers wanted to make sure "We the People" could stop, by using deadly force, anybody who threatened the way of life they wanted to live. This may sound harsh, cruel and even horrifying but it wasn't' all about Starbucks and lattes during revolutionary times.

 

[Buliwyf]

Only landowners were allowed to vote. Not women, not illegal immigrants, not dead bodies, not a flower pot named ''Burt''.

They knew all about idiots. It's why frontier life was hard. Not weather or wilderness, but idiots. We're messing up, by letting welfare dependents, and invalids in a rest home, vote. And by allowing voter fraud to continue.

If enough voter fraud continues, doesn't that just about void most of these laws anyways???

 

[Trikebubble]

Interesting. Does Canada have an equivalent construct as our Form 4457 - which in layman's terms is a way to prove that you owned something before you left with it so that you don't get accused of importing something that you purchased (or stolen) abroad?

I have a booklet of 4457s that have saved my bacon multiple times regarding travel abroad with firearms - and have even found other countries that use it as their "record" of ownership even though it is a US-based procedure and document.

I do not know. "The Government" knows what restricted (AR types and handguns for the most part) I wown as they have to be registered. My Canadian license allows me to transport them to/across any close border. In theory, if checked upon return they would know what restricted firearms I have registered to me and could check against what I may actually have. Non-Restricted firearms (standard long guns for the most part) are another matter. With the abolishment of our long gun registry a number of years ago (a small win for gun owners up here), our Government no longer registers non-restricted firearms so they really have no way to know, or cannot know, what I own. I'm not sure how they could/would question a legal gun owner returning from a US trip with a number of non-restricted rifles. As they are not allowed to register of keep tabs on these here in Canada I don't know how they could keep a legal Cdn gun owner from returning home with his non-restricted firearms. Maybe someone who has crossed the border will chime in.

 

[waveslider]

I see. In truth, the 4475 has a multitude of uses beyond proving firearm ownership. I have several forms for my more expensive optics (spotting scopes, binos and rifle scopes) for the same reason of being able to prove I owned them when I left the country. Its always seemed like a good way to ensure I had my stuff coming and going.

I distinctly remember a tense moment in the bowels of Benítez airport in Santiago - down in the baggage handling area- where an airport worker was clearly trying to leverage his position to confiscate our guns (for no reason other than he wanted them) and after some heated exchanges of Mexican accent Spanish (me) and Chilean accent Spanish (him) I produced a 4475 that was apparently enough to convince the "Jefe" that we should be sent on our way with our firearms.

At least in South America the graft and corruption is out in the open. I took strange comfort in that vs. it being veiled in the US and Canada where you know it is happening but everyone acts like it doesn't.

EDIT: Since its a US customs form - I'm wondering it its not available to Canadian citizens as well (or any foreign person). I bet it is now that I think about it. You just need access to a US Customs agent for the stamp and signature.

 

[hemifoot]

i don't understand what you are trying to get at and why you are asking me.

Hemifoot: Are untrained people permitted to vote? Are untrained people permitted to read the internet? Are untrained people permitted to a jury of their peers? The list goes on....

if you need to protect your home as a canadian,carry as big a knife as you can hold.no laws against carrying a big ass knife on your belt up here.i was just in hyder in august and actually did leave my shotgun with the mounties in stuart.didn't feel like dealing with the possible hassles crossing back

 

[SigSense]

i don't understand what you are trying to get at and why you are asking me.

I am asking you because earlier in this very thread you advised us all that "untrained" people are NOT permitted to buy firearms in Canada. In America we have this thing called The Constitution. It's a document that was written in the early days of our country's formation. That document was written in 1789, and there have been numerous amendments up to today. Our Constitution guarantees our citizens that they have the right to own weapons/firearms. It is SO serious that the people that wrote it said the ownership of guns shall NOT be infringed. It is the ONLY supposed right that says it will NOT be infringed.

Other rights we have are the freedom to vote. Free speech. Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. Freedom of religion. Modern era adjudication says women have the right to an abortion etc.

NOwhere in our Constitution does it say that American citizens MUST get training before they purchase firearms. I think it's reasonable to ask that if someone is required to get mandatory training in order to buy guns, that they must also get training to vote, practice a religion, or surf the internet. Is this the case in Canada? Wouldn't you say that there could be a case where people are required to get a license to practice their religion? I ask because there's a certain religion that has been conducted a lot of terrorism globally, and for the safety of all humanity (and especially the children) we must enact strict religious training, registration, and licensure.

 

[Christian P.]

This thread is a good topic however it has deviated too much from the original question and it is turning into a political and religious discussion. I am closing it.