Firearms Act, 1995

The Firearms Act, 1995 is the Canadian law pertaining to the right to possess a firearm, means of transportation and offenses relating to the violation of this act.

In addition to the law's passage, the Canadian Firearms Registry System was added in 2003.

For the most part, Canadians are not allowed to carry a concealed firearm in public unless they are police officers. Members of the Canadian Forces (Military) can only carry and use their weapons in public during war time or for special ceremonies.

Canadian citizens can legally possess registered firearms of any class (non-restricted, restricted & prohibited) within their homes as long as the permit allows for it. In order to have prohibited firearms the person had to own registered "Prohibited" firearms before the Firearms act went into being. If not grandfathered, the only prohibited firearms class given to individuals is called the 12.7 class which allows a close family member (who has a 12.6 prohibited licence) in death to will their prohibited pistols made before 1946 (prohibited pistols include any pistol with barrel length of 4 inches or less, or of caliber .32 or .25) to the 12.7 applicant, it does not allow him to buy other prohibited firearms. All other prohibited firearms must be forfeited to law enforcement after the owner dies. Restricted and prohibited have specific rules attached to their ownership this includes an authorization to transport (ATT) to be issued by the province's Chief Firearms Officer (CFO). These permits are generally only given to go to a certified shooting range (or gunsmith), and are rarely ever given for prohibited firearms that are not pistols (See List of prohibited firearms in Canada).

Firearms Act 1968

The Firearms Act 1968 (c 27) is a UK Act of Parliament, controlling use and possession of firearms.

External links

Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988

The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (1988 c.45) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which is still in force. The Act, as amended, tightens controls on the possession of firearms, and applies throughout the whole of the United Kingdom except for Northern Ireland. It gained the Royal Assent on 15 November 1988, and came into force two months later.

Background

The Act was passed in response to the Hungerford massacre of 1987, where sixteen people had been killed by a man using an illegally owned semi-automatic rifle (M1 Carbine), a legally owned semi-automatic rifle (Type 56), and a handgun (Beretta 92).

Provisions

The Act amended Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968, which defined the class of prohibited weapons, by extending it to cover burst fire firearms, semi-automatic and pump action rifles other than those chambered for .22 rimfire ammunition, semi-automatic and pump action smoothbore guns other than those chambered for .22 rimfire and with a barrel shorter than 24 inches in length or an overall length less than 40 inches (to be measured without detachable stocks or with folding stocks folded), smoothbore revolvers other than muzzle-loaders or one chambered for 9mm rimfire ammunition, and finally any rocket-launcher or mortar which fired a stabilised missile. It also prohibited exploding ammunition, as well as ammunition containing noxious substances and any form of grenade or shell designed to be projected from a firearm.

Firearms Act

Firearms Act is a stock short title used for legislation in Canada, Hong Kong, Jamaica, and the United Kingdom. This list includes not only Firearms Acts as such, but legislation of different names governing firearms and also other weapons.

List

Canada

Finland

Hong Kong

Jamaica

United Kingdom

Many laws governing possession and use of firearms have been passed over the years in the UK and the countries comprising the union; there is a historical discussion at Gun politics in the United Kingdom#Gun control legislation in the United Kingdom