Where is it legal to shoot handguns ?

[lone wolf]

Please don't burn me at the stake me for lack of knowledge, however I have a question regarding where (and where not) a shooter is legally permitted to use a handgun for recreational purposes. My understanding was that the use of handguns was restricted to a designated range or shooting facility - true or false ? I am asking because I met a group this afternoon who were shooting handguns (on private property - not theirs) along the banks of the SSR, north of Medicine Hat.

Comments ?

[elkhunter11]

Restricted firearms can be fired at ranges or facilities approved for their use.

[NUK SOO KOW]

It is illegal to discharge a restricted weapon anywhere in Canada except at an approved range.

[NUK SOO KOW]

The law is very stupid and I disagree with it. It is what it is. These guys could get in ALOT of trouble if ever caught.

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by NUK SOO KOW

The law is very stupid and I disagree with it. It is what it is. These guys could get in ALOT of trouble if ever caught.

Yes it is.....as I pick up spent brass off my back deck! and fire up the BBQ off that same deck. Boy do I love to live where I live.

[NUK SOO KOW]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

Yes it is.....as I pick up spent brass off my back deck! and fire up the BBQ off that same deck. Boy do I love to live where I live.

Jealous.

[wolfman403]

I always find this a little ridiculus an 18 year old kid can buy a 50 cal barret but I can't shoot gophers with my 22 pistol. Is there no justice in this world.

[livegoodhunthard]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

Yes it is.....as I pick up spent brass off my back deck! and fire up the BBQ off that same deck. Boy do I love to live where I live.

x2

[Bolete]

Originally Posted by lone wolf

Please don't burn me at the stake me for lack of knowledge, however I have a question regarding where (and where not) a shooter is legally permitted to use a handgun for recreational purposes. My understanding was that the use of handguns was restricted to a designated range or shooting facility - true or false ? I am asking because I met a group this afternoon who were shooting handguns (on private property - not theirs) along the banks of the SSR, north of Medicine Hat.

Comments ?

There are a number of people who also collect antique handguns which, providing certain criteria are met, are not restricted firearms.

[220swifty]

Oko, i posted the same defintion, verbatim, in post #50.

Try to keep up, m,kay...

the whole or any part

Now, I know I am just a lowly construction grunt, but to me this includes the deck, as it is permanently affixed to the house, making it a part of the house. Any lawyer worth his salt could argue that should one get charged. My question is if anyone has been charged for this, and what the judgement was?

If anyone has any info on this, it would be interesting to see. This is where the debate would be settled, as it would be a legal precedent, binding all courts at the level of judgement and lower to follow.

I just love how every law is dependent on every word that is written in it.

[rwm1273]

We can all discuss what we interpret the law to be, but once you get charged, it will be the judge who interprets the law for you, and it makes no difference how much salt your lawyer has in his pockets to toss about, if the judge wants to ban you from having guns, he will.

I don't want to derail this thread, but why would anyone risk their guns and their ability to own them by doing something that is in a grey area? I know from experience that there is the law, and then there is the interpretation of the law, and often they don't match.

I had to go before a judge to determine if I could keep my guns. My ex was trying to get them confiscated, and nearly did.

I went to court, and the prosecutor and the police officers who took my guns discussed the situation with my lawyer. All agreed I had not broken any laws, was not a threat to anyone, and the situation was all because of a vindictive ex.

So the prosecutor spoke that the crown had no problems returning my guns. The judge assumed that I had improperly stored them, when the he was informed that they had all been properly registered and stored, and there was no issues with me. The judge then canvased the courtroom to see if anyone was willing to stand up and say I should not have my guns. He asked about 3 times in different ways, and lucky for me nobody stood up, and my ex failed to show up in court. The judge then said he was reluctantly going to let me have my guns back.

Two weeks later my ex tried to get them confiscated again, but this time the police refused to do it.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by 220swifty

Oko, i posted the same defintion, verbatim, in post #50.

Try to keep up, m,kay...

LOL Yeah, but you got it wrong and conceded that it might include a deck.

[Lonnie]

just shoot them in the basement if safe to do so. years a go 22,25, 32, were common indoor guns used a lot for taget practice in basements all over the cuontry

[Bigdad013]

We were shooting hand guns rifles and shotguns at a friends farm 2 years ago. By chance the rcmp showed up, never seen them there before in 30 years of shooting. All he wanted to know was if the handguns were registered. He didn't give a rats ass about us shooting them. We never put other peoples property at risk and were responsible shooters. His reasoning was that, nobody is killing anyone, private property, just some good old target practice and there was no alcohol in site. He never mentioned anything about us not being able to shoot the handguns, so I guess the question still remains.

By the way, all the hand guns were registered to the farm owner, so there was no transporting of weapons which could have been a big problem.