Guns in Motorhome traveling to Canada

[KJINTF]

Crossing with Licensed Fully Documented Dogs is hard enough - Don't bother with guns

Strongly suggest you are not the first in line to cross the border when they open in the morning. Took us 1.5 hours while they looked through everything in the RV EVERYTHING including top side A/C unit and found NOTHING. We are old farts and long since retired guess we were profiled.

Canada is a nice place to visit once in a while (the people are wonderful!!!), For us the best part of our several trips there has been coming back across the border and having the guys at the Border say "WELCOME HOME". Last trip north we saw no wildlife nothing at all not even a white tail deer all the way to Jasper and back. On the way back across the border within 2 miles three black bear, a few Moose and several other nice creatures. Sure does feel good to be home

Suggest you store your firearms on the US side or ship them to Alaska

[chuckinthebus]

I would think finding a FFL store states side before crossing the border and if your trip didn't bring you back in the same location, find another where you plan to return and have them shipped.

[distaff]

Originally Posted by Mercury0_0

I know it doesn't make sense: you are allowed to use force, up to and including deadly force, to defend your life in Canada, BUT you are not allowed to carry ANY tool that would make it easier (or even possible in some cases) to defend your life.

Actually, the argument is generally sound except this bit - you are not allowed to carry anything for THE PURPOSE of defending yourself as that can be construed as premeditation, but you can use any reasonable means, and your reaction must be proportionate. For example, you couldn't take a weapon out and then goad someone into a fight and stab them. It does more or less rule out carrying a hand gun, or shooting someone who knocks on your door. While a really bad person may be able to take advantage of this, the sad fact is that really bad people (serial killers and con men) seem astonishingly normal and are hard to detect, so you could be armed to the teeth and it won't make much difference. Luckily, they are exceptionally rare.

The main point is feel free to bring what is legal, and otherwise don't. That precludes illegal drugs, handguns, bombs, or anthrax spores. The consequences can be severe (I'll post a story about a near miss next). My main point from my previous post is that the U.S. is generally overrated as a dangerous place, and Canada as a safe one. Yes, JohnyBoy Too is correct that where you are matters, in Canada being in the custody of the RCMP is very dangerous, they have killed several unarmed people in custody, including shooting a young man who had been arrested for drinking a beer in public through the back of the head and successful claiming self defense. My point is that the interstate is more dangerous than most places, and most violent crime is between individuals who know each other. Ignore the media and go have fun!

Please, come on up. Leave the handguns behind or stay home. We are pretty comfortable with firearms, but sadly, we are not better drivers

[distaff]

Here is my story of a near miss with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). Think about this before you hide your hand gun in the A/C unit. I bought my MH from a New Hampshire couple, but it was stored in Florida. As part of the deal (the one where I should have bought Goldman Sachs stock and made out like a bandit with the bandits instead), the wife of the couple offered to drive it to Calgary. We met at the border, and we had an unpleasant experience with a complete moron who worked for CBSA and could not believe that I could buy a 2006 Beaver Patriot Thunder for $150k at the bottom of the market in 2009. After hassling us for over an hour he decided it must be part of a drug deal, so he had a drug sniffing dog go through the coach. I was pretty calm, and so was the lady who was selling me the coach.

We got through it and finally they let us go. Drove the hour and half to the city, I took the lady to the airport, and went home and started going through the coach to clean it. I found a half smoked joint (referred to as a roach by those in the know, but I defer to common terminology so people don't think it was just a dead bug) inside a decorative ceramic flour jar glued to the kitchen counter.

That roach could have cost her the coach and me my $40k deposit, plus my van, which I had driven down to meet her. I think the dog though the CBSA agent was a dick. Either way, we were lucky. The lady and her husband were yuppie bikers, and liked to smoke a little weed. No harm, unless you get caught.

Don't mess with border guards. They are like living gods when it comes to what they can do to you.

[Mercury0_0]

Yes distaff, you're absolutely right. Carrying "for the purpose" of defending yourself is illegal. It's always important to get the wording right for these types of discussions. This wording also opens up the possibility of carrying something (a weapon like item) legally. If you can articulate your non-defensive reason for carrying it. For instance, I can carry a knife on my person legally because it's not considered a "weapon" until it's used as such or intended to be used as such.
If I do use it in a defensive action I will have to articulate to a Judge that I was carrying it to "cut string, open letters or other benign reason" and used it because it just happened to be handy and my life was in dire threat.

[cucotx]

Originally Posted by Mercury0_0

What Woodydel say about defending your life with guns in Canada is completely wrong. In Canada, you are allowed to use ANYTHING at hand to defend your life. Chainsaw, baseball bat, hand gun - it doesn't matter. But, you can not carry ANYTHING on your person for the express use of defending your life...

So what happens for someone that wants to be out in the boonies in Canada, or hunting. Is there no legal way to have your shotgun with you?

[Eddie Foy]

Originally Posted by SeattlePirat

You cant take side arms into canada

Not true!

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by macantic

Do they have gun sniffing dogs at the border? There are many places in an RV to hide a pistol.Do they look into compartment? I was thinking about going to Canada and putting my pistol in a zip-lock freezer bag and hiding it in the roof top A/C.

The last time i traveled up to Alaska, I crossed at the Canadian border on the I-15 heading toward Calgary AB.

The Customs Border agent asked the normal questions and then pointed me to towards where all of the commercial trucks go through.

I was parked in line with 5-6 other trucks and was told to leave the vehicle. Then this monster customs truck drove slowly down past all of the rigs. They were using x-ray to look for any contraband. After about 10 more minutes they informed us we were allowed to go.

I would not hide or lie to any customs officer. The risk is too great.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[Scarab0088]

SEVERAL POSTS HAD TO BE REMOVED AS BEING OFF-TOPIC.

Please keep future posts on-topic about the transportation of guns into Canada with a RV and/or storage options before crossing the border.

Wandering threads that include discussion about guns are at GREAT risk of being closed.

Thanks for understanding

[jcrain9663]

Originally Posted by Dr4Film

I would not hide or lie to any customs officer. The risk is too great.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

You are so right. We made some new Canadian friends last winter who told us they got seriously harassed and very nearly detained because they didn't declare that they were carrying deli meats as they crossed back over into Canada. They forgot they even had the stuff. They said one smart-alek remark earned them a full-scale inspection. The border agents went through every drawer and looked in every storage area above and below, moving things about. She said it took over two hours for them to look through everything and let them back into their own country!

[UFO Pilot]

I have a very good friend who went to Alaska in 2012. At the Canada border they asked him what he did and he told them "I am a retired Chief of Police". They asked where his guns were and he told them they were at home. They said all retired LEO's carry guns and he must have his with him. He insisted he had no guns, they insisted he did. Ended up with his 5th wheel and truck emptied and searched. Nothing was found so they told him to pack up his belongings and continue on to Alaska.

Just a little profiling?

[sirpurrcival]

Being a customs officer must be a little like being a tax collector. How many times do you have to hear people swear up and down that they had no idea that it was illegal or that we were over the duty limit. Must make them a bit crazy after awhile and not just a little cynical.

Probably for every 1 honest mistake, there are probably 5 not so honest ones and every once in a while, the 1 honest one will get taken for one of the others. The simple truth is that if people didn't try to pull fast ones all the time, customs would probably be a lot more easy going. If people have problems with customs agents, they need look no farther than those who play fast and loose with the rules (and I bet we all know at least 1).

As for what is and isn't allowed, the US embassy provides the following info for US travellers with guns.

Bringing Weapons Into Canada | Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Canada

[TinMan Trvlr]

Our local paper had a short article yesterday commenting that two Americans (who were named in the article) were fined $4000.00 and $3000.00 respectively for not telling Border Officials at the Coutts border crossing that they had guns. It did not say whether the guns were permanently confiscated in addition to the fines. At those prices it makes some earlier suggestions of mailing them to yourself or throwing them in the closest lake seem like relatively inexpensive solutions.

Before you "mess" with or "hedge" about failing to declare a gun, remember that Canadian Border Service personnel have their own perception of what items can be considered a "weapon". An hour long up close and personal experience with a burley Border Officer ensued, complete with threats of my being charged and fined, for my failing to declare that I had a Leatherman tool and a 2 1/2" Swiss Army knife in my checked luggage while returning through an airport Customs inspection from a camping vacation! Thankfully for me, my Dear Wife dragged me away from the counter about the time I began to froth at the mouth during the intense debate over the sensibility of the Officers perspective and definitions of what are weapons. She correctly noted that it was NOT debatable with a person who has unappealable authority.

[brian-nicola]

USCBP does as well. CBSA, you always have the "right" to require the BSO to have the Superintendent on duty attend and a BSO must always run any enforcement action by their Superintendent before taking it. USCBP Officers can without appeal or "moving up the food chain" can BAR you from entering the USA immediately and for up to 2 or 3 years on the spot. Also, in Canada the Charter does not apply as you are not deemed "In Canada" until you have been admitted.

If in doubt, Declare it.