Travelling and Canada

[Tandem160]

First off, I know, Canada. I get that thousands and thousands of INGO'ers would never go to Kanada, I get it, fact is Canada is a beautiful country where outdoor recreation is only limited by your imagination. Additionally, when you get older you'll get some undeniable urge that will cause you want to see and visit Alaska. Well being older and more than likely newly retired, you'll want to take your time and explore the Canada-Alaska route by..you guessed it an RV. Now comes the handgun part, I've copied and pasted the meat of the handgun restrictions below. My question is "What would be your revolver of choice", noting the 4.14" requirements. The use will be potential hunting and piece of mind. Declaring a handgun for "personal protection" doesn't seem like a good idea. As I'll using a truck camper size & weight are important, as is reliability. Cost isn't much of a factor with the exception of 6-7K Colt snake series collectors piece, that's not going to happen. Speaking of what's not going to happen is sneaking or not declaring my firearms. This will be completely legit and an honest venture (any firearm can give me piece of mind), yes this means not even a single potato. The following is the Canadian requirements bsf5044: Importing a Firearm or Weapon Into Canada

 

[eldirector]

Driving to Alaska, you say?

Ports - Viking Travel Inc. / AlaskaFerry.com | Petersburg, Alaska

Just talked to my wife about this over the weekend. Drive across the continental US, hop a ferry to Alaska, and head up the coast. Would be an AWESOME road trip.

Canada is nice, too. I've done the fly-in fishing thing several times. Beautiful country. Expensive as heck, completely over-regulated, and no good way to carry up to the border, and then 'lock it up'.

Looks like your best bet is a standard semi-auto shotgun, as they are not restricted in any notable way. Since a handgun will need to be locked up in your RV at all times, there isn't much benefit to even having it.

 

[confused89]

Been up the Alcan three times, all of them in the winter. If you go up the Alcan in any other time than Summer than plan your stops carefully as some of the fuel stops are not open all season long. Take at least two spare tires with you and if you go in the spring or fall take a set of tire chains as you will be crossing a mountain pass that it not completely maintained in the winter time. I have never taken a firearm as my company prohibits it.

5" GP100 if you can find one in 357.

 

[Zoub]

No, I will never the have the RV urge, let alone up the Alcan with one. No knock on Canada here. I would go the shotgun route too and declare for sure.

One trip, on the way back from a quick jaunt into Canada, they noticed the wall mount clamp behind the drivers seat in my buddies RV.

What is that for? He tells them shotgun but he left it at my house, which was true. That was a long stop. They are sharp, they know what to look for when it comes to hiding guns.


While the Alcan is cool, drive over and take the ferry across, then double back and head south down the coast as far as Muir woods, maybe Monterey. Then head for the interior and back to the North. I have done Mexico to Canada and vice versa both on the coast and interior multiple times. Good stuff, but I get the Alcan thing. I have friends and family along the coast, I prefer to hang out in Oregon.

My wife has not done this and I think taking the Amtrak from Chicago to LA, then a rental car from LA for the loop home.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

When you enter Canada with a firearm, you must fill out the proper forms and present them at customs.

Thing is, it is up to the discretion of the agent whether or not they let you bring your firearm across. I know a guy who had taken a .22 rifle into Canada for years, and one time the customs agent decided not to let him. Then you're left with a gun that you have to find a place to store until you come back across.

 

[ghuns]

Then you're left with a gun that you have to find a place to store until you come back across.

Went on my first, of hopefully many, Kanardian fly in fishing adventures this year. That's what made me decide to leave my shotgun at home. Seriously, what you do with it? Turn around and find the nearest Murrican gun shop and ask them to hold it for you?

 

[flintlock9]

I went to Newfoundland this summer in our RV with the wife and dogs. Going in to Canada, they tossed the whole RV, opened every drawer and storage compartment on the vehicle. Even asked us to unlock our phones and look at the texts. I left all my guns at home and just had my benchmade in my pocket. To me it wasn't worth the risk. Coming back in to the USA. The border guards didn't even get out of their little building to check us.
Also my inlaws just did that trip to Alaska. They went up through the plains of Canada to Prince Rupert, and ferry hopped up to Anchorage. Then drove the Alcan back. It took them about 3 weeks and they loved it!

 

[Drail]

Canada is like Illinois. If you can't fly over it - go around it - or don't go.

 

[Tandem160]

Thanks for the replies! I leaning towards a S&W in .357. Large enough to hunt not overly large. I am taking a look at the S&W 386 Hunter XL. Seems to be an interesting revolver option.

 

[ghuns]

Canada is like Illinois. If you can't fly over it - go around it - or don't go.

If I could find a place in Murrica that I could afford to rent a cabin for a week, on a lake where I'm pretty much guaranteed to not see another human being, and where the fish are dying to get in my boat, I wouldn't go either.

 

[Zoub]

Ghuns, My backyard. We rarely see people on our stretch of river due to a lack of access and fairly tough rapids. I often fish all day without seeing even a single canoe or kayak. I will rent you the garage for $1000. You can crap in the woods and I will mark a bunch of musky and smallie spots on a map for you. Kayaks included in the $1000.

If I like you, I might share a few other spots where you can go nearby.

 

[Mustang1911]

Thanks for the replies! I leaning towards a S&W in .357. Large enough to hunt not overly large. I am taking a look at the S&W 386 Hunter XL. Seems to be an interesting revolver option.

That's probably about the lightest revolver you're going to find since it has the scandium frame. While 357 is a great round, it wouldn't be my first choice for a charging grizzly but sure beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Everything is give and take and depends on what you want for stopping power, versus size and weight. What are you wanting to hunt with it? For close-ish range and deer sized game 357 would be a good compromise for a hunting gun but still light enough to carry easily while hiking fishing etc. If you're looking to hunt game in the bear, elk, moose etc size game I'd look more into the 44mag to 454 casull range which will have a lot more stopping power, but the trade off is more recoil and a bigger heavier handgun. What about a semi auto? Are you opposed to them or legal issues in Canada? Maybe a 10mm Glock 20? Hard to argue with 15+1 rounds of 10mm and not too big and heavy to carry.

 

[Tandem160]

Pretty much thinking wanting to keep semi-auto out of the equation. I figure a revolver would be an easier sell the semi-auto's. Again thanks for he replies!

 

[Tactically Fat]

Links that may help:

bsf5044: Importing a Firearm or Weapon Into Canada

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

You're probably going to have a hard time with the revolver "to be used for hunting" if it's not hunting season.

Will probably have a better time with a pump action shotgun.

If you still want to bring the revolver with you, the second link posted says "A restricted firearm may be brought into Canada, but an Authorization to Transport (ATT) permit must be obtained in advance from a Provincial or Territorial Chief Firearms Officer. The ATT will not be issued for hunting or self-protection purposes."

Have fun.