I have heard of people in Alberta using 50cal pistols for hunting as there are no regulations to restrict their use. Can any one confirm this as it seems very interesting to me.

As far as I know the use of any pistol/handgun (restricted or prohibited class) by non law enforcement/military personnel off a certified range is prohibited in Canada, there are certain situations where allowances are made, subject to the issuing authority and specific concerns, but they are rare and have fairly severe restrictions.

Now if the people were hunting on the Certified range and the range didn't have any restrictions against it and the Provincial regulations didn't prohibit it's use, then I would speculate that the people involved are using the grey area's of the law or as the case has been, area's that the legislators and those who come up with the regulations have never even thought about, until an incident brings it to thier attention.

I have done some research on this in the past and most Canadian jurisdictions donot address the issue of hunting with a hadgun, since they are regulated by Federal authorities and are subject to fairly restrictive provisions on thier use and transport and location of use, basically not an area of Provincial jurisdiction, therefore they have seen no need to address the question.

Contact Provincial and federal Authorities before you go out and do it, may save you alot of grief.

You cant use a pistol for hunting here in Alberta. It says so pretty clearly.

If you guys want to know more on the regs here go to http://www.albertaoutdoorsmen.ca

Brett

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some of the guides in b.c. have applied and got permits to pack a handgun for self defence a
couple years ago i don't know how many still
have them i'll find out. also trappers can get a
permit there are restrictions on caliber as
these are not for self defence there for killing
animals in traps

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:
You cannot hunt with a pistol / revolver in BC, nor can you hunt with a rifle modified so that it is shot or used like a pistol as per the hunting regs. ( TC/s or Remington 100's )

Further there is a prohibition ( not the hunting regs but arms act) that prohibits the carrying or coneveyence of handguns unless a whole set of very restrictive rulings are adhered to:

Such as:

1. Use on a certified range only.

2. issuence of a permit to transport and the this in itself defines route of transport. From place of residence to place of use ( range)

3. the locking and securing of the handgun and ammunitiun when not in use on the range as well as at home.

So in short leave you hangun at home unless you are about to participate in a sanctioned handgun sporting event.

Alf

There sure must be a lot of certified Ranges in the Cariboo.

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Just out of curiousity, do muzzleloading handguns fall under the same regulations as modern handguns?

Thanks,
Washougal Chris

Thanks for all the feedback. I should have been more specific. I was wondering about the muzzle loader pistols. I was told you don't have to register them and don't need a PAL to aquire one so hunting with one was a loop hole in Alberta.

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Clarification - flintlock and matchlock rifles are considered antique firearms (even if newly manufactured) and are not subject to registration or PAL to purchase or possess. Legally, you can buy and possess a muzzleloading cannon without a PAL or registration. Percussion cap rifles must be registered and purchased with a PAL.

Flintlock handguns require registration as a restricted (or prohibited, depending on barrel length) firearm and ATT is required to transport and use at an approved range.

Handgun hunting is not legal in any jurisdiction in Canada.

Although pistols classified as antiques dont need to be registered in canada ALF and Ficsher are right in that you still cannot hunt with them because of provincial hunting laws.

Brett

Mickey, I like your answer!!

On "hunt farms" where you can pay to "hunt" some exotic animals like boar, you do not have to follow the normal Provincial hunting regulations. Now if a fellow with one of these boar shooting preserves got himself a certified shooting range or was qualified to do repairs on handguns, then one could take a handgun there with a permit. And then use the handgun the "hunt" a boar.

Seems to me this would work and be fun.

Robin