Anyone here been or going to Canadian Grand Prix?

[Tangohammerli]

What can I expect? Worth while or go to US match??

[Rover]

I went a couple of times when it was held in Richmond, Vancouver. I had fun, kissed the trophy girl, won the Silhouette portion, and medalled.

But, all this was a lifetime ago.

[william]

If you search on CAGP and/or Canadian Grand Prix, you'll find plenty of stuff - including a very long thread started by a fellow who didn't bother to double-check his trigger weight and got himself DQ'ed.

Do you have any more specific queries?

I'll be going for my final CAGP - shoulder and elbow problems have turned me into a doormat. No matter how poorly I shoot, the time spent in Toronto can be counted on to mostly make up for it..

[SlartyBartFast]

No matter how poorly I shoot, the time spent in Toronto can be counted on to mostly make up for it..

I suppose that depends on your perspective. I consider time spent in Toronto as punishment. :D

[Rover]

Well, William, take care of that shoulder.

I know you're a Scotch Swigger, but perhaps in honor of the occasion you should down a pint (Imperial) of Canadian Club (Mother's Sovereign Remedy).

It would ease the pain of your shoulder AND of your ignominious defeat.

[william]

Rog, my defeats are NEVER ignominious. When in Canada, drink the good local ales (except when we go out for Jamaican food and are obliged to have Red Stripe).

[wrh1]

Does anyone have any tips on travelling from the US with air pistols? It seems like mine are considered restricted firearms according to Canadian law, owing to the fact that they shoot over 500 fps. Can anyone confirm this? Any agencies I'd need to contact before hand?

[william]

Please, read the CAGP match bulletin. It has links to all you need to know. If your AP is a PCP or CO2 not sold by a Canadian retailer it is over 500fps, and you'll have to do about 10 minutes of work to get all you need.

[jckstrthmghty]

Does anyone have any tips on travelling from the US with air pistols? It seems like mine are considered restricted firearms according to Canadian law, owing to the fact that they shoot over 500 fps. Can anyone confirm this? Any agencies I'd need to contact before hand?

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-f ... te-eng.htm

The key is to declare your ap at the border and pay the temporary permit fee. A hard locked case and a trigger lock on the ap. This can be a zip tie if need be. I recommend you keep your pellets separate as restricted firearms are not supposed to be transported with the ammo in the same case. Bring your ap literature to help the customs agent identify your ap if asked. Best to adjust and practice under 500 fps now. Even adjusted to sub 500 fps it is still a restricted firearm in Canada.

Oh if you are flying it needs to be checked. Do not carry that onboard. I'm not sure if the cylinder needs to be drained for air travel.

[wrh1]

Please, read the CAGP match bulletin. It has links to all you need to know. If your AP is a PCP or CO2 not sold by a Canadian retailer it is over 500fps, and you'll have to do about 10 minutes of work to get all you need.

Thanks, I read it a couple of times, but not a ton of information was there for those with airguns which would be considered restricted.

I've mostly got it figured out, looks like I'll probaly need an Authorization To Travel completed before hand, which seems to be a fairly straightforward process. I may contact the RCMP Monday to get the ball rolling.

[metman]

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-f ... te-eng.htm

The key is to declare your ap at the border and pay the temporary permit fee. A hard locked case and a trigger lock on the ap. This can be a zip tie if need be. I recommend you keep your pellets separate as restricted firearms are not supposed to be transported with the ammo in the same case. Bring your ap literature to help the customs agent identify your ap if asked. Best to adjust and practice under 500 fps now. Even adjusted to sub 500 fps it is still a restricted firearm in Canada.

Oh if you are flying it needs to be checked. Do not carry that onboard. I'm not sure if the cylinder needs to be drained for air travel.

Actually the sub-500fps airguns are NOT considered firearms unless they are used to commit a crime. From the RCMP fact sheet on air guns :

"[...]air guns with a maximum muzzle velocity of 152.4 metres or 500 feet per second and/or a maximum muzzle energy of 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot-pounds [...] are exempt from licensing, registration, and other requirements under the Firearms Act[...] These air guns are exempt from the specific safe storage, transportation and handling requirements set out in the regulations supporting the Firearms Act. However, the Criminal Code requires that reasonable precautions be taken to use, carry, handle, store, transport and ship them in a safe and secure manner."
Read it all here:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-f ... ir-eng.htm

I have flown commercial numerous times with my 500fps Steyr LP10 packed, unlocked, air cylinder emptied, in checked baggage. There is no additional fee for such air guns. Airguns imported and sold in Canada often have the certified muzzle velocity printed in the owners manual.
If no official certification is available, it would be better to eliminate the possibility of transgressing Canada's labyrinthine gun laws by getting the temporary firearms transport permit.

[jckstrthmghty]

Actually the sub-500fps airguns are NOT considered firearms unless they are used to commit a crime. From the RCMP fact sheet on air guns :

"[...]air guns with a maximum muzzle velocity of 152.4 metres or 500 feet per second and/or a maximum muzzle energy of 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot-pounds [...] are exempt from licensing, registration, and other requirements under the Firearms Act[...] These air guns are exempt from the specific safe storage, transportation and handling requirements set out in the regulations supporting the Firearms Act. However, the Criminal Code requires that reasonable precautions be taken to use, carry, handle, store, transport and ship them in a safe and secure manner."
Read it all here:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-f ... ir-eng.htm

I have flown commercial numerous times with my 500fps Steyr LP10 packed, unlocked, air cylinder emptied, in checked baggage. There is no additional fee for such air guns. Airguns imported and sold in Canada often have the certified muzzle velocity printed in the owners manual.
If no official certification is available, it would be better to eliminate the possibility of transgressing Canada's labyrinthine gun laws by getting the temporary firearms transport permit.

I agree, air pistols, or any airgun imported into Canada and certified by the rcmp as sub 500 fps and under 5.7 joules are exactly as you said. Not a firearm unless used in a crime. However air pistols or rifles from outside of Canada not certified as such are subject to all the same rules as their pal rated counterpart. Being a pistol that would mean a restricted firearm. Changing the velocity doesn't change that it is still a pal rated firearm in the eyes of the law. Just like having a power burning pistol. Add whatever barrel or stock to make it look like a rifle, in the eyes of the law in Canada it's still a pistol therefore a restricted firearm. I'm sure most have no issues transporting their air pistols for competition when declared as such. Better to have the correct documentation and save yourself any possible hassle. My LP10 has a certificate paper stating it is sub 500 fps and cannot be modified to increase the velocity beyond that.

[wrh1]

Once I got in touch with the proper person, it took all of 10 minutes to have my authorization to transport information filled out and submitted. In the end it was pretty simple, I had to call the firearms office for the province (Ontario) and talk to the person there who dealt with non residents. Everyone was super helpful and they were aware of the competition and everything. I did have to send a letter of invitation from the competition, pretty standard. I'm looking forward to Canada and hopefully not shooting too poorly.

[william]

Once I got in touch with the proper person, it took all of 10 minutes to have my authorization to transport information filled out and submitted. In the end it was pretty simple, I had to call the firearms office for the province (Ontario) and talk to the person there who dealt with non residents. Everyone was super helpful and they were aware of the competition and everything. I did have to send a letter of invitation from the competition, pretty standard. I'm looking forward to Canada and hopefully not shooting too poorly.

You're not quite finished. It will cost you $25CDN (that's what it was last year) at Canada Customs, and wait until you see how courteous they are!

Your comment should be required reading for all the snowflakes who think it's too difficult / too time-consuming / too expensive or just plain violates their rights. Shoot well. See you there.

[Forrest C.]

Does anyone know what kind of paperwork I need to bring my pistol back into the US? From what I could find, it looks like I just need to fill out a Certificate of Registration For Personal Effects Taken Abroad. Glad to see there will be a few of us representing the US in pistol this year. Whatever happens, I'll be happy to be able to call myself an "international" shooter after this.

[wrh1]

Once I got in touch with the proper person, it took all of 10 minutes to have my authorization to transport information filled out and submitted. In the end it was pretty simple, I had to call the firearms office for the province (Ontario) and talk to the person there who dealt with non residents. Everyone was super helpful and they were aware of the competition and everything. I did have to send a letter of invitation from the competition, pretty standard. I'm looking forward to Canada and hopefully not shooting too poorly.

You're not quite finished. It will cost you $25CDN (that's what it was last year) at Canada Customs, and wait until you see how courteous they are!

Your comment should be required reading for all the snowflakes who think it's too difficult / too time-consuming / too expensive or just plain violates their rights. Shoot well. See you there.

Thanks, hoping that customs won't be too painful, it'll have been a really long day already.

I just started shooting AP and I intend on doing it for a while, and hopefully this will be the first of many intl. competitions. I figured I might as well get used to the process now. Most people look at the first few barriers to entry to something like this like climbing Everest. Compared to the amount of time and effort I've put into shooting AP this year though(not that it's done me a ton of good in terms of my scores), getting a few papers emailed to someone has been absolutely nothing though.

[william]

"Thanks, hoping that customs won't be too painful, it'll have been a really long day already."

If history is a guide, it will take no more than a few minutes; and the officers are so courteous you'll wonder why they didn't invite you home for dinner.