MI to AK via Canada
- Thread starter merpho
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General Geoff
Member
Haha, your options are one of three:
1. Have the gun shipped to yourself, and pick it up in AK
2. Carry gun through Canada, don't get caught. (unlikely due to border checks)
3. Carry gun through Canada, get caught and be arrested, probably deported, have your gun and possibly your bike confiscated.
I'd choose option 1.
1. Have the gun shipped to yourself, and pick it up in AK
2. Carry gun through Canada, don't get caught. (unlikely due to border checks)
3. Carry gun through Canada, get caught and be arrested, probably deported, have your gun and possibly your bike confiscated.
I'd choose option 1.
Canada will allow you to take a handgun in, but only under very limited circumstances, and what you are going to do isn't one of them.
A registered target shooting event, and you registered, and copies of your corespondence with the match organizers, and the gun registered in Canada, and carried in a locked case, OR to a cultural event that the handgun is required, with lots of documentation to support the situation.
If you try to take it and declare it, they keep it, and it's destroyed.
IF you take it and don't declare it, and are caught, you will lose your vehicle, all that you have with you, and may do time in a Canadian prison. They have a notoriously poor sense of humor regarding handguns, particularly when they are attempted to be smuggled in.
You can legally send the gun by common carrier (UPS or Fed-Ex) from yourself, to yourself, in Alaska in care of a third person, but the third person is not allowed to open the package.
Long guns are allowed to be taken into canada, but not anything military looking. A model 12 Winchester shotgun, with barrel cut to 20", takes down into a short package, and gives you something legal and compact for bear protection.
Do not even joke about having a gun for protection from people, that isn't a legitimate reason to have a gun in Canada. Protection from wild animals is, however.
I've been thru several times. I think it's worth the trouble. It's absolutely spectacular country to drive thru, especially Banff and Jasper parks, and the Alaska Highway. I'm going to do the Cassiar next time. Play it their way, and have fun, but it's their country, and they make the rules. They don't like it when visitors don't play by the home rules.
If you send your handgun around, keep your shipping papers with you. They may ask if you OWN any handguns, (they did me every time), then they will ask where they are. I showed them my shipping receipt, and my long guns (they wanted to see that they were not evil semi-autos, and were unloaded), and they were happy. Long guns have to be registered in Canada also, it's easy, but costs $50 to do. You can download the paperwork from the Canadian govt site.
A registered target shooting event, and you registered, and copies of your corespondence with the match organizers, and the gun registered in Canada, and carried in a locked case, OR to a cultural event that the handgun is required, with lots of documentation to support the situation.
If you try to take it and declare it, they keep it, and it's destroyed.
IF you take it and don't declare it, and are caught, you will lose your vehicle, all that you have with you, and may do time in a Canadian prison. They have a notoriously poor sense of humor regarding handguns, particularly when they are attempted to be smuggled in.
You can legally send the gun by common carrier (UPS or Fed-Ex) from yourself, to yourself, in Alaska in care of a third person, but the third person is not allowed to open the package.
Long guns are allowed to be taken into canada, but not anything military looking. A model 12 Winchester shotgun, with barrel cut to 20", takes down into a short package, and gives you something legal and compact for bear protection.
Do not even joke about having a gun for protection from people, that isn't a legitimate reason to have a gun in Canada. Protection from wild animals is, however.
I've been thru several times. I think it's worth the trouble. It's absolutely spectacular country to drive thru, especially Banff and Jasper parks, and the Alaska Highway. I'm going to do the Cassiar next time. Play it their way, and have fun, but it's their country, and they make the rules. They don't like it when visitors don't play by the home rules.
If you send your handgun around, keep your shipping papers with you. They may ask if you OWN any handguns, (they did me every time), then they will ask where they are. I showed them my shipping receipt, and my long guns (they wanted to see that they were not evil semi-autos, and were unloaded), and they were happy. Long guns have to be registered in Canada also, it's easy, but costs $50 to do. You can download the paperwork from the Canadian govt site.
SDC
Member
Jail, for one. CCW is not legal in Canada without a Canadian permit, and you can probably count on one hand the number of Canadians who have a valid US-style CCW permit. There is provision for a "prospector's licence", that lets prospectors in wilderness areas carry a sidearm, but they're only issued to people with mining licences. Even shooters who just want to go to the range need a permit to transport their trigger-locked handguns inside locked cases to and from the range. In short, there is no legal way you are going to be able to CCW in Canada, so if you want a gun in Alaska, your best option is to have one shipped to an FFL there. You could also consider driving to Washington state, and catching the ferry to Alaska (and thereby avoid spending a dime in this socialist dump).
musher
Member
Option 4: Ride to Seattle, get on Ferry to Juneau.
In Juneau, get on Ferry to Whittier. Now you're in AK with your handgun.
Option 5: Take a shotgun or Lever Carbine and ride through Canada.
In Juneau, get on Ferry to Whittier. Now you're in AK with your handgun.
Option 5: Take a shotgun or Lever Carbine and ride through Canada.
Prince Yamato
Member
Most CCW guns have barrels under 4" and are considered prohibited weapons in Canada- that puts them in the same class as machineguns up in the great North. Minus the fact you would be illegally importing a prohibited weapon, you would also be concealing a prohibited weapon without an ATC (authorization to carry) license. Oh yeah, your gun isn't on the registry either. You'd be doing a stint in the Don, that's for sure. Ship the gun to yourself in Alaska.
To reiterate: Canada is NOT the US. I know many of you visit there and think, "gee, this is like the US". It's not. Try living there for a year. You'll learn real quick that you're in a foreign country. CCW is prohibited, Barnes and Noble is called Indigo Books, and donut holes are called "TimBits".
To reiterate: Canada is NOT the US. I know many of you visit there and think, "gee, this is like the US". It's not. Try living there for a year. You'll learn real quick that you're in a foreign country. CCW is prohibited, Barnes and Noble is called Indigo Books, and donut holes are called "TimBits".
nwilliams
Member
Don't risk it, go on your trip, have a great time, leave the gun behind or ship it to your destination.
I used to live in Maine and traveled to Eastern Canada every summer for week long vacations, I always had to leave my gun behind. Canada is fairly gun friendly in comparison with say....Britain, but the fact is you can't expect that just because you can carry a ccw here in the States that you can do so freely in Canada also. I honestly wouldn't try crossing the border with a handgun in the car, either entering Canada or crossing back into the US.
Good luck, have lots of fun, and be safe!
I used to live in Maine and traveled to Eastern Canada every summer for week long vacations, I always had to leave my gun behind. Canada is fairly gun friendly in comparison with say....Britain, but the fact is you can't expect that just because you can carry a ccw here in the States that you can do so freely in Canada also. I honestly wouldn't try crossing the border with a handgun in the car, either entering Canada or crossing back into the US.
Good luck, have lots of fun, and be safe!
I read somewhere on here that there were special exemptions for U.S. citizens transporting a gun from AK to CONUS? Lemme search
ETA search results: Must be a long gun for "Sporting Purposes" and have all the proper paperwork. No NFA
One thread did mention having a trailer with a Canadian govt. seal on it as long as the seal remained intact you were good. This has since been done away with. Sorry for the false hopes.
My search criteria was: transporting canada alaska
Maybe someone else's search fu is stronger than mine.
ETA search results: Must be a long gun for "Sporting Purposes" and have all the proper paperwork. No NFA
One thread did mention having a trailer with a Canadian govt. seal on it as long as the seal remained intact you were good. This has since been done away with. Sorry for the false hopes.
My search criteria was: transporting canada alaska
Maybe someone else's search fu is stronger than mine.
SDC
Member
Nope; when you're in Canadian territory, you're under Canadian law, just like when you're in American territory, you're under American law. It's no different than expecting your New Hampshire CCW to allow you to carry in New York City; it SHOULD, but it WON'T.
sailortoo
Member
Hey - make that trip across the good ol' USA, wind up in Bellingham, Wash., get on the Alaska ferry Columbia (I guess it's still on that run), have a great trip up the SE Alaska, and transfer as formerly suggested, in Juneau. Makes a cross-country and sea voyage combination, and take your guns with you. Some impressive sight seeing. Do check ahead, where ever you go - they keep changing the rules!
sailortoo
Semper Paratus (also)
sailortoo
Semper Paratus (also)
gunsmith
member
what about ccw on the ferry?
lets say you do take the ferry, lots of mass transit has stupid anti gun rules.
lets say you do take the ferry, lots of mass transit has stupid anti gun rules.
Sunray
Member
"... special exemptions for U.S. citizens transporting a gun from AK to CONUS..." There's no such thing. There is no CCW here. You cannot bring in any firearm without Canadian permits. No handguns at all unless you're coming to a match and have Canadian permits. Try to enter without said permits and you will be arrested, charged(you'll lose the gun, but not your bike) and turned over to the U.S. Homeland Security types.
When your court date arrives, if you don't appear, a warrant for your arrest will be issued. You'll be collected the next time you try to cross the border.
Go here. http://www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca/factsheets/visitin_e.asp
When your court date arrives, if you don't appear, a warrant for your arrest will be issued. You'll be collected the next time you try to cross the border.
Go here. http://www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca/factsheets/visitin_e.asp
sailortoo
Member
gunsmith - good question - gun on a ferry. I pack on the Washington state ferrys, and Alaska is even more gun-friendly, so I'm guessing it works. Part of the reason I included "check ahead, they keep changing the rules". But a good question, none the less. 
sailortoo
Semper Paratus (also)
sailortoo
Semper Paratus (also)
Glenn Kelley
Member
Even if you made it across Canada you could still have trouble at US customs.The USA has import and export laws that you would have to comply with.
sailortoo
Member
Ferry stop in Canada? I know some Alaska ferrys do make port in Prince Rupert, Canada, but the Columbia (largest of the Alaska ferry system, last time I rode it) does/did not - straight through Canada, non stop both ways. Besides, I would doubt the Canadian authorities would be able to search a US vessel without cause, other than possibly an epidemic medical crisis. Interesting, the questions that come up - I hadn't thought of that.
sailortoo
Semper Paratus (also)
sailortoo
Semper Paratus (also)
AirplaneDoc
Member
Trust me on this one. I have had the pleasure of being detained by US Customs Service at the Canadian Border. It was not a fun experience.
I am formerly from Michigan, and 15 years ago went over to Canada for lunch. At the Canadian border, the customs official stated " I see you have firearms registered in the State of Michigan, and a Illinois Firearm Permit, Do you have any weapons in the car? Can I check? I assure you that agent will know that you own a handgun, before you get to talk to the man.
I am formerly from Michigan, and 15 years ago went over to Canada for lunch. At the Canadian border, the customs official stated " I see you have firearms registered in the State of Michigan, and a Illinois Firearm Permit, Do you have any weapons in the car? Can I check? I assure you that agent will know that you own a handgun, before you get to talk to the man.
Glenn Kelley
Member
Just occurred to me that you should make sure you can carry legally in the states you will cross if you go by way of Washington State.
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