My interesting meeting with the RCMP

[CrunchBite]

So, back in late September I ordered a low profile gas block and a magpul trigger guard from someone in the US off ebay. Both legal to import into Canada, non restricted/prohibited parts.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago, I receive a phone call from a Constable in RCMP customs and excise. Unfortunately as a poor sap still living at home, my mother answers. He asks about these parts and she replies they are probably for an airsoft gun. I talk to him later in the day, he tells me I'm not in trouble and haven't done anything illegal and asks me to come down to their office on the 20th.

So today I head down to their office, I am greeted by two constables and we go up stairs. One of them takes me to a small room with 2 chairs and a desk. We chat mostly friendly about what I do, what airsoft is like. He remarks his son has some, sounds like springers. Blah Blah Blah, the other guy comes back in, the friendly guy leaves. He talks more about airsoft, what it is, what we do, why I was buying real parts. They explain they are concerned about people buying parts up in the hopes to assemble a real gun. He is more hostile giving me a hard time when I'm not positive on the rules of velocity.

Then they bring in someone from the CBSA who has a seized by the looks of it CA M4. He tells me again, I'm not in trouble, not going to be arrested or anything like that. Talk about and show which parts I was buying, they ask more about real steel stuff, what airsofters might be buying and that sort of thing. He explains how owning airsoft is not illegal, but buying and selling is considered trafficking. We talk about how misuse of an airsoft gun would be treated, some about proper storage and transportation, I say that I keep it in a locked case that is transported in the trunk of a car.

In the end, it seems like alot of trouble to "educate" one airsofter on the laws of replicas and such. From the sounds of the CBSA guy they might be taking the sale of airsoft more seriously now.

All in all it was a strange meeting to me.

[NachoPuddin]

hmmm, not sure how to take this. Could be good or bad, depends on how you look at it.

[Griffin]

It sounds more like they are worried that you, or others maybe ordering RS parts to build guns. I think they are wondering why would you want RS parts for an airsoft gun.

[mcguyver]

More likely than not, they are investigating the "it's OK to order parts" angle of airsoft. They likely want to know why people are buying the parts that they are, trying to figure out if a real gun could be made using some real parts and some airsoft. I think that they can speculate all day in a cubicle, but the real info they need will come from someone who has an airsoft gun and buys parts for it.

[CrunchBite]

Originally Posted by mcguyver

More likely than not, they are investigating the "it's OK to order parts" angle of airsoft. They likely want to know why people are buying the parts that they are, trying to figure out if a real gun could be made using some real parts and some airsoft. I think that they can speculate all day in a cubicle, but the real info they need will come from someone who has an airsoft gun and buys parts for it.

They did mentioned they are concerned about people ordering RS parts and building a real gun(mentioned manufacturing lower receivers). I kept my smart comment to myself that if have the equipment to manufacture a lower, you can easily build everything else.

He did ask me why bother with real parts at all, if all it does is make it look different.
I explain thats half of what airsoft is, the look.



I have a ptw, RS parts are going on it.

[Cleric]

Just ordered some RS stuff myself, I wonder if they'll be calling me in, too.

[Brian McIlmoyle]

that they would interview you...

however the question is do you have a license to own a real AR-15?

You were bringing in real parts... it begs the question..do you own a real gun for these parts?

There is no doubt that there is heightened enforcement regarding replicas.. case in point the market implosion last year.. ..

But targeting individuals... I have not heard of any other circumstances of that.

[MadMax]

They may have been concerned that you were assembling a real AR which is significantly more serious than an airsoft AR.

[Drake]

I'd say it had to do with it being real parts, I just got some stuff from HK yesterday (including a front end that included a fake low profile gas block); all opened and checked out by CBSA (you can tell what they looked at because they do a crappy job of repacking it, and the bubble wrapping is ripped when they pull off the tape).

Just because you're using it on airsoft, it's still a real part.

[mopic]

Yeah, sounds like an intel thing. They are quite concerned that people are importing real firearms in pieces and assembling in Canada. Very easy to do, a few years back I was able to import a five shot Taurus .357 as "machine and metal fabrication parts" frame, cylinder and grips over 4 months.

[FOX_111]

That is one interesting meeting.
Buying and reselling airsoft is illegal? That's new.

[Forever_kaos]

On the plus side, hopefully they have an understanding can't convert or build an airsoft gun to shoot real bullets? and hopefully this is a step in the right direction, maybe many years down the road they will all help us on our glory airsoft quest.. eh eh?
Hopefully though, this will help some how down the road in the long long.

[Moderate]

Sounds like Good Cop, Bad Cop...didn't realize they actually did that

[CrunchBite]

Originally Posted by moderatesniper

^^^.......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zCOD6twDmo...course you need to own the real gun first.

Sounds like Good Cop, Bad Cop...didn't realize they actually did that

HAHA, thats exactly what I said to my buddy afterwards. It wasn't quite, the slightly hostile guy wasn't really "bad". But I always thought they only did that on TV.

[arman]

i hope you got free coffee and dougnuts...cause you know they are there!!!