Pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course with Confidence

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Pro Tips for Renewing your Firearms License

Over Silvercore’s many years of experience in teaching, training, and certifying a countless number of instructors, students, and otherwise, we’ve realized some tips and tricks which may aid those in the process of renewing their firearms license, PAL, to achieve a faster renewal.

So in this blog, we are discussing tips that may make your renewal go from tedious and lengthy to easy and renewed in no time at all!

Renew Early

Renew before your PAL expires. Why? Because if you let your PAL expire, the application process to have it reinstated is much longer. In fact, it’s the same process as when you first applied- including the 28 day waiting period! Take it from us, renew early and save yourself both time and stress.

Another item worth mentioning is that to renew, you will need to present a copy of your course reports. If you do not have a copy of your course reports, which articulate you went through the required training for your PAL, you may have to retake the CFSC/CRFSC training.

Renew Online

The good news is that you can easily renew online via the RCMP’s website, which can be found here. Online renewal ensures that your renewal gets to the RCMP promptly, but also gives you peace of mind knowing that it won’t get lost in the mail. Another bonus- you also save postage! 

In possession of restricted firearms? Have your proof of membership handy!

As a restricted firearms owner, you need a membership from a club or range to have the Long Term Authorization To Transport or ATT. This allows you to purchase, possess and transport your restricted firearms.

So, if you’re renewing your firearms licence and you currently have restricted firearms in your possession, one of the best things you can do to speed along the process is to include your proof of membership with
your renewal application to the RCMP. This saves time because then they don’t have to send you a letter telling you that they need that proof of membership for the ATT.

If you don’t have a valid membership and need one for your renewal, you can join the Silvercore Gun Club to meet the ATT requirements. Bonus: this membership not only comes with 10 Million in North American wide liability insurance, but it also has some pretty great perks, including annual members-only events with brag-worthy grand raffle prizes.

Include the right fees

Effective March 31, 2020, the Canadian Firearms Program has updated its service fees for firearms licences for individuals and businesses. The fees for each licence are as follows:

  • Individuals upgrading from PAL to RPAL $40.88
  • non-restricted firearms (PAL) $61.32
  • restricted firearms (RPAL) $81.76

Keep in mind that if you’re applying for your RPAL, this includes your PAL, so the total fee for both the non-restricted and restricted firearms is $81.76.

Check, check, and check again!

Be sure to review your application form, more than once. This will ensure that you haven’t missed any crucial details. Leave the form for a day and return to it on a new day. Fresh eyes tend to see new things, and likewise, tired eyes can miss details.

Unsure about details on your application form? Contact us! We can provide you with the information and advice you need to complete your forms and be on your merry way in no time!


Below are links references in this post that will help you with your firearms license renewal endeavour:

The Silvercore Podcast Ep. 9 – Grizzly Bear Attack

Silvercore has been providing bear safety training to industry professionals, both in person as well as online, for many years, but this marks the first time we speak with someone who survived a horrific grizzly bear attack by using his pocket knife.

In episode 9, we sit down and talk with Colin Dowler, who shares in detail his harrowing experience of grit and tenacity. Colin is sharing his story to increase the knowledge base of bear behaviour and bear encounters. He hopes that we all become more aware of potential dangers and become adequately educated and prepared before entering into bear country.

Please note that sections of this episode deal with intense and graphic content, listener discretion is advised.

You can listen to episode 9 of our podcast on Podbean, Apple iTunes, YouTube, Spotify, SoundCloud, Google Podcast, and Google Play. All you’ll have to do is search for ‘The Silvercore Podcast.’ 

If you have any feedback or questions that we can address, please reach out to us via social media or at 1-855-771-5837 or info@silvercore.ca. Finally, don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast, and while you’re at it, follow us on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter!

Travis Bader
Silvercore Inc.

The Silvercore Podcast Ep. 8 – Train Your Brain To Win Part 2

It’s here! The much-anticipated part 2 of the Train your Brain to Win series with Ryan Steacy. In part one, we sat down with Ryan and discussed the mental management practices that have allowed him to be the National Service Rifle Champion 5 years in a row.

Part one was recorded right before Ryan was to fly to Ottawa to compete at the Connaught Range to see if he could extend his winning streak to a 6th year in a row. In this episode, we delve deeper into Ryan’s mental management process, discuss Mental Marksmanship as coined by Keith Cunningham and Linda Miller, and field some questions from our listeners. Does Ryan’s process allow for a win 6 years in a row? Is this something that you can use in your everyday life? Listen and find out.

You can listen to episode 8 of our podcast on Podbean, Apple iTunes, YouTube, Spotify, SoundCloud, Google Podcast, and Google Play. All you’ll have to do is search for ‘The Silvercore Podcast.’ 

If you have any feedback or questions that we can address, please reach out to us via social media or at 1-855-771-5837 or info@silvercore.ca. Finally, don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast, and while you’re at it, follow us on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter!

Travis Bader
Silvercore Inc.

The Silvercore Podcast Ep. 7 – Train Your Brain To Win

Do you want to hit your target every time? Whether that’s a literal target or a personal or professional goal, in this podcast, Ryan Steacy will describe a mental management program that will help you win in any aspect of your life.

Learn the secrets that the professionals use to win as well as one simple trick that has helped Ryan succeed even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Whether it is in the boardroom, your personal life, sports, or in Ryan’s case on the rifle range, this podcast will help teach you how to ingrain winning into your subconscious.

This is a two-part episode, a first for The Silvercore Podcast. In this episode, we will discuss Ryan’s mental management process shortly before he leaves to compete in an attempt to win the National Service Rifle Championship for the sixth year in a row.

In part two, I will be sitting down with Ryan soon after he returns from the championship. Here we will see if there is anything that needs to be addressed for future competitions or if his mental management process comes though for win number 6.

You can listen to our podcast on Podbean, Apple iTunes, YouTubeGoogle Podcast, and apps on your phone such as Spotify, SoundCloud, and Google Play! All you’ll have to do is search for ‘The Silvercore Podcast’

After you listen, let us know what you think! While you’re at it follow us on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter!

Travis Bader
Silvercore Inc

The Silvercore National Pistol Shoot – Why It Was Created

Many of you may already know our story, but for those of you who don’t we wanted to provide you with more of a background as to who we are, why we started the Silvercore Gun Club and our intention behind the launch of our Silvercore National Pistol Shoot. 

The Beginning 

Silvercore started as a sole proprietorship over 20 years ago and then fully incorporated in 2003. The name Silvercore came from our founder’s grandparents, “Silver” Armeneau, and “Core” Cornelius Bader. Armeneau earned his living as a travelling motorcycle daredevil before becoming a decorated WWII veteran, and finally a Vancouver Police Detective. Bader immigrated from the Netherlands and became a successful entrepreneur, running Bader’s Dutch Cookies. To this day, Silvercore holds the core values of our namesakes. 

Silvercore was the first company of it’s kind in Canada, delivering high-quality instruction to the general public as well as maintaining contracts with government and private industries in the fields of firearms training, consulting, program creation, and countrywide gunsmithing. Silvercore also created a sub-section of the company called the Silvercore Gun Club.

Why We Started The Silvercore Gun Club

The Silvercore Gun Club was born out of Silvercore’s desire to create a community of outdoors enthusiasts brought together by their love and enjoyment of shooting sports.

The club aims to unite the firearms community and to be a place of knowledge, as it shares industry-related updates and events to its members. The club also provides the valuable service of ensuring members keep up to date and in compliance with firearms legislation. This insurance allows affiliates to enjoy their desired shooting activities in a social environment while supporting different ranges across Canada. 

Over the years, the club has grown to where we now offer insurance, a multitude of services, as well as nation-wide club sanctioned events for all of our members to participate in. The Silvercore National Pistol Shoot is an exciting milestone that our members all across Canada are able to participate in. 

Why We Launched The Silvercore National Pistol Shoot 

Previously, all of our events have been local to British Columbia and we received feedback that members across Canada also wanted to partake in Silvercore activities even though they live outside B.C. 

Knowing this, we tailored the Silvercore National Pistol Shoot to be a mail-in event accessible to all of our members. This event, like all of our in-person events, includes a sense of community, friendly competition, and prizes. The only requirement we ask is that participants are members of our Silvercore Gun Club community. If you are not currently a member, you can register here.

We have a variety of items to giveaway for this event that have generously been donated by companies such as Drummond ShootingPoco Military & Kent OutdoorsDlask Arms, and Reliable Gun. Participants have a chance to win items such as:

  • Post Topper Target Hangers
  • A 6″ AR500 Round Target 
  • A Glock G19 Gen 4 9MM
  • A Carbon Fibre 10-22 Barrel
  • A Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 9MM

The Finer Details

For all match conditions, including a full list of prizes, requirements, and targets required, please review the entire Entry & Rule Book and Entry FormWe look forward to reviewing your submissions and awarding the winners, best of luck!

The Silvercore Podcast Ep. 6 – How are you going to intimidate me with words?

In this episode, we talk with Mark Horsley, who has recently returned from Australia, where he and his shooting partner won silver in their division at the world PPC championships.

Mark is a Staff Sergeant with a local police agency who was responsible for creating and implementing their revolver to semi-auto transition program and returned to his training role to assist in the development of a multi-million dollar range training facility.

In this episode, we also discuss what it takes to compete at the world PPC championships, his time training with the FBI at Quantico Virginia, and how he overcame a horrific accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury. It’s a great episode and we can’t wait for you to give it a listen!

You can listen to our podcast on Podbean, Apple iTunes, YouTubeGoogle Podcast, and apps on your phone such as Spotify, SoundCloud, and Google Play! All you’ll have to do is search for ‘The Silvercore Podcast’

After you listen, let us know what you think! While you’re at it follow us on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter!

Travis Bader
Silvercore Inc.

The Silvercore Podcast Ep. 5 – Yoga socks at the snipers hide. Graeme Foote.

In this episode, we sit down with  Graeme Foote. Graeme is a competitive shooter who is recently back from attending the Sniper’s Hide Cup, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of exciting things he should be commended for.

Instead, Foote should also be recognized for his excellent marksmanship abilities, his work ethic, and the work he does within the shooting community for Project Maple Seed.

Project Mapleseed is an apolitical rifle marksmanship training program that focuses on teaching traditional rifle marksmanship, and Foote is a Rifle Chair and active participant at the non-profit organization.

You can listen to our podcast on Podbean, Apple iTunes, YouTubeGoogle Podcast, and apps on your phone such as Spotify, SoundCloud, and Google Play! All you’ll have to do is search for ‘The Silvercore Podcast’

After you listen, let us know what you think! While you’re at it follow us on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter!

Travis Bader
Silvercore Inc.

What to do with your 12-6 Prohibited Firearms

There are three general classifications of firearms in Canada, non-restricted, restricted and prohibited.

  1. Non – Restricted – Generally rifles and shotguns
  2. Restricted – Generally handguns
  3. Prohibited – Guns that are deemed to be not allowed for several reasons including function and design (i.e. full auto, short barrel, etc.)

According to the Criminal Code, a prohibited firearm is:

  • a handgun that:
    • has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length
    • is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge, but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union
  • a firearm that is adapted from a rifle or shotgun whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration, and that, as so modified is:
    • Less than 660 mm in length, or
    • 660 mm or greater in length and has a barrel less than 457 mm in length
  • an automatic firearm, whether or not it has been altered to discharge only one projectile with one pressure of the trigger
  • any firearm that is prescribed to be a prohibited firearm

The fascinating thing is, as with many rules, there are exceptions.  If, for example, an individual legally owned a firearm before it was delegated as prohibited, they could be grandfathered and permitted to not only retain that firearm but also acquire other firearms in that classification.

Under section 12 of the firearms act, individuals with the following designations on their PAL can legally be in possession of the following:

  • s.12(2) – fully automatics
  • s.12(3) – converted automatics
  • s.12(4) – firearms prohibited by former prohibition order No. 12
  • s.12(5) – firearms prohibited by former prohibition order No. 13
  • s.12(6) – handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm or less or that discharge .25 or .32 calibre ammunition.

“On licences issued on or after April 10, 2005, these firearms will be referred to as 12(6.1) firearms.”

As the vast majority of PAL holders that have prohibited status are those of the 12-6 variety, this article is to discuss what a person can do with those firearms.

First the good news, unlike some prohibited firearms, you can take your 12-6 firearms to the range and shoot them.

Question: Can I take my prohibited firearms to a shooting range?

Answer: You may transport a prohibited handgun that discharges .25 or .32 calibre ammunition, or that has a barrel length of 105 mm or less to a range. Other prohibited firearms may no longer be transported to a shooting range. However, they can be transported for other purposes, such as a change of residence, a change of ownership, export, repair, participation in a gun show, or lawful disposal.

We already mentioned that the firearm could be transferred to another individual with the same licence conditions on their PAL, but did you know that if you or someone you are related to own a prohibited 12-6 firearm it can be transferred to a next of kin as outlined in section 12-7 of the firearms act:

Next of kin of grandfathered individuals- (7) A particular individual is eligible to hold a licence authorizing the specific individual to possess a particular handgun referred to in subsection (6.1) that was manufactured before 1946 if the particular individual is the spouse or common-law partner or a brother, sister, child or grandchild of an individual who was eligible under this subsection or subsection (6) to hold a licence authorizing the individual to possess the particular handgun.

As there are only a limited number of people who can be in possession of prohibited firearms in Canada, the market for selling them is pretty dry and, unless there is historical or collectible significance, very often owners are unable to sell these firearms for much, or anything at all in Canada which brings us to our next option of selling them outside of Canada.

For prohibited firearms, you will need to apply for an export permit through Global Affairs Canada, and you will also need to notify the RCMP Registrar so that they are aware the firearm is no longer going to be registered to you.

Remember, when exporting a firearm you not only have to comply with Canadian laws but also the laws of the country the firearm will be imported in.  While it is not an overly difficult task for those who know what to do, many opt to have a licensed business take care of the red tape which is an added expense but provides a great deal of protection.

There is an option to change the legal classification of a 12-6 firearm, but it must be done by a firearms business that is appropriately licensed by the RCMP to make such a conversion. The legal classification can be changed by installing a longer barrel or by deactivating the firearm.  In the following video, we take a couple of short barrel revolvers and install barrels over 105 mm and then take care of the legal paperwork for a client. Watch our YouTube video here.

It is important to note, if you have a licensed business do this work for you, the short barrel that has been removed is now legally considered a prohibited device, virtually the same classification as a suppressor, and unless for some reason you are allowed to be in possession of a prohibited device, which most aren’t, the business has to retain the barrel.

A firearm is defined by law and there are numerous things that can be done so that the firearm no longer meets that definition. As such, the RCMP has put forth guidelines for deactivation which assist in classification change process but it is important to note that these guidelines are not law and the final classification change tends to be at the discretion of the registrar.  We have seen firearms that do not meet the legal definition to be called a firearm which the registrar still required to be registered, and we have also seen firearms that exceed the deactivation guidelines which the registrar would not deem deactivated.

Finally, you can turn the firearm over to a properly licensed business or your local police station.  Important note, if you intend to turn your firearm over to the police for destruction, make sure to call them ahead of time and explain your intentions so that they can have an officer who is familiar with the process present.  To avoid drama, you don’t want to show up at a police station unannounced with a firearm in tow.

To summarize, with your 12-6, or 12-6.1, firearm you can:

  • Shoot your firearm at the range
  • Sell it to other 12-6 licensed individuals
  • Export the firearm from Canada to sell
  • Change its classification by altering its barrel length, calibre or deactivating
  • Turn the firearm into the police
  • Donate to a licensed firearms business

If you have firearms that you wish to dispose of, we encourage you to contact us directly as we have assisted firearms owners across Canada legally dispose of unwanted ammunition, firearms and accessories.  In turn, we have used those donations to further firearm safety and education for new and experienced enthusiasts alike.

There are three general classifications of firearms in Canada, non-restricted, restricted and prohibited.

  1. Non – Restricted – Generally rifles and shotguns
  2. Restricted – Generally handguns
  3. Prohibited – Guns that are deemed to be not allowed for several reasons including function and design (i.e. full auto, short barrel, etc.)

According to the Criminal Code, a prohibited firearm is:

  • a handgun that:
    • has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length
    • is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge, but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union
  • a firearm that is adapted from a rifle or shotgun whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration, and that, as so modified is:
    • Less than 660 mm in length, or
    • 660 mm or greater in length and has a barrel less than 457 mm in length
  • an automatic firearm, whether or not it has been altered to discharge only one projectile with one pressure of the trigger
  • any firearm that is prescribed to be a prohibited firearm

The fascinating thing is, as with many rules, there are exceptions.  If, for example, an individual legally owned a firearm before it was delegated as prohibited, they could be grandfathered and permitted to not only retain that firearm but also acquire other firearms in that classification.

Under section 12 of the firearms act, individuals with the following designations on their PAL can legally be in possession of the following:

  • s.12(2) – fully automatics
  • s.12(3) – converted automatics
  • s.12(4) – firearms prohibited by former prohibition order No. 12
  • s.12(5) – firearms prohibited by former prohibition order No. 13
  • s.12(6) – handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm or less or that discharge .25 or .32 calibre ammunition.

“On licences issued on or after April 10, 2005, these firearms will be referred to as 12(6.1) firearms.”

As the vast majority of PAL holders that have prohibited status are those of the 12-6 variety, this article is to discuss what a person can do with those firearms.

First the good news, unlike some prohibited firearms, you can take your 12-6 firearms to the range and shoot them.

Question: Can I take my prohibited firearms to a shooting range?

Answer: You may transport a prohibited handgun that discharges .25 or .32 calibre ammunition, or that has a barrel length of 105 mm or less to a range. Other prohibited firearms may no longer be transported to a shooting range. However, they can be transported for other purposes, such as a change of residence, a change of ownership, export, repair, participation in a gun show, or lawful disposal.

We already mentioned that the firearm could be transferred to another individual with the same licence conditions on their PAL, but did you know that if you or someone you are related to own a prohibited 12-6 firearm it can be transferred to a next of kin as outlined in section 12-7 of the firearms act:

Next of kin of grandfathered individuals- (7) A particular individual is eligible to hold a licence authorizing the specific individual to possess a particular handgun referred to in subsection (6.1) that was manufactured before 1946 if the particular individual is the spouse or common-law partner or a brother, sister, child or grandchild of an individual who was eligible under this subsection or subsection (6) to hold a licence authorizing the individual to possess the particular handgun.

As there are only a limited number of people who can be in possession of prohibited firearms in Canada, the market for selling them is pretty dry and, unless there is historical or collectible significance, very often owners are unable to sell these firearms for much, or anything at all in Canada which brings us to our next option of selling them outside of Canada.

For prohibited firearms, you will need to apply for an export permit through Global Affairs Canada, and you will also need to notify the RCMP Registrar so that they are aware the firearm is no longer going to be registered to you.

Remember, when exporting a firearm you not only have to comply with Canadian laws but also the laws of the country the firearm will be imported in.  While it is not an overly difficult task for those who know what to do, many opt to have a licensed business take care of the red tape which is an added expense but provides a great deal of protection.

There is an option to change the legal classification of a 12-6 firearm, but it must be done by a firearms business that is appropriately licensed by the RCMP to make such a conversion. The legal classification can be changed by installing a longer barrel or by deactivating the firearm.  In the following video, we take a couple of short barrel revolvers and install barrels over 105 mm and then take care of the legal paperwork for a client. Watch our YouTube video here.

It is important to note, if you have a licensed business do this work for you, the short barrel that has been removed is now legally considered a prohibited device, virtually the same classification as a suppressor, and unless for some reason you are allowed to be in possession of a prohibited device, which most aren’t, the business has to retain the barrel.

A firearm is defined by law and there are numerous things that can be done so that the firearm no longer meets that definition. As such, the RCMP has put forth guidelines for deactivation which assist in classification change process but it is important to note that these guidelines are not law and the final classification change tends to be at the discretion of the registrar.  We have seen firearms that do not meet the legal definition to be called a firearm which the registrar still required to be registered, and we have also seen firearms that exceed the deactivation guidelines which the registrar would not deem deactivated.

Finally, you can turn the firearm over to a properly licensed business or your local police station.  Important note, if you intend to turn your firearm over to the police for destruction, make sure to call them ahead of time and explain your intentions so that they can have an officer who is familiar with the process present.  To avoid drama, you don’t want to show up at a police station unannounced with a firearm in tow.

To summarize, with your 12-6, or 12-6.1, firearm you can:

  • Shoot your firearm at the range
  • Sell it to other 12-6 licensed individuals
  • Export the firearm from Canada to sell
  • Change its classification by altering its barrel length, calibre or deactivating
  • Turn the firearm into the police
  • Donate to a licensed firearms business

If you have firearms that you wish to dispose of, we encourage you to contact us directly as we have assisted firearms owners across Canada legally dispose of unwanted ammunition, firearms and accessories.  In turn, we have used those donations to further firearm safety and education for new and experienced enthusiasts alike.

There are three general classifications of firearms in Canada, non-restricted, restricted and prohibited.

  1. Non – Restricted – Generally rifles and shotguns
  2. Restricted – Generally handguns
  3. Prohibited – Guns that are deemed to be not allowed for several reasons including function and design (i.e. full auto, short barrel, etc.)

According to the Criminal Code, a prohibited firearm is:

  • a handgun that:
    • has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length
    • is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge, but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union
  • a firearm that is adapted from a rifle or shotgun whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration, and that, as so modified is:
    • Less than 660 mm in length, or
    • 660 mm or greater in length and has a barrel less than 457 mm in length
  • an automatic firearm, whether or not it has been altered to discharge only one projectile with one pressure of the trigger
  • any firearm that is prescribed to be a prohibited firearm

The fascinating thing is, as with many rules, there are exceptions.  If, for example, an individual legally owned a firearm before it was delegated as prohibited, they could be grandfathered and permitted to not only retain that firearm but also acquire other firearms in that classification.

Under section 12 of the firearms act, individuals with the following designations on their PAL can legally be in possession of the following:

  • s.12(2) – fully automatics
  • s.12(3) – converted automatics
  • s.12(4) – firearms prohibited by former prohibition order No. 12
  • s.12(5) – firearms prohibited by former prohibition order No. 13
  • s.12(6) – handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm or less or that discharge .25 or .32 calibre ammunition.

“On licences issued on or after April 10, 2005, these firearms will be referred to as 12(6.1) firearms.”

As the vast majority of PAL holders that have prohibited status are those of the 12-6 variety, this article is to discuss what a person can do with those firearms.

First the good news, unlike some prohibited firearms, you can take your 12-6 firearms to the range and shoot them.

Question: Can I take my prohibited firearms to a shooting range?

Answer: You may transport a prohibited handgun that discharges .25 or .32 calibre ammunition, or that has a barrel length of 105 mm or less to a range. Other prohibited firearms may no longer be transported to a shooting range. However, they can be transported for other purposes, such as a change of residence, a change of ownership, export, repair, participation in a gun show, or lawful disposal.

We already mentioned that the firearm could be transferred to another individual with the same licence conditions on their PAL, but did you know that if you or someone you are related to own a prohibited 12-6 firearm it can be transferred to a next of kin as outlined in section 12-7 of the firearms act:

Next of kin of grandfathered individuals- (7) A particular individual is eligible to hold a licence authorizing the specific individual to possess a particular handgun referred to in subsection (6.1) that was manufactured before 1946 if the particular individual is the spouse or common-law partner or a brother, sister, child or grandchild of an individual who was eligible under this subsection or subsection (6) to hold a licence authorizing the individual to possess the particular handgun.

As there are only a limited number of people who can be in possession of prohibited firearms in Canada, the market for selling them is pretty dry and, unless there is historical or collectible significance, very often owners are unable to sell these firearms for much, or anything at all in Canada which brings us to our next option of selling them outside of Canada.

For prohibited firearms, you will need to apply for an export permit through Global Affairs Canada, and you will also need to notify the RCMP Registrar so that they are aware the firearm is no longer going to be registered to you.

Remember, when exporting a firearm you not only have to comply with Canadian laws but also the laws of the country the firearm will be imported in.  While it is not an overly difficult task for those who know what to do, many opt to have a licensed business take care of the red tape which is an added expense but provides a great deal of protection.

There is an option to change the legal classification of a 12-6 firearm, but it must be done by a firearms business that is appropriately licensed by the RCMP to make such a conversion. The legal classification can be changed by installing a longer barrel or by deactivating the firearm.  In the following video, we take a couple of short barrel revolvers and install barrels over 105 mm and then take care of the legal paperwork for a client. Watch our YouTube video here.

It is important to note, if you have a licensed business do this work for you, the short barrel that has been removed is now legally considered a prohibited device, virtually the same classification as a suppressor, and unless for some reason you are allowed to be in possession of a prohibited device, which most aren’t, the business has to retain the barrel.

A firearm is defined by law and there are numerous things that can be done so that the firearm no longer meets that definition. As such, the RCMP has put forth guidelines for deactivation which assist in classification change process but it is important to note that these guidelines are not law and the final classification change tends to be at the discretion of the registrar.  We have seen firearms that do not meet the legal definition to be called a firearm which the registrar still required to be registered, and we have also seen firearms that exceed the deactivation guidelines which the registrar would not deem deactivated.

Finally, you can turn the firearm over to a properly licensed business or your local police station.  Important note, if you intend to turn your firearm over to the police for destruction, make sure to call them ahead of time and explain your intentions so that they can have an officer who is familiar with the process present.  To avoid drama, you don’t want to show up at a police station unannounced with a firearm in tow.

To summarize, with your 12-6, or 12-6.1, firearm you can:

  • Shoot your firearm at the range
  • Sell it to other 12-6 licensed individuals
  • Export the firearm from Canada to sell
  • Change its classification by altering its barrel length, calibre or deactivating
  • Turn the firearm into the police
  • Donate to a licensed firearms business

If you have firearms that you wish to dispose of, we encourage you to contact us directly as we have assisted firearms owners across Canada legally dispose of unwanted ammunition, firearms and accessories.  In turn, we have used those donations to further firearm safety and education for new and experienced enthusiasts alike.

How to Mount and Install a Scope on a Rifle

How to Mount a Scope on a Rifle Easily and Professionally

Over the years, I have seen many ambitious firearms owners attempt simple maintenance and repairs only to make costly mistakes, severely damaging their new firearm or accessory. Likewise, I have also seen overly anxious people who are afraid of maintenance fearing they’ll be one of the statistical numbers that learned about in their firearms safety course.

With a bit of proper guidance, anyone can become a smart and knowledgable home DIY’er. Learning to do it for your self will not only be rewarding, but it may also save you time, as we all know that gunsmiths can be notoriously backlogged, particularly during hunting season

So with that, we have created this guide to provide you with the confidence required to undertake a task that will save you time, money, and give you the satisfaction of knowing that your firearm is perfectly set up for you.

First, to mount your scope to your rifle, you will need a base, if the firearm doesn’t have one already built-in, as well as rings. When choosing rings and a base, it is crucial to ensure that you provide yourself with enough height so that the front objective lens, or bell, is not touching the barrel.

The larger the objective lens on your scope, the higher the ring you will need. Likewise, you don’t want the scope mounted so high (excessive height over bore) that any canting of the rifle will produce exaggerated impact deviance downrange. Generally, you want your scope just high enough to clear the bore and still accept a scope cover. Keep in mind that your individual cheek weld may necessitate something a touch higher.

Once you have your scope, rifle, rings and base(s), and you have made sure that your firearm is not loaded and all ammunition is separate, it’s time to get started. 

STEP ONE, ADJUST THE DIOPTER:

Most quality rifle scopes will give you the ability to set your diopter by turning the eyepiece. If yours does not move, you may have to loosen a lock ring first. Many people refer to this as your focus adjustment on your scope, so that the target is clear. However, in reality, it is designed to focus your reticle or crosshair.

If you use this to focus on a target, you will find that your crosshair will likely be blurry. If you want to hit your target accurately, you’ll want a crystal clear reticle. You can achieve this by looking through the scope at a large neutral coloured object like the sky or a wall. The trick here is that you want your eye only to have one thing to focus on, which is the reticle. The hard part about this is the fact that your eye will very quickly strain to adjust to an out of focus reticle so you will need to look away, relax your eye and look back at the reticle multiple times and adjust the diopter until you are comfortable that your initial quick glance is your eyes natural point of focus.

Vortex recommends doing this step with your scope mounted on your rifle so that you can achieve a proper cheek weld and adjust from there, and while this is important, I have put it as step one as it is difficult for many people to walk out in their yard and point a rifle at the sky or wall without raising the concern of neighbours.  Doing this as step one will get the diopter adjusted and any further adjustment should be minute and can quickly be achieved at the range when sighting in the gun.

STEP TWO, INSTALL A SCOPE COVER:

Alright, I know, this isn’t necessarily a step in mounting a scope per se, but I have found it to be an excellent preventative safety measure. Since the scope is going to be taken on and off and moved about, installing the scope covers will protect the lens in case of accidental dropping, bumping or even just touching with your gun oil covered fingers. Also, installing a scope cover will lock the diopter adjustment in place on some scopes preventing accidental bumping. 

I am partial to flip caps for their ease of use, low profile and the fact that I don’t have to worry about losing them as they don’t come off of the scope.  If you are using the bikini style scope cover that many scopes come with, throw an elastic around the scope to retain them so that, when removed they don’t end up in the mud or lost in the snow.

I would suggest spending the money to obtain a quality scope cover that works for you, and if accurately measured and selected, it should offer worry-free operation for many years to come. If you happen to find your scope cap falls off on its own, or is easily bumped, a simple wrap of electricians tape around the scope and then re-installing the cover is a simple trick to provide an extra diameter to ensure a snug fit.

STEP THREE, INSTALL RINGS AND BASE:

Some rifles have a base already built into the receiver, most will require that you purchase a one or two-piece base and your local gun shop will be able to assist you in the proper selection. When tightening a base to the receiver, make sure to clean the area and apply a very light coating of oil where the base and receiver touch to help prevent rust. Be careful to keep the oil out of the screw holes and off of the screws but rubbing alcohol or a simple degreaser can be used if you do get them oily. Since you won’t be able to access the screws on most bases after the scope is installed, many people will choose to use some blue, medium strength, thread locker to ensure that they don’t come loose over time.

Most manufacturers will provide torque settings that they recommend their screws be tightened to. Gunsmiths have been installing scopes for many years without the aid of a torque wrench, and many still don’t use one.  If you don’t have one, snug your screws in tight but be mindful not to apply so much pressure that you strip the screw or, in the case of rings, compress the scope tube to the point of damaging it.

 

PRO TIP – As a thread locking compound will lubricate the screw prior to setting, Vortex recommends that you decrease the recommended torque settings by up to 60%.  For example, if its 18-inch lbs required for the rings you would now tighten to 11-inch lbs.

While an adequately machined single piece base will help ensure that the rings line up as they are intended it is always a good idea to check for alignment by dropping the scope in rings and visually inspecting.  There are products you can purchase to accurately check alignment as well as lap or ream the rings if they are out of alignment and brownells.comis a fantastic resource for any tool you could possibly think of requiring for gunsmith work.

When mounting the rings on the base, make sure to press them forward, towards the muzzle, then tighten them down.  This way they won’t have any play to move forward under recoil once the scope is attached.

PRO TIP – Be sure to not swap the tops of the rings with one another.  While the tolerates may be very close, the top and bottom of your rings are not designs to be interchangeable.

STEP FOUR, PLACE THE SCOPE IN THE RINGS

Place the scope in the rings and then loosely install the tops of the rings so that the scope is secure, but you can still move it front and back and turn it on its axis. When putting the screws in, I find it helpful to turn the screws backwards, or counterclockwise on a standard right-hand thread, until I hear a click, then I tighten down as usual. This is something that I have done for many years to prevent cross-threading successfully.

Some people will put a small amount of rosin, which is mostly powdered pine sap, on the scope rings to provide extra grip on the scope. I have never found the need for rosin, particularly with modern scope rings, but if you choose to do this, I will caution you only to use a very small amount. I have seen scopes dented by the clumps of rosin built up in the scope ring and then tightened down.

  

STEP FIVE, ADJUST THE EYE RELIEF

Eye relief is the term used which refers to the distance from the shooter’s eye to the scope.  Scopes are designed to have a safe distance from the eyepiece to the shooter’s eye. Otherwise, people would injure themselves under recoil every time they pulled the trigger.

You will know that your eye is the right distance from the scope when you achieve “clear glass,” as illustrated in the picture below.

You will want to adjust your eye relief holding the rifle in the position that you will most likely be using during shooting conditions.  If you are a long-range precision shooter, likely most of your shooting will be done prone, on your belly.  If you are hunting, standing sitting or kneeling would be more likely.

PRO TIP: If you are adjusting eye relief during the summer months for a hunting rifle that will be used during the fall in colder conditions, put on a heavy jacket or something comparable to what you will expect to be wearing, so that you don’t end up with the perfect eye relief only to find that it is now too far away when you are wearing layers.

While you can do this by yourself, it is much easier to have a friend adjust the scope back and forth while you are in your shooting position.

PRO TIP – Once the desired distance from your eye has been found, where you can see clearly through all areas of the scope and there is no shading in the corners, place a piece of masking tape on the scope to mark where that distance is. This will allow you to adjust the scope back to the desired eye relief easily should the scope be bumped or need to be moved.

STEP SIX, LEVEL THE SCOPE

Levelling the scope is an important step to ensure that when you dial your windage and elevation, the reticle is not being adjusted at a slant which will make it very difficult to dial in a shot at a distance accurately.

To level your scope, several different aftermarket products can simplify the process. In the video attached, you will see that I have first levelled the firearm, using a known flat surface which is the top of the action. Once I am sure that the firearm is level, I install the level indicator on the barrel and dial it until it matches precisely with the level on the action. The key here is to make sure that the firearm itself is level and not just the bubble on the barrel attachment. I have seen people mistakenly skip the first step of levelling off of the action, and jumping straight to installing the level on the round barrel.

The problem with this is that the barrel, being round, could allow you to have your firearm sideways potentially. I exaggerate, and most would spot high deviance, but the bubble on the barrel device showing as level.


Once the barrel level shows the same as the level on the action, you can reinstall the scope and place a level on the top of the scopes turret cover and turn the scope until that level matches the one, not the barrel. Make sure that the level on the scope is perpendicular to the scope as it will not show as truly level otherwise.

You can then proceed to tighten down your scope rings, doing so in a criss-cross pattern, like tightening the lugs on a car tire and making sure to keep an equal among of gap on either side of the scope rings.

PRO TIP – If you will be using a thread locking compound, you can do so by removing, applying, and reinstalling each screw one at a time observing the recommended torque settings for the now lubricated screws.

STEP SEVEN, BORESIGHT

This is the final step when installing a scope before taking the rifle to the range to sight in. Boresighting is the process of aligning the reticle of the scope with the axis of your bore. This is done to bring the crosshairs as close to alignment with your bore so that you have a far greater chance of being closer to your desired zero, or at least cutting paper.

IMPORTANT – If you do use a commercial boresighter that you insert through the muzzle end, make sure to remove it before shooting your firearm.

While I use a commercial boresighter in the video, you don’t need to provided you can look through the barrel, from back to front, as is the case with most bolt action firearms once the bolt is removed. Then look down the barrel from back to front and make sure that the front of the barrel is centred. Once centred, align with the center of the target. You may find it easier to make sure there is an equal amount of shading around the front of the barrel and then a fair amount of target inside the center of the barrel (see illustration for clarification).  

Once your firearm is boresighted, it is time to go to the range and make any final adjustments.

Congratulations, you have now successfully installed a scope!

Travis Bader
Silvercore Inc.

The Silvercore Podcast Ep. 4 – Now You See Me Now You Don’t

In this episode, we sit down with Guy Cramer, owner of HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp. In 2011, Cramer developed, ‘Quantum Stealth.’ This technology bends light around the target and will change the camouflage game. Take a listen to learn more!

You can listen to our podcast on Podbean, Apple iTunes, YouTubeGoogle Podcast, and apps on your phone such as Spotify, SoundCloud, and Google Play! All you’ll have to do is search for ‘The Silvercore Podcast’

After you listen, let us know what you think! While you’re at it follow us on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter!

Travis Bader
Silvercore Inc.

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