Reclaiming our Rignts page 16
Guns Save Lives page 25
Megan Tandy Update page 31
Quebec’s New Gun Control Law page 26
Canada’s National Firearms Association
Working for firearms owners in Ottawa, across Canada, and internationally. ©2005, Volume XVIII, Number 2 2008 Edition
National Firearms Association Merchandise Order Form
Oilskin Hat .......................................Qty. _____ x $17.95 = $__________ T Black T Green T Brown Red Cord Hat....................................Qty. _____ x $12.95 = $__________ Camouflage Hat................................Qty. _____ x $16.95 = $__________ T Pattern A T Pattern B Leather Hat .......................................Qty. _____ x $41.95 = $__________ T Black T Green Black Suede Hat ...............................Qty. _____ x $41.95 = $__________ Orange Hunter Hat ...........................Qty. _____ x $12.95 = $__________ Blue Cobalt Mug ..............................Qty. _____ x $10.95 = $__________ Stainless Steel Travel Mug...............Qty. _____ x $12.95 = $__________ Silver Belt Buckle ............................Qty. _____ x $19.95 = $__________ Small Crest Pin...................................Qty. _____ x $4.95 = $__________ Large Lapel Pin ..................................Qty. _____ x $5.95 = $__________ Embroidered Patch .............................Qty. _____ x $6.95 = $__________ T-Shirts .............................................Qty. _____ x $17.95 = $__________ T Black T Sand T Kelly Green T Small T Medium T Large Shipping & Handling:
Up to $10.00 - $ 3.95 Over $10.00 - $ 8.95 Total $__________
Name: _____________________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________________________________________________ Prov:________________________________________P.C.: __________________________ Ph: ( _______ ) ______________________ Fax: ( _______ ) _______________________ T Cheque or Money Order enclosed T Visa/Mastercard/AMEX Card #:
______________________________________________Expiry: ______________
Signature:
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Mail to: National Firearms Association Box 52183, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2T5 Fax to: (780) 439-4091 *Prices subject to change
Tel: (780) 426-4866
Phase IV
Fax: (780) 426-4867
West Edmonton Mall
www.shootingcentre.com
Edmonton, Alberta
Handguns
Shotguns
Ruger Single Six .........$495 & up
Mossberg c/w pistol grip........................................................................$475 & up
Ruger MK III SS ........$450 & up
Beretta Extreme I ..........................................................................................$1680
Ruger SRH 480....................$850
Benelli M2 MX4 Camo................................................................................$1569
Springfield Armory GI 45 .............. Springfield Armory XD 40, 9 45
.....................................$825 & up
Baby Eagle Hardchrome......$899 Glock 17 ...............................$825 Beretta NEO’s......................$395 HK USP ............................$1295 Sig Sauer P226...................$1195
Rifles Stevens Model 200...............$365 Tikka T3 Synthetic DM.$675 & up Savage 111 c/w 3-9x40 DM
.....................................$695 & up
Sako 95M Synthetic SS DM .$1499
Canadian
Firearms Journal Hello from the National Firearms Association Head Office.
W
e would like to introduce our fairly new staff. We have Diane Laitila, Office Manager, Bev Havens , Office Assistant, and Elza Doncheva, Bookkeeper. Our days are spent working very hard to keep up with the demand of memberships and phone calls we receive everyday. We would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding of the delay of memberships. We are thrilled with the response to the mailout and are working as quickly as we can to finish processing all the applications and fulfillment packages. Watch for our next messages in the upcoming Journals that will update you further. Thank you for all the phone calls, we enjoy speaking to all of you. From your friendly staff at the NFA office.
Mission Statement The National Firearms Association is an alliance of Canadians dedicated to preserving our firearms heritage. Along with safe and accountable ownership and use, we strive for practical and cost-effective legislation that respects the rights of law-abiding Canadians. The National Firearms Association works to educate Canadians regarding firearm issues.
Inside this issue Regulars President’s Column ......................................................................6 Blair Hagen Vice President’s Column ............................................................10 Sean G. Penney Editor’s Corner ...........................................................................14 Sheldon Clare & Christoper di Armani Legal Corner...............................................................................18 Members’ Letters..........................................................................8 The Last Word ............................................................................54 Christopher di Armani
Features
On the Cover Avid deer hunter Lori Townsend is featured on the cover holding her Cavalry Arms CAV15. Look for an interview with Lori in the next issue of CFJ, where she will discuss hunting, concealed carry and her love of firearms.
Caution! Technical data and information contained in this magazine are intended to provide information based upon the limited experience of individuals under specific conditions. They do not detail the comprehensive training, procedures, techniques, and safety precautions that are necessary to properly carry out similar activities. Always consult comprehensive reference manuals before attempting any similar activities. Any printed reloading data may contain printing errors and so is used entirely at the risk of the reader. It is the responsibility of all hand loaders to check factory reloading manuals for the specified components in use. Canada’s National Firearms Association has no ability to control the conditions under which any published information may be used and therefore assumes no liability for use or misuse of published reloading information. The contents of the Canadian Firearms Journal are copyrighted and may be reproduced only when written permission is obtained from the publisher.
Support our Troops.....................................................................12 Reclaiming our Rights................................................................16 Randy Coombes Guns Have No Place in Civil Society........................................20 Christopher di Armani The 11 mm Mauser ....................................................................22 Bob Shell Guns Save Lives.........................................................................25 John Stossel The Firearms Act, the Charter and the Oakes Test ....................26 Commentary by Clive Edwards Montague Case Update ..............................................................28 Christopher di Armani Peace, Order and Good Tyranny ................................................30 Pierre Lemieux Megan Tandy Update .................................................................31 United Nations: Force for International Peace, or Threat to Liberty .32 Blair Hagen and Christopher di Armani Quebec’s New Gun Control Law...............................................36 Norm Bazinet Welcome to “La Belle” Province ...............................................38 Yvon Dionne Stone Walls do not a Prison Make .............................................40 Bill Wimpney Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearm and their values..........................................................................................43 Wm. Rantz, NFA Ontario President Canada’s Political Parties - an Analysis.....................................44 Sheldon Clare & Christopher di Armani Leadheads & Felix Lube ............................................................48 Sean G. Penney News Release .............................................................................51 Garry Breitkreuz Canadian Firearms Heritage.......................................................52 Gary K. Kangas Silver Screen Legend XI ............................................................53
by BlairHagen, National President
President’s Column W
hen I first joined National Firearms Association back in 1995, I could have scarcely believed that one day I would be speaking to it’s membership as National President. 1989 to 1995 were bitter years for the firearms community of Canada. Gamil Gharbi (aka Marc Lepine) and his atrocity at l’Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal started a legislative agenda by both major federal political parties. The Progressive Conservative government of the day, at the agitation of Kim Campbell and others, were determined to legislate against law-abiding firearms owners. The Liberal Party was all too willing to support them. “Gun control” was expressed as a “Canadian value”. There seemed to be no reprieve in sight for the Canadian firearms community. The Progressive Conservative government imposed Bill C-17 on us in 1992. The firearms community withdrew it’s support from the PC Party and they were massively defeated in the 1993 federal election. Very quickly, the new Liberal government took up the banner of “gun control” in the form of Bill C-68 and “Universal Registration”. This would be the death knell of the firearms community of Canada. In 1992/1993 the Progressive Conservative Party, the traditional “friend” of the firearms community, betrayed us, and in doing so sowed the seeds of it’s own self destruction. A resurgent Liberal Party had won a massive majority government in Ottawa. Their rhetoric clearly indicated the
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direction they intended to lead on gun control. The Bloc Quebecois was Canada’s so-called “loyal” opposition in Parliament. The fledgling western based Reform Party was small and marginalized by the national political culture. There seemed no way to prevent the inevitable disarming of the Canadians, and the destruction of our culture and our long and proud firearms heritage. I had been looking around for about a year for an organization to join that had the best potential to fight and eventually defeat the Liberal C-68 firearms legislation. As you can imagine, I quickly became acquainted with the writings of David Tomlinson. I need not remind everybody that these were dark times for the firearms community of Canada, and like many others I was despondent at the apparent lack of a future for liberty and freedom in Canada. Liberty and freedom is something I define by the individual ownership of arms. In 1994, I got ahold of a copy of the Liberal government’s proposed legislation. As I read it, I recognized immediately the death of freedom and liberty that it contained. I was at a crossroads. What should I do? Give up and accept the inevitable? Become one of the many who would ignore the law and refuse to comply? Or was their another way? I began going to the rallies and protests that sprang up in opposition to Bill C-68,
and I became acquainted with the firearms community literature of the day. The writings of David Tomlinson stood out among all others. His analysis of the political situation of gave me hope in what appeared to be an almost hopeless situation. By all other appearances, the political landscape of Canada in the early 1990’s would seem to dictate that we would go down the same road as our British and Australian cousins; the road of civil disarmament. In 1995, the portrait Dave painted of our situation and challenges did not follow the usual “last ditch - last stand” rhetoric of many other firearms community groups and individuals, but rather quite the opposite. According to Dave Tomlinson, the Liberals had made a very big mistake by bringing forth their “universal firearms registry”. It would be a mistake they would pay for politically, like the PC’s before them. This captured my imagination, I became intrigued by this man and his vision. I began collecting and reading everything I could get my hands on from Dave Tomlinson. I joined the B.C. Branch of National Firearms Association and became active as a Field Officer. I served the B.C. Branch through the 1990’s as such until I was appointed B.C. Vice President of Communications by Sheldon Clare in 2004. I served in this role until I was appointed National Vice President of Communications by David Tomlinson himself in December 2005, after our long time National Vice President of Communications Wally Butts stepped down.
Canadian Firearms Journal
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This was in the middle of the last federal election. I’d fought elections with NFA before in the 1990’s, but those were different times. In the 1990’s, the national right of centre parties that usually supported the firearms community were splintered. the Liberal Party was strong and unified, and in the absence of any serious national alternative, Canadians seemed happy to allow them to govern forever. The firearms community had a lot riding on the 2006 federal election. Although there was finally a viable alternative to the Liberals nationally, in the form of the new Conservative Party of Canada, for decades we had been told by the mainstream media, pundits and commentators that the Liberals were Canada’s natural governing party. That the Liberal party represented Canadian values, and that the Liberals always win federal elections. To make matters worse, part way into the campaign then Prime Minister Paul Martin announced his “Handgun Ban” proposal . Handguns, incidentally, for which there has been a mandatory national registry since 1934. From then on, not only did it become essential to defeat the Liberal government in order to replace their useless, broken and futile firearms registry, but also to prevent them from making any more stupid and costly mistakes in trying to ban handguns. The election was a nail biter right down to the end. On September 23rd, 2006 Canada elected Stephen Harper Prime Minister, put the Conservative Party of Canada in place as government in Ottawa, and ushered in a new era for Canada and for gun owners. Today, in 2008, there is a new political reality in Canada. The failure of the Liberal firearms registry has forced Canadians to face the bitter truth about effectiveness of “gun control”. The resulting paradigm shift has made it possible for the firearms community to address the legislative mistakes of the past in regards to firearms control. Dave Tomlinson’s National Firearms Association defended the firearms community of Canada from the incessant attacks of Progressive Conservative and Liberal governments and the federal
www.nfa.ca
bureaucracy from the mid 1970’s until the present day. In this new era, the National Firearms Association must advance the rights and interests of the firearms community; culturally, politically and legislatively. No more will the firearms community be a big, fat political target or a whipping boy for anti-gun politicians and governments. The can longer deflect criticisms over rising tides of violent crime by blaming the law-abiding gun owner. To do this, National Firearms Association itself must change. The figure of David Tomlinson loomed large in the firearms community from the early 1970’s until his death in September 2007. He was chief among those who formed and executed the plan that made it possible for the firearms community to survive the legislative attacks of successive federal governments. He built a National Firearms Association that made it possible for him and others to do so. But David Tomlinson is now gone. In order for National Firearms Association to continue and to be effective in this new era, it must undergo a rebirth. We must become larger, more democratic and more inclusive if we are going to harness the talents and passions of those Canadians who believe in liberty and freedom. Liberty and freedom as expressed by the right of the individual to own arms. We must engage our membership and all gun owners in the pursuit of the inevitable; replacing of the current Firearms Act and the securing of natural justice for the firearms community now and for the future. The bylaws and the structure of the organization must change to reflect this. As National President of National Firearms Association, I find myself with great powers to command, influence and control the agendas and direction of the NFA.
firearms freedom in Canada to participate and flourish for the betterment of the political and cultural future of our firearms freedoms, and for all Canadians. By the end of this year, the old National Firearms Association will be gone. I celebrate the life of David Tomlinson and his accomplishments in protecting and defending the firearms community of Canada during the difficult years of the past, but as I stated before, we have entered a new era. There will be a new National Firearms Association to reflect this, and to continue to do the work of securing firearms freedom in Ottawa, in the provinces, and internationally. Canadians believe in freedom, it’s in our blood. We fought the wars to secure it and were present in the conflicts of the Twentieth Century. Canadians are currently present in Afghanistan and around the globe in Freedom’s name. That Canadian belief in Freedom has prevented the firearms community of Canada from knuckling under to the overbearing and offensive legislative agendas of Ottawa governments and bureaucracies of the past. It’s made it possible for us to weather the the legislative attacks on our historic rights and inherent freedoms. I welcome you all to this new era, an era of so much possibility. Possibility for the rediscovery, the recognition and return, in legislation and in law, of our traditional and cultural freedoms. I salute all of you freedom and liberty loving, indomitable members of the National Firearms Association who have stopped the civil disarmament agenda in Canada. You represent the very best kind of individual this country can produce, and can stand shoulder to shoulder with those who carved it out of the wilderness and built it into the nation that it is today, and can be tomorrow. And I welcome you to the new National Firearms Association of Canada.
However, as someone who rose through the ranks of this organization and saw the talents and trust of some dedicated individuals go unrecognized, untapped and under-utilized, I recognize that the NFA must put in place structures that allow those individuals dedicated to
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Members’ Letters I just recently located your website and I am writing to you concerning a very serious situation I find myself in here in the province of Quebec. I just recently got a letter in the mail from the Surete du Quebec concerning 2 restricted firearms I have in my possession. They are legally registered and I’ve had them for almost 25 years. I obtained these firearms due to the fact that in the summer of 1983, I was assaulted on my very own street by a gang of 15 teenagers and when I tried to get the police involved, as far as they were concerned, it was no big deal to them to what had happened to me and it wasn’t serious enough to justify any course of action. Even my brothers, who came by to support me, were shocked by the comments. One of them asked the police officer “If my brother was dead, would it be serious enough then? A lot of good that would do for him.” Shortly afterwards, I bought my firearms. If the police can’t protect me, who will? For 25 years, I’ve had no problems with the law, no problems with “gangs”, etc., and then suddenly, I get a notice in the mail from the Surete du Quebec that I have 30 days to inform them why I have 2 restricted firearms and, if in their judgment, they deem them unnecessary for me to have, I may be forced to hand them over to them. The letter informed me that if I am a member of gun and target shooting club, I need to send a photocopy of my membership card to them. Now, I have to say, I am not a member of any gun club here in Quebec. I have not even fired my 2 firearms, although, I have fired guns in the past when I visited a friend of mine in BC. Would joining your organization and receiving a membership card be valid enough to deter any possible complications with the SQ?
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NFA> Probably not. The SQ is trying to discourage the “casual” ownership of firearms by attempting to force people without gun club memberships and the authority to transport restricted firearms to give them up. Concerning the letter they have sent you, you have these options: Comply with the Quebec CFO/SQ’s directions and get a club membership and LTATT (Long Term Authority to Transport) Mark off both target and collection as your purposes to own firearms, which will confuse them and force them to send another letter telling you that you cannot do that. Ignore the letter altogether. The Quebec CFO indicates in the letter that if you do that, he will “inform the registrar” that you are not fulfilling your commitments in lawfully owning firearms. Apparently he means the Federal Registrar of Firearms. At this point in time, the federal registrar of firearms is not demanding that every handgun or restricted firearms owner in Canada, who is not registered as a collector, have a gun club membership or LTATT, as there is nothing in the Firearms Act that demands this. If you choose the third option, you should expect further action from the Quebec CFO. They cannot confiscate your firearms, but they will exert the pressure of their bureaucracy to try and force you to get rid of them. Quebec and Ontario are the last provinces in Canada enforcing the Liberal Firearms Act in this manner. In order for the situation to correct itself, the Quebec and Ontario provincial governments will have to be replaced, or the federal Conservative Party will have to be re-elected with a strong mandate in the next election in order for them to introduce the type of federal legislation necessary to replace the Liberal Party Firearms Act we have lived under since 1995. Blair Hagen National President National Firearms Association www.nfa.ca
Canadian Firearms Journal
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Canadian
Firearms Journal The Official Magazine of the
I want to express the shock and sense of loss I felt upon hearing of the passing of Mr. Dave Tomlinson. Too few Canadians realize how great a loss our country has suffered as too few understand how difficult it is to find a citizen as honourable in intention and action in these modern, politically correct times. I appreciate the direction the NFA has taken on behalf of all Canadians to expose our onerous gun laws for the expensive and dangerous farce they are. All indications are that support for your efforts is growing. Finally, I read the Canadian Firearms Journal cover to cover. The mix of coverage on legislation, hunting, personal defense and guns themselves is always informative. I will miss Dave’s in depth and humorous interpretations of our gun laws but look forward to Cindy Lightheart’s knowledgeable opinions and stories. The pieces written in our other official language are another great touch and despite my rusty French I’m glad you haven’t doubled them with a translation. All the best,
National Firearms Association Published by the National Firearms Association Editor........................................................................CFJEditor@nfa.ca Christopher di Armani Graphics Editor...................................................creativeeditor@nfa.ca Nicole Greenwald Accounts / Membership / General Info ................membership@nfa.ca Legal Inquiries ..................................................................legal@nfa.ca
National Executive National President.........................................................(780) 439-1394 Blair Hagen natpres@nfa.ca National Vice-President Communication .....................(780) 439-1394 Sean Penney natvpc@nfa.ca National Executive Vice-President ...............................(780) 439-1394 Randy Coombes rcoombes@nfa.ca Counsellor.....................................................................(780) 439-1394 Cindy Lightheart cin@nfa.ca
Provincial Contacts British Columbia ............................................................bcpres@nfa.ca Sheldon Clare (250) 563-2804 Alberta.......................................................................rcoombes@nfa.ca Randy Coombes (780) 439-1394 Saskatchewan .................................................................skpres@nfa.ca Dan Lupichuk (306) 332-3907 Manitoba ............................................................................info@nfa.ca (780) 439-1394
Dylan Driscoll Gander NL
Ontario ...........................................................................onpres@nfa.ca Bill Rantz (705) 385-2636 Quebec ...........................................................................pqpres@nfa.ca Phil Simard (514) 365-0685 Vice-President .....................................................................sab@nfa.ca Stephen Buddo (450) 430-0786
Questions? Do you have a question? Something you want clarified? Please send us a letter or an e-mail. We would love to hear from you.
Nova Scotia ....................................................................nspres@nfa.ca Dave Udle (902) 567-3600 New Brunswick...................................................................................... Harland Cook (506) 459-7416
Letters should be directed to the Editor. Legal and political questions should be directed to the NFA Legal Department. Letters must include the Name, Address, and Phone Number of the sender.
Newfoundland................................................................natvpc@nfa.ca Sean Penney (709) 598-2040 Cathy Keane (709) 368-3920
P.O. Box 52183 Edmonton, AB Canada T6G 2T5
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Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Sean G. Penney, National VP Communications
Vice President’s
Column
R
eaders of Canadian Firearms Journal will recognize that we’ve made a lot of changes since our last issue. With the loss of Dave Tomlinson, the remaining members of the National Executive, Provincial Presidents and other members of our ad hoc advisory council realized that one era in the history of the National Firearms Association is over and a new one has begun. A key part of that renewal and reorganization was to bring the National Executive back to full strength. As such, I was asked to accept the position of Vice-President (Communications). In the weeks since then, my phone has rarely stopped ringing and my E-mail inbox is just about bursting at the seams each morning. I now have a new appreciation for just how much work Dave Tomlinson, our new President Blair Hagen, and my fellow VicePresident, Randy Coombes had to do on daily basis, not only to keep the NFA working, but actively engaged politically in the fight to protect our rights as responsible firearms owners. While I’m a life-long hunter, target shooter and have generally been around firearms since I was a toddler; it wasn’t until the early 1990s that I first became really aware of the changing paradigm
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of Canadian politics. I had come of age during the heyday of the Progressive Conservative juggernaut of Brian Mulroney and was too young to clearly remember the turmoil and upheaval that marked the latter days of the previous Liberal dynasty. I was actually still attending Memorial University, finishing up my undergraduate degree in Political Science and History, when first I learned the name Allan Rock and discovered his “solution” to the “problem” of gun violence in Canada. That “solution,” of course, was Bill C68; little did I know it was to change the course of my adult life irrevocably. It was also during this time that I first became aware of the National Firearms Association and first encountered the legend that was Dave Tomlinson, and the man who would become my friend. Within short order I was a card carrying member of the NFA and on a mission to swell the ranks of the organization with my fellow Outport Newfoundlanders. As a “Bayman” I grew up hunting and fishing and, for those of us who lived beyond the Overpass, a rifle or shotgun was a tool that was an everyday part of our life. I, myself, was little more than a generation removed from the life of subsistence hunting, farming and fishing that defined Outport life in Newfoundland and Labrador for centuries. Firearms, as a result, were
and remain an integral part of my culture and history. So motivated, I found myself less involved in the study of politics, and more so actually engaged in trying to change it. My activities brought me to the attention of former NFA Newfoundland Vice-President, Ray Hynes, and saw me join the ranks of the NFA’s Field Officer Program. The intervening years saw me assume more and more responsibility for the day-today provincial NFA operations, until a number of years ago; Ray passed the torch to me and the indomitable Cathy Keane. Looking back on the past thirteen years, since my first contact with the NFA, I’m reminded of that old Chinese curse, “…may you live in interesting times!” The collapse of the Progressive Conservatives, the rise to power of Jean Chrétien, the dedicated Liberal Party attacks on the Recreational Firearms Community and our right to own and use firearms, the creation of new federal parties like the Canadian Alliance and now the Conservative Party of Canada, the renewed attacks of the Coalition for Gun Control on our basic rights to own semi-automatic firearms, the Martin Government’s planned “Handgun Ban” during the last election, the election of the new
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conservative government of Stephen Harper and now further attacks on the rights of Canada’s millions of responsible firearms owners from Toronto Mayor David Miller & the wholly anti-gun government of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, certainly stands as testament to just how “interesting” those times have been! Through it all, there has been one constant for me, the National Firearms Association. Through thick and thin, highs and lows, the NFA has always been at the fore of our fight to preserve Canada’s firearms heritage. I won’t kid you and say that there weren’t some dark days for myself and I’m sure for many of you as well. However, we stayed the course, and today we stand at the cusp of total victory. There can be no doubt that Canadian gun owners played a major role in the last federal election and the government of Stephen Harper has recognized that contribution. Today, thanks to the strength of our membership, the NFA is a real political player, not only on the national stage, but internationally as well, as we carry our fight to protect our rights to the United Nations and beyond. What is so amazing about this feat is the fact that it is solely due to the dedicated work of volunteers, from the individual NFA member, to our past and present National Executive. We’re all just volunteers, who one day decided to get active and become engaged in the fight to protect our rights as responsible firearms owners and to ensure that our children will have the same opportunity to enjoy our nation’s rich firearms heritage; just like we did. There has been a shift in the political reality that is Canada today. The antigun movement, spearheaded by Wendy Cukier and her Coalition for Gun Control, has been dealt a number of major defeats in recent times; Canadians and even Canada’s admittedly leftist national media have finally come to recognize the utter failure that was Bill C-68 and nobody is keen to revisit what has become a $2 Billion Dollar boondoggle.
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This is a major victory for responsible firearms owners, since the logic and veracity of our arguments have finally been borne out. The Liberal’s once vaunted gun control program is a failure and is recognized as such, even by many of its former supporters. Yet we are still left to endure the more onerous provisions of the Firearms Act and Orders-in-Council, as passed by the former Chrétien Government.
Write to the Prime Minister, write to Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, write to your local MP and let them know that you will be voting your sport come the next election! Don’t be shy, talk about the issues with your hunting buddies and the guys down at the rod and gun club. Use the media and offer your perspective on your local radio call-in show, or write a guest opinion piece for your local newspaper.
Yes, we’re seeing new momentum building politically, while financially the NFA has never been healthier and every month we’re adding hundreds, if not thousands of new members.
We now have the momentum heading into another federal election, but our victory is not assured. Only you can decide that outcome. The NFA is positioned to play a critical role in that battle, but we can’t do it alone. We need boots on the ground, in every single electoral district in the country, and the financial resources to take the fight to the Liberals and the other sundry gun grabbers in the mold of Wendy Cukier, David Miller, et al...
However, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels and assume that our fight is done! The Firearms Act is still the law of the land, we are still required to register our legally owned property, handgun owners are still forced to wade though reams of bureaucratic red tape in order to use and enjoy their firearms, while millions of other legal firearms are left in the limbo that is the 12.(6) classification. The reality of the situation is that we’ve merely won a few battles, albeit critical ones. We cannot afford to become complacent. To ultimately win the war, we must continue to think strategically, not simply tactically. As I write this, there is an ongoing and heated debate as to when, not if, the Liberal Party will choose to bring down Stephen Harper’s minority government.
Therefore, if you haven’t already done so, I urge you to renew your membership in the NFA and/or think about just how important your firearms rights are while breaking out your cheque book to make a donation toward the fight to come; or give us a call and join the fight as a volunteer field officer. No donation of time or money is too small or too big. The ball is in your court folks… With respect,
If we are to secure our rights as firearms owners, you, the average Canadian firearms owner has to become engaged! Everyone must play Sean G. Penney their part and make a contribution. VP-(Communications) Become a member of the Conservative NFA Newfoundland Party of Canada and/or make a financial contribution to the party, but be sure to our usiness let them know you’re only doing ould ppear so because you are a proud Canadian gun owner! I urge you, Interested? one and all, to make Call us at (780) 439-1394 your voices heard! or e-mail us at info@nfa.ca
Y C
B A
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“It is the soldier, not the journalist, who guarantees fr eedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the politician, who guarantees our democracy. And it is the soldier whose flag-draped cof fin vividly demonstrates the ultimate cost of r epr esenting our beliefs in dif ficult and danger ous places.” —Canadian General Rick Hillier
The National Fir earms Association commends the commitment and braver y of our tr oops in Afghanistan and elsewher e in the world, and we wish all our tr oops a safe r eturn home when their missions ar e complete.
Support Our Troops 12
Volume XVIII Number 2
Canadian Firearms Journal
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by ?????
Each one of us is...
I want to help Make It Happen!
An ambassador, a teacher, and a mentor. One of the most important functions of the National Firearms Association is making firearms ownership and use relevant to growing numbers of Canadians.
to help protect my rights to own and use firearms.
Here is my contribution to the
National Firearms Association T $100 T $50 T $25 T $________ T My Cheque or Money Order enclosed T Charge my Visa/MasterCard/AMEX
To prosper, we must have a steady flow of new shooters and enthusiasts entering our proud firearms heritage.
Card #: ________________________________________ Expiry: ___________
Your membership and your donations to the National Firearms Association are helping us develop the programs Canada needs to make sure our firearms heritage continues to grow.
Name: __________________________________________________________
Signature: ________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________ City/Town: ___________________ Prov: ________ Postal Code: ___________ Ph.: _____________________________ Fx.:____________________________ E-mail: __________________________________________________________ Mail this form to: National Firearms Association, Box 52183, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2T5 2005-018D
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Canadian Firearms Journal
Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Sheldon Clare & Christopher di Armani
T
hanks very much for the great contributions to our newsletter. As you can see it is growing rapidly and we have plans to make it even bigger and better. As part of these improvements, Christopher di Armani has volunteered to take on the job of editing the Canadian Firearms Journal. Christopher is an experienced writer and firearms activist and I know you will enjoy his efforts. He’s has done the bulk of the work in getting the articles together for this edition and for that he has my thanks. This change will allow me to take on some other responsibilities, such as working with your executive to develop new bylaws, assist with advice to firearm owners who are having legal trouble, and to continue our lobbying efforts. Our old bylaws were written for a particular time and a smaller organization and they have never been revised. The time to grow is now and new bylaws will help move Canada’s National Firearms Association forward. This means we will vote on a new set of bylaws in the coming months and hold elections for the leadership of Canada’s National Firearms Association. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the NFA!
I
would like to thank Sheldon for welcoming me on board and for his lofty endorsement. I pray I will meet the high standard he has set with the past few issues. Frankly, that goal is rather daunting as Sheldon has put out the single best issue of the CFJ that I’ve ever seen. Meeting the bar he has set will be a challenge, but one I embrace. For those who know me, feel free to skip to the next article or be responsible for your own boredom! The remainder is an introduction to those who don’t know of me or my involvement in the battle for our inherent rights. I began my shooting career at the tender age of 3 or 4. My first shooting memory is of my father and his friend “Wab” (I have no idea what his real name was) taking me and my brother out to the garbage dump to shoot rats. They figured it would be funny to watch us kids shoot a shotgun. Apparently it was, but all I remember is a loud BOOOM! and landing flat on my ass in the mud. The only other thing I remember is seeing my target,
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a stick in a mud puddle, exploding in a splash of muddy water before landing on my butt. Even at that tender age, the sound of the gun going off was exciting. I joined the National Firearms Association around 1998 and met Blair Hagen and Clive Edwards shortly thereafter. I spent many years working gun shows and malls with them, promoting the NFA and its services to members and prospective members in BC, as well as informing people about what the Firearms Act actually says. I enjoy IDPA and IPSC shooting, although it’s been a while. We’re getting some IDPA shooting going again at the Chilliwack club, but with my work schedule it can be tough making it to the Wednesday night shoots. One of the highlights of my competitive shooting (such as it is) was beating Rob Engh at the inaugural Production Class IPSC shoot in BC a few years ago. Rob claims his gun broke. I claim I beat him fair and square! I was active fundraising for the Allen Carlos firearms case in Whitehorse a few years ago. That case went to the Supreme Court of Canada where, after being acquitted at trial and appeal, Al Carlos found himself convicted of careless storage of a firearm. They promptly gave him all his guns right back, making many of us wonder what the point of three years in court really was. After the SCC decision in that case, and with Jane Gaffin’s prompting, I created a website to help distribute her book on that case. That website, diarmani.com, has grown into the voice of “the three maniacs”: Jane Gaffin, Clive Edwards and me. We continue to use that site to educate people about our inherent rights and freedoms.
and Donna Montague) to educate people about the law as it stands today and where we would like it to go. She’s a treat to work with and is doing more to raise awareness of the facts about “gun control” than I would ever have imagined. My “day job” is fun. I work in the film industry in the Props department. We’re the guys with all the fun toys and, among other things, we are responsible for selecting the guns used in a show, making sure they are correct for the period and characters of the movie, and training the actors how to use them safely. Handling gunfire on set is probably the most fun a person can have on a movie set. I grew up with hunting and fishing. I love the outdoors. I love shooting. I want my grandchildren to have the same opportunities to enjoy all that our culture, the gun culture, has to offer. We are the best people our society has. We must always be proud of who we are and never back away from an opportunity to educate those who are ignorant our culture and what we stand for. I look forward to serving the membership of the NFA in this new role. Yours in Liberty,
Christopher di Armani
I am currently fundraising and writing articles to promote awareness of the Bruce Montague Charter Challege case in Ontario. I have produced three documentaries about the many public demonstrations against Canada’s Firearms Act, and am currently producing a series of Public Service Announcements that feature Katey Montague (the bright and bubbly daughter of Bruce
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by Randy Coombes
Reclaiming Our Rights
The 2008 Elections: Dangerous Threat, Tremendous Opportunity
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his year’s expected federal elections represent the most dangerous threat to Canadian freedom yet. What’s at stake is control of Parliament and the federal bureaucracy by anti-gun radicals and their allies. The Liberals, NDP and Bloc Québécois have arrayed against our firearm freedoms and cherished traditions; the current minority government gives them dangerous power to determine the timing of the next election. Ottawa’s bureaucrats, born and bred in generations of Liberaldom, are used to making policy as well as implementing it. They’re already furious that Stephen Harper’s Conservative government isn’t accepting their “recommendations”.
Right now, only Harper, Gary Breitkruz and a handful of others in Ottawa are fighting for our freedoms on their own. Nothing will change unless you and I prove to the politicians, bureaucrats and judges that tens of thousands of Canadian gun owners are willing to fight and vote for change. The Bill C-68 gun control system brought to us by such luminaries as Allan Rock and Anne McLellan is still a Sword of Damocles suspended over our heads awaiting the Liberals’ return. The current Conservative government has postponed a few of its more onerous provisions but the law itself remains. We need to force Parliament to repeal the C-68 gun control system as an unnecessary infringement on the rights of lawabiding citizens. This past November, we asked you to call Minister of
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Under pressure from the Toronto Police Department, Ontario’s Chief Firearms Officer has informed a number of citizens who are 75 years of age and possess firearms that their homes will be inspected to ensure compliance with firearm storage regulations. Because these citizens have violated no laws, we have pressured Ontario CFO Chris Wyatt to end these age-discrimination tactics. As of this writing, Wyatt has verbally assured the NFA that the “inspections” have ended but nothing has been formally announced or issued in print.
I need you to get on the phone and keep the pressure on, or this assault on our freedoms won’t disappear.
The Ottawa Citizen reports on February 26, 2008, in an article entitled “Bureaucratic Relationships”: “Relations between the Harper government and the public service have been rocky in the past, but reports suggest they have hit a new low.” ………. “The Harper government is suspicious of a public service that has served Liberal governments for decades, and in some cases that suspicion is understandable.”
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Public Safety Stockwell Day’s office and ask him to postpone or eliminate the U.N.-inspired Firearms Marking Initiative. Thousands of you did, and the regulation was postponed for a further two years.
Our fear is that the bureaucrats will do as they always have—tell us one thing, then keep right on harassing us after the attention dies down. I need you to get on the phone and keep the pressure on, or this assault on our freedoms won’t disappear. So please, call him today. His phone number is 1-800-731-4000, ext 7503 or locally at 705-329-5522. Thank him for his verbal commitment to ending the searches of senior citizens. Ask him to go on the record for ending these age-discrimination tactics. Keep your tone respectful. Working together, we’ll win this battle for all gun owners. In our still-free nation today, there is one block of citizens that can stop these attacks —the millions of unaffiliated gun owners who daily cherish the exercise of freedom that the NFA steadfastly protects. But they need to be organized and informed as never before. Assembling such an army is not as difficult as it sounds, because the NFA represents normal Canadians, the seven million of us who own and use firearms. Even the antifreedom crowd knows that there are over 7 million gun owners in Canada. Organized, we can elect candidates that can understand the relationship between our firearm freedoms and our society’s liberty. Nothing convinces politicians to keep their hands off our rights better than numbers. Nothing defeats politicians who threaten our freedoms and our trust better than numbers. Our freedom has no stronger safeguard than numbers – the
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membership numbers that add up to manpower, money and unparalleled political power for our cause. That’s why we’re resolving — and calling upon you to do the same — to build your NFA into the biggest, boldest and by far the most effective ally of freedom in our nation’s history. You can’t turn on your TV or radio without seeing election coverage; past, present or future. Every day, it’s non-stop coverage of who went where, who said what and the media spin on what it all means. Yet in truth, none of it means anything real – until the votes are cast. One trend that is becoming more and more evident is the sheer number of elections that are extremely close, decided by margins of just a few hundred votes, or less. We must spread the word as the elections draw ever closer – in a nation that is so evenly divided, every vote counts so much more. We cannot afford to wait out the next elections. In order for pro-gun candidates to succeed in the next election, they are going to need your vote and your active support. As the election season kicks into high gear, supporters of our firearm freedoms must work together locally and actively volunteer to assist progun candidates campaigns.
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Our work is cut out for us in every province. We have to recruit, retain, mobilize and turn out more gun owners, hunters, and in the end, more voters. Now is the time to tune into Parliament and your provincial legislature: stand up and be counted when anti-gun, anti-hunting proposals are under debate! Candidates running for office at all levels should take note: supporting the rights of law abiding gun owners is a winning issue. Or, put it another way, candidates who campaign against our legitimate rights as law abiding gun owners do so at their own peril!
So get out there and spread the word. Start a full-bore, throttles to the firewall NFA membership drive at your local gun club, hunting camp or shooting range to recruit as many of our 7 million freedom loving fellow gun owners as possible. Tear out and copy articles from this magazine to alert them to the threats to our firearm freedoms. Remind them of their responsibilities as citizens of a free society. Photocopy and pass out copies of NFA membership applications, then hand out pens and wait for their applications and renewals. Whatever you do, don’t let them off the hook.
We will know we have succeeded when lawmakers in Parliament and in every Province listen politely to, and refuse to accommodate, every politician who pushes the antifreedom agenda.
Freedom is not free. The cause of individual liberty depends on individual commitment to the cause of freedom. Remember: United, we can do anything.
Stephen Harper’s minority Conservative government had some success reining in the gun bureaucracy, but they’re reluctant to go farther because they perceive the risk of amending the law to be greater than the reward. Now is the time to demonstrate the value of our support!
We have a solemn obligation to our freedom. We have an unpaid debt of duty to repay to our forefathers, our honoured dead of past wars, our troops currently serving, and our children. This role may not be one that we desire – but it is a role we dare not ignore.
If we’re to reach the next elections and beyond with our firearm freedoms intact, we must raise an NFA membership army – now.
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Volume XVIII Number 2
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LEGAL CORNER
Government of Canada
extends Amnesty Period
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he Order Declaring an Amnesty Period (2006) came into force on May 17, 2006, and was extended for a year by an Amending Order on May 16, 2008. The proposed Amending Order would extend the amnesty period for one additional year. The proposed amnesty is one of three interdependent initiatives which, collectively, optimize the conditions to enable previously lawful firearms owners to bring themselves back into compliance with the Firearms Act. Specifically, these combined regulatory proposals would, for one year, until May 16, 2009, extend the fee waiver associated with renewing or upgrading an existing licence; extend the amnesty which protects non-restricted firearms owners taking steps as set out in the Amnesty Order, such as obtaining a licence and/or a registration certificate, from criminal prosecution; and enable expired Possession-Only Licence (POL) holders to apply for a new POL. http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2008/20080301/html/regle2-e.html The actual text of the amendments read as follows: ORDER AMENDING THE ORDER DECLARING AN AMNESTY PERIOD (2006) AMENDMENTS 1. (1) Subparagraph 2(1)( b )(ii) of the Order Declaring an Amnesty Period (2006) is replaced by the following:
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(ii) that will have expired during the period beginning on May 17, 2006 and ending on May 16, 2009.
Are you on the Internet?... ...Yes?
(2) Subsection 2(3) of the Order is replaced by the following: (3) The amnesty period begins on May 17, 2006 and ends on May 16, 2009.
Have you Visited the
NFA Website?
COMING INTO FORCE 2. This Order comes into force on the day on which it is registered. REGULATIONS AMENDING THE FIREARMS FEES REGULATIONS AMENDMENT 1. Subsection 2.2(4) of the Firearms Fees Regulations (see footnote 1) is replaced by the following: (4) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (3), the period begins on May 17, 2006 and ends on May 16, 2009. COMING INTO FORCE 2. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered. REGULATIONS AMENDING THE FIREARMS LICENCES REGULATIONS AMENDMENTS 1. (1) Subsection 7(1) of the Firearms Licences Regulations (see footnote 1) is replaced by the following: 7. (1) An individual described in section 6 is eligible to hold a licence to possess firearms if
www.nfa.ca We’re constantly changing, so even if you have seen us check us out again! § The National Firearms Association website receives an average of over 600 visitors per day.
(a) the individual first applied for it before January 1, 2001; or (b) the individual held a licence to possess firearms that was first applied for before January 1, 2001, which has expired, and subsequently applies for a licence to possess firearms before May 17, 2009. (2) Section 7 of the Regulations is amended by adding the following after subsection (3): (4) For the purpose of subsections (2) and (3), an individual remains eligible to hold a possession licence despite the expiry, before May 17, 2009, of a possession licence held by the individual. COMING INTO FORCE 2. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.
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Visit
www.NFA.ca & find out what other gun owners already know.
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by Christopher di Armani
Guns Have No Place in Civ Guns have no place in civil society. Unfortunately for Canadians, From Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary:
My parents teach me personal responsibility. What do you teach to your kids?
civil:
adequate in courtesy and politeness
society: a community, nation or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests Canada is NOT a nation of common traditions, institutions or collective activities, Hockey Night in Canada not withstanding. We are a nation of fractured and lost cultures. Our government continues to fund the destruction of our own Canadian traditions and cultural heritage, Heritage Canada not withstanding. We are a nation whose politicians pit urban Canadian against rural, eastern Canadian versus western, lawabiding Canadian against... oh yeah, the law-abiding. All of this is done to further the politician’s own selfinterest: to get re-elected. The thought of being “adequate in courtesy and politeness” does not enter the minds of the majority of our politicians. If it did, they would not pander to Toronto and Montreal voters with the promise of a handgun ban. Only a fool believes crime can be prevented by harassing law-abiding citizens. We are NOT the people shooting up the streets of Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver or Edmonton, contrary to the rantings of the likes of Jack Layton, Jean Charest and Stéphane Dion. Now, if banning the guns of law-abiding Canadians could actually DO THAT, I’d turn mine in tomorrow. But that’s dream-world living, not real-world living. If history teaches us anything, it teaches us this:
Prohibitions Do Not Work
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vil Society we don’t actually live in one. Understanding the following three fundamental truths, thirty-eight American states have enacted “concealed carry” legislation: 1)
The Police cannot protect everyone all the time;
2)
Criminals always act where the Police are NOT;
3)
Firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens stop criminals and save lives.
Anyone in doubt of these fundamental truths should... no must read Lyn Bates’ account of Maryann Watkins’ encounter with a would-be rapist. The article is titled Bitches with Guns, taken from the phrase Maryann’s would-be attacker repeated over and over as he was forced to reconsider his options. (http://www.lizmichael.com/bitches.htm) No longer can we afford to hide behind the delusion that the violent criminals mean us no harm, and that if we only “understood their feelings of exclusion” all would be well. We live in a society where there are predators. Animals. Vicious and cruel human beings willing to rob, steal, rape and kill. They must be stopped. They cannot possibly be stopped by attacking the lawabiding citizens. Law-abiding citizens like you, who have never shot anyone in downtown Toronto or anywhere else. Our forefathers fought and died if far-away lands so that we may live free here in Canada. We must show them through our actions here and now that their terrible sacrifices were not in vain. Today is a great day to contact your elected representative and remind him or her that you are a lawabiding firearms owner, and that you support the right to own your private property free of government intrusion. Write Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day today and thank him for refusing to impose a handgun ban, and then politely ask him to go one step further. Ask him to state publicly that he refuses to violate the rights of lawabiding gun owners, but will instead continue to go after the violent criminals who are shooting up our cities.
Alison Duncan Nov 22, 1975 – Mar 2, 2008 Alison Duncan died in a car accident in the early hours of March 2, 2008. She is survived by her two daughters Mia (pictured above) and Chloe, her brother Dwayne and mother Yvonne. She will be sorely missed by her daughters in the years to come, and by her many friends around the globe. Alison’s tragic and untimely death is a shock reminding us all how fragile life is, and that we all must make the most of our time here. Rest in Peace Alison...
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by Bob Shell
The 11 mm Mauser improved design which was approved in 1871 with the understanding that a safety would be provided. The design was officially adopted in March of 1872 and production began shortly afterward.
O
ne of the earliest bolt action military rifles, and of course the forerunner of many great Mauser rifles to follow it, was designed by the Mauser brothers. The model 71 was the beginning of a long and successful line of rifles. Designed by Paul Mauser and chambered for the hard hitting 11 X 60 cartridge it was originally a single shot rifle. Later on it was modified with a tubular magazine and called the 71/84 and made until the 8 X 57 Commission Rifle officially replaced it in 1888. Like many of the black powder rifles of that period, reserve units used it for years after it was replaced by newer weaponry. The Mauser idea was originated in 1867 on the basis of the Dreyse needle gun. The prototypes were based on the Wurttemberg muskets that were modified for metallic cartridges. They were known as the Mauser-Norris rifles because a Remington salesman by the name of Sam Norris had some input into the design. It was at first rejected by AustriaHungry as well as the Wurttemberg state mostly because of the safety. The Mauser has ladder sights and they are one of the better sighting systems for that period.
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In 1870 Paul and Wilhelm Mauser submitted an
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The Bavarian Government ordered 100,000 in May of 1872 from the Amberg factory but they were unable to fill the order timely due to other commitments. Wurttemburg also ordered 100,000 units from the Mauser brothers in late 1873. The Spandau made rifles were produced in quantity in 1875 and presented to the Kaiser. In 1876 the Prussians ordered some 180,000 additional rifles from the Productionsgenossenschaft Suhl. Another order for 100,000 was submitted to the Osterrichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft as well as 75,000 to the National Arms and Ammunition plant located at Birmingham England. The English guns had markings of NA & A.CO in a triangle but according to reports only about 6,000 were actually delivered. By 1877 the Osterrichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft factory had made some 477,000 and delivered them to Prussia and Saxony. Also over 25,000 were sold to China as well as other small orders. The regular army rifle has a barrel of 33.65 while carbines sported shorter tubes of 29.5 and 19.9� were used for short rifles and carbines respectively. The model 71 & the 71/84 were manufactured until 1888 and are fairly common today for an antique. The vast numbers that were manufactured give you an idea of their popularity. They are reliable also which enhanced their desirability. If you want to start a collection of old military rifles this is a good place to start. Besides being numerous and fairly easy to find they aren’t real expensive. A good place to look for these types of firearms is Canadian gun dealer Marstar. Their website is The National Firearms Association has approximately 130,000 members across Canada. If you would like to reach each and every one of them, advertise in the Canadian Firearms Journal. Does your business card not say enough? Contact us for information on our larger ad slots.
Interested? Call us at (780) 439-1394 or e-mail us at info@nfa.ca
Canadian Firearms Journal
http://www.marstar.ca/index.shtm or you can call them at 888-744-0066.
from the same source, as well as from Buffalo Arms (www.buffaloarms.com).
The Mauser is a common type of bolt action of that period using the bolt handle as the single locking lug. For black powder or light smokeless types of ammo it is adequate. The bolt is easy to remove by a screw and dissemble for cleaning or repair. The bolt cocks on opening which is a good feature in my view.
Black powder or a substitute is a good way to start loading to ensure safety. They won’t generate high pressures and are safe given proper loading procedures. The only downside is the clean up afterwards.
The 71/84 has a few design changes that were necessary for the repeating version. The magazine was a tubular affair capable of holding 9 rounds of ammo underneath the barrel. It was adopted in 1884 and used until 1888 but probably didn’t entirely replace the single shot model 71. There is a lever on the left side of the receiver that when pushed back enables it to be used as a repeater by allowing the bottom of the magazine to drop, giving you access to the tubular magazine. Because of French smokeless ammunition developments in 1886 the 11 millimeter cartridges were rendered obsolete by 1888. The cartridge is an 11 mm utilizing a .446 diameter bullet weighing 370 grains in most cases. The military load has a 386 grain bullet launched at 1425 feet per second. Handloads shouldn’t exceed that for best results. There are heavier and lighter bullets available for the handloader from 300 to 385 grains. Ammo supply is spotty though cases are available to the hand loader. Reloading dies are also available from various sources including Huntington Die and Lee Precision. Dominion made some smokeless ammo for it fairly recently and sometimes it can be found. Custom loaders are another source for loaded ammo for those who don’t roll their own. While factory ammo can sometimes be found, hand-loading is generally the best way to obtain shootable ammo. Cases are available from a couple of sources including Huntington Die Specialties (http://www.huntingtons.com/). Huntingtin makes thse cases and they seem to have good quality. Cast bullets can be had
Black powder and Pyrodex require a through cleaning shortly after shooting to avoid rust and corrosion. I use hot water and dish soap and it works fine. Just be sure to dry it with a little heat and lightly oil to avoid rust. Clean Shot also works well and it can be treated as smokeless powder for clean up purposes. All three powders should be slightly compressed for best results. Do not leave airspace with the black powders as that might cause the gun to blow up. Smokeless powders can be loaded if you are careful, but keep in mind that most of these rifles are well over a hundred years old, so load accordingly. Also the steels used for them, while good for its day, doesn’t have the strength that modern steel does. As with shooting any gun, safety glasses and ear protection should be used at all times. If you reload your own ammo you should have a through understanding of reloading procedures, as you don’t have the margin of error that you might have with a modern gun. This is especially true when utilizing smokeless loads, as just a little too much can spike the pressures to dangerous levels. I have loaded smokeless powder with complete satisfaction and I am available if you need info on using smokeless powder, or anything else about the gun. It’s also a good idea to have a competent gunsmith examine the weapon for soundness. They were well made for their day but poor storage and other
Side view of action with bolt in. The screw has to be loosened to remove the bolt. The bolt handle is the only locking lug.
Top view bolt removed showing bottom of receiver which is movable to load magazine. The magazine is based on the Henry lever action feed system.
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by Bob Shell A view showing magazine. Lever on left side is used to make it a single shot or repeater. Many of the military authorities were stuck in the single shot mode. They felt that repeaters wasted ammo.
A view of the entire gun. It is long and weighs about 9 & ½ lbs.
conditions including basement gunsmithing can render them unsafe to fire. Shooting this cartridge is pretty much like other offerings of the period. Accuracy is good in a rifle that has a good barrel and a load it likes. At 50 yards accuracy can be very respectable often going into a 2” group with 3 to 5 shots. Younger eyes and a sturdier body can do the same at 100 yards. The ladder sights on my gun were fairly easy to use and are one of the better sights of that period. The double rifle I shot was decently accurate but seemed to have more recoil, at least to me. The owner took it to Africa and bagged some game with it showing its effectiveness in the field. The cartridge would definitely be up to the task of bagging large game at reasonable distances given good loads and proper shot placement. Power wise the 11 mm would be equivalent to some of the Sharps rounds of the old west and no one complained about their lack of killing power on buffalo. The secret to their effectiveness is a heavy slow moving bullet at moderate velocity giving a lot of penetration. They don’t have to expand to be effective. To me shooting these old guns presents some interesting challenges. Sometimes you have to scrounge up brass and bullets. You can’t just go to your local Wal Mart and purchase this ammo. There are a few small companies that provide ammo for these firearms, but the best way to obtain ammo is to make your own. When you go to the range and sit next to someone shooting an AR or AK you get some stares. While you can’t match them in firepower you definitely have the more interesting weapon, at least in my opinion. There is something special about owning and shooting a part of our firearms history. Bob Shell rel4350@aol.com
Notes: The 11 mm Mauser and the 43 Spanish are similar in size and power but not interchangeable. These are 3 good powders to start loading with. They produce low pressures and give good accuracy. The set of loading dies that I use to load are by RCBS and are available. Like many of the rifles of the period the bolt is a two piece affair. The long rod is the ejector while the extractor is also shown. I have never had any malfunctions with this gun. Not bad for a gun that was made in 1888. Top view with bolt in the safety is a winged affair much like the later models. After shooting with Clean Shot it left a white residue which wasn’t too hard to clean out. Animals such as buffalo can be successfully taken with the 11 X 60 Mauser round. It is also an excellent deer and elk round at moderate ranges.
Bottom view of action showing part of the magazine. It runs full length under the stock.
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Guns Save Lives
by John Stossel
I
t’s all too predictable. A day after a gunman killed six people and wounded 18 others at Northern Illinois University, The New York Times criticized the U.S. Interior Department for preparing to rethink its ban on guns in national parks. The editorial board wants “the 51 senators who like the thought of guns in the parks — and everywhere else, it seems — to realize that the innocence of Americans is better protected by carefully controlling guns than it is by arming everyone to the teeth.” As usual, the Times editors seem unaware of how silly their argument is. To them, the choice is between “carefully controlling guns” and “arming everyone to the teeth.” But no one favors “arming everyone to the teeth” (whatever that means). Instead, gun advocates favor freedom, choice and selfresponsibility. If someone wishes to be prepared to defend himself, he should be free to do so. No one has the right to deprive others of the means of effective self-defense, like a handgun. As for the first option, “carefully controlling guns,” how many shootings at schools or malls will it take before we understand that people who intend to kill are not deterred by gun laws? Last I checked, murder is against the law everywhere. No one intent on murder will be stopped by the prospect of committing a lesser
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crime like illegal possession of a firearm. The intellectuals and politicians who make pious declarations about controlling guns should explain how their gunless utopia is to be realized. While they search for — excuse me — their magic bullet, innocent people are dying defenseless. That’s because laws that make it difficult or impossible to carry a concealed handgun do deter one group of people: law-abiding citizens who might have used a gun to stop crime. Gun laws are laws against self-defense. Criminals have the initiative. They choose the time, place and manner of their crimes, and they tend to make choices that maximize their own, not their victims’, success. So criminals don’t attack people they know are armed, and anyone thinking of committing mass murder is likely to be attracted to a gun-free zone, such as schools and malls. Government may promise to protect us from criminals, but it cannot deliver on that promise. This was neatly summed up in book title a few years ago: “Dial 911 and Die.” If you are the target of a crime, only one other person besides the criminal is sure to be on the scene: you. There is no good substitute for selfresponsibility. How, then, does it make sense to create mandatory gun-free zones,
which in reality are free-crime zones? The usual suspects keep calling for more gun control laws. But this idea that gun control is crime control is just a myth. The National Academy of Sciences reviewed dozens of studies and could not find a single gun regulation that clearly led to reduced violent crime or murder. When Washington, D.C., passed its tough handgun ban years ago, gun violence rose. The press ignores the fact that often guns save lives. It’s what happened in 2002 at the Appalachian School of Law. Hearing shots, two students went to their cars, got their guns and restrained the shooter until police arrested him. Likewise, law professor Glen Reynolds writes, “Pearl, Miss., school shooter Luke Woodham was stopped when the school’s vice principal took a .45 from his truck and ran to the scene. In (last) February’s Utah mall shooting, it was an off-duty police officer who happened to be on the scene and carrying a gun”. It’s impossible to know exactly how often guns stop criminals. Would-be victims don’t usually report crimes that don’t happen. But people use guns in self-defense every day. The Cato Institute’s Tom Palmer says just showing his gun to muggers once saved his life. “It equalizes unequals,” Palmer told “20/20”. “If someone gets into your house, which would you rather have, a handgun or a telephone? You can call the police if you want, and they’ll get there, and they’ll take a picture of your dead body. But they can’t get there in time to save your life. The first line of defense is you.” John Stossel (http://www.JohnStossel.com) is an award-winning news correspondent and author of Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel—Why Everything You Know is Wrong. *Reprinted with permission.
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Commentary by Clive Edwards
The Firearms Act, the Charter and the Oakes Test
“I
f a law is found to violate a Charter right, the Supreme Court has ruled that the burden of proof shifts to the government to prove that the law is “rationally connected” to its purpose; that it impairs the right involved “as little as possible”; and that there is a proportionality between the harm done and the good achieved. No impartial judge could find that the Firearms Act (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/F-11.6/) licensing and registration requirements satisfy these criteria.” -Dr. F.L. (Ted) Morton, “HOW THE FIREARMS ACT (BILL-68) VIOLATES THE CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS” What Dr. Morton is saying is that the Emperor, in this case the Firearms Act, has no clothes. Gun control does not increase public safety. In fact is has been conclusively proven to be a detriment to public safety. (Morton’s summary of the Firearms Act’s Charter violations can be found many places online, including at http://www.diArmani.com/Articles/M orton_Charter_Violations.doc) The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s answer to the American Bill of Rights. It is a far cry from it, but it is what we are left with. His legacy, if you will. After the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution (ha!) in 1982, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into effect. Numerous court cases resulted, and one of the primary tests of constitutionality is called the Oakes Test. Chief Justice Dickson of the Supreme Court of Canada came up with the Oakes Test, named after an accused drug dealer who had the gall to challenge the reverse onus provisions of the Narcotics Control Act. Mr. Oakes won his charter challenge and the drug laws were changed. Bruce and Donna Montague hope to achieve similar results in their constitutional challenge of the Firearms Act.
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The “Oakes test” requires a government to demonstrate that the impugned act: •
Serves an important public policy objective.
•
Is rationally connected to that objective.
•
Impairs the right in issue as little as possible (minimal impairment)
•
Does more good than harm (proportionality).
The first part of the Oakes Test requires that the legislation address an important public policy objective. Does the Firearms Act meet this requirement? Of course it does, if it honestly purports to contribute to public safety. Ignore for the moment the words of John Dixon, a lawyer and President of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, who, from 1991 to 1992, served as advisor to then Deputy Minister of Justice, John Tait. “The policy wasn’t meant to control guns,” Dixon wrote in the January 8 (2003) Globe and Mail. “It was designed to control Kim Campbell.” The second part of the Oakes Test requires the legislation to be RATIONALLY connected to that objective. If the purpose had been stated as defeating Kim Campbell in the 35th general election then yes, it possibly was rational. But that was not the STATED purpose. The stated purpose was public safety. If the Firearms Act had enabled the issuiance of Concealed Carry permits to Canadians, provided they could meet the standards expected of police and security guards, then the Firearms Act would have been rational. There are boxcar loads of data supporting this approach as a rational and viable public policy. Unfortunately no data existed to support the Firearms Act that Allan Rock and Company wanted to pass. Murders with firearms were at a multi–year low, as were the firearms suicides which made up the majority of firearms deaths. A few whiners in Montreal thought getting rid of guns would be a good way to gain notoriety and earn a living, but even they didn’t expect to be taken seriously. Allan Rock, an aging hippy with all that conveys, put together a gun control task force composed of compliant bureaucrats and the aforesaid whiners. When they couldn’t find the data they needed to pass Bill C-68 they manufactured it.
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They tried to bully the commissioner of the RCMP into attesting to the accuracy of their figures. When that failed they still presented their lies as fact before parliament. Fortunately we have the letter Commissioner Murray wrote to Mr. George Thompson, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada dated July 21, 1997 protesting the hoax. (available at http://www.diArmani.com/Downloads/) So what was I saying? Oh, yes…rational. Perhaps what the Oakes test really needs to say is, the government must be able to demonstrate that the impugned act is “rational and honest” and is not “fraudulent and criminal”. The third part of the Oakes Test requires that “the impugned act impairs the right in issue as little as possible”. Rock tried to get around this by trying to limit the discussion over firearms to “hunting and sporting use” with the government, of course, having the power to arbitrarily define “sporting” firearms. In the real world firearms are tools of personal protection first and everything else second. Let me say that again. In the real world, firearms are tools of personal protection first, everything else second.
Don’t think so? When your crap hits the fan, what do you do? You wouldn’t scream and whine for someone with a gun to save you, would you? Because if you do your hypocritical butt deserves whatever happens to it. Only a fool or a child or perhaps a cheap tramp like Blanche Dubois “depends upon the kindness of strangers”. Adults accept the sometimes unpleasant responsibility of looking after themselves. No matter how hard you try or how much you pay, you are ultimately and solely responsible for your own life and that of those under your care. The Firearms Act is a tool of your enemy. Point four of the Oakes Test, “does more good than harm” relates directly to the answer to point three, above. Remember, the Firearms Act is not designed to regulate sporting goods. It is designed to disarm you and leave you vulnerable and unable to defend yourself not only in the bush and on your farm but on the street and in your home. There is absolutely no moral excuse for that. Neither the Police nor the Armed Forces use Mensa testing. If you know how to use a gun and can learn how to use it appropriately for self defense (even Dion admits a soldier can shoot back if he is being attacked) then what is the problem? We know from experience in other countries (the United States, Switzerland and Israel) that
Hunting has two benefits – it puts food on the table and it teaches useful field skills. Target sports such as IDPA and IPSC among others teach firearms skills that, when combined with suitable use of force training Continued on page 41 (rules of engagement if you will) enables individuals and families to effectively and What kind of people get Concealed Carry Permits? legally protect their lives and the lives of Sober, calm and responsible individuals who know the those under their care. This is the highest social good, as it encourages citizens intent facts about crime. upon using their firearms legally to be Those who are responsible for businesses that could be responsible in all areas of their lives. It also puts the fear of God into those who would consider using their firearms maliciously. The only downside, really, to arming citizens is that the fat blue line must go on a budgetary diet. And that’s only a downside if you are a greedy and corrupt individual who profits from crime no matter which side of the law you play on. So does the Firearms Act impair the “right in issue”? You bet your sweet bippy it does. It impairs the most important right a person has, that of personal security, and removes the only tool that has been proven to keep people safe.
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considered easy targets. Those who understand the irony that no one is safe in a “gun free zone”. Husbands and fathers who take their responsibility for the safety of their family seriously. Women in particular who are concerned about violence in their lives and that of their children. Handicapped and the elderly who are physically no match for even casual violence let alone the potentially deadly assaults they must sometimes endure.
Canadian Firearms Journal
Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Christopher di Armani
Montague Case Update
B
ruce Montague’s sentencing hearing on 26 firearms-related charges completed March 18, 2006 with Justice John Wright sentencing Bruce Montague to 18 months in jail. Bruce’s wife Donna Montague was found innocent of careless storage, and was given six months probation for owning firearms without a license. Lawyer Douglas Christie argued that Montague should be sentenced similar to Ryerson Knight, the Victoria gun collector who pled guilty to 19 firearms charges after a search of his home yielded 662 firearms. The majority of Knight’s firearms were pre-1950 military arms, and included handguns, fully-automatic firearms, tear-gas grenades, and silencers. Knight received a conditional sentence of two years less a day, of which the first nine months is being served under house arrest. The foreman of the jury that convicted Mr. Montague wanted to address the court to offer the jury’s recommendation that Montague serve no jail time. Justice Wright denied him, saying his wishes were irrelevant. The jury’s job is to convict or acquit, the judge’s job is to impose sentence, he said. When given the opportunity to address the court, Bruce Montague said he would accept whatever sentence the judge deemed appropriate. You’ve taken everything we have, Donna Montague said. You’ve stolen money from us that nobody will even investigate, you’ve taken our life savings in the form of our gun collection, you’ve taken my husband and my children’s father, and you’ve taken our family home. You have utterly destroyed a family for absolutely no good reason. It’s disgusting. My forefathers fought for
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this country through three wars, and now you are destroying the Montague Supporters At Kenora Courthouse, Kenora, ON antique firearms they used to defend In an interview Donna Montague said Canada in the War of 1812 and the “I just phoned the jail to see if and Fenian Raids. Our forefathers must when we can visit Bruce. I was told be rolling over in their graves. They that he is still in segregation. The never fought for this kind of Canada! guard told me that Bruce really doesn’t belong there and that they After sentence was handed down, have him in segregation for his own Bruce was immediately taken into protection. I’m to phone tomorrow at custody and transferred to the Kenora lunch to see what his visiting hours Remand Centre. Katey Montague are.” simply stood still, tears in her eyes as she watched her father taken away by two police officers. Writer and freedom fighter Pierre Lemieux, already embroiled in his own challenge of the Firearms Act (see sidebar Pierre Lemieux) traveled from his home in Lac-Saguay, Quebec to Dryden, Ontario to research the history of Bruce’s legal battle and interview the family on video. After the sentencing hearing Donna and Katey Montague were driven home by a family friend, and Donna noted that “[Sergeant] Meeks (the arresting officer in the case) followed us all the way. We even pulled to the right hand in the passing zones and slowed below 80km/hr. He didn’t pass until we got to Eaton Rugby Rd.” Meeks was, no doubt, just making sure they returned home safely, and did not mean to cause any further alarm. Charges under the Firearms Act can be dealt with in two ways: summary conviction or indictable offence. The difference is the penalties and how those penalties are applied. See sidebar “Types of Offences”. Bruce’s sentence runs concurrently, and sentences for each conviction are noted in the sidebar “Sentencing In Brief”.
Currently Montague is being held in a segregation cell and is not allowed shoes, reading material of any kind, not even a pen and paper. He is, so far, being refused access to the telephone because he refuses to give a blood sample. Of the sentence and the justice system, Bill Cunningham wrote online, “We don’t have a Justice system in Canada, we have a revolving door Legal Industry that keeps putting REAL criminals back on the street where they can keep the wheels of this legal industry moving, and it just makes me sick!!!” Both the pre-sentencing report created by Bert Sombrutsku and Justice Wright’s sentencing report made a point of chastising Mr. Montague for “using” his daughter to promote his ideas in the series of YouTube videos entitled Katey’s Firearms Facts. The pre-sentence report says: “To publicly assert his ideas via the internet, using his daughter, may be considered as being exploitative...” In his sentencing report Justice Wright stated: “He has also exercised poor taste in involving his young daughter in his campaign for the right to bear arms.” It is clear that neither man questioned
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