| Rifle Shotgun Muzzleloader Antique Firearm Hunting Rifle |
Handgun - Revolver - Pistol - Autoloader - Semi-automatic |
| Target Rifle | Sniper Rifle |
| Machine Gun | Sub-Machine Gun |
| Gas-Operated Rifle | Converted Automatic |
| Military Small Arms | Heavy vs Light Weapons |
| Magazine vs Clip |
A rifle is a shoulder fired long-arm with a rifled barrel. Rifling is the spiral grooving (lands and grooves) inside the barrel that causes the bullet to spin. The rifling is what gives the rifle its name. Rifle bullets must spin so that they are stable in flight much like a football. Without this spin, the bullet would tumble, resulting in a complete loss of accuracy.
Rifle actions come in many different types. The most common are: Bolt Action, Auto-Loading or Semi-Automatic, Lever Action, Pump Action, Break Action, Falling Block and Rolling Block.
Rifles generally fire ammunition with only a single projectile or bullet.
For information on ammunition and caridges please visit the Ammunition and Its Components page.
A shotgun is a shoulder fired long-arm with a smooth bore or unrifled barrel. Shotguns can fire shot (a number of lead or steel balls) or slugs (a large single projectile). Shotgun ammunition comes in only a few distinct gauges (sizes). Those still produced are, from largest to smallest: 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410 which is a calibre, not a gauge.
Gauge is defined as the size of a number of pure lead balls that weigh one pound. Example: 12 lead balls approx .69 inch in diameter weigh one pound. Therefore 12 gauge shells are approximately .69 inches across.
Shotshells come in a variety of different sizes, even within a single gauge. The following is a key to understanding shotshell ammunition markings.
12 gauge Cartridge or shell gauge (size)
2 3/4" Shell length which is part of the shell size
#4 Size of the shot. Shot ranges from the smallest #9 through #1 and then into buckshot which goes
from #1 to the largest 000 (triple-ought).
1oz Weight of shot.
Dram Equiv Some shell boxes are marked with "Dram Equivalent" figures, which tell you the force that will be exerted
by the powder charge.
In some cases a shotgun may have a rifled barrel which makes this combination technically a rifle but we still call it a shotgun because this is the parent firearm from which it is derived.
A handgun is any firearm designed to be used with one hand. While there are single shot handguns, the huge majority are either revolvers or semi-automatic pistols.
A revolver is a handgun that holds its cartridges in a revolving cylinder. As the action of the handgun is worked, the cylinder turns to bring each fresh cartridge into line with the barrel. Revolvers can be either Single Action or Double Action. The term "automatic revolver" is usually a mistake.
Single Action requires that the hammer be manually cocked each time before firing. Double Action means that the gun can be cocked and fired by pulling the trigger. many double action revolvers can be fired in single action mode by manually cocking the hammer. This is usually done to increase accuracy because the single action trigger pull is much lighter than the double action trigger.
This handgun can go by many different names. The most common being Autoloader, Semi-Automatic or some contraction of these. 
Semi-automatic handguns can be either single action or double action. The semi-automatic name refers to the action which upon firing extracts and ejects the empty case and then loads the next fresh cartridge from the magazine.
Many semi-automatic handguns work on Newton's Law of Equal and Opposite Reaction. The weight and velocity of the bullet moving forwards is exactly counteracted by the weight and velocity of the action moving backwards against the recoil spring. This is generally known as a Blowback Action. Heavier calibre handguns utilize a Locked Action or Delayed Blowback Action so that the pressure inside the chamber has time to drop before the empty case is extracted.
Current Canadian Law restricts all centre-fire handguns to a maximum of 10 rounds (cartridges).
A Muzzleloader is a blackpowder firearm (rifle, shotgun or handgun) that must be loaded from the muzzle (front of the barrel or cylinder in the case of a muzzleloading revolver). This type of firearm does not use a metal cartridge or brass case to contain all the components of the shot (primer, powder and bullet).
There are many different types of ignition used in muzzleloaders but two of them are the most common. These being Caplock and Flintlock.
Caplocks have a hammer and a nipple upon which a small percussion cap (resembles a capgun cap) is placed. The blow from the hammer causes the cap to ignite which in turn ignites the main powder charge. Caplocks made before 1898 are Antique Firearms in the eyes of the law.
A Flintlock has a small piece of flint (very hard stone) held in the jaws of the hammer. When the trigger is released, the hammer drops causing the flint to strike the hardened steel frizzen, creating a shower of sparks which fall into the priming pan and ignites the priming charge. The flame from the priming charge then travels through the vent-hole into the breech, where it ignites the main powder charge, firing the gun. Flintlock rifles and shotguns (even brand new ones) and flintlock handguns made before 1898 are designated in law as "Antique firearms" and are not subject to any licencing or registration. Modern production flintlock handguns are considered as Restricted Firearms and as such are subject to both licencing and registration.
The Firearms Act Regulations list the following as antique firearms:
- Reproduction flintlock, wheel-lock or matchlock other than a handgun.
- A rifle manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging only rim-fire cartridges, other than 22 calibre short, long or long rifle.
- A shotgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging only rim-fire cartridges other than 22 calibre short, long or long rifle. A shotgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging centre-fire cartridges other than 10, 12, 16, 20, 28 or 410 gauge.
- A handgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging only rim-fire cartridges, other than 22 calibre short, long or long rifle. A handgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging centre-fire cartridges other than a handgun designed or adapted to discharge 32 Short colt, 32 Long Colt, 32 Smith and Wesson, 32 Smith and Wesson Long, 32-20 Winchester, 38 Smith and Wesson, 38 Short colt, 38 Long colt, 38-40 Winchester, 44-40 Winchester or 45 colt cartridges.
A hunting rifle is any rifle that may legally be used to hunt game. Game Regulations vary across the country so it is not possible to list a calibre or cartridge that defines a hunting rifle. Generally Game Regulations stipulate a minimum cartridge
size or calibre with no maximum.
Hunting rifles may have scopes or iron (open) sights. They can be modern cartridge rifles or blackpowder muzzleloaders. Shotguns with rifled barrels qualify. Hunting rifles can be single-shots, repeaters or gas operated autoloaders.
A target rifle is any rifle that may legally be used in target shooting competition. Rules vary greatly depending on the type of competition so it is not possible to list a calibre or cartridge that defines a target rifle. Target rifles can include .17 calibre air-rifles and .50 calibre or bigger blackpowder rifles and any calibre in between.
Target rifles may have scopes or iron (open) sights and they can be single-shots, repeaters or autoloaders. Generally target rifles are distinguished by their heavy target barrels and accessories specific to the form of competition in which they are used.
A sniper rifle is a scoped rifle used by military snipers to engage targets at long-range. Both bolt-actions and semi-automatic rifles are currently in use by the world's militaries.
Civilian firearms design has always predated military usage because there are more hunters and recreational shooters than there are soldiers. As a result the majority of military sniper rifles are derived from or modified versions of civilian hunting rifles. Military cartridges are often derived from civilian designs which then rise in popularity due to their use by the military, thus driving greater use by civilians. In this manner the designation military or civilian becomes murky as the use by one group increases knowledge and use by the other.
Several forms of international rifle competition have their origins in military skills much like many athletic events in the Olympics.
There is no legal definition of a Full Automatic Firearm because the law never uses that term. The legal definition is "Automatic Firearm - A firearm capable of, or assembled or designed and manufactured with the capability of discharging projectiles in rapid succession during one pressure of the trigger. CC S.84(1)
However we must consider that like other firearms, there are several classes of full-auto's, of which machine guns are just one.
Generally Machine Guns are full-auto only belt or magazine fed weapons. These can be both light and heavy weapons. In essence, a machine gun can only fire in full-auto mode. While some smaller belt-fed machine guns can be fired by a single person, they more often require a crew of several people to operate.
Machine guns can fire at a rate from about 500 round per minute all the way up to approximately 1400 rounds per minute. Firing speeds above this require non-conventional technology. E.g. Electric motor drive, multiple barrels or chambers etc.
Belt fed machine guns have no ammunition capacity restrictions because disintegrating-link belts cannot be limited in length.
Firing many cartridges in a short time results in a great deal of heat being imparted into the gun's barrel. Machine guns can be either air or water cooled. Water cooled guns are easily identified by the large water jacket surrounding the barrel. Water cooled gun do not overheat as long as there is water available. Most air cooled guns have a conventional appearance and they may overheat from long periods of use.
In Canada only Grandfathered collectors may possess full-automatic firearms.
Note: Hand cranked Gatling Guns are not considered to be fully-automatic because they do not have the "capability of discharging projectiles in rapid success during one pressure of the trigger" - they don't have triggers. The Gatling Gun is a series of manually operated repeating rifles being worked in succession by a crank.
A Submachine gun is a small, full-auto only or select-fire, firearm that shoots a pistol cartridge and is designed to be carried and fired by a single person. The first submachine guns were full-auto only but many later models were select-fire and could fire single shots or full-auto bursts by operator selection.
Most submachine guns operate on the Blow Back or Delayed Blow Back principle because of their low powered pistol cartridges. Full-sized machine guns and Assault rifles cannot use this method of operation due to the power of their cartridges.
Due to their short barrels and low powered cartridges, submachine guns are severely limited in range to about 100 yards.
Fully automatic firearms may only be fired on military ranges.
Many full-sized autoloading rifles utilize a Gas-Operated system because their large cartridges produce very high pressures inside the rifle's chamber, which does not allow the blow-back recoil system to be used. In a gas-operated rifle, there is a small hole drilled in the barrel through which high pressure gasses are drawn into the operating system. The gas pressure drives the bolt carrier or gas piston backwards against a spring. As the bolt carrier moves backwards the bolt is unlocked, allowing it to be draw back as well. This extracts the empty case which is then ejected from the receiver. Under spring pressure the bolt and bolt carrier are pushed forwards to feed a fresh cartridge into the chamber, ready for firing.
All magazine fed, centre-fire autoloading rifles and full-auto firearms are limited to a 5 round magazine capacity by Canadian law, except for the M1 Garand (pictured above) which is allowed 8 rounds due to the nature of its clip feed mechanism.
The term Converted Automatic has no meaning in the firearms world. An autoloading firearm is either semi-auto, select-fire or full-auto. This term was inserted into the law to describe a firearm that has had its full-auto capability removed and has been converted into semi-auto only operation.
Converted Automatic firearms function identically to any other semi-auto only firearm however the law defines CA's as Prohibited Firearms that can only be possessed by grandfathered owners. While CA's may be fired on an approved range, a special one time use permit is required from the Provincial Chief Firearms Officer for each occasion that the firearm is taken to the range.
There is no standard in the law for the conversion from select-fire to semi-automatic.
In some cases there are civilian versions of Converted Auto's that are virtually impossible to distinguish from the real thing unless you know what to look for. Some civilian versions are completely unrestricted which means they can be used for hunting. E.g. Ruger Mini 14, Norinco M14S, Springfield M1A etc.
The Converted Automatic designation has created two classes of otherwise identical firearms. Only an expert can tell the difference between the two and in some cases, even an expert cannot do it because there is no difference in the frame or receiver.
The term Small Arms is usually applied to weapons designed to be fired by a single person. This term includes, light machine guns, shotguns, handguns, grenades etc. Small arms are firearms that fire cartridges used by ordinary rifles, shotguns or handguns. Generally "small arms" are any firearm that fires a cartridge less than 20mm (the smallest projectile that can be explosive under the rules of war).
Heavy weapons can encompass any crew served weapon, all the way down to a heavy machine gun carried by a crew of three or more. Light weapons are the same as Small Arms. Heavy weapons can include tanks and artillery.
Heavy Machine Guns are solidly-mounted, full-auto only, belt-fed, crew served military weapons using cartridges larger than the army's main battle rifle. They are used for long-range support.
Medium Machine Guns are like heavy machine guns but use rifle-calibre cartridges. A few of them use magazine or strips instead of a belt. They are usually fired from a tripod or bipod and are used for medium-range support.
Light machine guns are easily portable, usually fire from a bipod and may use either magazines or a belt or both. They are used for close-range support Some are capable of semi-automatic operation.
The term "silencer" is really a misnomer as these devices do not "silence" a firearm. The more correct term and the one that is used today is "Suppressor". A modern rifle suppressor can reduce the noise of a shot by up to 90% or to just below the European hearing damage risk level for impulse sound of 140 dB. This sound level is far from silent if we consider that a jet taking off 30 meters away produces a sound level of 130 dB and a jackhammer produces 125 dB of noise and a typical nightclub blasts 100dB of music at you.
Suppressors work to reduce the noise of a gunshot through several mechanisms. The first is that the tube and internal baffles trap the high pressure propellant gases and cause them to be released slowly so as not to produce a loud bang. The suppressor components also convert sound energy to heat that can be radiated slowly to the atmoshpere. This effect follows Neuton's First Law of Thermodynamics "Energy can be neither created nor destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another."
Canadian law prohibits any device that is designed or intended to muffle the report of a firearm. The law is quite vague in this area as no level of sound reduction is specified. Canada is the only developed nation in the western world that prohibits the civilian ownership of suppressors. Many more progressive nations encourage the use of suppressors by all shooters and hunters in order to reduce the incidence of hearing loss in this portion of the general population. Hearing loss is a serious health issue that can cost public health systems a significant amount of resources.
None of the countries that allow their citizens to own suppressors have experienced a rise in crime or poaching as a result. The reason for this is that law abiding citizens don't commit crimes regardless of what kind of firearms or other personal property they own.
A magazine is an all encompassing metal or plastic ammunition feeding device incorporated in or designed to be attached to a repeating or autoloading firearm. The law restricts the capacity of magazines used in autoloading centre-fire rifles (5) and handguns (10).
A clip is a metal device designed to hold or store ammunition in an easily portable package. This saves having pockets full of loose cartridges. With few exceptions (M1 Garand), clips are not designed to be inserted into a firearm to feed ammunition while the firearm is being shot. There are no restrictions to the capacity of ammunition clips because they are not in the firearm while it is being shot.
For more information please contact the NFA at (780) 439-1394.