Driving into Canada with long guns

[eaglemountainman]

I'll be driving from the US into Canada at the end of Sept., for an Alberta moose hunt. I'll be crossing the border with two rifles, a Kimber Montana bolt rifle and a Savage 99 lever gun. I'll also have a Beretta AL-2 semi auto shotgun with 26" bbl., since I'll be stopping in Wyoming for some grouse hunting on the trip home. I filled out firearms declaration form RCMP 5589. My question is, can I cross with them in soft cases that have no lock provision, or do they need to be locked? Trigger locks? All I can find on a search is that they need to be locked in the vehicle trunk, if there is one. I'll be traveling in a pick up truck, so no trunk.

Last time I crossed was back in '84. It's a different world now.

 

[Sadie]

I would talk to Canadian and US customs. At one time I was told if the guns were not registered with us customs and they were not of us manufacture I would have to pay import tax when returning to the states. I could be totally wrong about this but it bears looking into.

 

[Guy]

I haven't taken a rifle into Canada since 2017, but it was pretty simple.

There was a good website with all the rules, and even the forms to fill out ahead of time. I did that, then declared the rifle with U.S. Customs before leaving the U.S. side. The Canadians didn't even want to see the rifle. They appreciated the copy of the U.S. Customs form with serial number etc... Made things real easy.

At that time it was $25 Canadian for a three-month firearms permit. Mine was to transport the rifle through Canada to Alaska and back.

Coming back into the lower 48 was the only time that I got a bit of an attitude from anyone - the U.S. agent didn't recognize the signature on my U.S. customs form from three weeks earlier and was giving me a tough time. I actually remembered the guy's name because he and I had a great talk about hunting while he had inspected my rifle's serial number earlier. I mentioned his name and her attitude changed instantly. Turned out he was her supervisor... LOL!

I kept my rifle in a locked case. Can't remember if that was required or not but the website explains everything pretty simply. You'll have to search for it yourself, that was 2017 and I haven't been back on the site since.

Best of luck on your hunt! Guy

 

[HandgunHTR]

I just went through this last September when I went to Manitoba for moose.

I crossed at the Pembina-Emerson crossing.

Fill out the RCMP 5589 (https://rcmp.ca/sites/default/files/doc/5589e.pdf). When you get to the border, tell the Canadian officer the reason for your trip into Canada and that you are bringing three firearms in with you. He/She may ask to see your form, he/she may not. They will then direct you to a parking area where you will have to go inside to declare your firearms and pay the $25C per firearm. One thing to check is to make sure the semi-auto shotgun you have is not on the "restricted" or "prohibited" list.
When I went through they didn't ask to see the guns, but they may.
I had mine locked in a Pelican case on the back seat of my truck. No issues at all.

When coming back into the US, they will be more interested in if you have meat or antlers with you than the guns. At least that was my experience.

 

[saskhunter]

I cross often into the US from Canada with firearms.

As a license Canadian gun owner, I don't have to transport my non-restricted firearms locked and encased as long as I am in the vehicle with them. That being said, I would never cross the border with unlocked firearms outside of a gun case.

Soft cases are fine, but I would trigger lock all my firearms to be safe. Last thing you need is to be held up at the border for hours because of an overzealous CBSA employee who feels like dicking you around.

Don't touch anything unless they're telling you to do it. Pretty much every time I've had my firearms checked on either side of the border, they took out the gun case(s) but asked me to open them. Just wait for their commands and do what they ask. In all of my times crossing the border with firearms, I think they've only been inspected two or three times max.

 

[WW2 Buff]

Nothing to sweat bringing guns across the border. As stated here if using a soft case put a trigger lock on your guns. More often than not they won’t ask to see them uncased. If drive is the same time wise I prefer to cross at smaller towns.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Nothing to sweat bringing guns across the border. As stated here if using a soft case put a trigger lock on your guns. More often than not they won’t ask to see them uncased. If drive is the same time wise I prefer to cross at smaller towns.

Looking to cross at Sweet Grass Montana. Form 5589 is already filled out (do I need more than 1 copy? Hell, I'll make a couple of copies anyway), and just ordered some trigger locks.

@HandgunHTR, the shotgun seems to meet unrestricted criteria. Straight '70s Beretta semi auto 20ga field gun with 26"barrel.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Looking to cross at Sweet Grass Montana. Form 5589 is already filled out (do I need more than 1 copy? Hell, I'll make a couple of copies anyway), and just ordered some trigger locks.

@HandgunHTR, the shotgun seems to meet unrestricted criteria. Straight '70s Beretta semi auto 20ga field gun with 26"barrel.

You should be good to go then! Have fun. My hunt last year was probably the best hunt I have been on and I only saw one moose! It is amazing country and the wildlife is something that just can't be replicated down here in the lower 48.