View Full Version : Temporary work assignment outside the country, what to do with my suppressor?
Hi,
The company that I work for is sending me to Canada on a temporary work assignment that may last anywhere between 6 months to 2 years. For obvious reasons, I cannot take my suppressor. I can store my guns in my parents house but my parents live in a state where suppressors are illegal.
Is my only option to to sell it before I leave?
What legal options do I have? Can I pay an FFL that sells suppressors to store it for me while I am gone?
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had this problem before.
Thanks
MCASSgt New River
12-22-19, 19:09
Honestly, whenever I have had questions like this I called the ATF and asked. They can be helpful from time to time.
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Sometimes what the ATF doesn’t know won’t hurt them.
Just lock your stuff up at parents and be done with it.
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Just spit-balling, but a safe deposit box may be a option, depending on your state laws and whether or not you can find a bank that will allow it.
MCASSgt New River
12-22-19, 20:57
Just spit-balling, but a safe deposit box may be a option, depending on your state laws and whether or not you can find a bank that will allow it.Don't tell the bank what is in the box. If it's legal in your state then bringing a "non-firearm" NFA item into the bank "shouldn't" be an issue. You could call the bank and ask what their restrictions are too.
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Sometimes what the ATF doesn’t know won’t hurt them.
Just lock your stuff up at parents and be done with it.
I think since he's asking what to do that he's wanting to keep things legal. The ATF might not be concerned, but opening the door to a state charge doesn't sound like a good plan to me.
Colt-45, do you have any friends where you live?
Don't tell the bank what is in the box. If it's legal in your state then bringing a "non-firearm" NFA item into the bank "shouldn't" be an issue. You could call the bank and ask what their restrictions are too.
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I agree it should be possible to ensure you're within any restrictions without telling them what you're putting in the box.
As for a suppressor being a "non-firearm," that makes way to much sense for American gun laws.
Safe deposit box would be my choice.
Diamondback
12-23-19, 00:06
One other thing, apropos of nothing: Are you a member at CanadianGunNutz? There are a bunch of guys up there that might be able to help you find opportunities to keep in practice while you're away--they've been a godsend helping me with research building a C8A3 clone.
CAR-AR-M16
12-24-19, 09:18
From tha ATF NFA FAQ website:
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/if-individual-changing-his-or-her-state-residence-and-individuals-application-transport
Are you keeping your current house?
Put in small handgun safe, leave locked safe with trusted friend.
Sometimes what the ATF doesn’t know won’t hurt them.
THIS!! For f#$k's SAKE!!!
It's not like you're transferring illegally to another owner.
Lost River
12-24-19, 17:42
Do it the right way.
Put it in a safe deposit box, along with a copy of your paperwork.
Stay legal.
Do it the right way.
Put it in a safe deposit box, along with a copy of your paperwork.
Stay legal.
You must be a hoot at parties.
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One other thing, apropos of nothing: Are you a member at CanadianGunNutz? There are a bunch of guys up there that might be able to help you find opportunities to keep in practice while you're away--they've been a godsend helping me with research building a C8A3 clone.
I asked in the canadiangunnutz website and I wasn't able to get much information besides being directed to the government agency in charge of guns. As far as whats legal to own in Canada and the different tiers, that was the easy part. The law is also very clear if you are an American citizen going there on a hunting trip, an American passing through Canada on your way to Alaska or a Canadian citizen, my situation is a little bit different. I'm an American who is going there on a temporary assignment with no intention of ever becoming a Canadian citizen (1776 baby :cool:). I've found that most countries that allow firearm ownership, the ownership of firearms only applies to their citizens, not guest or temporary residents. I'll have to contact an attorney if it's not too expensive.
There's 3 categories of guns in Canada.
1. Non-restricted- Rifles and shotguns over 18.5
2. Restricted- ARs under 18.5 inches, handguns
3. Prohibited- Machine guns, small hanguns
Rifles and semi-auto shotguns may only hold less 5 rounds or less. Pump action shotguns are exempt.
Handguns may hold up to 10 rounds.
The only gun in my safe that is PC enough for Canada is my Benelli M4. Unfortunately, it has the full length tube instead of the 5 round tube. If I can get things sorted out I plan on getting a Mossberg 590 pump, cheap and exempt from the stupid capacity law.
I have not left yet and I already cannot wait to come back. There is no place like home, I'd rather be stuck living in a blue state than go to Canada but unfortunately that's not an option.
From tha ATF NFA FAQ website:
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/if-individual-changing-his-or-her-state-residence-and-individuals-application-transport
Thanks for the resource!
Put in small handgun safe, leave locked safe with trusted friend.
This is the correct answer.
This is the correct answer.
I would go with this or the Safety Deposit Box option.
I asked in the canadiangunnutz website and I wasn't able to get much information besides being directed to the government agency in charge of guns. As far as whats legal to own in Canada and the different tiers, that was the easy part. The law is also very clear if you are an American citizen going there on a hunting trip, an American passing through Canada on your way to Alaska or a Canadian citizen, my situation is a little bit different. I'm an American who is going there on a temporary assignment with no intention of ever becoming a Canadian citizen (1776 baby :cool:). I've found that most countries that allow firearm ownership, the ownership of firearms only applies to their citizens, not guest or temporary residents. I'll have to contact an attorney if it's not too expensive.
There's 3 categories of guns in Canada.
1. Non-restricted- Rifles and shotguns over 18.5
2. Restricted- ARs under 18.5 inches, handguns
3. Prohibited- Machine guns, small hanguns
Rifles and semi-auto shotguns may only hold less 5 rounds or less. Pump action shotguns are exempt.
Handguns may hold up to 10 rounds.
The only gun in my safe that is PC enough for Canada is my Benelli M4. Unfortunately, it has the full length tube instead of the 5 round tube. If I can get things sorted out I plan on getting a Mossberg 590 pump, cheap and exempt from the stupid capacity law.
I have not left yet and I already cannot wait to come back. There is no place like home, I'd rather be stuck living in a blue state than go to Canada but unfortunately that's not an option.
Thanks for the resource!
Depending on your length of stay (ie) your work permit duration?, it may just be easier to leave all your firearms in the US, if your going to be in Canada, on a work permit for 2 yrs, you could apply as a temporary resident for a Canadian Firearm license, or a PAL (possession & acquisition), this would enable you to purchase restricted and non restricted firearms , depending on what level of course you take? (ie) restricted and/or non restricted? , these courses require in class training, some "hands on" and a written test.
Once your a temporary resident you can join a "club/range" and use your restricted or non restricted.
Suppressors are a prohibited device in Canada and are only available to LE/MIL.
With the recent election of the Liberal GOV, they have embarked on a "assault weapons" ban or "buy back" while this won't affect you, as it's about 2 yrs out, if? they can ever figure out the implementation or the law needed to enforce it.
BTW, as an "Ex Immigration" officer, make sure that the company provides you with all the necessary paper work and that you are "admissible" to Canada, if they are having a lawyer do that, make sure that you are properly briefed on your job, responsibilities, duties etc, as you will be examined when you apply for your work permit at the border, unless they are going through the Canadian consulate? Just to clarify, some offences in the US such as a DWI would make you "inadmissible" in Canada, and depending on the nature of your work , you would have to get a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP), which would overcome the US "inadmissibility" and allow you to enter Canada to perform your work.
Good Luck and stay safe, while it's not America, don't get caught up in the politics, enjoy your stay and see as much of the country as you can. Cheers
Wouldn't that depend on who owns the can? If the stamp is in his name he can't leave it with a trusted friend, if it's a trust then you are correct.
If friend dies while the OP is in Canada and their family gets the law involved, that can cause aggravation for everybody.
Incorrect. If it’s locked inside a safe and only the owner has access, he is completely legal.
I would go with this or the Safety Deposit Box option.
Safe deposit boxes are not foolproof. There is a long time member over on subguns, who posted this some years ago:
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I moved from Wisconsin to Illinois. What was I thinking? On a more positive note, 20 years later I'm moving from Illinois to South Carolina and am slowly getting back in the game.
I had probably 10 machineguns at the time of the move. Almost all Safe Deposit Boxes in the country have a common depth - the h/w may vary, but they are all pretty much something like 27.5" (guessing). The M60 and the M2HB were the first to go - they wouldn't fix in the box. Everything else I could put in two of their largest Safe Deposit Boxes. I put things like the mini uzi in the box whole, the M16s were just the lower. The MP5, HK53, etc., all pretty much fit in two boxes.
The bank was in a small town on the border of Illinois and Wisconsin. For the first year or two, I'd drive up every few months, get the guns and go stay with friends in Wisconsin and shoot the guns. That got old fast. My trips to the bank got further and further between visits.
Five or six years into it, I get a letter from ATF stating that they wanted to meet with me to discuss my abandonment of all those machineguns. WTF, over? The bank drilled the boxes for non-payment.
I get on the phone with the guy from ATF and from the start they took the position that I had abandoned the guns and they were forfeit. The first thing I checked was whether I had paid the box rental fee. Thank God I had a canceled check showing payment. I told the guy from ATF that the bank had ****ed up and that I had in fact made payment. It took a few iterations before he believed me - and believe me, their (ATF) position was Always Think Forfeiture. Period. I told the guy from ATF that I understood the law, had selected a safe deposit box on the well known advice from ATF, and you know what? **** it, I could care less if kept the guns. He was surprised when I said that and I explained that I would just sue the bank and ATF would likely get dragged into it as well.
He told me that they would release the guns if I could get the bank to admit they ****ed up in writing.
I called the bank. They were all nice and pleasant until I said I was the guy with all the guns in the box. They didn't want to say shit to me. Until I told them I had a canceled check and they ****ed up. They were still, "meh, too bad, go talk to the cops" until I told them that I could give a shit, but could you spell your name please? My lawyer wanted to make sure that he spelled it correctly when I sued the bank for the $100k or so worth of property that the bank had improperly disposed of. That changed their tune a bit.
I told them that **** ups happen and all I wanted was them to write a letter saying they ****ed up. After some back and forth, with me agreeing not to sue the bank, they wrote a letter. I took it to ATF and they said they'd give me the guns back if I had a properly completed 5320.20 to move them from Wisconsin to wherever they were legal. I moved them to Indiana and waited a few weeks to get a 5320.20 and then drove up to Milwaukee to get the guns.
All told? Probably 3-4 months that I ****ed around with this. I honestly thought the guns were gone for a while. And ATF had reviewed the access logs to the box and wanted to know where some cans and a SBS were. I told them they were out of state because I didn't need a 5320.20 for cans and the SBS was not in SBS configuration when it went out of state. They were definitely gunning for me for a while. I think my "don't give a ****, I'm suing the bank" attitude may have helped.
Ironically I left a "read me if you drill this box" note in both boxes, with copies of the forms and a letter asking the bank to call me if they ever drilled the boxes. If they couldn't get ahold of me, please call the nearest office of ATF as these guns were worth serious dollars. I figured, you know, people die. I could die and not pay the box. Did any of that happen? Nope. They called the local cops and the local cops finger ****ed the guns for who knows how long. Then they eventually made their way to ATF, and ATF wrote me a letter. Honest, I'm shocked they eventually tracked me down.
Pissed that the bank didn't give me the courtesy of a call.
So... would I do it again? No. I wish I had just sold everything when I moved. It was a huge hassle. Ultimately I sold everything but the cans and made great money through appreciation, but that was more a factor of timing. Nothing that I really did.
So, depending upon what you have, and whether you have a safe place to store them? Go for it. But don't think that a SDB and a bank is necessarily all that secure. Again, I'm shocked I didn't lose everything.
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Incorrect. If it’s locked inside a safe and only the owner has access, he is completely legal.Thank you for the correction, I deleted the incorrect statement.
JoshNC
Thanks for the heads up with that.. I'm currently looking at the same situation but this will be 2-5 years if I get a job I interviewed for. I was looking at bank safe box for my stamp collection, looking like time to update my Trust.
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