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Might this be the unintended consequence of banning the sales of handguns in Canada recently? Canadians have always been well armed but now there are more hand

Might this be the unintended consequence of banning the sales of handguns in Canada recently? Canadians have always been well armed but now there are more handguns moving from the U.S. into Canada and it seems like 3D printing would be the natural evolution of this path as border checks are increasing.

grecy 4y ago
Handguns have always been extremely tightly controlled in Canada. Even before the recent sales ban you couldn't have one at home unless it was locked away - it's not like you can have it in your bedside drawer. The only time you can transport it anywhere is to/from the gun range. In transit it must be locked away, and you have to get a permit to make that drive. Also note you're in big trouble if you get caught buying groceries on the way to/from the gun range and you have the handgun locked in your trunk. It has always been illegal to carry a handgun on your person, and you can't hunt with them either. Note: I have a "non-restricted" firearms license, which means shotguns & long rifles (bolt action, small magazines), and it's fairly straightforward to get the license to own those weapons. They dropped the "long gun registry" a few years back because stats show crimes are not committed with long guns. That means long guns are no longer registered, the government has no idea who owns what in terms of long guns. Handguns are a WHOLE different story.
- notch656c 4y ago
  If someone doesn't drive in the US their chance of being caught with a handgun is basically zero unless they pull it out (which they shouldn't be doing unless their life is in danger and legal issues are the least of their worries). I wonder how often pedestrians/passengers get patted down in Canada.
pseudo0 4y ago
The US/Canada border is incredibly porous. There is so much area to cover, along with numerous communities that practically sit on top of the border, native reservations, and bodies of water. Any attempt to seriously crack down on smuggling would be prohibitively expensive and politically unpalatable. 3d printing is advancing among enthusiasts, but when it comes to the black market, illegal importation from the US is still by far the easiest and cheapest option.
- rascul 4y ago
  > numerous communities that practically sit on top of the border A recent HN thread: The US-Canada border cuts through the Haskell Free Library and Opera House https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34138863 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34138863

grecy 4y ago

Handguns have always been extremely tightly controlled in Canada. Even before the recent sales ban you couldn't have one at home unless it was locked away - it's not like you can have it in your bedside drawer. The only time you can transport it anywhere is to/from the gun range. In transit it must be locked away, and you have to get a permit to make that drive. Also note you're in big trouble if you get caught buying groceries on the way to/from the gun range and you have the handgun locked in your trunk. It has always been illegal to carry a handgun on your person, and you can't hunt with them either. Note: I have a "non-restricted" firearms license, which means shotguns & long rifles (bolt action, small magazines), and it's fairly straightforward to get the license to own those weapons. They dropped the "long gun registry" a few years back because stats show crimes are not committed with long guns. That means long guns are no longer registered, the government has no idea who owns what in terms of long guns. Handguns are a WHOLE different story.

notch656c 4y ago
If someone doesn't drive in the US their chance of being caught with a handgun is basically zero unless they pull it out (which they shouldn't be doing unless their life is in danger and legal issues are the least of their worries). I wonder how often pedestrians/passengers get patted down in Canada.

pseudo0 4y ago

The US/Canada border is incredibly porous. There is so much area to cover, along with numerous communities that practically sit on top of the border, native reservations, and bodies of water. Any attempt to seriously crack down on smuggling would be prohibitively expensive and politically unpalatable. 3d printing is advancing among enthusiasts, but when it comes to the black market, illegal importation from the US is still by far the easiest and cheapest option.

rascul 4y ago
> numerous communities that practically sit on top of the border A recent HN thread: The US-Canada border cuts through the Haskell Free Library and Opera House https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34138863 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34138863