This Article and Video expresses my views and opinions on this matter and should not be taken as legal advice.

Main points covered:

• Uncontrolled Firearms do not require a Firearms License within Canada to own and operate.

• What is an Uncontrolled Airgun and Airsoft Gun?

• What is an Uncontrolled Blank Gun / Starter Pistols?

• What about Fully Automatic Airguns and Airsoft Guns?

• What about Replica Guns?

NOTE: Controlled Firearms require a POL (Possession Only License) , PAL (Possession Acquisition License) or R-PAL (Restricted Possession Acquisition License) within Canada to own and operate. 

MEMORANDUM D19-13-2

Firearm – a barreled weapon from which any shot, bullet, or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person, and includes any frame or receiver of such a barreled weapon and anything that can be adapted for use as a firearm.

“Uncontrolled”firearms are those devices that, although falling within the definition of a firearm in the Criminal Code, are exempt from specific legal requirements of the Firearms Act and its regulations, as well as from other legislative provisions. “Uncontrolled” firearms should not be subdivided into any of the non-restricted, restricted, or prohibited classes. The following types of firearms are deemed “uncontrolled”:

Flare, blank, rivet and industrial guns: Any device that is designed exclusively for signaling, for notifying of distress, or for firing blank cartridges or for firing stud cartridges, explosive-driven rivets or other industrial projectiles, provided that the importer intends to use it only for the purpose for which it is designed.

NOTE: (Toy guns and starter pistols do not generally qualify as firearms. However, some toy or model guns and starter pistols may be designed with very realistic mechanisms or appearances (e.g., color, size, scale, translucency) and resembling a real make and model of a firearm. In such cases, they may be considered replica firearms even if they are made of plastic, die cast zinc, or other material.)

Low muzzle velocity/energy guns: Any barreled weapon that is not designed or adapted to discharge projectiles at a muzzle velocity exceeding 152.4 meters per second (500 feet per second) and at a muzzle energy exceeding 5.7 Joules, or to discharge projectiles that are designed or adapted to attain a velocity exceeding 152.4 meters per second (500 feet per second) and an energy exceeding 5.7 Joules. Both thresholds of 152.4 mps and 5.7 Joules must be exceeded for the firearm to be considered “controlled”. This requirement exempts firearms that fire below the threshold velocity with a standard projectile, but exceed the threshold velocity when fired with a high-velocity projectile. 

Airsoft guns and certain types of paintball guns or markers may qualify as a replica firearm, if the muzzle velocity of the projectile does not cause serious bodily harm and their external features are clearly designed to resemble a specific and readily identifiable make and model of a firearm. To be considered a firearm, within the meaning of the Criminal Code, an airsoft gun must have a muzzle velocity in excess of 111.6 meters per second (366 feet per second).

NOTE: This memorandum used to state when using a .20 gram BB but does not specify this BB weight anymore?

NOTE: The term air gun is a colloquial term referring to BB or pellet guns. Such guns operate either as spring- powered, gas-powered, or electrically powered. If the muzzle velocity of the air gun is less than 152.4 mps (500 fps)/5.7 joules but still able to cause serious bodily injury to a person, it may be considered an “uncontrolled” firearm. Airsoft guns and certain types of paintball guns may qualify as a replica firearm (see paragraph 49 of this memorandum).

Replica firearms:

“Replica firearm” is defined as any device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, a firearm, and that itself is not a firearm, but does not include any such device that is designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, an antique firearm.

For a device to be a replica firearm it must meet all three requirements:

• (a) it cannot be a firearm, meaning it does not discharge a projectile with sufficient energy to cause serious bodily injury or death to a person. If the device is a firearm, then it cannot be a replica firearm (and vice versa);

• (b) it must resemble exactly, or with near precision, a real existing firearm of an identifiable make and model. With respect to visual examination, note that the maximum observing distance is one at which the equivalent make and model of the firearm can be identified. This distance will vary from one firearm make to the next. For example: A Luger pistol has a very distinctive silhouette as compared to other makes and is therefore more readily identified from further away. The examination of the object is something more than casual, but less than detailed. The device does not need to be so close that markings are identifiable; and

• (c) it cannot be designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, an antique firearm. 

RCMP Website "Air Guns"

1. Air guns that are "Controlled" Firearms for purposes of both the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code

These are air guns with both a high muzzle velocity (greater than 152.4 meters or 500 feet per second) and a high muzzle energy (greater than 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot-pounds). The "muzzle velocity" is the speed of a projectile at the instant it leaves the muzzle of a gun, normally expressed in meters per second or feet per second. The "muzzle energy" is the energy of a projectile at the instant it leaves the muzzle of a gun, expressed in joules or foot-pounds. Air guns need to meet both standards to be classified as "Controlled" firearms for purposes of the Firearms Act.

These high-powered air guns are subject to the same license and registration requirements as a conventional "Controlled" firearm. Owners and users are also required to store, transport, display and handle them safely in accordance with the regulations supporting the Firearms Act.

Usually, the manufacturer's specifications are used to determine what muzzle velocity and muzzle energy an air gun was designed to have. This information may be available in the user's manual or on the manufacturer's website. If the information is not available, individuals can call the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) at 1-800-731-4000 and ask to speak to a firearm technician to find out if the air gun is considered to be a firearm for purposes of the Firearms Act.

High-powered air rifles are generally classified as non-restricted firearms. However, the classification depends on the exact design of the air gun. Air rifles manufactured to resemble an assault rifle could be non-restricted, restricted or prohibited depending on the exact model imitated. High-powered air rifles would also be prohibited firearms if fully automatic or if they have a sawed-off barrel. They could also be restricted firearms if they have a folding stock that reduces the overall length to less than 660mm. 

Additional thought on this subject: Even though Uncontrolled Firearms are not governed by the same laws that apply to Controlled Firearms within the Firearms act and do not need to be handled or stored similar in the same way you are required to handle, transport and store a Controlled Firearm, we need to treat our Uncontrolled Airguns, Airsoft Guns and Blank guns with care and go over and above what is expected when had handle, transport and store them.

I get asked about what cameras I use fairly often so a while back I made a video showing some of the cameras I used at that time. Since that video was made I have been using a newer pair of "HD Camera Glasses" called Pivothead Recons' which I really like and are very good quality and are perfect for that first person video camera angle.

In this video review, I show you around my pair of Pivothead Recon 1080p HD Camera Glasses and include some footage taken with them. I talk a bit about the specifications but have included the below specs right off of Pivothead's website to make sure it all gets covered:

OPTICS

4 ELEMENT GLASS LENS

Largan Glass Camera Lens

FOCUS

Recon'sContinuosFocus | Auto Focus: 4”- | Fixed focus: 2.8’ – | Macro 4”- 28”

FIELD OF VIEW

75 Degrees

IMAGE SENSOR

8MP Sony CMOS

RAM

2GB SDRAM

VIDEO

RESOLUTION

1080p@30fps | 720p@60fps | 720p@30fps

VIDEO FORMAT

Mp4 H.264

EXPOSURE

Auto | Bright | Dim

VIDEO OPTIONAL SETTING

Black & White | Face Tracking | Time/Date Stamp

AUDIO FORMAT

AAC MONO

44.1 kHz

PHOTO

IMAGE SIZE OPTIONS

8MP | 5MP | 3MP

BURST OPTIONS

16 Shot Stills | 10 Shot Stills | 5 Shot Stills | 3 Shot Stills

TIME LAPSE OPTION

1 Shot/1s | 1 Shot/30s | 4 Shots/8s

4 Shots/30s | 10 Shots/30s | 5 Shots/60s

FOCUS

Auto | Macro

EXPOSURE

Auto | Bright | Dim

ISO

Auto | 200 | 800 | 1600

PHOTO OPTIONAL SETTING

Black & White | Face Tracking | Time/Date Stamp

STORAGE

INTERNAL MEMORY

8GB

INTERFACE

USB CABLE

USB 2.0 Cable for Charging and Data Transfer

POWER

RECHARGEABLE

Rechargeable 3.7VLi-Polymer/440mAh

DC POWER

USB power via Micro USB, 5V DC 500mA

OPERATING SYSTEM

SYSTEM

Mac | PC | Android

PRE SET MODES

Active | Action Sport | Power Save

Spectator | Hands On (Macro) | Social | Black & White

CERTIFICATION

FCC | FDA | CE

Make sure to watch my Vimeo Video Review of the Pivothead Recon HD Video Glasses:

I stopped by the ICS Booth, we don't sell too much of their products but have carried a few items from time to time. ICS caries some nice quality Airsoft guns including the M1 Grand with real wood stock, and some AK & AR variants.

One of our suppliers had the new FN Herstal Five-seveN Blowback Airsoft pistol, I believe made by Marushin. Like the real FN Herstal Five-seveN, the pistol is pretty much all polymer including the slide and frame. This pistol also uses CO2 in the full size drop out magazine which should make it fairly powerful.

Looks like there is another Dan Wesson contender available now in the form of a Swiss Arms S&W 357 Magnum 4 inch and 6 inch barreled version, they look really nice and like the Dan Wesson have the realistic reusable brass shells that hold the 4.5mm Steel BB's.

Ever considered owning a  mobile Gunsmith vehicle, look no further, I came across this pimped out Firearms Van complete with machine guns mounted in the front :) Inside was a complete firearms workshop.

Last but not least, we had some fun while in Vegas. I go down for the SHOT Show for business but I also bring my wife and we make time for some non business related activities. I generally stay at the WorldMark resort each time and this year the weather was pretty nice so we where able to get some sun by the pool a couple of days and I even got a tan line! Of course the food and entertainment is always awesome in Vegas.

We carry a lot of the G&G line and perhaps have as much in stock as you would find at the G& G booth ;) I did see a few items we do not have in stock so I will have to see what I can do about that. Some products that I hope to see added to our Canada Replica Airguns Store would for sure be the M1 Grand and our Canadian Military Colt C7A1/2.

One company I took notice of was Inokatsu, they make super high quality Airsoft guns. I was drawn to their Sig Sauer P229 and 1911 pistols that by the way are made out of real steel and as close to the real version as possible without it being a real gun. The Inokatsu pistols I looked at are not cheap and will set you back over a grand but are as close as you can get to a real sidearm as possible in an Airsoft version. They feel amazing to shoot with heavy blowback and that sound real steel makes when the slide snaps back.

Let me know if you're like me and would be willing to part with a substantial amount of money for one of these treasures? 

I also visited my friends at the ASG booth but for some reason I did not get a photo  of their booth? I do have some video walk through stuff I will show you in my YouTube Video coverage of this years Vegas SHOT Show. Most importantly I have lots of gun photos so let's take a look at them...

One of my favorite ASG pistols is the Bersa BP9CC, I have already reviewed it and I just really like how this gun looks and holds, ASG took it one step further this year by adding a two-tone silver version and I have to say it looks awesome in person, my photos do not do it justice at all :(

A new handgun to the ASG blowback pistol series is the CZ P-09 Duty Pellet pistol. Basically it shares similar mechanics to the Umarex PX4 and Gamo PT-85 using the double sided rotary pellet magazine with 8 shots located on each end of the stick magazine. The ASG CZ P-09 Duty features a metal slide, working hammer and safety.

Another pellets pistol that should be very familiar to most of you is the new .177 caliber pellet shooting Dan Wesson in 6 inch silver and 8 inch black versions. ASG added a rifled barrel and redesigned solid brass shells that hold pellets instead of 4.5mm Steel BB's. Expect to take a little bit longer to reload the pellets as unscrewing the tip of each shell is required to place a .177 caliber pellet in each bullet tip.

Of course ASG has tons of licensed pistols to choose from, many on both 4.5mm Steel BB and 6mm Plastic Airsoft!

One new rifle that stood out to me was the ASG CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 AEG Airsoft Rifle, the Scorpion features an intelligent AEG system that detects when there may be a potential feeding problem and also when the magazine is out of ammo.

Yet another option for you when looking to purchase a KWC/Cybergun Colt model 1911 or Beretta/Taurus M92. We started out with the Cybergun Tanfoglio Witness 1911 and GSG 92, then added the KWC non-licensed versions. Now we give you yet another option, the Cybergun distributed Swiss Arms P1911 and Swiss Arms P92, same BB guns but brandishing the Swiss Arms markings and licensing.

At the end of the day all of these blowback air pistols  are basically the same, all of them are made by KWC, all are made to the same quality and all are totally awesome.

It may just come down to which one we have in stock or if you want that super clean look then go for the KWC model as the slides on the non-licensed versions tend to have no markings or warning instructions on them.

And yes we have all of these guns available in either our online Canada Replica Airguns Store or US Replica Airguns Store.

Buy Swiss Arms 1911 in Canada  -  Buy Swiss Arms 1911 in the US

Buy the Swiss Arms P92 in Canada  -  Buy the Swiss Arms P92 in the US

We just added a nice sellection of new NcSTAR accessories to the Canada Replica Airguns Store!

• NcSTAR AR Folding Vertical Grip
  
  
• NcSTAR AR15 Vertical Grip With Weaver Mount
  
  
• NcSTAR Bipod With Weaver Mount
  
  
• NcSTAR Compact Red Laser Black Sight With Weaver Mount
  
  
• NcSTAR Red Laser Black Sight With Weaver Mount
  
  
• NcSTAR Red And Green Laser With Weaver Base With Pressure Switch
  
  
• NcSTAR Tactical Red Laser Sight And 3 Watt 120 Lumens Led Flashlight
  
  
• NcSTAR Ultra Compact Green Pistol Laser With Quick Release Weaver Mount
  
  
• NcSTAR 30mm Double Rail Scope Adapter And Flashlight With Green Laser Set
  
  
• NcSTAR Tactical Red Laser Sight With Trigger Guard Mount
  
  
• NcSTAR Red And Green Dot Reflex Black Sight With Weaver Base
  
  
• NcSTAR 1x42 B-Style Red Dot Sight
  
  
• NcSTAR Compact Tactical Red Dot Black Reflex Sight
  
  
• NcSTAR Tactical Green Dot Black Sight With Automatic Brightness
  
  
• NcSTAR 1x40 Red Dot Sight With Built In Red Laser
  
  
• NcSTAR 1911 Pistol Accessory Rail Adapter
  
  
• NcSTAR Beretta 92 Pistol Accessory Rail Adapter
  
  
• NcSTAR AR15 Weaver 3/4 Inch Riser With Quick Release Weaver Mount
  
  
• NcSTAR 1 Inch Black Weaver Ring
  
  
• NcSTAR Tri-Rail Series 4x32 Compact P4 Sniper Rifle Scope
  
  
• NcSTAR Tri-Rail Series 4x32 Rangefinder Compact Rifle Scope
  
  
• NcSTAR SRT Series 4x32 Rubber Compact With Red Laser Blue Ill P4 Sniper Quick Release Green Lens
  
  
• NcSTAR Mark III Tactical Series Mil-Dot Rifle Scope
  
  
• NcSTAR Vism QR Vertical Grip/Built In Led Flashlight And Red Laser
  
  
• NcSTAR Vism CBT Series 3x42 Prismatic Mil Dot Rifle Scope With Integrated Red Laser
  
  
• NcSTAR Vism CBT Series 3x42 Prismatic Rifle Scope
  
  
• NcSTAR Micro Green Dot With Integrated Red Laser
  
  
• NcSTAR Vism Evolution Series 1.1-4x24 Full Size Rifle Scope
  
  
• NcSTAR Vism Evolution Series 1.1-4x24 Mil Dot Full Size Rifle Scope
  
  
• NcSTAR Vism Evolution Series 1.1-4x24 P4 Sniper Full Size Rifle Scope

I am happy to report back to you on all the new cool stuff I got to see at this years 2013 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Make sure to also watch my Vimeo video at the bottom of this post for some first person styled play by play of my experience at the Vegas SHOT Show 2013. (like you're there with me ;)

First up I want to cover a new gun from ASG, I have been wanting to get my hands on the 4.5mm Bersa BP9CC and I finally got to, not only did I get my hands on it but ASG was kind enough to supply me with one to take home for review. You can get the Bersa BP9CC in both Blowback and non-blowback versions and also in either BB or Airsoft. I opted for the 4.5mm BB Blowback version. I will be reviewing this BB gun very soon!

ASG also had a very cool prototype of an Airsoft CZ Scorpion EVO 3A1 hopefully coming out soon.

While roaming around SHOT Show 2013, I came across an interesting booth from FlashFog Security. I often get people asking me about using an airgun as a home defense weapon and I strongly advise against this. If the intruder is not scared off by the gun there is little an airgun can do to actually stop them. The FlashFog system works by rapidly filling a room with dense fog combined with a strobe light effect which blinds and disorients intruders completely. There is little an intruder can do other then try and get the heck out of there!

UPDATE: FlashFog just added a new section to their website specifically for School Security to help keep our schools safer from potential safety threats! So check it out: School Security Smoke Screen

I was a bit surprised by Gamo this year, they tend to stay away from actual Replica's and generally make BB/Pellet guns that look like popular guns but not any gun in particular. Gamo has a new BB/Pellet MP9 based machine pistol that uses a similar mechanism to their P-25 and PT-85 so it can shoot both 4.5mm BB's and .177 caliber Pellets using a double ended 16 shot rotary magazine. It also has an internal blowback system so it should have some recoil feel to it! I am pretty sure it is semi auto only but still a nice addition to their lineup!

Gamo also brought out a new 4.5mm BB Blowback pistol called the C-15 which has a metal slide and plastic frame, it kind of reminds me of the Umarex HPP in how it looks and feels.

Umarex had several new products that I am sure everyone is going to like! One that I think will do really well is the Steel Force, the Steel Force is designed around the 4.5mm BB shooting Steel Storm platform so it has a 6 round burst blowback operation and holds the 2x12 gram CO2 in the magazine while the BB's go in a 300 round hopper that feeds into a 30 round spring fed internal magazine. Like the Steel Storm it will shoot around 430 fps. The Steel Force has the advantage of being styled after the AR platform so it has a collapsible stock which will make shooting very easy.

Another often asked for airgun replica is the historic German Luger. This year Umarex stepped up to the plate and introduced the Umarex P.08 4.5mm BB pistol. Sorry, no blowback or even a working slide on this one but it is all metal and has a very good weight and feel to it.

If you're a fan of the entry level Umarex XBG then you may be interested in the new Umarex T.D.P. 45 which is very similar to the XBG in looks and features but with a slightly different look to it.

If you've ever wanted to turn your pistol into more of a PDW styled gun, you may be able to depending on which Umarex gun you have? Umarex added a very cool accessory called the T.A.C Converter that converts your Umarex HK USP (BB-Airsoft), SW MP40 (BB), XBG (BB), CZ Enforcer (Airsoft) and Walther P99 DOA (Airsoft) into more of a tactical (PDW) or Personal Defense Weapon complete with for-grip, adjustable rear sight, lots of rail options and a foldable stock.

I am assuming the Crosman M4-177 Pellet/BB Rifle has been doing well for Crosman as they have expanded with some more similar assault styled air rifles. The Crosman MSR77NP pretty much looks like a classic M16 but is in fact a Nitro Piston break barrel pellet rifle able to shoot .177 caliber pellets at 1200 fps (I hope there is a 499 fps Canada version planned too?).

A new takeoff of the M4-177 is the MK-177 which also shoots .177 caliber pellets and 4.5mm BB's using a multi-Pump System but it uses an upgraded more efficient pump system that squeaks out more fps with less pumps. The Crosman MK-177 is designed after the FN SCAR and is available in an adjustable iron sight version or a Red Dot equipped kit version.

One thing you can never get enough of in my opinion is another 1911 pistol! Crosman is introducing their GI Model 1911BB Blowback 4.5mm CO2 pistol, the one they had on hand was more of a prototype so the slide was not operational but it will feature an all metal design, blowback operation, 450 fps and a 20 round drop out magazine. I am sorry to say but it looks like the Crosman C51 has been dropped from Crosman's lineup but if you want a similar styled gun you can checkout the KWC SW40F which is a very close airsoft version.

We recently started carrying G&G Armament Airsoft guns, you can checkout my review of the Xtreme 45. I did stop by their booth and they had some new products on display, the M1 Grand (all wood stock) Airsoft had it's magwell all wrapped up as G&G had a propriety magazine system they did not want their competition to see. G&G also had some very interesting targets that light up, when shot they would react by individually turning off so you could see if you hit it or not.

There was a rather large crowd at the KWA booth but it was a shared booth so it's hard to say what everyone was looking at, the KWA area was pretty full, I did talk to the KWA rep and asked him point blank if KWC and KWA where the same or sister companies and the answer was not at all. There are often a lot of guns that look like they could be from the same company, I guess there is a lot of copying going on ;) One gun from KWA I would love to get my hands on is the Kriss SMG!

Now keep in mind many of these guns I have highlighted today are not available yet and a lot of them should be coming out in the spring time frame so please try to refrain from repeatedly asking when I will review them and have them in the store, it takes time and as much as we all want them now, they get here when they get here! 

Watch my Vimeo video of the Replica Aiguns at SHOT Show Vegas 2013

Sorry no guns in this adventure but in theory I could have brought a rifle as we where in areas where hunting and shooting are allowed. I was having too much fun on my ATV - Quad to think about shooting this time around ;)

I thought some or even many of you may enjoy this type of outdoors video, after all ATV's are just a lot of fun!

I picked up a pre-owned 2007 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO EFI a little while ago (for the farm of course) and this is my first real adventure with it.

The other ATV in this video is my friends 2006 Honda Rubicon 500, most of the time he was riding out in front as he is more experienced than I was.

This was my first ever real experience on an ATV (I have done some off road motorbike riding). You may want to skip ahead in the video to around the 25 minute mark where we get into some really narly stuff. Even though the head mounted camera does not show it, we where on some really steep grades with lots of ruts, mud, rocks and roots to navigate. We even end up riding through a bit of a swamp and river. Luckily we made it back up the hill as there was no other way out.

I hope you enjoy watching this video, I had fun making it for sure! Let me know if you want more of these types of videos down the road…

This is a much different review than I generally do but I have been using POV (Point Of View) or Action Cameras for some time now that I sometimes mount on my guns or myself for that first person style video angle. In the past I have been using an Innovations Drift HD170 Action Camera and an Oregon Scientific ATC9K HD Action Camera. I still have the Drift HD170 but the ATC9K went back to Costco because some of the plastic was starting to crack on it.

Let's turn the focus back to the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam, so why the "upgrade"? Well for one I had some extra play money because Costco gave me back all the money I spent when I returned the ATC9K. Of course there are a lot of other great cameras to choose from out there and I was considering one of the Hero based systems but the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam kind of caught my eye for a number of reasons.

• Built in WiFi and with downloadable App for iOS and Android based Smartphones.
• Comes with waterproof case good down to 60M (about 200 feet).
• Has SteadyShot image stabilization that is very effective.
• Carl Zeiss Lens with 170-degree or 120-degree selectable viewing angles.
• Full 1080P 30fps resolution along with 720P 120 fps Super Slow-mo.
• Excellent video and audio quality.

One of the most intriguing features for me was the built in WiFi as it allows me to see what the camera sees by streaming the video to my iPhone in real time. Even with a built in video view finder on a camera, you still can not see the screen when the camera is mounted on your head, while a remote screen using WiFi to stream the video to another device like my iPhone lets me see exactly where the camera is pointed and also start and stop recording and even change some of the settings remotely.

After doing some online research and watching video samples of the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam in comparison with some other very good quality Action Cameras, it was clear to me that the sony had excellent video and audio recording capabilities and seemed to even beat the competition in low light situations.

Of course there where some Cons I had to consider but for me they where not a big deal:

• When in the water proof case you can only access the start and stop button.
• No audio in any of the 720p high frame rate modes (60-120 fps).
• It's a new product from Sony so there may be some bugs to work out and features that could be improved or added.
• A bit limited in what camera mounts come in the box.

Your best bet to really see what the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam can do is to watch my video review for it. I show you around the Sony HDR-AS15 and also sync it to my iPhone using the PlayMemories Mobile Smart Phone App so you can see how to pair it, start and stop recording all while viewing the streaming video on the iPhone's screen. I also show you how you can use the WiFi feature to copy pre-recorded video from the HDR-AS15 to a Smartphone using the PlayMemories Mobile Smart Phone App.

I end off my review by showing you some video samples I made in various shooting modes and situations playing around with my new Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam.

Checkout my Video Review of the Sony HDR-AS15 POV Action Cam:

The CBSA (Canada Customs) has posted some good news for a change about the Reclassification of Airsoft Guns that shoot over 366fps! (Customs Notice 12-005)

So what does this mean? In a nutshell, any Airsoft gun that shoots a .20 gram airsoft BB at over 366 fps is now considered an uncontrolled firearm just like a regular airgun. And so it can be made out of full metal and look exactly like a real gun even without the red tip. (before the threshold was .22 gram BB had to shoot over 407 fps)

This means we will now be able to bring a lot more "All Metal Replica" Airsoft guns into Canada that where previously not allowed because of our much higher feet per second restrictions.

Here is the official statement from the CBSA:

1. The purpose of this notice is to advise of changes affecting the classification of 6mm calibre airsoft guns.

2. Section 2 of the Criminal Code defines a firearm as “a barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person, and includes any frame or receiver of such a barrelled weapon, as well as anything that can be adapted for use as a firearm”.

3. As outlined in Memorandum D19-13-2, Importing and Exporting Firearms, Weapons and Devices, it was previously established that an airsoft gun, firing a .22g 6mm plastic pellet, must have a muzzle velocity in excess of 124 m/s (407 fps), in order to be considered a firearm.

4. Based on the latest research, it is now established that the muzzle velocity at which a .20g 6mm plastic airsoft projectile is capable of causing serious bodily injury is 111.6 m/s (366 fps).

5. Airsoft guns, firing a .20g 6mm plastic pellet, with a muzzle velocity above 111.6 m/s (366 fps), will be classified as firearms. Please refer to D19-13-2 for the import requirements of low muzzle velocity firearms, including low muzzle velocity “uncontrolled” firearms.

6. If an airsoft gun, firing a .20g 6mm plastic pellet, shoots below 111.6 m/s (366 fps), and resembles with near precision an existing make and model of a firearm, other than an antique firearm, it will be classified as replica firearm. Replica firearms are prohibited devices and must meet import requirements as listed in D19-13-2.

7. Inquiries and comments about this notice should be directed to: Other Government Department Programs Unit Programs Branch Canada Border Services Agency E-mail: faw-aaf@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Update on 2012-03-03 07:19 by Michael Kaye

Here is the direct link to this Customs Notice 12-005 on the CBSA website!

Type: .22 caliber rifle.

Manufacturer:ISSC.

Model:MK22.

Materials: Metal & Polymer.

Weight: 6.5 pounds.

Barrel: 16 inches, metal rifled.

Propulsion: Gun Powder.

Action: Semi auto, single action.

Ammunition Type: .22LR caliber rimfire.

Ammunition Capacity: 22 round magazine.

FPS: 1,138 - 1255.

Trigger Pull: The trigger pull on the ISSC MK22 is fairly short with a bit of noticeable break point in it but overall is pretty light. I get the feeling that this may be a striker based action because of the slight tension before the release.

Accuracy: I put about 300 rounds through the ISSC MK22 and took some time getting used to how it felt and also sighting in the sights on my 4 power scope. Once I felt comfortable I setup a new target and placed a full magazine (22 shots) all with in a 2 inch group from 20 yards out (60 feet). I was in a seated position using and elbow based rest. I was very happy with these results.

Build Quality: To me the ISSC MK22 SCAR clone feels like the real deal, it's not till you load it up and fire off a few rounds that you can even tell you are shooting the .22 caliber rimefire version. The MK22 has a lot of metal parts and the fit and finish is very good. You do have to use quality .22 caliber ammo in this guns for the best results because it can be a bit picky and also make sure to also take a bit of extra time when loading your magazines to ensure the ammo is set well to the back of the magazine. I'm not saying you can't use the cheap box ammo but you will have to be prepared to clear a few rounds from time to time.

Realism: It doesn't get any more real than this, the ISSC MK22 is basically an FN SCAR in a smaller cheaper .22LR caliber. But if you want to spend $3000 on the real thing and several hundred dollars per day at the range in ammo then get the full NATO round firing version. Unfortunately my pocket book does not allow for this and I don't think we can even get the larger caliber versions here in Canada. I also go to an indoor range that allows .22 caliber rifles to be used alongside the pistols which makes getting out and using the ISSC MK22 that much easier.

Purchased From: ???

Pros:

• One fifth the price of the NATO round firing version to purchase and operate.

• Mostly metal construction with good usage of polymer in the right places to keep it light.

• Lots of rails to mount just about any type of accessory you can think of.

• Nice high capacity 22 round magazine to keep the shoots going.

• Versatile flip up multi position sights for pistol or rifle based target acquiring.

• Fully adjustable stock with three length positions and check hight position, can also be folded in.

• Most bad ass looking .22 caliber rimefire rifle around.

• Made in Germany

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Cons:

• Not the Cheapest .22LR on the market in this category but well worth the added price tag.

• Can be a bit picky about which bullet's you use in it and how you load the magazine.

• The rear stock cheek rest is a bit high when using the pistol sights or a low rise scope, you may need a riser under your scope.

Comments:

As you know, I don't do a lot of actual "real gun" reviews, the ones that use gun powder and shoot lead bullets. I do have a very soft spot for the .22 caliber rifles for a few reasons. Firstly, they are usually more inexpensive to buy and also to shoot as the ammo is only a fraction of the cost of the larger caliber ammo. .22 rimefire guns can also be shot in more areas and at most gun ranges so you are more likely to get better use out of it in the long run. The ISSC MK22 FN SCAR clone is definitely the most impressive .22 caliber tactical styled rifle you can get, at least in Canada and even though it is at the top of the price rang in it's category it is well worth it because it is really a very high quality gun at a reasonable price.

My Vimeo Video Review for the ISSC MK22 FN SCAR Type .22LR:

As many of you may know, I don't just own a bunch of airguns and blank guns. They are one of my biggest passions but I also have my Restricted Firearms License here in Canada and I own several "Real" hand guns and rifles that I enjoy very much.

I have four .22 caliber rimfire guns and I have another one on its way - the ISSC MK22 SCAR .22LR, you may ask why I need another .22 rimfire? Well similarly to airguns, .22 caliber rimfire guns are relatively cheap to buy and operate compared to their big brother larger caliber versions. So I guess that draws me to them, they are just so fun to shoot and in a guilt-free kind of way. With large caliber guns I tend to head to the range with a preset amount of ammo that I am willing to part with and when it's all gone then it's time to switch over to the .22 calibers and go nuts! And not only that, our .22 caliber rimfire rifles do not have the magazine round restriction like our 5 round restriction on large caliber rifles.

For example, the ISSC MK22 SCAR .22LR that is on it's way costs a fraction of the price of the full on military version at around $650 Canadian, that might sound like a lot but the NATO round firing version goes for about $3000 and as far as I know is not even available in Canada to the average joe like me? And you will be counting ammo with one of these NATO round firing bad boys, at least I know I would be :)

I will be doing a full review of the ISSC MK22 SCAR 22LR so make sure to check it out if this type of gun interests you also.

Here are some of the specifications for you till I get a chance to review this awesome .22 tactical rifle!

• Caliber: .22LR
• Overall Length Collapsed: 34.65 in./880 mm
• Overall Length Full: 36 in./916 mm
• Overall Width: 2.81 in./71,5mm
• Barrel Length: 16 in./420 mm
• Rifling Length: 15 in./406mm
• Number of Grooves 6
• Sight Length Max: 15.7 in./400mm
• Weight w/o Magazine: 6.5 lbs./2990 g
• Magazine weight, empty: 3.8 ozs. /110 g
• Trigger Pull, approx.: 4 lbs.
• Magazine Capacity:22 rds.
• This is a non-restricted firearm.

First off, you may have noticed this Henry Lever Action Rimfire .22 Caliber Rifle is not an airgun or a blank gun! So why am I reviewing it? This isn't going to be a review as much as it's going to be an overview.

I just really wanted to share this awesome little .22 caliber rimfire shooter with you because if you're like me then you may also appreciate the Henry Lever Action Rimfire .22 Caliber Rifle like I do. One reason I like airguns is because they are generally lower cost to purchase and lower cost to shoot then your average powder burner. My Henry .22 only set me back $269 and I have probably paid more for some of my airguns so this was not to bad on the pocket book. Another bonus is I can shoot this gun all day long because .22 caliber rimfire ammo is about 1/10th or less the cost of regular powder based ammo. I can buy a box of 500+ shells for under $20!

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When purchasing a rimfire .22 caliber gun, you have to also consider what ammunition you are going to be using as not all rimfire .22 caliber guns will shoot all types of .22 caliber ammo. You can get .22 rimfire ammunition in "Long Rifle", "Long", "Short" and even "Buckshot". Keep in mind that not all .22 caliber guns will operate properly with all kinds of .22 caliber rimfire ammo. For instance, autoloaders generally require the "Long Rifle" ammunition to cycle properly. What I love about the Henry Lever Action Rimfire .22 is that it can shoot pretty much any .22 caliber rimfire ammunition you through at it except for the magnum loads which is a totally different gun altogether.

Another bonus to using the .22 caliber short ammo is that it is about as loud as a standard airgun, at least when using a rifle. So if you don't want to draw attention to yourself then pickup some shorts and plink away! Depending on what manufacturer of shorts you purchase they tend to shoot in the 700-1000 FPS using around a 20-30 grain bullet, so they are still perfectly good for small pest control. Just make sure to keep in mind what is beyond your target as a 20-30 grain bullet will penetrate objects and travel farther then a much lighter .22 caliber pellet even traveling at the same speed.

As this is just an overview I want ot cover some of the main points about the Henry Lever Action Rimfire .22 Caliber Rifle...

• Shoots .22 caliber rimfire ammunition in Long Rifle, Long and Short.

• Uses a Lever Action with a tube fed magazine.

• Magazine holds: 15-LR, 17-L, 21-S.

• Weighs 5.25 pounds.

• Has an 18 1/4 inch barrel and is 36 1/2 inches long.

• Has an adjustable rear sight and hooded front sight with a grooved receiver for easy scope mounting.

• It's mostly all metal and wood.

• Is totally fun to shoot and looks awesome!

So that's a wrap, if you want more info on this very cool .22 then check out the Henry Website.

Buy Air Rifles in Canada   -   Buy Red Ryder in the US

The following video is what happens when I grab my big guns and head out to the gun range with friends, lots of guns and some cameras! I still however love taking my air guns out in the back yard and enjoy shooting anytime I want for pennies a round.

You will see a variety of gun photos, HD video and slow motion high speed video capturing various hand guns and rifles on display and in use.

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Some of the guns include:

• Norinco NP-30N 45 Auto (1911 Type Nickel plated)

• Norinco NP-34 9mm (Sig P228 Type)

• Browning Buck Mark Camper Stainless .22 cal.

• Walther P38 9mm

• Various Glocks (G17 9mm - G21 .45 cal. - G22 .40 cal.)

• Taurus Raging Bull Model 444 .44 Magnum

• Smith & Wesson Mod 627 8 Shot Performance Centre .357 Magnum

• Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 .22 cal

• Ruger Mini-14 .223 cal.

Here is my Vimeo Video - Shooting Guns with Slow Motion High Speed Camera