On Handguns, Guns, Canada, Cruising Mexico (Split Post)

[Chinook]

Posts earlier here about being able to bring "long guns" (rifles and shotguns) into Canada are correct. However, you do have to stop at the border and obtain a permit, which costs $50. Pistols are prohibited. Pepper spray is a bit more confusing. If the spray is designated as "bear spray" and comes in a larger size can it will be allowed in without a permit. However, smaller personal size pepper spray containers are prohibited and will be confiscated. Canada considers the little ones to be a concealable antipersonnel weapon and not welcome in their country.

I debated bringing my shotgun and obtaining the necessary permit, but ended up leaving it home. For bear protection I would have had to take it with me in the dinghy every time going ashore, load it up and then unload it each time, and carry it with me every step of the way on shore, for it to be of help in a bear emergency. I concluded that was not practical. I think I would have just ended up with a rusty shotgun as a result. Instead we opted for bear pepper spray, which we carried in nylon holsters on our belts. Very handy and easy to do, and from what we've read in bear attack books, likely to be far more effective in a pinch. I also like the idea of being relieved of the "shoot or don't shoot" decision. If there is the slightest doubt, I'm spraying.

Mike Cecka

[Sloop John B]

Hey, bears ain't any problem. Unless maybe you shoot them in the butt with a shotgun.

When I was back in school I worked construction out in Yellowstone in the summers. Black bears up the gazoo. Kids would chase them around the campgrounds with cap pistols. They were like big powerful shy dogs. Had the mentality and temperament of a about a two year old. Only problem was they weighed about two hundred and fifty pounds.

The paved tourist roadway in Yellowstone looks like a figure eight. Just off to the west of the middle, in a fenced in area, we had our gravel crusher. This is also where the Park would dump all its stuff, truck after truck, after making the rounds

I went in there just one time. It was around dusk You could see them waddling down the mountain paths coming for the good times. Grizzlies.

Time to get in the cab and lock the doors. Sure, but then theres Geno. He gets out and picks up this fluff of a cub about as big as a basketball. It was really cute for about two and half seconds before the sound hit the air. A sow raised up like you will never hear in the movies. Spit all over the hood of the truck Absolutely infuriated eyes. Geno ducks back in and were trying to get the thing started.

Were in a late forties, early fifties GMC with the bulbous fenders and popped up headlights. One swing and the bear knocks off the left front of the truck. Leo (our fearless driver) has flooded the carb terribly and the battery is beginning to wane. Im thinking that my poor parents will never know what happened..

The engine fires, we gulp down breath, and away we go.

Lets see, its been forty seven years. I can still hear in my memorys ear the scream of that mother bear.

[Divecoz]

My Folks had been doing this since about 1970 once they thought there was going to be a problem and that was south very south btw . .
I have driven from Brownsville to the ferry that takes you to Coz and back and have never had a problem and that's about 1700 miles one way and between several friends of mine they have driven about 30 times the same trip and never a problem from driving a Corvette and H.D. to a P.U. hauling a 2 man sub to a Very spending Lux car. Most stories are either very old or very exaggerated from what I have found same for traveling thru the redneck hills of the USA . Most should start out with. . . . . .. Many years ago. . .

[aya16]

Divecoz I think my mental state about this goes back to my Dad who was an outdoors type a guy. All my life he was armed and never ever had to
use it, I grew up with the stuff and it never was a big deal, just part of the gear. I too in my adventures did the same as a young man and to me its like a cowboy that takes a bath with his hat on. It just doesnt feel right with out the hat. I did have to use mine once and Ill never forget the time that rabid squarell attacked me, eyes glaring with that muderous look in his face teeth clacking and moving at warp speed for my private parts. I drew fired once missed, he still came blood coming from his nose and eyes from the concusion, feet from me I fired again this time the bullet hit and stopped him cold, He died but not before he gave me a look that would make your heart stop. Glad I had my 44 mag handy that day.

[bob lee]

i guess the main question would be "why would you need one in canada?" i can't speak for mexico, but if you're cruising the west coast here, and around the gulf islands, i can't think of a single reason to bother with the headache or paperwork. you certianly won't need to worry about your safety from bad guys or bears.

c'mon up, enjoy and don't worry about it! the west coast / gulf islands are some of the nicest places you'll ever see!

[Grimo]

ha, ha....

We would get thrown in jail for carrying a knife down the street over here (Australia) other then that used for fishing etc.

I couldnt imagine walking around with a 12 guage

[NautiMoments]

Here in Canada only the crooks carry guns and of course they register them. This is why we setup a multi billion dollar gun registry here that doesn't even work. Maybe our crooks are actually politician?? I have sailed on the west coast of Canada and US for 4 years and have never needed or heard of anyone needing a gun for protection. The most I had to worry about is power boaters and jet skiers that are out of control. Mike is right about the regulations.

[aya16]

Grimo, you call that a knife? Hey how did crocodile dundee get away with that big ohh thing he called a knife? And how do you cut up those shrimp you throw on the barbie for us Americans? and mad Max he sported some
heavy gauge tool too. You telling me those guys arent real? My whole Image of Australia has now been blown. Is there really Kangaroos?
Having some fun with are great friends in Australia, hope you dont mind.......

[Grimo]

Grimo, you call that a knife? Hey how did crocodile dundee get away with that big ohh thing he called a knife? And how do you cut up those shrimp you throw on the barbie for us Americans? and mad Max he sported some
heavy gauge tool too. You telling me those guys arent real? My whole Image of Australia has now been blown. Is there really Kangaroos?
Having some fun with are great friends in Australia, hope you dont mind.......

Dont get me wrong, just because its illegal doesnt mean people dont do it Aarrh unfortunately they are nothing but good old movies made for the American market.... i cant believe the popularity of mad max over there. There is actually a guy over here that goes around buying every ford coupe he can get his hands on, throws on a fibreglass body kit and exports them to the US as mad max replicas after naming his price!! maybe we should do a swap, ford coupes for reasonably priced macgregors??

[Jeff S]

Here in Canada only the crooks carry guns and of course they register them. This is why we setup a multi billion dollar gun registry here that doesn't even work. Maybe our crooks are actually politician?? I have sailed on the west coast of Canada and US for 4 years and have never needed or heard of anyone needing a gun for protection. The most I had to worry about is power boaters and jet skiers that are out of control. Mike is right about the regulations.

Ahh, California and some other states are similar in their strict gun control laws. I remember trying to learn all the restrictions to transport a gun in my car in California that made it such that I couldn't use it in any reasonable amount of time (case, ammo separated and other stuff- it was about 15 years ago). I am glad they made that rule since I know the bad guys work so hard to follow them too. These half-baked gun laws really only affect those attempting to abide by the laws, who aren't really the problem (well intentioned, but that is like making a law to follow a law). When I moved to Mississippi I asked a state trooper how I needed to transport a handgun in my car and whether or not it could be loaded. He was genuinely astonished and asked why I would ever carry the gun unloaded in the first place (not sure if this is still the case- that was 1998). I don't know how state gun control laws apply to inland waterways and coastal waters- does the Coast Guard enforce state gun laws or only federal laws?

Jeff S

[Divecoz]

Grimo, you call that a knife? Hey how did crocodile dundee get away with that big ohh thing he called a knife? And how do you cut up those shrimp you throw on the barbie for us Americans? and mad Max he sported some
heavy gauge tool too. You telling me those guys arent real? My whole Image of Australia has now been blown. Is there really Kangaroos?
Having some fun with are great friends in Australia, hope you dont mind.......

Dont get me wrong, just because its illegal doesnt mean people dont do it Aarrh unfortunately they are nothing but good old movies made for the American market.... i cant believe the popularity of mad max over there. There is actually a guy over here that goes around buying every ford coupe he can get his hands on, throws on a fibreglass body kit and exports them to the US as mad max replicas after naming his price!! maybe we should do a swap, ford coupes for reasonably priced macgregors??

Is it this guy ??http://www.aussiecoupes.com/xm-xp.html

[aya16]

Getting gas one day into the Rodney King riots a police officer getting gas
next to me looked just beat up. He was going on his 20th hour and just done in. He looked at me and said hope your armed cause we cant help you, be carefull.


Katrina did its worse and what did the police do first? they went around collecting weapons from the home owners that were trying to keep their property from being stolen. Many reports of this.


get trained get one and forget about it. Its no big deal


No one needs a weapon untill you do........

[Captain Kimo]

Back in the 60's with a family of two and wife, we would go camping in a VW combi into the National and State Parks in California. Word was out that the hull's Angels would often "visit" camp sites to harass. Bought and registered a 22 MacGregor revolver pistol (Sears item LOL). Was advised to use 22 long rifle hollow nose for stopping power.

After a failed attempt to instruct my wife in the use of the weapon on the pistol range (she closed her eye before firing ), I decided I had to provide the protection while camping.

With they young ones with us and their known curiosity about all things "forbidden", I kept the shells in one location of the camper and the weapon in another. Realizing after that trip of having an unloaded weapon in an emergency was foolish, we obtained a cross bred collie/shepherd dog.

This was the answer. No one got within 25 yards of our camp site, especially at night without "Misty" sounding the alarm. In the dark her bark made her sound a lot larger than she was .

The kids are all grown and have their own families now, but I asked them years later about that pistol and they said they ALWAYS KNEW where I had "hid" it. That shocked me It was always unloaded, but

[Catigale]

The kids are all grown and have their own families now, but I asked them years later about that pistol and they said they ALWAYS KNEW where I had "hid" it.

Important lesson about guns and kids there, Mamas and Papas.

Barbara grew up with guns in the house (NYPD family) and they were never locked up....they were never touched and everyone knew that.

One should know about gun safes, trigger locks, and all that good stuff if one chooses to have a gun in the house.

[kmclemore]

The kids are all grown and have their own families now, but I asked them years later about that pistol and they said they ALWAYS KNEW where I had "hid" it.

Important lesson about guns and kids there, Mamas and Papas.

Barbara grew up with guns in the house (NYPD family) and they were never locked up....they were never touched and everyone knew that.

One should know about gun safes, trigger locks, and all that good stuff if one chooses to have a gun in the house.

Indeed.

My sons know exactly where my guns are and how to handle them safely - I trained'em. And they also know that if they ever even once touch them when I am not present, they will completely lose their rights to go shooting with me forever (yes, that really *is* a big deal to them - it's considered an earned honor in our family), and they will also lose any hope of inheriting my collection (quite valuable and many are family heirlooms). Further, the ammo is separate from the guns and well out of kid range, providing an extra measure of safety.

Finally, my eldest son has been working on his Riflery Merit Badge for Scouts, so he's getting extra training in addition to just dear old Dad... so will son #2 when he's old enough, and they will also need to get NRA certification before they wil ever be able to have their own firearm.