RCMP has offered further clarification on how the magazine transfer regulations and airsoft or airgun cartridges.

Please contact us if you have questions or concerns with how Bill C-21 impacts firearm businesses.

When it comes to transferring cartridges for an airgun or airsoft device: in order for a magazine to be subject to the magazine regulations it must contain ammunition, and ammunition is defined as a self contained cartridge. Since airgun and airsoft projectiles do not qualify as “ammunition”, their magazines do not qualify as “magazines” for the purposes of the magazine regulations. So they are not prohibited devices. Likewise they do not qualify as magazines for the new provisions concerning transfer of magazines.

Airgun and airsoft magazines do not fall under the category of a firearm “part” since firearm parts is defined in the Criminal Code as a barrel for a firearm, a slide for a handgun and any other prescribed part.

Thus the transfer of airgun and airsoft magazines is unregulated regardless of whether the associated firearm is exempted or not via s. 84(3) CC.

If we are referring to an airgun carbon dioxide propellant bottle which is often referred to as a cartridge. This is part of the ammunition and not a firearm part and likewise is not affected by the new provisions.