FireArms & Weapons

This gun is liberty; hold for certain that the day when you no longer have it, you will be returned to slavery. – Toussaint Louverture

As a personal property appraiser, we get calls from individuals handling estates or for families that come in procession of a firearm collection. Many times, the family members do not have the knowledge or licensing requirement for a PAL (Possession and Acquisition License) In some rarer cases, we have come across rifles or handguns that were loaded. So can you imagine the danger of a weapon being handled by someone who was not trained. The SDG counties have a wealth of historical firearms and weapons. The earliest settlers from the old world brought their rifles, axes and knives along with hand farm tools. This article looks at the past (early 1700 to early 1800’s) the 1800’s to the 1900’s and the 1900’s to present. 

The early years of Upper & Lower Canada, 1700’s to the early 1800’s. Early settlers brought over firearms with names of “Blunderbuss” (early shotgun) muzzle loaded. “Ferguson Rifle” muzzle-loaded, the “British Land Pattern Musket” both from Great Britain. The “Charleville” musket from France. Travelers from the Colonies down south, had the Muzzle-loading Long Rifle. The most common pistol was the flintlock. These were purchased by noblemen and military officers. The majority of Flintlock pistols were highly decorated with silver and gold inlaid. It was reported by the older generations that their grandfathers were still using these rifles up to 1910 or so. When the depression affected most Canadians, many of these firearms were sold. The rifles that were not sold, were kept in families until someone questioned why they were keeping something that they were not using and obsolete The second wave of families selling off these rifles occurred in the 1950’s to 1960’s. Hunting or carving knives were made by local blacksmiths or sword makers. These knives were not mass produced, so styles, shapes, and handles are all different. Unless a date was stamped on the blade, or carved in the handle, determining the age is very difficult. Many knives were kept as useful tools, and found their way in a Grandfather’s tool box. Swords were mostly from the United Kingdom, France, Germany / Austria or from the Prussian empire. There were blacksmiths who crafted swords in Upper Canada and are very rare if stamped with a date and name of the maker. 

The middle years of 1800 to 1900’s. The industrial revolution was a boom for gunsmiths around the world. Advances in metal working, designers were able to introduce new features in cartridge ammunition. The countries which exported the most weapons into Canada were the British Empire, France, Germany. Exports from the United States started to appear in greater numbers around 1850, and continue to this day. The most popular design was the “Cap lock” rifle or revolver. (consisting of a hammer, a hollow cone, a lip for the placement of a percussion cap. The hammer strikes the percussion cap which ignites the powder charge to propel a spherical bullet) Many of the earlier muzzle-loaded rifles were converted to a “Cap lock” mechanism. Most of the rifles found in Upper Canadian homes were “Cap lock” or “Percussion cap” rifles. Cap lock pistols were available, as they were easier to load, not affected by weather and more reliable. Most Upper Canadian families would have a “Cap lock” rifle for hunting. Many have been handed down through the generations or sold later as family members passed away. This era saw the development of the centerfire & rimfire cartridge. The cap lock rifles were converted to accept the new bullets. They installed a firing pin in place of the hollow cone, and a breech to accept the bullets. Many cap lock pistols were also converted with a replacement cylinder. The breech loading metal cartridges made the cap lock system obsolete around 1860 – 1870’s. It was in this era that most of the advances that are still in use today were perfected. The gun that won the west, “Winchester” had the repeating rifle, which the design is still in use today. The ‘Martin-Enfield’, a breech loading rifle, was common in the British Empire. It was manufactured for 30 years and was a popular surplus rifle chambered for the .303 cartridge. Followed by the ‘Lee-Enfield’ which saw its manufacturing production of nearly 60 years. 

The most notable sword maker in Canada was and still is, William Scully, based in Montreal. Founded in 1877. Early swords from the 1870’s fetch high valuations when they are listed in an auction. Knife makers were mostly regional blacksmiths with a side trade in hunting and skinning knives. A date and name on the blade might provide some historical information. Examples are hard to find in the secondary market of today. 

1900 to Present World Wars I and II, provided a very large source of surplus rifles. In addition to returning veterans who brought back various pistols. This era saw the largest participation in hunting clubs, shooting ranges, and everything related to the outdoors. Firearm manufacturers responded to this growing market. Firearm collectors, looking for unique pieces or company produced rifles commemorating some event of history are very popular. Some of these limited editions cost thousands of dollars. Another point is that firearms have a historical place in our history. If you have family members who have passed, and you no longer want to have the firearms, your first step should be to contact the “Chief Firearms Officer” for Ontario. Call 800-731-4000

The Canadian Issue, Valuations based on Fair Market Value, as defined by the Canadian Revenue Agency states, “Fair market value is normally the highest price, expressed in dollars, that property would bring in an open and unrestricted market, between a willing buyer and a willing seller who are both knowledgeable, informed, and prudent, and who are acting independently of each other.“ Examining comparable(s) to determine a fair market value, we have to take in consideration what an item has sold for in the open and free market. Our market search for comparable(s) should be North America. Reason for this consideration is that a firearm has the same value and use throughout North America. Right now the Canadian market is closed due the current gun law ban on almost every firearm. The Canadian Government has not provided a list of proposed amounts offered for each model of firearm. Whatever model they ban, there are associated accessories that are matched to the firearm. It makes these accessories useless and at a financial loss to the owner. If they can not come up with the fair market value for each firearm, then what they offer equates to pure theft by the government. 

Important Links: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/firearms

Disclaimer

Prestige Evaluation Inc. does not engage in any buying or selling of any personal property. Prestige Evaluation Inc. can not do any verbal appraising without a work file and consultation. It’s important for the seller / buyer to do his or her own due diligence, before accepting an offer to purchase or in selling your personal property. If you are not familiar or experienced with firearms, consult with someone who is. Please note: there are legal implications and responsibility issues one has to take into consideration as a responsible gun owner. Safety considerations should be your primary concern. Questions should be directed to the “Chief Firearms Officer” for Ontario. Call 800-731-4000