Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Parker
It begs the question what does deactivate mean for those items now banned but don't fall into the 'firearm' definition (like that M72). For firearms there are guidelines that the government expects to be followed that will render them sufficiently non-gun to own. But I don't expect any such guidelines exist for the rest, in Canada anyway.
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The current RCMP Deactivation standards turn a functioning firearm into a single solid block of immoveable parts. So, on my Indian Ishapore and BSA FN-FAL, the magazine follower is welded to the body, which is welded to the inside feed ramps; the breech block carrier is welded to the upper receiver on the inside; the gas plug is spot welded to the gas block; there is a hole up into the chamber and a hardened steel rod is welded into place from the bottom; and the upper and lower are welded together with a dot of weld on the hinge pin for good measure. The change lever moves and the folding end of the charging handle opens and closes, but that is about it.
The problem has long been backyard workshops singly or in semi-production scale, cutting welds and replacing destroyed parts. There are enough uncontrolled parts around that a simple unsophisticated (or old-specification) deactivation can be returned to firing condition. With the latest specification, the feds wanted to make it as hard as possible to do that.
Specific to Robin's question, I agree that an aligned pair of look-alike ends with a rolled up cylinder of hardware mesh or some 66mm ID plastic drain pipe and lots of holes would pass the visual test.