M2HB Reclassified by RCMP: Developing Story

Update: It seems that the firearms from Canada Arsenals Limited are stamped as such.

If anyone has a firearm stamped with CAL or Canada Arsenals Limited on any component of their M2HB: I would love to hear from you.

It seems possible at this point that the new FRT may be been issued to a recent test import, and that there are no current Canadian owners of this converted auto.

Disappointing news if you were on a pre-order list, but perhaps not the reclassification we feared affecting guns already in the safe.

Original Article: As of this morning (Oct 16th) I’ve been alerted that the RCMP has issued a new FRT for the M2HB. There are now two FRT’s in place for this firearm, one as a Non-Restricted Firearm, the other listed as Prohibited as a converted automatic.

I’ve intentionally avoided covering the Common Sense Firearms Act being tentatively put forward by the conservative government. Mostly because there’s constant rumour and barely more than a trickle of tedious information. Even now, the act might change from the version initially submitted my Minister Blaney to the house.

But the fact that the CSFA is starting to roll forward seems to have spurred several other things into motion. The mixed-judgement of my own Vz-58 pistol was particularly disappointing, but the RCMP re-examination of various magazines and firearms seems to continue. Dual-use has become a new phrase (not found anywhere in Canadian law) that is being used to prohibit particular devices. These specifics don’t relate to the M2HB, but bad news does seem to be coming in quick succession these days.

The next wave of RCMP reaction seems to have arrived.

TNW produces a semi-auto clone of the Browning M2 belt-fed machine gun. These fire a .50 BMG round and are expensive.

There are now two FRT’s for these rifles:

64203 the original TNW remains non-restricted. However, notes have been updated to describe all 5 sides of the receiver are newly manufactured.

148947 is a new entry specific to TNW and Canada Arsenals Limited. Apparently one of the 5 walls of the receiver in these models is modified from an original machine-gun. These rifles are prohibited.

Of course, it seems difficult for current owners of M2HB’s to determine whether their walled receiver is brand new, or possibly a retro fit. As of right now, these rifles are unregistered and their owners have not been alerted.

I’ll post more here as I learn more. In the mean time, you can find screenshots of the FRT database below…