Maximum permitted magazine capacity

Any magazine that exceeds the maximum permitted capacity as described in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted, is a prohibited device.

Businesses can possess prohibited devices, if appropriately licensed. Individuals may not possess prohibited devices.

As a general rule, the maximum magazine capacity is:

  • 5 cartridges for most magazines designed for a semi-automatic, centre-fire long gun
  • 10 cartridges for most handgun magazines

Possession of a large capacity magazine that has been permanently altered so that it cannot hold more than the number of cartridges allowed by law, is legal in Canada. The Criminal Code Regulations describe acceptable ways to alter a magazine. It is illegal to import unaltered large capacity magazines.

With some exceptions, there is no limit to the magazine capacity for:

  • semi-automatic, rim-fire long guns
  • other long guns that are not semi-automatics

The examples below will help explain the maximum allowable capacity of cartridge magazines designed or manufactured for use in more than one kind of firearm.

Note: The maximum allowable capacity of a magazine does not depend on the classification of the firearm, nor does it influence the classification of the firearm. The maximum permitted capacity of a magazine is determined by:

  • the physical characteristics of the firearm for which it is designed or manufactured
  • the type of ammunition for which it is designed

Magazines designed or manufactured for both rim-fire calibre rifles and handguns

  • Magazines designed to contain rim-fire cartridges and designed or manufactured for use in a rifle have no regulated capacity.
  • Magazines designed to contain rim-fire cartridges and designed or manufactured for use in a semi-automatic handgun are limited to 10 cartridges.

Magazines designed or manufactured for use in both rifles and semi-automatic handguns are subject to the handgun limit of 10 cartridges.

Example 1

Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 rifle and 15-22P pistol chambered for 22LR rim-fire calibre:

  • the 10 round magazine is unregulated
  • the 25 round magazine is a prohibited device

Example 2

The Ruger BX- 25 magazine, chambered for 22 LR rim-fire calibre, is designed and manufactured for use in the:

  • Ruger SR22 rifle
  • 10/22 family of rifles/carbines
  • 22 Charger handgun

This magazine is a prohibited device unless modified so its capacity is 10 cartridges or less.

Magazines designed or manufactured for both centre-fire calibre semi-automatic rifles and other (non-semi-automatic) rifles

  • Magazines designed to contain centre-fire cartridges and designed or manufactured for use in a semi-automatic rifle are limited to five cartridges.
  • Magazines designed to contain centre-fire cartridges and designed or manufactured for use in a rifle other than a semi-automatic or automatic rifle do not have a regulated capacity.

Magazines that are designed or manufactured for use in both semi-automatic rifles and other (non-semi-automatic) rifles are subject to the semi-automatic rifle limit of five cartridges.

Example

Remington model 7615 pump action rifle chambered for 223 Remington centre-fire calibre:

  • the 10 round magazine is prohibited
  • the five round magazine is unregulated

Magazines designed for one firearm but used in a different firearm

The maximum permitted capacity of a magazine is determined by the kind of firearm it is designed or manufactured for use in and not the kind of firearm it might actually be used in. This means the maximum permitted capacity remains the same regardless of which firearm it might be used in.

Example 1

The Marlin model 45 (Camp Carbine) rifle chambered for 45 Auto centre-fire calibre uses magazines designed and manufactured for the Colt 1911 handgun. Therefore the seven round and eight round capacities are permitted.

Example 2

The Ruger PC Carbine chambered for 9mm Luger centre-fire cartridges uses magazines designed and manufactured for Glock and Ruger SR-series handguns. Therefore the ten round capacities are permitted.

Magazines for semi-automatic handguns which contain more than 10 rounds of a different calibre

Magazines designed to contain centre-fire cartridges and designed or manufactured for use in a semi-automatic handgun are limited to 10 cartridges. The capacity is measured by the kind of cartridge the magazine was designed to contain. In some cases, the magazine will be capable of containing more than 10 rounds of a different calibre. However, this does not determine the maximum permitted capacity.

Example

Heckler and Koch P7 pistol chambered for 9mm Luger centre-fire calibre:

  • The magazine designed for the 40 S&W centre-fire calibre variant of the pistol will hold 13 cartridges of 9mm Luger centre-fire calibre and function in the 9mm Luger centre-fire calibre P7 pistol
  • This is allowed as the maximum permitted capacity of the 40 S&W centre-fire calibre magazine is measured by the number of 40 S&W centre-fire calibre cartridges it is capable of holding (10 in the case of the HK P7 pistol magazine)
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