PAl is taking a while to be granted
 

So it's been 3 months now, and I have had both of my references call in to give character references. That was now weeks ago.

Every time I check the status online, it just reads; "Your application has completed initial processing. It is now in progress. Please check the status again at a later date"

I don't want to sound impatient, but I'm itching to go buy a rifle. I've applied form PAL and RPAL.

I'd ask if you have you tried calling them to ask, but that never seemed to help for me. I waited 33 months to get mine and it only ended up arriving after I filed a change of address to BC and their CFO approved it. I'm still not sure what caused this but if anyone sharing your address has a criminal record that might hold things up. At your timeline it's still not totally unreasonable, good luck.

You waited 33 months!? :confused:

Give the fine folks at the 1-800 number a call, confirm there is no hang ups.
It took about a month to 6 weeks after we sorted out my sons glitches.

I understand it is now with the Alberta CFO?

When they do a RPAL you should send in a copy of your range membership. Email works good for that. The transport of restricted firearms is part of it and they want you to prove you belong to a range.

Goto the Harry Hayes building and speak to the cfo in the firearms office next to the cafeteria store. It does wonders! I had issues with mine getting renewed met him at 11 am and called me back by 3 and said its approved. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I applied for both PAL and RPAL like you RPAL takes a little longer.

Took them a good 4 months for me.

Hmmmm. ....maybe I remember it wrong. But I though I only had to send them a copy of range membership when I bough a restricted gun, not when I applied for RPAL

Edit: I'm pretty sure my range wanted me to show them my RPAL before accepting my membership. So I think the RPAL didn't require a range membership.

You don't need to for either. Some of them seem to only have a casual knowledge of the law, so sometimes they will push for it.

Generally easier to have a membership to a range for convenience.

I just don't want to be waiting months and months, especially since I have paid a fee and gone through the hassle of the test, application, and references ect.

Maybe it's just me, but they always seem to have a 'holier than thou' attitude whenever I call them them up.


When I do part with money, however, I do always expect good service in return. I don't want spring to roll around and I'm still waiting.

No, I am pretty sure I needed to have a range membership. I just don't remember if it was for the RPAL itself or for the gun.

But that was before the common sense gun law act. Things might have changed.

I'm giving up on trying to figure out them bureaucrats and their paperwork.

They drag their heels big time on an RPAL. 3 months isn't long for them, for that. It helps if you call them up. Then wait a week or 2 and call them again.

If you are lucky, you'll have it in 4. I agree, that civil servants should be responding a little quicker.

There is no law stating that you need a membership for either. They will push you for a proof of membership when you get a restricted. If that has changed, I would like to see some proof.

They aren't coming to get your restricted guns when you range membership expires. Yet. :scared:

That is a pretty tall order when dealing with government bureaucrats.

They are bureaucrats. All they provide and produce is useless paperwork. They don't think on the same level as the rest of us, functioning members of the community.

It's the whole thing about you and I producing goods and services to the population. They don't get that sort of nonsense.

I paid them 80 bucks, and I expect them to work quicker. I can't see why RPAL takes longer.

A handgun or a bolt action hunting rifle. Who cares! They are both guns, and can cause absolute carnage in the wrong hands.

Either I'm fit to own a firearm, or I'm not.

To be fair, I've held a firearms licence since I was 13 in my home country.

I waited 6+ months for PAL with no response until finally one day I was able to speak with live person at CFO office.They "claimed" that the holdup was they were not able to contact my wife.....apparently they believe I need her permission to buy guns,lol.
Wife has cell,home,and office phones all with voicemail.IMHO the cfo office was FoS and I don't believe they ever made any attempt to contact here prior to that day.I gave them her office# right then and there,they called her within the hour,she said "Might as well give him PAL,he's been hunting for 30 years already and owns a dozen or more guns?" LOL.....j/k.....sorta....I actually called her first and coached her what NOT to say,haha ;)
... they called her,and my PAL arrived within a week.

Because for an RPAL they call your references and they run a deeper check on you.

You are speaking common sense and logic. Government bureaucrats don't know what that is.

I have had guns since I was 9 some 40 years ago. Things have gotten progressively worst over time. But most people around me think it's just government doing it's job of caring and protecting us from ourselves

Dukes, what is your home country if you don't mind my asking?

Here is the sad reality of gun laws in Canada.

- You can buy a .50 BMG on the internet, have it dropped at your door, and go out into the woods to shoot it. The .50BMG is the absolute mother of all carnage. But you can't be trusted to take a 9mm or .22 handgun with you. That's too dangerous and you can't be trusted to shoot those outside a range.

- Whatever gun you buy, make sure it doesn't even remotely look like an AK because it could be classified as an AK variant and you will be a criminal to not surrender it for free to government.

- The AR-15 and the Tavor are basically the same thing with the same functiality: both chambered in .223/5.56, both semi-automatic, both accept the same magazines, and the same barrel lenght, and both were originally designed as 'black millitary style' rifles. The only difference is that the Tavor is a bulpup so it's shorter and easier to handle in close quarters.

- You can shoot the AR only at a gun range with two locks on it at all times outside the range. But the Tavor is safe for you to shoot on your land or in the bush.

- You can buy a 150 round AR magazine but it comes with a 'permanent' rivet which limits it to 5 rounds. This 'permanent' rivet can easily be removed in a minute with a drill. But apparently this little rivet is what's stopping every mass murderer in Canada from doing a mass shooting.


- If you buy a rifle magazine, make sure that no handgun in the future will ever be built to accept your mag because apparently your mag was designed for that handgun 40 years before the handgun even existed.

I just recently did this too, upgrading to RPAL, and it only took maybe four or five weeks from the day they received my application to the approval.

That on line thing is a waste of time and likely our money. It does not give you any indication of where in the process your app is, it will finally show that it is approved once it is. But no indication of Where it is in the process while it is being looked at.

As far as expecting good service because you paid your fee - good luck. They will take and keep your money regardless if your app gets approved. You can be rejected and they still take your cash. Though I have to be honest the people that I talked to were very nice and helpful, one guy was even a shooter himself.

Next time you call talk to the Alberta CFO office, not just the general info line, and ask if there is any issues with your app. They generally don't call you, a letter will be sent out if they have questions. In my case the file was flagged and a couple minute conversation cleared up the questions and it was approved that day.

It's on the desk in the pending file of the person who went on vacation for 3 weeks to Mexico.:sign0176:

The missus did her PAL & RPAL course in July and had her licence in hand before the middle of September. She has no range membership and they never called me to ask questions as a spouse. I had to renew mine this year. Did the online process January 20th and had my card in the mailbox this Wednesday so February 8th that's less than a 3'week turn around.
So either they are getting better or we just got lucky

There seems to be inconsistencies because I had to provide proof of range membership when I first upgraded to RPAL. When I renewed 2 months prior to expiration, I submitted proof without being asked and my new card came in less than a month. If the OP wishes to obtain his without delay, then submit one and it should go well.

We have photo ID at work that is redone on a regular basis. I had them shoot an extra for my PAL as it was professionally done and mailed it in no problems. Five years later, same scenario, sent in the picture and it was rejected. It looked too much like the old picture??? I called and told them that we wear the same company shirts as 5 years ago but she cared not.

15 dollars later, a mug shot with a different shirt and all was approved in a couple of weeks. Picture looks like an old bald guy, identical to the first one sent. Imagine all the children saved because of this employee's exceptional commitment to her job.

Tried calling the Alberta CFO. Just keep getting put on hold. :angry3:

I take it they are located in Calgary?

So I just called them up and they granted it :sHa_shakeshout:

Nagant or SKS?

There you go! Squeaky wheel gets the grease maybe? I think lots of times the apps sit in a pile to get to sometime and when you call it is in their hands so might as well finish it or this guy will keep calling lol.

Can't help with your question as none of that group of things interests me but I'm sure you will soon be inundated with opinions :)

Neither.

Nope


10/22
Rem 870
Tikka T3
Swiss K31

I dunno about the K31,but the other 3 with the Tikka in a .30cal of one's choice (.308Win for cheap plinking with surplus ammo)would be a solid arsenal to cover any kind of game in Alberta or almost anywhere else for that matter.