Estate Gun Appraisal BC | Firearms Valuation

What to Do When You Inherit Firearms in Canada

You found firearms in the estate. Before anything else: you are not breaking the law. An executor may legally possess estate firearms without holding a personal PAL — possession is for estate administration only, not use. That authority comes from the Firearms Act, s. 91(3.1), and the RCMP confirms it on their transfer of firearms from estates page.

Here is the sequence:

Secure the firearms. Trigger locks, locked cabinet, ammunition stored separately. Do this today.
Contact the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000. Submit RCMP Form 6016 with a death certificate or letters probate. This registers you as the estate administrator for these firearms.
Identify and classify what you have. Non-restricted, restricted, prohibited — the classification determines every option that follows.
Get a professional appraisal before choosing any disposition path. Not after. Before.
Evaluate your options. Transfer to a licensed individual, consignment through a licensed business, export, deactivation, or surrender. Each produces a different dollar outcome.

Do not promise a beneficiary, a dealer, or the police anything before step 3 is done. Classification comes first. The valuation follows the legal lane.

Everything Old is at 7120 West Saanich Rd, Unit 4, Brentwood Bay, BC. Business Firearms Licence 13848437.0001. Everything Old is an authorized RCMP Firearms Verifier and is licensed for prohibited firearms import, consignment, and 12(6) grandfathered handgun transfers. Appraisal rate: $95 + GST per hour.

That is who you are dealing with, what it costs, and where to find it.
If the estate file is messy, say that in the first call. That is normal.

Why Appraisal Before Disposition — The Valuation Spread

Choosing a disposition path before knowing what the firearms are worth in each channel. That is the single most expensive mistake an executor can make, and most of them make it.

Andrew's Thompson submachine gun file from February 14, 2026 is the cleanest example. Same firearm. Same serial number. Same condition. In the constrained Canadian prohibited market, that Thompson sat at about CAD 4,950. Deactivated to RCMP standard, the same firearm would likely land around CAD 3,200–4,600. If the receiver is lawfully cut and the result is export-eligible as a parts path, Andrew pegs that around USD 5,000.

Live full-auto export to the US civilian market is not a lane. Canadian full-auto export is restricted to destinations on the Automatic Firearms Country Control List (~48 countries as of the February 2025 amendment, including NATO members and other security-cooperation partners) with government or government-authorized consignees only — not US FFL/SOT dealers or collectors. US collector figures that circulate online for intact Thompsons are not a valuation a Canadian estate can realize. The only cross-border lane available for a Thompson like this one is the cut-receiver parts path.

That is the valuation-lane problem. The executor who accepts the first dealer offer — usually reflecting one channel only — can leave the rest of the estate value on the table without knowing the other lanes existed. This Thompson example is an EO operational estimate, not a published price guide. It is here to show how the valuation method changes with the legal path.

A dealer offer is not an appraisal. It is what someone will pay you today, and it reflects their margin, not your firearm's worth. A written estate FMV appraisal is what CRA needs — fair market value as of date of death, documented to survive audit. And a classification-aware appraisal is what prohibited and restricted items require: an appraiser who understands the legal buyer pool, the realistic disposition channels, and the regulatory constraints. One who doesn't will get the number wrong — and the estate pays the difference.

What to Gather Before You Call

You do not need to know what you have. Identification is part of what Everything Old does. But having these ready makes the first conversation productive:

Photos: both sides of each firearm, close-up of any markings, serial numbers, proof marks
Make, model, and calibre if visible anywhere on the firearm
Serial numbers
Any paperwork: original purchase receipts, registration certificates, old PAL documents
Probate documentation or death certificate
Purpose of the appraisal: estate valuation, CRA filing, probate — knowing the purpose shapes the methodology

If the estate is mixed, group the handguns, long guns, and anything clearly unusual separately before you drive over. That saves time on the bench and makes the first pass faster.

Bring what you have. The rest gets sorted at the bench.

How Estate Firearms Are Valued for CRA

CRA defines fair market value as the highest price property would bring in an open market between a willing buyer and seller, both fully informed, neither under compulsion. That is the standard. Not purchase price. Not sentimental value. Not the number a family member remembers hearing twenty years ago.

For a non-restricted shotgun with an active market, establishing FMV is straightforward. Comparable sales exist, the buyer pool is open, and any competent appraiser can produce a defensible number.

Restricted and prohibited items are a different problem entirely. The market is thin. Transactions are infrequent and not publicly recorded. The buyer pool is legally constrained — and it has narrowed. The 2020 OIC, the 2024 OIC expansion, and the C-21 handgun freeze have each removed transfer pathways that existed when many of these firearms were last valued.

A standard retail-comparable methodology may not produce a defensible FMV for a prohibited handgun or a grandfathered full-auto. An appraiser needs to understand what disposition channels actually remain, who can legally buy the item, and how regulatory changes have shifted the market since the last comparable sale.

CRA strongly recommends third-party appraisal for gifts in kind valued over $1,000. That is guidance, not statute — but without a professional appraisal, an executor has no defensible number if CRA audits the estate. For estate firearms with any real value, treat the appraisal as effectively mandatory for audit defence.

No special CRA-mandated appraiser credential exists. Credibility rests on demonstrable expertise, licensing, and market knowledge. The licence number, the classification knowledge, the years handling these items — that is what survives a challenge.

The C-21 Handgun Freeze and What It Means for Estates

The C-21 handgun transfer freeze has been in force since October 21, 2022. Estate handguns generally cannot transfer to individual beneficiaries. A family member with an RPAL cannot receive them. A friend who collects handguns cannot buy them from the estate. The path is closed.

This changes the valuation. An appraisal that ignores C-21 constraints will overstate value by pricing in a buyer pool that no longer exists for most estate handguns.

One exception: prohibited handguns manufactured before 1946 and registered before December 1, 1998 may be inheritable under s. 12(7) grandfathering. The key word is "may" — the registration date, not the manufacturing date, is where these claims live or die. If the registration was not in place by December 1, 1998, s. 12(7) does not apply.

For most executors holding estate handguns: the firearm must go to a licensed business or be disposed of. That is the practical reality under C-21, and the appraisal must reflect it.

For the full picture: Bill C-21 Handgun Freeze: What Owners Need to Know.

OIC-Prohibited Firearms: The Clock Is Ticking

The amnesty for OIC-prohibited firearms expires October 30, 2026. That is not a soft deadline.

The ASFCP individual declaration period ran from January 19 to March 31, 2026 — that window is closed. Executors can still participate through a paper process, but the mechanism is administrative, not automatic. Contact the Canadian Firearms Program directly to confirm current executor participation procedures.

After October 30, 2026, possession of OIC-prohibited firearms without an active exemption or completed disposition carries criminal liability risk. Not a fine. Not a warning. Criminal Code penalties for unauthorized possession of a prohibited firearm.

Only individuals or businesses holding matching prohibited authority can acquire prohibited firearms from an estate. No new grandfathering path exists for individuals. The pool of eligible recipients is fixed and shrinking.

If the estate contains anything on the OIC list — and a lot of estates do, because AR-15 variants alone account for a significant chunk of the prohibited list — the appraisal and disposition planning should be happening now. Not manufactured urgency. Administrative processes in the firearms program take weeks, and the calendar does not care.

For context: OIC Prohibition List: Complete Guide.

What Happens If You Do Nothing

Three exposure areas stack on the executor who waits.

Criminal liability for possession. "Reasonable time" for an executor to administer estate firearms is not defined in statute. All About Estates characterizes it as "months, not years," and the RCMP expects resolution within that window. Delay beyond a reasonable period creates criminal liability risk for unlicensed possession — the executor exemption covers administration, not indefinite storage.

OIC amnesty expiry. October 30, 2026 is a hard wall for prohibited items specifically. After that date, the executor's legal exposure compounds — possession of OIC-prohibited items without an active exemption or completed disposition moves from amnesty-protected to potentially criminal.

CRA exposure. Unreported estate assets create tax liability. Firearms with real value must be declared at FMV as of date of death. No appraisal means no defensible number. CRA does not accept "I didn't know what they were worth" as a filing position.

These three pressures combine. The longer an executor waits, the fewer options remain and the worse each one gets. Delay is the most expensive choice an executor can make.

What a Professional Appraisal Includes

Here is what an executor should expect from a complete estate firearms appraisal — and what to check if someone claims to offer one:

Identification: make, manufacturer, model, calibre, serial number, manufacturing date
Classification: prohibited, restricted, or non-restricted under current Canadian law, including OIC status. This is the line item most general appraisers skip, and it is the one that matters most for estate disposition.
Condition assessment: physical and mechanical condition using a recognized grading scale (NRA grading or equivalent)
Provenance: ownership history, original papers, accessories, period documentation
Market analysis: comparable sales with clear notation of valuation basis — domestic constrained, export-adjusted, replacement cost. CRA needs to see how you arrived at FMV.
Appraiser credentials and date: FMV is assessed as of date of death, not date of appraisal

A written appraisal that omits classification — that treats a prohibited handgun with a legally constrained buyer pool the same as a non-restricted shotgun anyone with a PAL can buy — is not a firearms appraisal. It is a guess with a signature on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a firearms appraisal cost in Canada?
At Everything Old, $95 + GST per hour. Prohibited and restricted items take longer because classification and market analysis across multiple valuation channels are more involved.

What do I do with firearms after someone dies in Canada?
Secure them. Contact the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000. Submit RCMP Form 6016 with a death certificate or letters probate. Classify what you have. Get a professional appraisal before choosing a disposition path.

Can an executor possess firearms without a PAL?
Yes. The Firearms Act, s. 91(3.1), permits an executor to possess estate firearms for estate administration. Possession is for administration only — use is not authorized.

Can I inherit a handgun in Canada?
Generally no, since the C-21 freeze took effect October 21, 2022. One exception: pre-1946 prohibited handguns registered before December 1, 1998 may be inheritable under s. 12(7). For most estates, the handgun must go to a licensed business or be disposed of.

How are firearms valued for estate purposes?
At fair market value as of date of death. For ordinary long guns that usually means comparable Canadian sales. For restricted or prohibited items it means the appraiser has to account for the legally constrained buyer pool and the real disposition channels still available.

What paperwork does an executor need?
RCMP Form 6016 plus a death certificate or letters probate. That paperwork tells the Canadian Firearms Program who is administering the estate and lets the executor deal with the firearms lawfully while the estate is being settled.

What is the difference between a dealer offer and an estate appraisal?
A dealer offer reflects their margin and resale expectations. An estate appraisal is a documented FMV assessment for CRA and probate. The two numbers can differ by multiples — and the estate loses the difference if the executor accepts an offer without an appraisal.

How long can an executor hold estate firearms?
No statutory time limit is defined. All About Estates characterizes "reasonable time" as "months, not years." Delay beyond that window creates criminal liability risk — the executor exemption covers administration, not indefinite storage.

Related Guides

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. Consult a firearms lawyer for advice specific to your situation. Verify current regulations at canada.ca/firearms. Last updated: April 2026.

Estate Gun Appraisal — Brentwood Bay, BC | Firearms Valuation for Executors