By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors.
Last updated: 24 October 2026
No. The RCMP Canadian Firearms Program puts the nominal bore of a 10 gauge at 19.69 mm and a 12 gauge at 18.42 mm, both under the 20 mm bore limit added to the prohibited list in 2020, so ordinary 10 and 12 gauge shotguns are not prohibited. Shotguns become prohibited by named design or by being cut down below the Criminal Code length limits, and semi-automatic shotgun magazines that hold more than five cartridges are prohibited devices.
What does the 20 mm bore rule say?
Item 95 of Part 1 of the schedule to the Classification Regulations, SOR/98-462, in force since 1 May 2020 under SOR/2020-96, prohibits "Any firearm with a bore diameter of 20 mm or greater", other than one "designed exclusively for the purpose of neutralizing explosive devices".
The RCMP addressed shotguns directly on its page about the May 1, 2020 prohibition. It lists the nominal bore diameters as "19.69 millimetres for 10 gauge, 18.42 millimetres for 12 gauge", which puts both under the threshold. The RCMP measures bore using the definition "The interior dimensions of the barrel forward of the chamber but before the choke." For a 10 or 12 gauge, that means a measurement taken "at a point after the chamber, but before the choke."
Does the 10,000 joule rule catch shotguns?
Item 96 of Part 1, also in force since 1 May 2020, prohibits "Any firearm capable of discharging a projectile with a muzzle energy greater than 10,000 joules". It names more than 150 models, and none of them is described as a shotgun. The RCMP guidance on 10 and 12 gauge shotguns deals with the bore rule in item 95.
Which shotguns are prohibited by name?
Part 1 names shotgun designs in two groups. Each item also covers variants and modified versions of the named design.
Items 3 to 8 appear under the heading "Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 11":
- Item 3: Franchi SPAS 12, including the Franchi LAW 12.
- Item 4: Striker, including the Striker 12.
- Item 5: USAS-12 Auto Shotgun.
- Item 6: Franchi SPAS-15.
- Item 7: Benelli M1 Super 90 and M3 Super 90, with named exceptions including the M1 Super 90 Field, the Montefeltro Super 90 models, the Black Eagle and the Super Black Eagle.
- Item 8: Bernardelli B4 and B4/B.
On 7 March 2025, SOR/2025-86 added 22 more shotgun items, numbered from item 201 (Armed SF12) to item 238 (Uzkon UNG-12). They include the Derya Arms MK10, the Lever Arms LA-K12 Puma, the Panzer Arms BP-12 and the Tomahawk G3. Since SOR/2026-114 (registered 5 June 2026), the amnesty for firearms prohibited in 2020, 2024 and 2025 ends 90 days after Supreme Court of Canada appeals 41858 to 41861 conclude (the latest of them). The individual buyback declaration window ran 19 January to 31 March 2026 and has closed.
One shotgun design sits on the restricted list instead. Item 1 of Part 2 makes the High Standard Model 10, Series A and Series B shotguns restricted firearms.
When does a shotgun become prohibited by length?
Section 84(1) of the Criminal Code makes a prohibited firearm of "a firearm that is adapted from a rifle or shotgun, whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration," that, as adapted, "is less than 660 mm in length" or "is 660 mm or greater in length and has a barrel less than 457 mm in length". Section 84(2) measures barrel length "from the muzzle of the barrel to and including the chamber". A shotgun designed or adapted to be fired when reduced below 660 mm "by folding, telescoping or otherwise" is a restricted firearm.
Is there a magazine limit on semi-automatic shotguns?
Yes. Part 4, section 3(1)(a) of the schedule to SOR/98-462 makes a prohibited device of any cartridge magazine "that is capable of containing more than five cartridges of the type for which the magazine was originally designed" when it is designed or manufactured for use in "a semi-automatic firearm other than a semi-automatic handgun". A semi-automatic shotgun is a semi-automatic firearm other than a handgun, so its magazine is held to five. Under section 3(4), a magazine altered so it holds no more than five is not a prohibited device if the modification "cannot be easily removed" and the magazine "cannot be easily further altered" to hold more.
A magazine designed for a pump-action or other manually operated shotgun is outside that paragraph, which lists magazines for semi-automatic, automatic and certain named firearms. In British Columbia, hunting rules add a separate limit: the provincial hunting FAQ says "A shotgun must contain a plug that makes the magazine incapable of holding more than 2 cartridges" when hunting small game or hunting with shot.
Stay current on the list
The shotgun list grew by 22 items in a single amendment in March 2025. Silvercore Club members get regulatory updates by email, along with the private Outpost podcast, partner discounts and member liability insurance. The Club is $59 CAD per year and open to anyone, with or without a PAL. Join the Silvercore Club.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 12 gauge shotgun prohibited in Canada?
No. The RCMP lists the nominal bore of a 12 gauge as 18.42 mm, under the 20 mm limit in item 95 of Part 1 of SOR/98-462. A 12 gauge is prohibited only if its design is named in Part 1, it has been cut down below the Criminal Code length limits, or it otherwise meets a prohibited firearm definition.
Is a 10 gauge shotgun over the 20 mm bore limit?
No. The RCMP lists the nominal bore of a 10 gauge as 19.69 mm, which is below the 20 mm threshold. The RCMP measures bore forward of the chamber and before the choke.
Are pump-action shotguns legal in Canada?
Yes. A pump-action shotgun is prohibited if its design is named in Part 1 of SOR/98-462, if its bore is 20 mm or greater, or if it has been cut down to less than 660 mm overall or a barrel under 457 mm. One that can be fired below 660 mm by folding or telescoping is restricted. The five-cartridge magazine limit in Part 4 applies to magazines designed for semi-automatic and automatic firearms.
Is the Benelli M1 Super 90 prohibited in Canada?
Item 7 of Part 1 of SOR/98-462 prohibits the Benelli M1 Super 90 and M3 Super 90 designs and their variants. It excepts named models, including the M1 Super 90 Field, the M1 Super 90 Sporting Special, the Montefeltro Super 90 models, the Black Eagle and the Super Black Eagle.
