By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors.
Last updated: 24 October 2026
Yes. No Canadian law or regulation prohibits rifles by action type, and most lever-action and bolt-action rifles are non-restricted firearms you can own with a PAL and hunt with under provincial rules. The exceptions are specific: rifles whose design is named in the classification regulations, rifles capable of more than 10,000 joules of muzzle energy or with a bore of 20 mm or more, and rifles cut down below the Criminal Code length limits.
How are manually operated rifles classified?
Section 84(1) of the Criminal Code sets the classes. The barrel-length test for restricted rifles applies only to a firearm that "is capable of discharging centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner", so it does not reach a bolt or lever action. A manually operated rifle becomes restricted only if it is designed or adapted to be fired when reduced to less than 660 mm "by folding, telescoping or otherwise", or if a regulation prescribes it as restricted.
It becomes prohibited if it is "adapted from a rifle or shotgun, whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration," to less than 660 mm overall, or to 660 mm or more with "a barrel less than 457 mm in length", or if a regulation prescribes it as prohibited. Everything else is non-restricted. The RCMP page on classes of firearms states that "Most common rifles and shotguns are non-restricted, but there are exceptions."
Did the 2020, 2024 or 2025 bans cover lever or bolt actions?
No item does it by action type. Part 1 of the schedule to the Classification Regulations, SOR/98-462 prohibits firearms by named design, plus a few criteria such as bore diameter and muzzle energy. The amendment in force on 1 May 2020 (SOR/2020-96) added named designs and those criteria. The amendments in force on 5 December 2024 (SOR/2024-248) and 7 March 2025 (SOR/2025-86) added named designs. The consolidated text has no category for bolt actions, lever actions or manually operated rifles in general.
Each named item also covers variants and modified versions of the design. That wording reaches manually operated versions of a prohibited design. Item 87, covering the M16, AR-10 and AR-15 rifles and the M4 carbine, names the "DPMS A-15 Panther Pump Rifle" and the "DPMS A-15 Panther VRS Single Shot" among its variants. Those two entries show that a manually operated version of a prohibited design can be prohibited with it.
Which bolt-action rifles are prohibited?
Item 96 of Part 1, in force since 1 May 2020, prohibits "Any firearm capable of discharging a projectile with a muzzle energy greater than 10,000 joules", with exceptions for the firearms in items 12, 13, 14, 20, 22 and 30 of Part 1 and for those designed exclusively to neutralize explosive devices. The regulatory impact analysis statement for SOR/2020-96 gives "a .50 calibre BMG" as the example for this category. Item 96 names more than 150 models, including the McMillan TAC-50, the Cadex CDX-50 Tremor, the Accuracy International AX50 and the Barrett Firearms 99. The test is the firearm's capability, so the item applies to any firearm over the threshold, named or not.
Item 95 prohibits "Any firearm with a bore diameter of 20 mm or greater". Earlier items also name specific rifles, such as the McMillan M87 at item 13.
Do magazine limits apply to bolt-action and lever-action rifles?
The five-cartridge limit in Part 4, section 3(1)(a) of the schedule to SOR/98-462 applies to cartridge magazines designed or manufactured for use in "a semi-automatic firearm other than a semi-automatic handgun", in an automatic firearm, in a semi-automatic handgun not commonly available in Canada, or in a short list of named pistols. A magazine designed only for a manually operated rifle is outside that paragraph.
The test is the firearm the magazine was designed for, so a magazine designed for a semi-automatic rifle stays limited to five cartridges even when it fits a bolt-action rifle. In British Columbia, the provincial hunting FAQ states that under the hunting rules there are "no limits to the amount of ammunition that can be contained in the magazine" of a centre-fire or rim-fire rifle. The only hunting round limit it lists is the 2-cartridge plug for shotguns loaded with shot.
What do you need to hunt with one?
Federal law governs owning the rifle, and provincial law governs hunting with it. In British Columbia, the province states that "All resident hunters must have a Fish and Wildlife ID and hunting credentials." Hunter education in BC is the Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education program, known as CORE, set up under the Hunter Safety Training Regulation. It consists of a written examination and a practical firearm handling test. You also need a PAL to possess the rifle, which starts with the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC).
CORE course and PAL course at Silvercore
Silvercore teaches the CORE course for BC hunter education, with classes capped at 15 students. For the licence, the CFSC is $190 plus tax over two consecutive days. Book the PAL course.
Frequently asked questions
Are bolt-action rifles legal in Canada?
Yes. A bolt-action rifle is non-restricted unless its design is named in Part 1 of SOR/98-462, it is capable of more than 10,000 joules of muzzle energy or has a bore of 20 mm or more, it has been cut down below the Criminal Code length limits, or it can be fired below 660 mm by folding or telescoping.
Are lever-action rifles restricted in Canada?
No. The Criminal Code barrel-length test for restricted rifles applies only to firearms that discharge centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner. A lever-action rifle with a fixed stock that has not been cut down is non-restricted unless a regulation names its design or it meets the 10,000 joule or 20 mm bore criteria in Part 1 of SOR/98-462.
Are .50 BMG rifles legal in Canada?
Item 96 of Part 1 of SOR/98-462 has prohibited any firearm capable of discharging a projectile with a muzzle energy greater than 10,000 joules since 1 May 2020, and the regulatory impact analysis statement for SOR/2020-96 uses a .50 calibre BMG as its example. Item 96 names more than 150 models, including the McMillan TAC-50 and the Barrett Firearms 99.
Is there a magazine limit for bolt-action rifles in Canada?
Not for magazines designed only for manually operated rifles. The five-cartridge limit in Part 4 of the schedule to SOR/98-462 applies to magazines designed for semi-automatic and automatic firearms, and a magazine designed for a semi-automatic rifle stays limited even when used in a bolt-action rifle.
