RCMP confiscating illegal rifles

OTTAWA, May 17 (UPI) -- Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police are seizing a rifle model ruled illegal because it can be easily converted to full automatic fire, officials say.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Monday the National Firearms Association of Canada is considering a legal challenge to the RCMP's confiscation of the weapons from legal owners.

Owners of the Norinco Type 97A rifles were sent letters in March directing them to turn in the weapons.

Canada doesn't restrict rifles or shotguns used for range shooting or hunting. It restricts or outlaws handguns, rifles and shotguns based on criteria such as barrel length and whether they are semi-automatic or automatic.

The pro-gun group contends the Norinco model was illegally reclassified.

"The NFA is very concerned about the RCMP's unilateral reclassification of this particular firearm and believes there should be a more transparent process in place to explain it," NFA President Blair Hagen told the CBC.

The network says 60 of the Chinese-made rifles were imported between December 2006 and November 2007. Another shipment arrived last October.