LETTER OF INTEREST (LOI) – DETERMINATION OF V50 VELOCITIES FOR SELECTED PROJECTILES

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Specialized Firearms Support Services (SFSS) supports firearms classification activities, including determining whether certain devices meet the definition of a firearm under section 2 of the Criminal Code. A recurring challenge in the technical assessment of low-velocity projectile devices is determining whether a device is capable of causing serious bodily injury and therefore meeting the Criminal Code definition of a firearm. These assessments require scientifically defensible data regarding the performance and injury potential of projectiles fired from such devices. To support these assessments, SFSS is exploring a means of experimentally determine V50 ballistic limit velocities for a variety of projectiles commonly used in airguns, airsoft devices, and similar low-velocity projectile devices. The resulting information may support firearms classification activities and contribute to our broader technical understanding of projectile performance and injury potential. Canada is particularly interested in research that expands upon the methodology and findings presented in AD3, AD4, and AD5. Unlike the referenced studies, which focused on a limited number of airguns and projectile types, the potential requirement may involve testing a broader range of projectiles and devices commonly encountered in firearms-classification activities, including airguns, airsoft devices, and other low-velocity projectile devices.