Early in the 1950’s, the Ontario Government tried to enact legislation that would have required the registration of all firearms. A few dedicated individuals rallied support to oppose this legislation. The majority of the letters that reached the government came from the farmers of Ontario, who objected to the registration of their rifles and shotguns. Without an organization to represent the shooters of Ontario, it was difficult to reach all those who might object to such repressive laws. This incident influenced men such as Dr. G. H. W. Lucas, “Kip” Hodgins, Dr. Kirk, Chuck Hebert and OPP Inspector William Boyd to do something about the situation. The result was the forming of the Ontario Revolver association with the issuing Letters of Patent on December 4, 1957. Subsequent amendments in 1974 changed the name to the Ontario Handgun Association.

Throughout the last 43 years, the Ontario Handgun Association has provided the highest quality representation on behalf of the provincial hand gunning community. However, since the inception of Bills C-17 and C-68, the OHA has become one of the most important members of the recreational firearms community of Canada.

The Ontario Handgun Association has been there with high quality information; both through the magazine (the only Canadian publication strictly devoted to firearms issues), club bulletins, reference books and helpful staff. The OHA has spearheaded such critically important projects as the Supreme Court Challenge and the formation of the Canadian Institute of Legislative Action (CILA).  Many firearms owners looked to the OHA as the source of leadership and advice in dealing with the critical legislative and legal issues and the continuous erosion of Canada’s shooting sports.

The OHA was doing many things on behalf of the “greater” firearms community as many of the issues dealt with affected all the shooting sports and firearms ownership as a whole. For example, participation in the Supreme Court Challenge, a legal action dealing with the registration of long guns, has been deemed by the members as a necessary and desirable deed despite the fact that handguns have been registered for many years and the registration of long guns will not affect the handgun sports directly.

With the OHA already doing a huge amount of work in the general firearms field, the knowledge and expertise required to make this change already existed within the present structure. Hence, the overtures to the OSF and the eventual formation of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association.