Officials have informed that Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police are seizing a rifle model ruled illegal because it can be easily converted to full automatic fire.

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

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

It was also reported that 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.

NFA President Blair Hagen told the CBC, "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."

60 of the Chinese-made rifles were imported between December 2006 and November 2007. Another shipment arrived last October, the network further says. (With inputs from Agencies)