Tag Archives: canadian rangers rifle

A closer look at Canada’s most niche survival rifle

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Meant primarily for emergency hunting and fending off polar bears rather than parting the hair of a Russian submariner, the C19 rifle is definitely unique to the needs of those that use it.

In the above video members of the Canadian Rangers are shown in Newfoundland meeting their newly issued .308 Win-chambered bolt guns for the first time and getting the 411 on nomenclature and the rifle’s specifics. Based on the Sako T3 CTR (Compact Tactical Rifle) with tweaks for the Rangers as they have to use their guns in whiteout conditions at -50 C weather.

The cold weather testing, by Colt Canada, who is making the C19 under license from Sako.

Said differences include an oversize bolt and trigger guard so that it can be used with heavy gloves (you don’t want to touch metal with bare hands when it’s that cold) as well as a high-viz laminated stock complete with the Ranger crest.

More on the C19 over in my Guns.com column.

Meet the new C19 rifle of the Great North

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RE27-2015-0236-08 Members of the 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group perform target practice with the new C-19 Canadian Ranger rifle at the rifle range in Inuvik, Northwest Territories during Op NANOOK 2015, 17 August. The rifle model currently used is the Lee Enfield. While the stock of rifles now in use are excellent tools for an Arctic environment, their replacement with modern rifles is an exciting historical moment and are being used for the first time by the Canadian Rangers in Canada during Operation NANOOK 2015.

RE27-2015-0236-08 Members of the 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group perform target practice with the new C-19 Canadian Ranger rifle at the rifle range in Inuvik, Northwest Territories during Op NANOOK 2015, 17 August. The rifle model currently used is the Lee Enfield. While the stock of rifles now in use are excellent tools for an Arctic environment, their replacement with modern rifles is an exciting historical moment and are being used for the first time by the Canadian Rangers in Canada during Operation NANOOK 2015.

The C-19 is based on the Sako T3 CTR (Compact Tactical Rifle) but, seeing as the Rangers have to use their guns in whiteout conditions at -50 C weather, their version has an oversized bolt and trigger guard so that it can be used with heavy gloves (you don’t want to touch metal with bare hands when its that cold) as well as a high-viz laminated stock complete with the Ranger crest.

These 10-shot .308s are replacing the elderly SMLE in Ranger use.

And in a twist, the rifle will be made under license by Colt Canada. This means that, while Colt in the U.S. fights to stave off bankruptcy, its Canadian arm will be looking to hire as many as 30 new employees.

Veteran Military Bolt Rifles Still in Use

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The military rifle is one of my favorite subspecies of firearm ever designed. Bolt-action rifles especially fit this bill. These hardy veterans are classified since about 1947 as being ‘obsolete,’ replaced by the full sized battle rifle and the assault rifle in modern use. However, these old soldiers still see themselves in use around the world. Of course, there are multiple honor guards in almost every modern country where sparkling clean Springfield 1903s, laminated Mosin 91/30s, and even the occasional Mauser and Enfield are seen as ceremonial honor guard pieces, but besides these, there are still combat units that carry legacy bolt-action rifles. Let’s take a look at these long serving pieces still holding the line.

Continued in my column at Firearms Talk.com