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  #1  
Old 07-31-2009, 08:04 PM
Jetski Jetski is offline
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Default Made in Canada firearms

Just a question as to why we don't have have more options and support for buying made in Canada quality firearms, be it rifles, shotguns, airguns or handguns. Somehow it burns me that every time I want to buy something to shoot it either comes from the US or Europe.

Are these guys the only option for buying 'Made in Canada' or are there a few others I haven't heard of? Irrespective of price I'd rather support local firearm manufacturing industry rather than a Ruger/Winchester/Remington 'Made in Italy' or 'Made in China' conglomerate.

http://www.martiniandhagngunmakers.com/

.

Last edited by Jetski; 08-02-2009 at 08:57 AM.
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  #2  
Old 07-31-2009, 08:59 PM
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Dick284 Dick284 is offline
 
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Prairie gun works in MB

Para Ordnance used to be in TO, buy Mayor Miller screwed em over with a dumb azz bylaw, so they are going to NC.

ATR in Calgary will build to suite
Corlaines will build to suite
And a host of other smiths to numerous to mention.

Ted Gailliard for barrels
Ron Smith for barrels
Mick McFee for 30 cal bbls

Robinson for stocks
Wildcat for stocks

So you can get what ever your heart desires right here at home.

You also have to realize that the market in Canada for firearms is pretty small. The state of Maine uses and consumes more shooting related goods in one year than all of Canada does in the same period.

We have maybe 3.5 million gun owners in Canada.
How many are looking to buy something new? 20%, 10%, 5%??
How many of them will buy a made in Canada solution, when the taxes in other places, and beurocracy in those places makes the cost of manufacture such a drop in the bucket to what anyone could hope to do in Canada, and then actually turn a profit, pretty much makes it a loosing proposition. IMO

Exporting is costly, as many places such as the US don't like to see their industries get too much competition, it also seems I also remember the free trade of firearms etc. were specifically left out of the NAFTA agreement, so fighting it is pointless, the tarriffs will make it un saleable stateside.


Getting it built locally comes with a price, but dang it we have the folks who can do it, and do it well too I might add, you just need to have the bank account to see it through.
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  #3  
Old 08-01-2009, 12:51 AM
Jetski Jetski is offline
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Thanks Dick,

looks to me like you are in agreement with supporting Canadian firearms manufacturers which we all should. It's been long enough since Canadians decided to be so rather than buying the next best American firearm or the latest Remchester offering.

.
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  #4  
Old 08-01-2009, 09:22 AM
BallCoeff.435 BallCoeff.435 is offline
 
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Any production-line manufacturing operation has to have a real big market to consume all the stamped-out product that they make, day in and day out. We don't have that kind of market in Canada.

The good part of all of this is that nowadays custom-builders can put together something that is way better than most 'out-of-the-box' rifles. Volume demand is low enough that they don't have to resort to cutting corners or using cheap parts or cosmetic marketing bull***t to justify some large-scale operation.
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  #5  
Old 08-01-2009, 09:49 AM
oilngas oilngas is offline
 
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Default canadian manufacture of firearms

The answer is in the querie "what can I get for $700". that is a constant question on this board. u can not build a firearm for that $ in a limited market like Canada. while there is nothing wrong with wanting a servicable firearm for that amout of cash, I would bet that <1% of the firearm purchasers are interested in paying more that the minimum for a firearm.

I know there are excellet builders in Canada, so if you want to pay > $3000 you can start to get a Canadian built (from components) rifle with nice wood etc. How big is that market?? To answer my own question "small but it will take 2- 3 years to get one as the builders all seem to be busy".

also it seems to me that the Beretta's etc. of the world get on our shelves here for less than or around the pricing I was seeing in Az. And for example WSS will bring a high end or out of the ordinary firearm, you just have to wait form it.
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  #6  
Old 08-01-2009, 11:47 AM
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Bushrat Bushrat is offline
 
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Default Prairie Gun Works

About the only Canadian Manufacturer is Prairie Gun Works in Winnipeg.
http://www.pgwdti.com/
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  #7  
Old 08-01-2009, 11:56 AM
Predator Predator is offline
 
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Savage rimfire rifles are manufactured in Ontario and of course promptly exported to the US.
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  #8  
Old 08-01-2009, 12:53 PM
Alta_Redneck Alta_Redneck is offline
 
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its been said before but PGWDTI . I own a PGW coyote and love this rifle fit and finish it awsome and the little canadain touch never hurts. they do more tehn just tactical rifles just would need to call them and figure out what you would like. I found them easy really easy to deal with and alway got resposes right away.


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Old 08-03-2009, 03:45 PM
Solothurn Solothurn is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushrat View Post
About the only Canadian Manufacturer is Prairie Gun Works in Winnipeg.
http://www.pgwdti.com/
Actually there are several others. PGW is certainly the best known, but Alberta Tactical Rifle is a manufacturer of bolt action rifle actions as well as AR15 type rifles and they manufacture numerous other parts as well.
Gaulin in QC builds their own bolt action rifle actions and Dlask Arms in BC manufactures AR type rifles , semi auto handguns and some shotguns.
Those are the 1s tht come to mind right away, I know there are a few other manufacturers in Canada as well, I just can not remember who at the moment
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Old 08-03-2009, 08:25 PM
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Bushrat Bushrat is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Solothurn View Post
Actually there are several others. PGW is certainly the best known, but Alberta Tactical Rifle is a manufacturer of bolt action rifle actions as well as AR15 type rifles and they manufacture numerous other parts as well.
Gaulin in QC builds their own bolt action rifle actions and Dlask Arms in BC manufactures AR type rifles , semi auto handguns and some shotguns.
Those are the 1s tht come to mind right away, I know there are a few other manufacturers in Canada as well, I just can not remember who at the moment
Sorry Rick, I had heard you were going to produce your own action, wasn't sure whether you had em on line yet. Hope to meet you at the tactical shoot in Drayton.

PS bring one of those actions with you so we can all have a look see.
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  #11  
Old 08-04-2009, 08:41 AM
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Okotokian Okotokian is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alta_Redneck View Post
its been said before but PGWDTI . I own a PGW coyote and love this rifle fit and finish it awsome and the little canadain touch never hurts. they do more tehn just tactical rifles just would need to call them and figure out what you would like. I found them easy really easy to deal with and alway got resposes right away.


Just so we know what sort of premium one is looking at to buy custom and Canadian, mind telling us what you paid for that beauty?
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  #12  
Old 08-04-2009, 03:38 PM
Alta_Redneck Alta_Redneck is offline
 
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i would suggest calling or emailing PGW directly
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  #13  
Old 08-04-2009, 04:08 PM
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srp71 srp71 is offline
 
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Default Canadian Gun Makers

Not meaning to hijack here but a few years ago there was an outfit in Osoyoos that built guns but I can't remember thier name.Anyone know?Are they still around?I can't even remember if they were in the early AO mag or maybe as far back as the now defunk Canadian Hunting and Shooting Mag.I think they were all wildcats under the name of Imperial Magnum,for example 338 IM.
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  #14  
Old 08-04-2009, 04:31 PM
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Homesteader Homesteader is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by srp71 View Post
Not meaning to hijack here but a few years ago there was an outfit in Osoyoos that built guns but I can't remember thier name.Anyone know?Are they still around?I can't even remember if they were in the early AO mag or maybe as far back as the now defunk Canadian Hunting and Shooting Mag.I think they were all wildcats under the name of Imperial Magnum,for example 338 IM.
Not sure where the barrels came from, but I believe they used Sako actions, and yes I think they did come out of BC.
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  #15  
Old 08-04-2009, 07:28 PM
kayaker kayaker is offline
 
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Default Proximity

I am sure much has to do with geography - Canada is just so close to US made products that import has always been easy and quite low cost. The phenomenon is true for much outdoor gear.
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  #16  
Old 09-08-2009, 09:47 PM
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One of the problems at the moment is the exchange rate ~1.1. Being as low as it is now you can buy a premium action from the USA for a much better price when it was 1.5 or 1.6x!

Recession, low volume all make it difficult to get a quality action. PGW and ARMTECH are long time producers who are probably the closest to meet or exceed USA custom action quality.

There is a company in Spruce Grove who purchased a Bat action from me and I believe they are using it as a model for their line! Sounds good and I wish them luck!
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