r/canadaguns • u/ExpandDong- • Mar 06 '26
Gun and gear reviews Fixed / New Gen Backlandhunter ?
Howdy yall, I had issues with my long lost Crypto and Cursader sent me this fixed / upragded version, with, in theory, it's known problems fixed to replace my Crypto, i have yet to fire it but i will soon and leave a review so you don't have to try and gamble with this one
Since it was a remplacement, and i already gave up a while back about the crypto, i will be brutally honest in my impression of the rifle and will not hold back about the good or the bad
Hang tight!
2026-03-06
Right out of the box :
Looks :
The gun itself looks great, no chips, dings or scratches on the stock, frame, or handguard. On the other hand, the A2 muzzle break looks rough and the barrel has a few discoloration marks and little scratches on it. My impression is that they took parts of the banned Crypto and remodeled a rifle around it and reused parts like the barrel, muzzle break and barrel nut.
Functions :
The factory charging handle is still a pain, shitty, cheap handle but "works as intended". No immediate issue on it, but if you rack it with a downward angle, it will get stuck at the back, but you if pull straight or slightly up, it goes in and out smoothly (I changed mine for a Radian and still have this "issue" but once you understand it, it is easy to just pull straight)
They changed the bolt carrier group to a new one with the fixed issue they had with the previous version, i haven't tried the previous version but i can see that it is made from a different material (now grey/stainless instead of the old black version). The gun racks and locks in the barrel without issue for now but time will tell
The gun feels balanced and easy to shoulder. The controls are very instinctive if you think about it like a Benelli M4 that shoots 223/5.56
I will keep you guys update on the test day!
UPDATE 2026-03-11 :
200 round test and Functions :
Before people start commenting that 200 isn't enough yet, i know, but i am not gonna shoot 1000$ worth of ammo in a day to simply make a review lol
Function :
Right off the bat, the mags load as normal mags do, nothing unusual or fancy here. The controls are just like a Benelli M4, again, nothing fancy or out of the ordinary.
Charging handle :
The original charging handle is a pain. It is a ''ambidextrious'' charging handle, that has only one trigger on it that is clunky, not comfortable and very short to operate. If you have a scope you will have a hard time getting to grip it without your knuckles being in the scope. If you run a red dot you will be fine if you don't mind having a cheap charging handle. Don't get me wrong, it works, but it is cheap and not great. I changed mine for a Radian and it is a world of difference in comfort and action.
Firing test :
I had very low hopes since i had trouble with crusader's products for a while and their obvious reputation.
First round of the first mag had trouble getting it on the first rack of the charing handle and i was litterally ''Yup, classic'' but then, i re racked it and it went well for both sides of the mags without issue wich was surprising.
I loaded another mag, did the same thing. My impression is, the factory mags have a low machining tolerance making some mags sit too high in the magwell, making some first round rub on the bolt while trying to chamber. It only happends on the first round of certain mags and some work just fine.
Other than this specific issue, i didn't get any misfire, light strike, double feed or any particular malfunction that made me go ''well this is a piece of shit''. Some failiure too feed on the first round here and there but that is pretty much it.
I heard and saw that if you convert your mag well to accept standard stanag mags the failiure to feed issue will be fixed since the mag won't be garbage but i can't personnaly confirm it right now.
Rapid fire :
Went bang every single time.
Ammo used :
Remington .223 FMJ Freedom bucket
PMC 5.56 M855 Green tip
Both went welll without issue
First update conclusion :
I did not do a Mud, Salt water, rock, smacking it on a tree and thrown in a pond test and i will not. For a Turkish rifle, on my specific model, it went surprisingly well, i can't really say for now that this gun will last generation or that this will be your ultimate survival rifle that will last the end of the world, but if you were on the fence about getting a cope rifle in 5.56 and you have the budget for it, i wouldn't try and stop you like i would have with my previous Crypto. Once again, if you have the money for it, and you take care of it, my personnal impression is that it would work as advertised (for now). Will it break in 1000 rounds ? Maybe i wouldn't know, is it working alright right now, yes it is. That being said, i am not advertising for them, i am just a cope rifle enthusiast and gun enthusiast overall that try to explain to the best of my ability my own experience with a specific rifle
I will try and make another update if anything changes when i get more rounds in and if it explodes in my face, i will get someone to make an update for me lol
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u/MLI691H Mar 06 '26
When the government bans Benelli M4 because it looks too scary, this will be banned as a variant, unfortunately.
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Mar 06 '26
[deleted]
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u/ExpandDong- Mar 06 '26
Crusader are indeed not very good at making rifles, but hey, doesn't hurt to test it out while i got it, the OG crypto was a pile of hot steamy shit (the one i got originally) but they claim this one is fixed, i have my doubts but i am making this post in case some other people were wondering
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Mar 06 '26
[deleted]
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u/ExpandDong- Mar 06 '26
The point of the post was that, crusader are pumping ads about the "new" Backland, i got one from them as a replacement. Knowing that people will buy a "maybe massive turd", i posted here explaining that in a few days a full reviews will be made, so if i can save people from buying a Crusader rifle before a review of the "new and improved" Backland, i would, i don't want people to make the mistake i made by getting a crypto, if i could have get my money back i would have, now that i received this, i have a moral obligation to warn people about the bad and inform them about the good if there is some
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Mar 06 '26
[deleted]
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u/Lumindan Mar 06 '26
A thousand round burn down would be a hella fun weekend.
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Mar 06 '26
[deleted]
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u/ExpandDong- Mar 06 '26
Some people do like gun for the range and are casual shooter, if you came here expecting that i will do a full bear grills, mud, salt water, ice while throwing it of a plane, this one ain't for you, it is to see if it is a functionning rifle, in the turkish made gun era, not everything on reddit is a profesionnal opinions, just regular folks
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Mar 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ExpandDong- Mar 06 '26
I am known to be clumsy with butter fingers, i lost quite a few guns while on a boating trip, hope this one suvrvives. If it works, if not, it will the spare anker
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u/MLI691H Mar 06 '26
We’ve all had boating accidents. So much for having boating licenses.
Enjoy it while you can! Who knows when the next ban is coming.
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u/shearedgearsets Mar 06 '26
I wish they'd sell just the upper and lower receiver, just like the Crypto. And then maybe RDSC or somebody will build it to their specs and it'll work.
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u/Bighoss_379 Mar 07 '26
I just purchased a 338 lapua so I’ll have to wait to get one of them beauties
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u/ExpandDong- Mar 06 '26
Right out of the box :
Looks :
The gun itself looks great, no chips, dings or scratches on the stock, frame, or handguard. On the other hand, the A2 muzzle break looks rough and the barrel has a few discoloration marks and little scratches on it. My impression is that they took parts of the banned Crypto and remodeled a rifle around it and reused parts like the barrel, muzzle break and barrel nut.
Functions :
The factory charging handle is still a pain, shitty, cheap handle but "works as intended". No immediate issue on it, but if you rack it with a downward angle, it will get stuck at the back, but you if pull straight or slightly up, it goes in and out smoothly (I changed mine for a Radian and still have this "issue" but once you understand it, it is easy to just pull straight)
They changed the bolt carrier group to a new one with the fixed issue they had with the previous version, i haven't tried the previous version but i can see that it is made from a different material (now grey/stainless instead of the old black version). The gun racks and locks in the barrel without issue for now but time will tell
The gun feels balanced and easy to shoulder. The controls are very instinctive if you think about it like a Benelli M4 that shoots 223/5.56
I will keep you guys update on the test day!
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u/escv_69420 Mar 06 '26
Do you have pictures of the new BCG? Is it still made with a hack saw and a dull file?
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u/ExpandDong- Mar 06 '26
From what i can compare, it does look a bit better, nothing compared to my BCM bolt carrier in my other rifle but still better than the original / "unfixed version"
The tolerance in machining looks okay, the bolt isn't rocking in all direction like the old model was but i can't tell you for sure how it will act after a few rounds
But, for now, it does chamber rounds, wich my crypto did not, well 1 out of 3 maybe on the crypto
I will post a bigger and more detailed review when i shoot it in a few days, if it is trash, i will tell it like it is and call it trash, i have no expectations and i am not a fan of crusader's quality but might aswell try it while i got it
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u/TheBulletBuddy Mar 06 '26
Put a few hundred - a thousand rounds through it before considering a review. Most rifles have a break in period of a few hundred rounds, so a proper in depth and educated review would need quite a few more rounds than that down range. Not to mention testing different ammo types.
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u/Flashy_Inspector115 Mar 06 '26
That was a very early model. I haven't seen any other backland hunters with that problem. Maybe that product slipped through qc
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u/megoder Mar 06 '26
This thing is like a French bulldog. Ugly as sin but somehow cute. Nice weapon man!
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u/shearedgearsets Mar 06 '26
This thing in these colours works for me.
All black? Blearghhh....
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u/megoder Mar 06 '26
Hey I’m not hating. I love it too. Just a bit of an odd ball type gun. Sick tho!
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u/WildRoseBoys Mar 06 '26
When did you put in your warranty claim?
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u/ExpandDong- Mar 11 '26
About maybe 2-3 months ago, they answered suprisingly fast by Email and i got to speak with someone on the phone aswell, i bought the Crypto on RDSC and spoke with them aswell to get some help with the warranty claim, they were helpful in the process
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u/LordRaizer Mar 06 '26
Never saw this thing disassembled before, is it still the same Crusader Clamshell ™ design?
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u/Ok_Juggernaut1074 Mar 07 '26
I have seen crypto with over 2000 rounds and running fantastic without cleaning.
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u/Canadian-gun-nut Mar 25 '26
Can you please let me know where you got that cheek riser 😊? Thank you! And thank you for taking the time to post this! Helped a lot
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u/ExpandDong- Mar 25 '26
https://a.co/d/0ca4SKd4 this is the one! And my pleasure to be able to help!
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u/Canadian-gun-nut Mar 31 '26
Your post helped me answer most my questions by reading through it so truly thank you 😊 and thanks so much for the cheek riser!!!
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u/[deleted] Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 06 '26
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