r/canadaguns • u/MiningToSaveTheWorld • Apr 18 '26
Buy recommendations Notable changes in gun landscape over last ten years? Looking to get back into things
Used to be bigger into guns when I was in army and was collecting and shooting a lot with my friend group back in those days. Took a break for 10 years as I was moving around a lot and had kids etc got busy with work and life.
Will ask my bro as he's a big hunter but wanted to ask here. I know obviously we have more signals about legality being more restricted, curious on approach to acquiring new guns in that context. Which guns seem safer in context of legality now? Do we have any forecasts on where Canada is actually going to end up in terms of what we will be allowed to own in 10 more years? Any rules of thumb for what gets a gun banned?
My second question is about value and technology. What has changed in terms of value with manufacturers in the market? Back in early 2010s there were a lot of Chinese brands entering market but quality was known to be poor. I bought a Russian SKS for $200 with 1000 rounds which was a great fix for getting rounds down range. Curious what are the go-tos for casual shooting practice now and also if there's any new trends in terms of technology.
Finally, any general suggestions for what to pick up for general use? I don't have hunters license but would like to grab something that's good for marksmanship training and could also be used for hunting once I get license. Probably want to go for deer but there's a fuckton of quail in my area too
47
u/soundssarcastic bc Apr 18 '26
that scene from community when he comes back with pizza and the apartment is on fire
Welcome back
12
39
u/HeftyAcanthisitta204 Apr 18 '26
Nothing is safe. Your choice is between Turkish guns, $1700 tactical Aliexpress SKS specials, or assault slingshots designed to bonk a maximum amount of pop cans in a minimum amount of time. Lever actions are your best bet but at this point, buy whatever you're able to.
18
u/CorsicanMastiffStrip Apr 18 '26
A friend got his SKS years ago, organic, grown in the dirt. Literally. He moved a mobile home and found an SKS is the dirt.
Still shoots lmao.
9
21
8
u/ablemount Apr 18 '26
After I left the Army, I got out of shooting for almost 30 years.
If I knew then what it is like now...
...but I'm back in baby!!!
14
u/MrWrock Apr 18 '26
Coming back after 10 years is like walking in to a post Apocalypse, but as someone new to shooting I'll give you my perspective.Â
Shotguns are cheap and fun, you can shoot skeet at a club and birds and deer in the bush. I have a Mossberg 88, cheap and reliable pump action.Â
22lr has cheap ammo and my Tikka t1x shoots 200yd with ease. Similar but scaled down ballistics to 308.Â
My ruger 10/22 is probably less harmful than a slingshot but I wouldn't trust any semi auto to stay legal. 22lr will be your safest though
For hunting there is a lot of arguments about caliber, the 308 crowd argue for its proven history and general availability, 6.5cm will brag about bullet trajectory and recoil but it costs more. For anyone who is not competing or depending on them for their life there is little difference in overall capability. The t3x had the same ergonomics and interchangeable stocks with the t1x so I've got to recommend that rifle for a larger caliber bolt action too
6
u/Substantial-Onion-92 Apr 18 '26
I'd be looking at quality lever guns myself. Probably a safe best. Maybe grab a Benelli M4 too.
5
3
10
u/hafetysazard Apr 18 '26
Invest in high quality single shot rifles, or double-barrel shotguns. That’s all you’re going to be allowed to own by the Liberals are finally done. Oh, and stock up on good quality ammo, because that’s going to disappear too. That was essentially happened in Venezuela immediately prior to their downfall.
8
u/SnowWhiteFeather Apr 18 '26
Why would you assume that they are going to leave us with anything? That is completely contrary to what they believe and what they say –when they are being honest.
They don't hate guns. They just hate you. You owning guns is a problem for them. They are perfectly happy to use guns whenever it is expedient to their cause.
It's not just liberals it is any of the hateful and backwards ideologies. They all end up in the same place. They all operate on the same motives. They all have the same blue haired, nose ring, I love animals more than I love people psychology. Concentration camps weren't just a novelty of a long forgotten war. They are a byproduct of the human condition. We haven't changed.
4
u/Barbarian_818 Apr 19 '26
There are those who honestly believe that gun ownership is part of a pipeline that brainwashes gun owners into conservatism and misogyny. Nathalie Provost was pretty clear that she blames "the gun lobby" for the tragedy she suffered and all the headaches the government is having regarding the bans and "optional" buybacks.
She, a non gun owner, thinks she is qualified to say what guns are appropriate for given activities. And that subsistence hunters should have the absolute bare minimum needed to get game.
4
u/prosper_0 Apr 18 '26
Unless youre into tacticool or handguns, nothing much has changed. Prices and availability took a huge hit, but are slowly starting to come back a bit. And the SKS is now suddenly a grail gun instead of old commie trash. Space cowboy lever gun abominations are common now, too.
For hunting, the 6.5 creed is the flavour of the day, and it is pretty good for a dual use hunting/target rig. It's amusing how many hunter types fancy themselves thousand yard shooters, yet can almost exclusively be found at the 100 yard lanes at the range. All blasting away with giant obnoxious brakes, because their 15 pound creed rig just has too much recoil for their delicate constitutions.
3
u/MiningToSaveTheWorld Apr 18 '26 edited Apr 18 '26
Good food for thought thank you.
Just realized I'm kinda fucked cuz I transfered my handguns to my friend for safe keeping as I was moving across country and was spending a lot of time abroad. Based on quick check if I don't have them currently registered to me I'm kinda SOL.
1
u/Tough-Air-4765 Apr 18 '26
Technically Antiques are a "safe" option i got more into them after the OICs kept getting longer and picked something that I didn't need a "liscence" for. I have imported 8 bore/gauge and 4 bore/gauge cartridge guns and larger muzzleloaders like a puntgun and I own a small cannon. You can find antique pistols to import aswell but you really have to know when what you were importing was made but it can be done, CSC imports all his antique handguns from the UK.
For hunting or range use 6.5 creedmoore will do pretty fine you have a large selection of platforms and a fine selection of manufactured ammo so it should be easy to feed .308 is also pretty good for that as well.
1
94
u/Flat-Dark-Earth Big Bore Specialist Apr 18 '26
Rejoining today after a decade must feel like waking up from a coma.