More apologizes, congratulations and more reviews.
Yes we here at TPF know that we have been delinquent at providing timely reviews recently. Before we get to this we have to state the following.
Many thanks to all who have gone out and voted in the provincial elections, even more thanks to those whom have spent the time and effort into volunteering for their chosen candidates. It is a boots on the ground effort that usually succeeds in creating change and it is the support of good people who make the difference between an MP or MPP being there as a job or as a representative of his/her constituents.
Congratulations to Mr. Robert Ghiz, for leading his Liberal party to winning 22 of 27 seats in PEI on October 3rd, 2011. While down 2 seats from previous, the Liberals held onto their majority in Seats. Nearly 76% voter turnout.
Congratulations to Mr. Greg Selinger, for leading his NDP party to winning 37 of 53 seats in Manitoba on October 4th, 2011. An increase of one seat at the Liberal party’s cost for a stronger majority than the previous government. An abysmal 57% voter turnout.
Congratulations to Mr. Dalton McGuinty, for leading his Liberal Party to winning 53 of 107 seats in Ontario on October 6th, 2011. A far cry from the previous Liberal 73 seat majority government. A disgraceful 49.2% voter turnout. Here at TPF we have a love/hate relationship with McGuinty which is not likely to change. Good luck to PC leader Tim Hudak and NDP leader Andrea Horwath at making sure that the Liberals cannot further dig an even bigger financial hole that is called Ontario.
TPF apologizes for not waiting to announce the winners of Manitoba’s election tonight, October 11th, but we are not fortune tellers, despite hindsight being better than 20/20. Please enjoy your democratic right and get out and vote. An old saying rings true in that if you do not vote, you have no right to criticize how the region is being run.
Finally, readers will be pleased to note that TPF’s authors are hopefully finished with all their extracuriccular activities (far less politics and work related absences), to once again provide our readers with reviews of what may be Tactical, Practical, or Fantastical.
Stick to your guns, CSSA fund raiser, Oshawa, ON, 2011
The Latest CSSA fund-raising dinner was held September 17th, in Oshawa, Ontario. These dinners are held a few time a year and are used as a means of generating additional funding from supporters who believe in the efforts of the CSSA. Labelled as a “Stick to your duns” event, these dinners are hosted across the country and can be hosted at various clubs and locations if so requested. This was no exception. Starting slightly behind schedule at bit past 6:00pm, cocktails were served and by 6:45 dinner was being served. It was a grand evening which was supported by scores of individuals who attended from across the region and even further.
A spacious venue allowed for easy roaming and interaction with other CSSA supporters
Held at the LVIV Hall in Oshawa, the venue was spacious to say the least. With enough floor space to hold nearly 200 people comfortably, the 125 plus attendees were well spaced and there was no crowding at all. Some of the more famous individuals who attended the event were, Oshawa’s own CPC MP Collin Carrie, as well as Ajax-Pickering’s CPC MP, Chris Alexander. Oshawa’s PC MPP Jerry Ouellette was also present in between his re-election activities. However the truest, best friend to firearms owners across Canada was there as the key-note speaker. Mister Garry Breitkreuz, CPC MP for Yorkton-Melville has been representing firearms owners for almost all of his time since being a Member of Parliament since 1993. That is almost two decades that this fine individual has devoted his energies to exposing the lies and deceit surrounding the vaunted universal firearms registry and it’s associated regulations, more commonly known to gun enthusiasts as Bill C-68.
Garry Breitkreuz, the keynote speaker at the event, has been lauded as the best friend a firearms owner has in parliament.
Having met Mr. Breitkreuz, several times it is apparent to TPF that he is far too modest when discussing his efforts on doing what he calls “only the right thing to do”. His address to the crowd was very informative and the CSSA must thank him for believing that our efforts are not only effective, but instrumental in “doing what is right” on behalf of the entire firearms community of Canada. In addition to Mr. Breitkreuz, there was another guest speaker who plied his comments about the CSSA and it’s actions for firearms owners everywhere. That speaker was the Host of the Daily Split, Mr. Brian Lovig. A very strong supporter of the CSSA, Mr. Lovig used his considerable talents and speaking ability to not only add some humour and sly commentary to the evening, but helped with several live auctions of items donated specifically for this event. Did TPF mention that the Daily Split is being considered for several mainstream outlets including Global. Great news.
Showing off his auctioneering skills, Brian Lovig is a proud CSSA supporter.
As MC of the event, Mr. Bernardo has a smile for all attendees
That is not to say that the evening went entirely as planned by organizers. The wild game fare that was initially advertised was not present. TPF ferreted out that the original caterer had backed out only three days prior to the actual event. Thanks must be given to the CSSA organizers for their fast recovery and still able to have excellent food provided for all attendees. The last-minute repast consisted of pulled-pork, chicken, shrimp, as well as much more for the main meal, and was VERY well received and excellently prepared and distributed. Some last-minute scrambling for the raffles for getting them setup, and a small amount of mis-communications between those running the raffles and the ticket sellers created a small bit of confusion, but it was solved quickly. The Master of ceremonies was none other than the CSSA’s own Mr. Tony Bernardo. With much levity and smiles abounding, the entire evening was very social and had an air of camaraderie between friends.
There was literally several dozen items at the event that were available to be won. Door prizes, raffles, and both silent and live auctions. As well as four (4) firearms up for grabs, items such as numerous knives, multi-tools, firearms accessories, optics loaded several tables beckoning those in attendance to try to bring home at least one thing other than stomach full of good food. TPF was privy to many of those who donated their wares and products to help support this fund-raising effort by the CSSA. Some of those are as follows in no particular order, and TPF apologizes for not remembering ALL on them:
- Target Sports
- Triggers & Bows
- Williams Arms
- Hornady Manufacturing
- Gerber Gear
- Columbia River Knife and Tool
- Caldwell Shooting Supplies
- SOG Specialty Knives and Tools
- Stoeger Canada
- Trade Ex Canada
- Cas Hanwei
- Canada in the Rough
- Shooting Chrony Inc.
- Frankford Arsenal
- Flitz
- Plus numerous individual donations and others
The top gun of the evening a SAKO A-7 in .308 Win with Burris optics. The Hornady ultra-sonic cleaner was part of the live auction.
Stoeger X5 Air Rifle, Schmidt Rubin K31 Carbine, Benelli Supernova Tactical Shotgun
World class shooter Diana Cabrera was in attendance. Wish her luck at the XVI Pan American Games in October
While in attendance at the dinner, TPF ran into numerous other firearm celebrities. Mr. Chris Anderson of CRR podcast fame was there and while he failed to record the event may have made some inroads to future interviews. Diana Cabrera, a World Cup level shooter and a part of CSSA’s office staff was present as well and tried her luck and came away with some books from the raffles. Several shooting clubs has tables as well as there being several CSSA Regional Directors present. However, the highlight of the evening was when Mr. John Williams of Williams Arms (Port Perry, Ontario) won the Benelli shotgun and promptly donated it back to be re-drawn. That showed extremely good class and TPF salutes his actions.
As far as known by TPF, this was the final Stick to your Guns Dinner for 2011, which is unfortunate as the events are well received and well attended. What was mentioned is that 2012 will bring another 4-6 of these events across the country, one of course being during the CSSA’s AGM. We hope that readers who were unable to attend this fund-raising dinner are able to attend such future events and show their support by convincing others to become members, donating time to bring new people into the shooting sports, and by donating funds to ensure that the CSSA is able to continue fighting for firearms owners across Canada. As a great man, Mr. John Holdstock, once said, “The world is run by those who show up;” and this “Stick to your guns” dinner was just one such example of why the CSSA is considered to be the pre-eminent pro-firearms organization in Canada as both it and it’s membership show up.
Attentively listening to the keynote speaker.
CSSA’s “Stick to your guns” Dinner has an average ticket price of $60.00 CDN and is everything you need it to be. Tactical, Practical & Fantastical.
On behalf of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, thank you for your continued support.
Delays and events…
As you may have noticed, there has been a small bit of delay between reviews compared to the previous published frequency. Like many readers and most CSSA representatives, the author for TPF does all of this work on a volunteer basis and earns zero for their efforts and time. Occasionally family, employment and just plain life can keep one occupied for untold amounts of time.
The TPF’s author has been just that, busy with family, work and other volunteer efforts.
Designed from scratch, easily 40+ hours of time invested...
Key point was Family. It was requested, a.k.a. stressed, upon the author (by the author’s better half) to create and finish a play centre for his children. Built from scratch and with the aid of Kijiji for slides, the above image shows what took up over fort (40) hours of invested time in design, fabrication and construction just for family. That is a good use of time BTW. Add into that the volunteering for campaigning MPP’s in Ontario’s upcoming election, CSSA commitments, plus actual employment and there are never enough hours in the day, nor days in a week to accomplish everything desired. Unfortunately the item that suffered was the reviewing of products.
For those readers in whose election is occurring in October, I urge you to get out and volunteer for your local provincial candidate whose political stripe agrees with your beliefs and moral compass.
Upcoming provincial/territory fixed election dates:
October 3rd, 2011 – Prince Edward Island, North West Territories
October 4th, 2011 – Manitoba
October 6th, 2011 – Ontario
October 11th, 2011 – Newfoundland and Labrador
While there is no way to guarantee that there will not be excessive delays and gaps, TPF will strive to provide regular reviews and updates. Helping the firearms community is the primary reason for this entire endeavour, as without your support, organizations like the CSSA would not be around and TPF cannot fathom what sort of legal quagmire Canada would be in regarding firearms ownership and usage.
Thank you for your time and patience and please continue to support the efforts of those organizations and individuals whom are on the front lines in the fight for firearms owners in Canada.
Huntfest 2011 – Orangeville, Ontario
For the days of July 22-24, Orangeville, Ontario was the host for the latest Huntfest. Hosted by Wild TV, this Huntfest in was held at the Orangeville Agricultural Society building at 247090 5 Sideroad, Mono, Ontario. This building is commonly the home of a local gun show held and organized every few months by Mrs. Monica Wright. For those readers who are unfamiliar with the concept of Huntfest, it is an event which is used by the hunting industry to promote themselves and their new products. It is also a venue for dealers and retailers to sell their wares to the public. It was quite a surprise to the author when the location was slated to host a Huntfest!
Now as a father of two small children under the age of 6, the author is very hard pressed to actually have the time to actually view any Wild TV programming, so TPF cannot comment on the programming, advertising and general appeal of Wild TV. The author does however applaud the decision to hold such an event in Ontario due to the fact that the only level of hunting/sporting event similar in format would be that of the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show and their “Hunting Hall”. Yet that is more of a giant retailer sale than a showcase opportunity. As usual the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) was there to promote shooting sports, help educate firearms owners, and of course gather additional memberships. Other organizations such as the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and the National Firearms Association (NFA) were in attendance as well.
The CSSA Booth at Huntfest, Orangeville 2011
The days of the Huntfest were the hottest days in recent history with temperatures making the he facility nearly unbearable for exhibitors yet they did persevere. The author was pleased to attend and help represent the CSSA during the entire show and was fortunate to be working the booth alongside Canada’s number one firearms lobbyist, Mr. Tony Bernardo. Admittedly, due to the layout, the Laser Shot game was mainly the author’s responsibility and as always being able to bring smiles to the faces of people of all ages is well worth the time and effort of such events. Both the very young and the elderly were attracted to the minute or so of relief that the game provided during which the oppressing heat was forgotten. Literally hundreds of individuals stopped by, some repeatedly, to test their skills at Laser Shot. Mr. Bernardo’s speaking and enthusiasm was a constant reminder of how knowledgeable, dedicated , and committed the man is to fighting for the rights of the Canadian Firearms Community. Be it a single individual or a group of them, Tony was his usual informative and enthusiastic self, describing the latest United Nations news and how the CSSA benefits its members, the community and firearms owners as a whole. Just talk to him and you will understand why the author believes that the CSSA is at the top of the pile for pro-firearms organizations in Canada.
All generations were trying their hand at Laser Shot.
During the infrequent lulls between droves of people attending the show, TPF was able to make a few rounds about the facilities and see what was going on and the general overview of Huntfest in Orangeville. This Huntfest was originally supposed to be a grand endeavour with hundreds of companies in attendance but by the end of setup on the scorching Thursday night, there was much rumblings about a lack of participation. This was obvious as the lower than expected exhibitor attendance resulted in some areas of the building being unused. Opening day on Friday was a lack lustre event which was determined to be a poor turnout with some of those TPF talked to. Combined with an extended Friday closing time with nearly zero consumer attendance and many exhibitors were already unhappy with the choice of venue for this iteration of Huntfest. However, the following two days showed far more improvement with many attending exhibitors acknowledging that by the end of the event they were satisfied, if not beaming with the results. On Sunday, just prior to the close of the event, much of that Friday evening dismay had been reversed and the exhibitors and vendors were far more upbeat and positive in their overview of Orangeville’s Huntfest.
Even the young ones wanted a chance.
When the crossbow was not enough, Maximus got serious.
For those that are still wondering, the concept of Huntfest is to create an opportunity for consumers to come to a single location and not only see what is available in the Canadian Marketplace, but to find out how to get those products or even acquire then at the event. Huntfest has been described as a trade show and to a certain point it is. Manufacturers attend to display their range of available products and showcase their newest ones, while dealers and retailers of these products are in attendance to support the consumer, that being the attendees. Companies such as Savage Arms, Scorpion Optics, and Trade Ex Canada Inc, took such an opportunity and showcased some of their products and wares. Local dealers/retailers as also in attendance with their wares available for attendees to purchase, some even at lower than store sticker price. Archery, hunting, camouflage apparel, calls, tools, guns and the remaining spectrum of hunting products were on display at the three day event. Add in reptile exhibits, falconry shows and a slew of presenters for in-person seminars and music concert and Wild TV’s Huntfest, Orangeville had everything that the outdoors man, sport shooter, hunter, and hiker could ever need. TPF was proud to be a small part of the event and look forwards to future ones should they occur.
Even the models for RackStacker had a round or three
While the author wanted to take numerous photographs and give the readers a visual representation of the quality and variety of exhibitors that were at Huntfest, it was literally too busy for more than small jaunts across the facility for a quick minute or two of discussion before the next rush came in at the CSSA booth. However, we do have some images from nearby events and have included them here for your viewing pleasure.
Wild TV’s Huntfest – Orangeville 2011 may not have been a great success that organizers were hoping for, but if the final days of attendance was an indication, it may very well continue and grow in Ontario’s future. Hopefully next time the weather co-operates and the advertising efforts bring in far more exhibitors and attendees.
Rating of Wild TV’s Huntfest – Orangeville 2011 is a little different than usual for TPF in that:
Is Huntfest, Orangeville 2011 Tactical, Practical, or Fantastical? Great!, Decent event, Needs work, or Complete fail?
That is up to you, the readers, and specifically those that attended the event to determine. Please contact Huntfest Organizers at huntfest@wildtv.ca and let them know what you think they need to improve and make the show more successful.
Birds and reptiles were there for kids and adults alike
Special thanks goes out to Chris Anderson who stopped by and felt that TPF was worth interviewing a second time, the first which occured during the EESA open house. As an originator of Canadian Reload Radio, Mr. Anderson was part of the first Canadian firearms online podcast created, and has since branched off as part of their network of firearms related podcasts. It is high praise indeed when Mr. Tony Bernardo believed that Mr. Anderson is one of the best interviewers that he has encountered due to his thoroughness and preparedness for interviews.
Action Shooting Sports…
The author of TPF has been shooting for a short time compared to many, a scant dozen years of firearms experience under his belt. As with most individuals who are into shooting, the entire ordeal started with the acquisition of a single rimfire rifle and a bag of old soup cans and other small items to enjoy shooting at. Since that point in time however, interests change, as does exposure to whole new fields of firearm events and disciplines which are radical changes from plinking at tin cans. A few of those disciplines are those in the category of Action Shooting Sports.
What are Action Shooting Sports? Unlike most shooting disciplines, action shooting mainly does away with static position firing and utilizes movement and strategies which challenge competitors physically and mentally in a safety oriented game in which competitors must physically overcome and avoid obstacles in order to engage various targets with the greatest accuracy in the least amount of time. These games of skill, speed, and techniques have multiple reasons for being popular and showing continued increase in participants. These reasons can be a trial to improve one’s self, have fun in a non-static shooting event, or even strive to be a top competitor in your discipline. As with ALL shooting disciplines safety is the number one rule and must be adhered to at all times. Failure to follow these safety protocols will at best disqualify you from matches and at worst could lead to legal ramifications. Firearms are tools and can be used in recreational activities for immense enjoyment and entertainment, yet unsafe handling can lead to negligent discharges and the possibility of injury. Thankfully, Canada’s action shooters practice levels of safety which far exceed federal requirements as most competitors are extremely safety conscious.
Most action shooting sports practised in Canada are those which utilize a handgun and require a holster for participation of the game, yet several disciplines include rifles and shotguns in their rules and regulations. TPF will only be concentrating on the handgun portion of Action Shooting Sports at this time.Here are some background and details on some of the more popular action shooting disciplines which have captured the attention of tens of thousands of Canadian shooters, the author among them.
Disciplines of Action Shooting:
International Practical Shooting Confederation (aka IPSC)
While it’s origins can be traced back to the late 1950’s in California, the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) was officially founded in Columbia, Missouri, in May 1976. IPSC’s origins began as a competition in a newer realm of action shooting. It is widely considered to be the founding father of all action shooting disciplines due to it’s history and initial departure from traditional shooting sports. Primarily a handgun based sport, IPSC is derogatorily known as running and gunning due to the fast paced action while participating in a course of fire. A Latin phrase; Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas (DVC) is the basis for all IPSC participation. These translate into Accuracy, Power, Speed. These three items are the cornerstones of what IPSC embodies and it’s popularity is evidenced by participation in over 80 countries around the world and having literally tens of thousands of competitors among those participating countries.
IPSC also has addition divisions outside of handgun, these are Rifle, Shotgun and, as of 2010, Action Air. Action Air is controversial as it does not embody the “power” aspect in IPSC and usually only found in countries where firearms ownership is extremely difficult.
International Defensive Pistol Association (aka IDPA)
After many years of IPSC, a group of individuals (Bill Wilson, John Sayle, Ken Hackathorn, Dick Thomas, Walt Rauch and Larry Vickers) believed that IPSC had become an equipment race and the courses of fire had become extravagant obstacle courses. In 1996, the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) was founded. IDPA decided to keep the gaming aspect but made the game revolve around real world defensive scenarios. Regulating the firearms to minimal alterations and adopting a more tactical outlook, IDPA became a slower version of IPSC with many technical penalties added in to create a more reality based action shooting game. From the website, “the main goal is to test the skill and ability of an individual, not his equipment or gamesmanship.” IDPA has gained acceptance in Canada in the last half dozen years and now has continued to grow to several thousand members in Canada alone. In the last 5 years the number of clubs that practice IDPA has tripled across Canada to number nearly two dozen.
Ontario Defensive Pistol League (aka ODPL)
The Ontario Defensive Pistol League (ODPL) started originally as a Canadian copy of IDPA. Back in the late nineties while IDPA was growing in the USA, several individuals decided to emulate it in Ontario. The Independent Defensive Pistol Association – Ontario was formed without the blessing of the IDPA and decided to use formal IDPA rules and start their own Action Shooting locally in Canada. For nearly a decade IDPA-Ontario existed and then underwent a face lift and converted into the ODPL. There were some rule changes in regards to scoring and penalties between ODPL and IDPA; but the biggest difference was the lack of shooter skill grading and the requirement to be a member of an organization in order to compete in ODPL. ODPL also has incorporated rifles and shotgun usage aspired from multiple gun matches commonly found in the United Staes of America. Officially there are seven (7) clubs in Ontario which host ODPL events and more are in the works.
Canadian Defensive Pistol (aka CDP)
Canadian Defensive Pistol (CDP) originated under the purview of Mr. Dave Burke, who decided that Canada needed a Canadian version of IDPA (prior to IDPA expanding into Canada). The concept was to take those Canadian Shooting Clubs which already hosted IDPA-like matches, but were not officially IDPA affiliates, and give them a set of rules and regulations similar to IDPA but with Canadian flavour to them. While the concept was sound, the execution of CDP dragged and the complete rewording of commonly used IDPA terminology did not translate well. CDP still exists in some clubs, but has fallen to the wayside for a multitude of reasons. The CSSA is determining if it should completely pull out of CDP matches, redesign, revamp and relaunch CDP entirely, or come out with a generic Action Shooting Guide book that would give information to clubs who wish to run action shooting without being associated to anyone.
Training/Safety Instructions:
Action Shooting Sports are some of the fastest growing shooting activities in Canada. The amazing thing about these sports is that their safety records are nearly perfect with injuries only resulting from sprains and strains. That is correct. A game/competition where individuals have their times recorded for completing a given course of fire, assessed accuracy penalties, and are penalized for procedural violations. Several thousands of Canadians, shooting millions of rounds annually, for the last several years and have ZERO firearm related injuries. There are several reasons for that. As with all firearms disciplines, safety is the primary, secondary, and tertiary rule government the usage of firearms. To that effect there are several options which are available for learning the various games and the required safety levels in Action Shooting.
All of these disciplines involve the use of handguns with a minimum calibre of 9mm/.38 Special and are the primary tools for competing in these games. Add in multiple magazines, holsters, and gear, and you can range from under $500 to several thousands just for competition equipment, and that is prior to expenditures of ammunition. IDPA, ODPL, and CDP are usually considered to be a cheaper alternative than IPSC due to the generally greater numbers of magazines utilized, the higher volume of rounds expended, however, one can compete in IPSC using the same equipment that is acceptable for usage in the other aforementioned disciplines.
IPSC’s Black Badge course is the most comprehensive and intense training available for those wishing to learn how to compete in IPSC matches. Usually a 3 day event requiring just shy of one thousand (1000) rounds of ammunition, the Black Badge course is geared specifically for those interested in IPSC and holders of such are recognized by ALL other disciplines in Canada as having acceptable certifications for action shooting. That being said, IPSC ONLY authorizes those who have attained a Black Badge to compete in IPSC events.
IDPA in Canada has a New Shooter Orientation Course (NSOC) which allows competitors to become familiarized with the usage of handguns in a holster and the basics of competing in an IDPA Match. IDPA accepts all accredited certifications in order to participate in official matches. As the author has not experienced this course, it is difficult to tell you how many rounds or what the course entails. By far the least expensive prospect of all available courses. IDPA recognizes IPSC, CDP, course qualifications in addition to the NSOC. To shoot sanctioned matches you need to be a member of IDPA.
ODPL at one time considered creating a training regime but it was decided to allow all other forms of accreditation and not split up manpower and time resources to dedicated training courses. As ODPL has no membership requirements, as long as the individual has an accepted qualification,they are allowed to shoot all ODPL matches.
CDP arranged to have courses to be performed by CSSA instructors, this course is between IDPA’s NSOC and IPSC’s Black Badge. Performed over one and a half days, and roughly 400 rounds of ammunition, the course teaches holster usage and the technical basics for defensive pistol shooting. To shoot sanctioned matches you need to be a member of CDP.
Which one is the best to participate in?
That is a question that can only be answered by yourself. I do recommend if you decide to try it, go to a local club practice night for the related discipline. Not all clubs shoot all, or even any, of these disciplines, but watch a practice or a match and see if it interests you. The camaraderie and friendships developed by the author has made Action Shooting a, hopefully, permanent fixture in his life. As with all firearms related activities, Stay safe and enjoy!
Action Shooting Sports – Tactical, Practical, or Fantastical?
Reloading – Is it worth the cost?
Many people ask a common question, over and over. Is it worth it to reload your own ammunition? To those questioning individuals the proper response is, “That depends…”
That depends on a few factors:
- Do you shoot center-fire ammunition?
- How much do you actually save?
- What sort of annual ammunition expenditures do you have?
- How much is your free time worth?
Do you shoot center-fire ammunition?
Are reloads (left) cost effective compared to factory?
Do not laugh at the question. People, in their need to make things both cheaper and with their own hands have learned various methods for manufacturing rim-fire rounds. That being said however, rim-fire ammunition in itself is not-re-loadable to 99.99999% of those who shoot it. Center-fire metallic cartridges, used primarily in rifles and handguns have four (4) components; the primer, case, powder, the bullet. Modern shotgun ammunition has five (5) components; the primer, hull, powder, wad, and the load. For this report, only Boxer primer styles are being considered.
- Primer: The source of ignition for ammunition. A small diameter cup which contains a chemical compound which is activated by a percussive force. The activation of this compound results in the ignition of a cartridge’s powder charge in an assembled cartridge.
- Case: Metallic cylinder which houses the primer, powder and bullet. Usually constructed of brass and can be nickel-plated as well and manufactured from alternate alloys. Brass however is the material most used and reloaded.
- Hull: Similar to a Case, but normally has a metallic base, with the sides being constructed with a polymer based material. Some hulls are completely metallic.
- Powder: The high rate burning compound which when enclosed in a case and ignited by the primer, combusts. The resultant gases created from this combustion (pressure) are what propel the bullet or wad/load down the barrel of the firearm.
- Wad: A compressible plastic piece which has two purposes. First to create a seal in order to allow pressure to develop under powder ignition. Secondly, the compression of the wad allows for a larger perssure to be developed before the kinetic transfer of energy to the load (slug or pellets). It is launched out of the firearm, but the lighter mass and design have it fall away soon after discharge.
- Bullet: The projectile launched out of the end of the firearm.
- Load: This can be a single projectile (slug) or multiple ones (shot) which is launched out of the end of the firearm.
How much can you save?
This is an important factor as it can severely affect the decision for reloading. Why? It has to do with a factory cost baseline of ammunition, and we’ll use cheap factory ammunition.
- Shotgun: 12ga 2-3/4″, #7.5 lead shot. Prices are $8 per box of 25, or $0.32 per round.
- Rifle: .223 Remington 55gr FMJ, Prices are $12 per box of 20, or $0.60 per round.
- Rifle: .300 Winchester Magnum, 180gr SP. Prices are $30 per box of 20, or $1.50 per round.
- Handgun: 9x19mm Parabellum, 124gr RN. Prices are $18 per box of 50, or $0.36 per round.
Lets go right to reloading costs. DISCLAIMER! The author does NOT reload for shotgun and therefore cannot comment on the direct costs associated to reloading that particular genre of shooting. Plus all prices are approximate, there may be certain brands/sales where factory ammunition is indeed cheaper than reloading, but those are few and far between in TPF’s experience…
- Primers are about $0.04 apiece and with moderate loads all brass can be reused for 6 reloads, with many smaller cases lasting 10, 15 or more reloads.
- Brass costs per reload for .223/.300/9mm, assuming 6 reloads from spent factory ammunition is $0.10/0.30/0.06 respectively.
- Powder costs approximately $40 per pound, which is 7000 grains of powder. Case capacity for moderate loads of .223/.300/9mm equate to 25/75/5 grains of powder per respective load or a per round cost of $0.15/0.45/0.03.
- Bullets are the area where costs can be significantly reduced. Typical replacement bullet costs are wholly dependent on mass and construction. in the case of the .223 Remington, 55gr FMJ bullets can be obtained for as low as $0.15 each, and for the .300 WM; aftermarket hunting bullets are roughly $35 per 100 pieces. Plated bullets for the 9mm can be found for $0.11 each.
- Adding up the totals for reloading. .223 Remington can be reloaded for $0.44, or a savings of $0.16 per round. .300WM for $1.14 each or a savings of $0.36 per round. With 9mm, reloading at $0.25 saves $0.11 per factory round.
These numbers are the BASIC savings, as factory ammunition quality/brand increases so do the costs per round. As an example, a high performance .300WM box of ammunition can reach $45+ per box. That jumps the costs per factory round to $2.25 each, and reloading would increase the bullet cost to closer to $0.66 each or $1.45 per reload for a resultant $0.80 saving per round…
So now that we see how much actual savings that can be had with reloading, we get into usage?
How much center-fire ammunition do you shoot annually?
Are you a hunter and if you are lucky shoot a 20-25 rounds of ammunition in a single year? Do you target shoot for fun and use up 100-200 rounds a year or do you compete and throw thousands of rounds downrange every year? This is one of the most important factors to consider if determining to get into reloading. It is a part of the return on investment, ROI, of reloading equipment. As we have already discussed the basic savings per round of reloading, you can determine your ROI. Reloading equipment is not free and what would work best for a re-loader depends on how much shooting is actually done. There are several types of reloading presses and equipment available, every single one can do what it was meant to do. Reload ammunition with the necessary components.
- Portable re-loader kit: A small self-contained reloading kit. Runs about $40-$75. Experienced reloading rate of about 20+ rounds per hour. Can be transported easily. Examples include Lee Loader, Lee hand press, etc…
- Single Stage Press: Only allows for single reloading die to be utilized at a time, therefore only one cartridge receives the associated operation at a time. Base prices range from $100 to $250. Experienced reloading rate of about 40-80+ rounds per hour. Examples include RCBS Rockchucker, Hornady LNL Classic, etc…
- Turret Press: Allows for multiple dies to be installed, decreasing down time and allowing for a complete round to be manufactured by indexing the dies in sequence. Faster than a single stage due to less die change outs. Base prices range from $150 to $500. Experienced reloading rate of about 60-120+ rounds per hour. Examples include Redding T-7, RCBS Turret, Lee 4-Hole Turret, etc…
- Progressive press: Multiple dies, multiple cases at a time. A progressive press combines multiple shell die stations with a multiple case indexing device. Much greater speeds and complexity. Base prices range from $250 to $700. Experienced reloading rate of about 150-400+ rounds per hour. Examples include Dillon 650XL, Hornady LNL-AP, Lee Load Master, RCBS Pro 2000, etc…
Component #1, the reusable case
Component #2, primer
Component #3, Powder
Component #4, The bullet
180gr .40 S&W, 6th reload (left) vs. factory. Not as shiny but still 100% functional!
Now that you have basics to compare, you can see that what volume you shoot will have an impact on what type of reloading press you might be interested in. If you shoot 100 rounds a year, are you willing to spend $500 on a press. Even saving $0.80 per reload, this scenario would equate to over 6 years before seeing any actual savings… Yet a Lee Loader kit would have an ROI in just over 9 months. Shoot 10,000 rounds? Saving $0.11 a round adds up fast every year!
How much is your free time worth?
You have an idea of reload rates from the basic numbers given above, and even those are flexible depending on what additional options you decide on. Case feeders, electronic scales, case preparation tools, tumblers, even bullet feeders and motorized press drive units. All can contribute to changing your reloading rates. However, the next question is how much is your free time worth? Do you as a re-loader want to spend 1/2/4/8/more hours a week/month/year reloading? Is reloading a chore or a form of meditation? If time equals money, or a lack of time is the issue, one can decide that a higher production volume is worth the extra financial expenditure in the beginning. If you reload for multiple calibres, do you want multiple pre-setup presses, or just the components to interchange on a single press? These are questions you need to answer long before you even decide on the type of press you would like… However, if your time is plentiful and considered free, the author can guarantee that the majority of re-loaders want you over to help them reload…
Appreciating Reloading…
The true appreciation of reloading has several levels. One of those appreciations comes with shooting a less costly ammunition with expected results. Another is the fact that via reloading, an individual can “tune” a reload to function superbly in their firearm, by recoil, accuracy, and general performance. Tuning is not fast and can involved myriads of combinations and can be regulated down to the finest detail including brass weights and concentrically of bullets. The difference of a 100mm (4.0″) group at 100m (110 yds), versus a 12mm (0.5″) is moot to some and extremely satisfying to others. One of the final and most overlooked appreciations of reloading is the fact that you are shooting something that YOU made. Self-satisfaction of a job well done is evident when the bullet hits the target that was aimed at.
There is one small detail worth mentioning however. As most re-loaders will inform those who ask about saving money; Yes, reloading allows an individual to save money when doing a factory to reloaded round cost comparison, but reloading usually makes it likely that you will shoot MORE ammunition! “I used to shoot 1000 rounds of 9mm ammo annually prior to reloading and I saved $0.10 a round by reloading, but now I shoot 2000 rounds a year… I spend more now…”
TPF is proud to be able to present this basic reloading checklist for prospective re-loaders. However, TPF does not endorse any one reloading company, as we would hope that readers can make their own informed decisions with some research and knowing what they require. Should you decide to take the reloading plunge, Congratulations!
Promoting Shooting?
The concept that guns are bad needs to be corrected!
In Canada, more acutely in Ontario, the display and use of firearms in an entirely legal manner has under gone many years of social engineering and regulation. Gone are the decades past when you and your other high school buddies brought their .22LR rifles to school for show and tell. Gone are the years past when the schools had rifle clubs and small shooting ranges established on school property. Gone are the days of being able to show off your firearm to friends and neighbours as a source of pride and safe recreational activity.
Or is it? Some are trying to break out of that mold, such as outgoing and publicized events like the following:
TPF had the chance to attend the East Elgin Sportmen’s Association’s (EESA) 11th Annual Open House, which was held just this weekend on the 11th & 12th of June. Being TPF’s first time at EESA, it was an awesome event to see the numbers of EESA club members which helped make this event possible. Now in its 11th year of running, the EESA Open House has continually grown and helped promote shooting for exactly what it is. A fun enjoyable recreation when performed safely. Safety is always the number one priority, with having fun a very close second. TPF talked to literally dozens of people and when asked how much they were looking forwards to the day, or how they liked their time at the open house; the answers were ALWAYS with smiles and positive attitudes.
Jennifer Eichenberg has a BUSY day feilding EESA membership questions.
EESA’s current president, John Evers, is a stalwart supporter of promoting shooting and encouraging people to at least know about firearms by experiences such as that offered during the EESA Open House. While appearing to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of organized chaos involved in running the open house, TPF talked to a few of the EESA members present and they agreed that the passion that Mr. Evers has is one of the top ten things that are required to make this sort of event successful. John’s skills and passionate disposition to firearms has him running several high profile roles including being a Regional Director for the CSSA and a successful media personality for firearms related issues. John has been quoted as saying that the EESA Open House is “The best weekend of the year for me.” At the end of day two of the event, he and his crew of volunteers are spent physically. Emotionally, they all love it as the event allows them to bring smiles to the faces of others and it is immensely satisfying to teach new shooters how to have fun with firearms in a safe environment.
Day one of the Open House was not the best in terms of weather with a small smattering of rain imposing itself, but when all was said and done, nearly 80 people were lined up at the entrance waiting for the event to open at 10:00am Saturday morning… Taking a quick tour around the facilities proved to be very enlightening. The various ranges were appropriated for various firearm groups. Indoor facilities were strictly for Handguns while the 85m range was dedicated to smallbore and air rifles. At the 100m range, dozens of firearms were available for use in some of the more popular calibres currently used by the shooting community Exotic and larger calibres, such as the incomparable .50BMG were located at the 300m range. By the end of the first day, the numbers showed that 586 people came through the gates to attend the open house.
A youth tries out a .223 rifle
Never shot before, a .22LR starts him off.
The second day of the open house was less wet, but was several degrees colder during the day and the wind picked up significantly. That did not discourage the multitudes of people from flocking to the gates of EESA to have their chance at shooting one or more firearms. Not surprisingly some of the most popular firearms were AR-15’s (Of which there were at least 3 at the 100m range). Add in the additional rifles chambered in .223 Remington and it was a foregone conclusion that by 3:30PM on Sunday, there was not a single un-fired round of that calibre remaining at the entirety of EESA.
The rack is missing over a dozen rifles being used by attendees
Just a listing of SOME of the firearm calibres that were being offered:
- .177 Pellet, .17 HMR
- .204 Ruger, .22 LR, .22 WMR, .22-250 Remington, .223 Remington
- .270 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, .308 Winchester, 7.62 x 39mm
- .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 Weatherby Magnum, .30-06 Springfield
- .338 Lapua, .375 H&H, .45/70 Government, .50 BMG
- 9 x 19mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .44 Remington Magnum, .50 Action Express
- AND MORE!!! (including the tons of 12ga)
The lineup at 100m, typical for the entire open house
For a chance to try Trap was well attended.
Just a sampling of rifles available at the smallbore section
The most convincing aspect of how much people are enticed into trying these events is obvious by the line ups for the various ranges. The longest line ups were for handguns with some people waiting nearly 90 minutes to have their chance at firing a handgun for their very first time. Their was a separate line up to shoot the custom .50 BMG rifle at the 300m range and you could hear that shot clear across the length of EESA’s property. Despite a steep cost per shot there was no shortages of takers to try out the giant .50 BMG rifle with line ups usually being thirty or forty people in length.
By the end of day two the weather was thankfully cool, the volunteer’s bodies were tired and feet sore, and the sense of another great Open House at EESA was evident. Day two’s final tally posted a record 829 attendees for a weekend total of 1415 people who attended this year’s 2011 EESA Open House. What a remarkable event dedicated to getting the public to come and try shooting for the very first time and educating those who attend that the use of a firearm can be a great source of fun and recreation.
Littering the ground, the aftermath of the EESA Open House is purely clean up...
Update: June 14th, 2011. Total round count during the 2 day event, 63565 rounds of ammuntion. That is an average of 45 rounds of ammuntion PER attendee!
The Canadian Shooting Sports Association – aka CSSA
I joined the CSSA nearly 5 years ago because of a series of events beginning with a desire to find out more about guns and reloading.
Now I have owned various firearms for just over a decade. I’ve since bought firearms and resold them to other licensed individuals all across Canada. I still have my first shotgun sitting in a corner of my gun safe. That Cooey 840, single shot, break-action shotgun has actually shot more flats of 12ga than any other shotgun I have owned since, although my Mossberg 500 is soon catching up. When I bought that Cooey at my first firearm auction, I paid $12.50 for the shotgun and $25 to the government to register it. At that time I had unwittingly given up being a trusted Canadian Citizen by becoming an official firearms owner here. The path of who I am today started there…
The chain of events started in mid-2005 when I was looking for reloading data for my newest acquisition; a dedicated moose rifle chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum… Up until then I had a couple shotguns and a pair of well used .22’s. During the google searching I came across a link to a post in an online forum. That post gave me the beginnings of the reloading bug and a desire to learn even more about all the different firearms out there. That forum was Canadian Gun Nutz, aka CGN. Finding CGN turned out to be both a blessing and a curse, as I began to learn more and more about all sorts of firearms, accessories, reloading, and events, I started to realize just how little actually knew about firearms and realized how much the legislation involved in firearms ownership was geared specifically to deter people from wanting to own or possess them. During the next few months I began to learn about the political side of “gun control” and the decline of firearms owners due to the cost and confusion surrounding the firearms act brought in by 1995’s Bill C-68. It was here that I first came across the organization called the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, or CSSA for short.
In 2006 I had an opportunity to attend the SHOT Show as a guest of a friend I knew… The Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show was like a new world to me at the time. Firearms of every shape, size, and calibre was present at the show; from pocket purse pistols, to over/under shotguns worth over $100K apiece… On a whim I decided to attend a gathering in what would become a pivotal point in my life. During the week of the SHOT Show I attended a small gathering hosted by the CSSA. There I met Tony Bernardo, the #1 pro-gun lobbyist in Canada, after talking to him and a couple of others from the CSSA who were in attendance, I joined up on the spot.
The CSSA is the arguably the best pro-firearms organization available in Canada. From their lobby efforts at all levels of Canadian government as well as on the international stage, the CSSA has done extremely well for the limited manpower, and limited finances available for them. Starting in 2000, from a merger of the Ontario Handgun Association and the Ontario Smallbore Federation, when it was deemed that an effective National Voice was required to protect and enhance the rights of the Canadian Firearms Community. Over the years I have found myself more and more in agreement with the actions and activities promoted by the CSSA and since then I have progressed through the ranks of the CSSA. I started as just a member and worked through being a Field Representative, to a Regional Director, and recently elected to the Board of Directors itself. It has been five years since that fateful meeting and since then I have done things and met people I would never have thought possible to do, all in the name of being a Pro-Firearms Advocate.
Some of the things which I have done since:
1. Traveled across the country on behalf of the CSSA, and represented firearms owners across Canada.
2. Meeting the Prime Minister of Canada. Not just once, but several times.
3. Have written and had published hundreds of letters, articles, and reviews associated to firearms.
4. Met and befriended many like-minded individuals, many of whom I would trust my life with.
5. Met the current and past presidents of the NRA, and many other firearms prominent celebrities.
6. Interviewed and conversed with many, many others I would have never otherwise dreamed of approaching, such as actor Thomas Jane (HBO’s Hung, Punisher).
In truth, since that meeting, I have become more self-confident, self-aware, and outgoing, and in my opinion, a much better person.
I love my family and friends, they are the reason I joined the CSSA and decided to volunteer much of my free time. I want my children to be able to do the following:
1. To allow them the ABILITY to use all firearms in a safe responsible manner. If firearms are inaccessible and verboten, nobody can enjoy them legally.
2. To allow them the CHOICE to use firearms if they desire. It is a choice of the individual to use firearms in a responsible manner. If they choose not to use firearms for fun, sport, sustenance, and/or defence; that is their choice. Do NOT assume make that choice for others.
It is these primarily reasons why I am in this fight to protect and enhance our rights in Canada. Help support our efforts. Join the CSSA today!
And a ringing endorsement by Brian Lovig from the Daily Split!
What a roller-coaster…. Post Election!
Well it was 6 weeks of utter chaos and lack of sleep so TPS apologizes for the delay in posting any new reviews. Helping our local Conservative Party of Canada candidate try to be re-elected for a third term. Some of the activities are as follows:
- Hundreds and hundreds of lawn signs installed (including TWO on my front lawn)!
- Canvassing several hundred homes across 96 km^2 (37 miles^2) of riding.
- Dropping literature at several thousand apartments in the riding.
- Attending several local region all-canadate debates
- Attending several local region campaign rallys (including 3 with the party leader, Stephen Harper, present).
- The letters written to the various newspapers.
- Scrutineering on election night to ensure fair & impartial accounting of the votes.
That doesn’t even include the 40 hours a week I work to earn a living, nor the dozens of hours and weekends volunteering for the CSSA during the same 6 week stretch. In the end a victory the Conservative Party of Canada. On May 2nd, 2011, for the election of Canada’s 41st Government, 14,720,580 individuals cast their votes to elect a 308 seat parliament. With 61.4% voter turnout, the CPC won 54.2% of the seats for a clear majority government.
With a majority mandate, the much discussed, heavily debated, Long-Gun Registry should be finally removed after years of promises and a multitude of attempts in a minority government. That means a WIN for the Canadian Firearms Community, and a great first step to responsible, effective firearms legislation which penalizes criminals, not those of us who are law-abiding at heart.
My MP (Member of Parliament), Harold Albrecht, defeated all challengers handily (by over 17,000 votes above either of the two major challengers). However, on what should have been his greatest day of triumph, tragedy struck. After a great leisurely day, Mr. & Mrs. Albrecht finished dinner and were preparing to attend the CPC gathering hoping for a victory party to ensue… Mrs. Albrecht, claimed a sudden severe headache and then passed into unconsciousness. 38 hours later, Mrs. Betty Albrecht passed away from spontaneous intracranial hemorrhaging, more commonly known as a brain aneurysm. When he could have been celebrating his third term elected, Harold and his family were surrounding Betty at a Hamilton hospital, praying for her.
I am sure you will understand that if I state, I would have rather lost the riding than have such events happen to such a great individual. I have only known the Albrechts for the last 5 years, and I am a better person for knowing Harold, Betty and their selfless family. Thank you Harold, for your values, commitment to family, and above all else, your unyielding devotion to your beliefs.
Betty Albrecht, 1952 – 2011
To give you an understanding of how much Betty was loved:
On Valentine’s Day in 2008, Albrecht rose in the House of Commons to pay tribute to his wife.
“While the list of those who have influenced my life and encouraged me along my journey is a long one, there is one person to whom I am most indebted and who deserves great thanks on this very special day: My wife Betty,” he said.
“I will never be able to thank Betty for her faithful commitment over the past 36 years, but today I want her to know how deeply she is loved. I am grateful that God has blessed my life with her as my best friend and wife.”
The two days of visitations had over 1200 individuals attend. At the funeral, several dozen other MP’s and their spouses attended the funeral of Betty Albrecht on their OWN volition. Plus add in Prime Minister of Canada as well as the dozen or so local politico’s (mayor’s councillors, MPP’s, etc…) should give you some idea of how well-respected and loved Harold and Betty were in the community and in Ottawa. The church holding the funeral, regularly seats 900+ people. They had stackable chairs against each other in the aisles and another room opened up downstairs to allow more people to be in attendance, to accommodate nearly 1200 people attending to pay their respects and show their love and support to the Albrecht family… Betty will be missed by many, but never forgotten.
Great…. Another Election…
Whelp… I know it has been a couple of days, but what a surprise.. Another election… Now I’ll state up front that I am a Conservative supporter, they have many ideals which appeal to me more so than most of the other parties. How you choose to vote and your reasons are entirely your own.
That being said, here in Canada there are really only a select few registered parties whom are not anti-gun in some form or another. Yes a CPC policy plank is to get rid of the long gun registry. However, anyone who thinks that every CPC MP is agrees with that is blind to a fault in regards to the CPC. That being said, the CPC are the only party is not anti-gun.
The Liberals have campaigned in the past to ban handguns, and ban semiautomatic firearms.
The NDP have stated that handguns have no place in urban areas.
Let me state that firstly both parties are spewing complete and utter BS when it comes to the typical anti-gun rhetoric. “If it only saves one life!” is a common phrase used by the anti-gun proponents to appear to justify their anti-gun crusades. Yet when it comes to spending coin to keep our military alive, they scream it’s a colossal waste of money. hypocrites! The Liberal Party of Canada, backed by the NDP and the Bloc state that $35 billion is too much money for F-35 fighters. Excuse me?
The current aircraft of the air force is the F-18 Hornet whose design is over 30 years old. $35 Billion dollars for 65 aircraft over 30 years. That includes spare parts, support structure and training to both fly and maintain the aircraft. In 2009, Canada spent $20.5 billion on its military forces or 1.3% of Canada’s GDP. Now to put that into perspective, an Airbus 320 passenger plane costs nearly $100 million apiece and another $8 million annually on maintainance costs for a simple slow moving people mover. 65 X $108 million = $7 billion alone, not including the training, support staff, and replacement parts… Wait a minute… Where is the level of overspending????
Obviously the blatant use of single figures not broken down is a common tactic used to bridge suggestions to an audience; $35 billion sounds worse when you do not state it comes from $1.16 Billion per year in spending. This is especially rich coming from the Liberals, who sent our military over to the deserts of Afghanistan, knowingly into harm’s way, and equipped with GREEN uniforms and NO transportation. Oh yeah, that is right, the LIBERALS cancelled our helicopter order back in the 1990’s.
I really don’t care if you believe in the “mission” our forces have over in the sandbox, I do believe that everyone should support our troops 100%. That means the best training and equipment possible. Please ensure that you support our troops by stopping by HERE.
I would rather the members of our armed forces return home to their loved one in embraces of hugs and smiles than in draped boxes. YOU can help that.
Please get out and vote. These men and women who are sacrificing their innocence, risking their lives and combatting evil as carrying at great tradition of prottecting Canada so that we can have the freedoms and choices not available in many other societies. Voting for our elected leaders is but one small part of that legacy, please honour it.
To keep it back to a firearms related topic, many businesses across Canada, which sell firearms and accessories support our troops. Darren Cole @ One Shot Tactical comes foremost to mind. To our troops abroad and at home, keep safe and godspeed.
Blades and Multi-tools – EDC and otherwise…
S&W Spec-Ops knive & SOG Power Pliers
Lets be frank. I am not a knife guy. I will be the first person to tell you that, when it comes to any sort of blade or edged tool, I have very little experience and knowledge in regards to quality and metallurgy. Like many people, knives are simple tools to have around in case it is needed. As such, knives with price tags in the several hundred dollar range ar just as effective to me as those in the tens of dollar range. I’ll take a multi-tool over a knife everyday for usefulness. That being said I do carry both a knife and a multi-tool for every day carry (EDC). An SOG multi-tool has been a part of my wardrobe for over a decade and having it on my belt was part of my morning ritual and basically second nature, it has seen several countries and logged many thousands of kilometers with me. It has even been mailed home from the airport twice in recent years due to its common place at my side. The knife is newer to me as I only started having one for EDC in the last couple years.
Backgrounder:
This year at the SHOT Show, I meandered to the SOG booth in order to see about donations for fundraisers for the CSSA and while there I asked them if they could tighten my nearly 15 year old set of SOG Power Pliers. I had since worn out the awl and the blade to a bluntness best described as spoon-like, and the whole assembly was loose enough to give a balisong (butterfly knife) a run for it’s money in ease of opening. SOG surprised me by offering a brand new version to replace my old version (which still had Patent Pending on the handles). I accepted, and after a couple of weeks feeling naked with out the familiar tool at my side, a new one arrived. With it was a note stating that the donations for the CSSA were coming and that some sample products to review were as well.
The SOG booth was not alone in offering to let me review their products, and in every single case I told them that I was not that knowledgeable with blades. They all seemed to want to make me into a knife guy. I do pride myself in having an open mind and always seek new knowledge, and so it was with very little hesitation that I accepted their offers.
Upcoming in future TPF installments are coverage of blades and multi-tools from companies such as SOG, Gerber, and CRKT amongst many others. Stay tuned!
Toronto Sportsmen’s Show – March 16-20, 2011
March 16th:
Well, I’m going to head down to the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show tonight and for Thursday through Saturday, I’ll be helping man the CSSA booth and promoting said organization. I’ll be editing this post as the days progress and uploading an image or three from the show.
OH! Don’t forget to grab the $2 off coupon available from the CSSA HERE. Yeah it’s only $2 off the $19 admission fee, but $17 is better than $19.
March 17th:
CSSA booth across from air range
Well, spent the day volunteering for the CSSA Booth, barely got to wander around and see what was around. As always I have tons of fun interacting with people and promoting the CSSA. Add up a dozen or so new members and a few dozen bits of CSSA swag. I forgot my media card reader however… Maybe send my loving wife to FutureShop for one…
So on day one of my participation, I had brought down a couple rifles to display at one of the two CSSA booths. Displayed both of my late uncle’s hunting rifles, a Savage 99E (.308 Win), and a 1960’s era Weatherby Vanguard (.300WM). The latter is all original and immaculate. It drew in many of the hunters who admired those beautiful lines of the Weatherby and the classic lever goodness of the Savage.
March 18th:
Once again showed up for volunteering with the CSSA. I really seem to enjoy talking to people about the CSSA. While I doubt I could ever be a media face/debater for the CSSA like Tony B. or John E, it is always fun for me to engage in face to face discussions. In addition to the above mentioned rifles, today brought out the M-1 Garand with a couple en-bloc clips and a bayonet. Amazing to see so many younger people stop and admire the Garand. Call of Duty and/or Medal of Honor video gamers who got to see the real thing. Considering I bought the Garand specifically because I wanted to see if the “P-TING” of an ejecting en-bloc was true from my playing of CoD, I cannot fault these gamers at all. Busy day and once again, another 10AM to 8 PM shift, made for another long, yet rewarding day. Since the CSSA provided IPSC with a spot right next to one of the CSSA booth in the hunting hall, I was able to have a great conversation with Pat Harrison for nearly 45minutes. What a great person to talk to about training, action shooting and camaraderie of the shooting community. I think he thoroughly enjoyed himself in promoting IPSC in such a venue.
Had one individual come back around near 8PM and us (CSSA) packing up, just so they could hold an actual Garand. Always happy to oblige.
March 19th:
CSSA booth in the "Hunting Hall"
Never did get around to getting a flash card reader… Today was my last volunteer day for the CSSA, once again brought out the three rifles, and the Garand once again was the most popular. Worked the booths from 10PM to 3PM and finally had a couple hours to wander the show and ended up buying a nice hoodie and a flag for “Support Our Troops”. By the end of the third day, my feet were done, voice was to a point that I couldn’t yell, and I was thoroughly sick of dragging my gun case with rifles back and forth… Glad my part is over and even looking forwards to the next one.
Some people may say the show is not as good as it once was, and my response would be that change forced a reboot of sorts. I do miss the old facilities (Parking is 5x better and the single floor layout is so much nicer to navigate), but I’m happy because otherwise there would not be a Hunting Hall due to former Mayor Miller’s ideological idiocy.
It was about time.
You heard it right. Due to changes in the magazine frequency and the newsletter contents that I contributed to, the articles just were being written far more often than were being published in print media. So this is the first entry in what hopefully will become the basis of a continuous and informative media listing of reviews and product displays of items which are AVAILABLE to the Canadian Market.
Most firearm related sights focus on the firearms themselves. TPF will focus on the extras, the accessories, the complimenting bits and pieces, and will give a personal (hopefully unbiased) opinion. That does not mean we will never look at guns, but they are just a single aspect of the firearms industry.
On behalf of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, thank you for visiting TPF, and I hope that you enjoy the articles and reviews, maybe learn something new or interesting. I would hope that if you are not already, that you become a member of the premier firearms advocacy group in Canada, the CSSA!
Tactical, Practical & Fantastical 