Words By: Wally F.     Photos By: Wally F.

……….Early morning and I’m driving through a dense fog down a back country road towards a day of shooting.  This is how my TAC West experience started this year.

……….The annual conference for law enforcement and military in western Canada, TAC West hosts specialized courses for front line officers, tactical, and SWAT teams.  Millbrook Tactical and ONN Training hosted patrol shooting and other courses for officers in attendance at the CDTSA Milo Range in Vulcan county Alberta.  With Officers from all over the province in attendance TAC West is a hub for passing on the latest training techniques at their range shoots.

……….Also out on the range were companies debuting hardware such as Bad Rock Rifles, directly affiliated with Defiance Machine, they unveiled their line of precision rifles at the range.  Based in Montana, USA, their barrels and actions are custom built.  Bedded in MDT chassis and sporting Trigger Tech packs with a large portion of their system parts made in Canada.  When asked about it, founder Glen and Mike said it had nothing to do with Canadian gear and everything to do with sourcing the best parts for their precision rifle systems, and if they happened to be Canadian, so be it, their US dollar goes even further up here.

……….Shooting Bad Rocks .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor rifles were intuitive and very easy.  I’m not a PRS or distance shooter, so when I can key hole rounds at 200 meters without trying, you know a rifle is well built.  Ideally I would have liked to punch the rifle out past the 500 or 600 or 800 meters to really test the builds, the current range we were at was limited in that respects.  I have no doubt that their rifle will be a hit in the PRS community, agency sharp shooters, and even civilian hunters.  Bad Rock built very light weight and accurate rifles.  I look forward to seeing more from them in the near future.

……….The show floor in Calgary had premier companies from western Canada in attendance showing off their latest kit, firearms, hardware, and software. One such company is Joint Force Tactical.  A company out of Chilliwack, B.C.  It is a veteran and LEO owned store that services the British Columbia interior with the latest products for military and law enforcement.  Owner Daniel is well versed in his products and has been supplying his area for quite sometime now.  Any one current in the Canadian Armed Forces knows about the BOOTFORGEN requirements for outside purchase and reimbursement of boots while on duty.  Joint Force Tactical has anticipated the demand and has plenty of choices of footwear that meet the requirement and is ready to sell.

……….Moving along with the military theme I stopped over at Meggitt Training Systems.  Anyone in the Canadian Army will be familiar with the SAT Trainer/FATS system.  Essentially a video game version of a live fire range with actual converted firearms to practice and conduct drills either for a qualification or scenario training.  Having seen Meggitt’s system at SHOT Show earlier this year, I know their training systems have virtually limitless configurations tailored for their clients.  In the next coming weeks they have an RFP pushed out for individual units military/LEO/ and civilian for upgrades to current systems.  In the army’s case, software patches, screen and projector upgrades to high definition and cleaner, easier interfaces to work with.  I was assured that these mid-life upgrades are very much well within unit annual budgets, it just a matter of making the call.

……….What some people might not know is that Meggitt also developed and supplies live fire range setups for training of small arms as well.  They have a state of the art bullet trap system that is actually cheaper, safer, and more environmentally cleaner than traditional dirt and sand back stops.  They also have a variety of electronic scoring and target systems that are currently in use at many military bases and LEO agencies.  If you have more interest in this, Meggitt has an extensive list of videos on their YouTube channel that outlines all their systems and what they have to offer.

……….Over at Korth Group, Adam gave me a rundown of what they have to offer right now.  In addition to being an approved Leupold dealer, they carry a full line of Proof Research products as well.  The highlight though is the POF Revolution and Renegade Plus rifles.  With a lot of talk of semi-auto .308 builds lately you can’t ignore the Revolution.  A .308 platform rifle with the weight of a .223 AR.  In fact their BCG is a .223 BCG with a .308 bolt in a .223 receiver.  Obviously with a wider magazine well to house .308 rounds the BCG also has a unique round bearing designed cam pin to reduce weight and friction.  Also in the lower receiver there are two nylon screws to the left and right on the frame near the rear take down pin that your can adjust up or down to increase the tightness of the fit between the upper and lower to prevent shifting and wobble when making those longer shots, hence better accuracy.  Another upgrade I really like in the lower receiver is a bolt lock button recessed inside the trigger guard towards the front so that you can lock the bolt to the rear without taking your fire control hand off fire control and eliminating the need for an after market B.A.D. lever.  A .308 platform in the weight and size of a .223 AR is definitely an eye brow raiser in my books.

……….The gentlemen over at Black Box Customs has not let up on the gas since starting their custom Cerakote, milling, stippling, parts, and builds company.  With over 3000+ projects completed they have been the subject matter experts for customizing firearms, especially polymer frame pistols for quite sometime now.  They have upped their stippling game recently too to include a variety of grips in addition to their traditional Fine Point, they have added their Shale, Fracture, and Granulate designs.  Keeping in mind that their Granulate design may just look like they slapped on some skateboard tape, it just isn’t so.  They use a specific epoxy mix to bond the highly tactile and course grip to the firearm so that heat and wear don’t affect its placement especially if you are engaging long strings of fire in a row and bringing the heat.  Black Box Customs has also just successfully completed an agency’s Tac Team build of enhanced service pistols with MRDS that are fully compliant with agency standards, issued retention gear, and are fully operational on the streets right now.  If your agency or unit is look for sidearm or pistol upgrades you really need to contact Jay over at Black Box Customs right now.

……….I had an excellent conversation with the team over at 911 Supply.  They have been a staple for years, supplying first responders with top notch equipment, gear, and advice.  Nothing has changed… with the exception of their ongoing renovation at their store front.  They are expanding their retail space and organizing their store lay out to better serve their customers.  They’re expecting a grand reopening ideally before Christmas of this year, if it’s sooner, even better.  They demoed the 2019 Arcteryx LEAF line of the ATOM LT.  It looks and feels awesome, the new year can’t come around fast enough.  Like other retail tactical stores, they are also aware of the Canadian Armed Forces BOOTFORGEN requirements and have been trying to keep their supply of boots stocked as best they can.  When they reopen their new and improved store, hopefully a fresh supply of footwear will come with it as well!

……….Coming in fresh off the Patrol Pistol course they held at the TAC West range day.  The gentlemen, owners, and former special forces veterans of ONN Training also took time out of their day to sit down with me briefly to discuss the current state of training in the firearms world, military, and law enforcement.

……….Having spent years training foreign military and police in other countries, ONN Training has aspirations to expand their expertise to enhancing not only civilian firearms owners with safe and judicious marksmanship in target shooting and competition but also training law enforcement and assisting agencies enhance and improve their existing shooting programs and standards.  If you are interested they are running their Pistol Fundamentals Course (PFC) October 27-28, and November 17-18, with their follow up course Balance, Speed, Accuracy (BSA) October 6-7, November 3-4, and December 1-2.

……….You don’t have to travel far or pay a fortune to get excellent training and products if you’re located out in western Canada and I think like this year as in years past TAC West has been an excellent showcase to prove my point.

For your regular cravings in the firearms world in Canada and beyond be sure to follow TV-PressPass on Facebook and myself Wally F. on Instagram.

Reporting for TV-PressPass

Wally F.

Words by: Wally F.          Photos by: Wally F.

……….In America in late 1960’s and early 1970’s the Armalite AR-18 design was powered off of a short-stroke gas piston system that allowed for a very compact build that had recoil springs in the receiver instead of in the butt stock. This allowed for folding stocks to shorten it’s overall length but still function properly. In 2003 ArmaLite introduced a model featuring a polymer lower receiver, this rifle the AR-180-B, accepted AR-15 trigger groups, magazine releases, and magazines. The AR-180-B received poor sales worldwide and wasn’t adopted readily, as a result in 2007 production was discontinued.

……….Fast forward to Canada and today. The Kodiak Defence WK180-C, the successor to the AR-180-B, is manufactured in Canada and is based off of an existing Non-restricted platform, the AR-180-B. The WK180-C meets all the legal requirements for a non-restricted firearm.

……….The WK 180-C has taken the AR-180B design and refined it even more. Chambered in .223 Wylde it will reliably fire .223 REM and 5.56 NATO ammunition with no issues. An integrated 1913 picatinny rail flows along the top of the rifle on a free floating hand guard in M-Lok (the model I handled was in KeyMod) you can mount the optic of your desire on top of the WK 180-C. Picking the rifle up it handles and feels exactly like the AR platform. The design lines on the rifle are straight angular and sharp, it feels like the rifle is beckoning you to run it hard on the range.

Specifications

Manufacturer: Kodiak Defence

Model: WK180-C

Calibre: 5.56 NATO / .223 REM

Action: Semi-Auto

Safety Type: Ambidextrous

Trigger Type: AR 15

Barrel Specifications: 18.7 inch Chrome Moly. Medium Heavy.

Twist Rate: 1:8

Gas System: Short Stroke Gas Piston

Muzzle Device: A2 Flash Hider. 1/2 x 28 tpi

Upper Receiver: Aircraft Grade 6061-T6 Aluminum

Lower Receiver: Aircraft Grade 6061-T6 Aluminum

Furniture: Retractable

Handguard: Free Float, 1913 and M-Lok

Sights: Not Included

Finish: Black hard Coat Anodized Class III

Capacity: 5

Weight: 7.25 lbs

Overall Length: 36.7 inches

Condition: New

Classification: Non-Restricted

Accessories Included: Two 5 Round Magazines

……….With the first shipment of WK 180-C’s projected to be at retailers and dealers by May/June of this year, it’s the perfect time and weather to be hitting your local ranges, back country, and Crown land with a new all Canadian built rifle in your hands. The estimated continued production schedule of the WK180-C will be approximately 50 + rifles per week initially. This output will increase as production ramps up later on in the year. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a demo and really putting it through it’s paces. To be able to obtain a non-restricted semi-automatic rifle with a price point at around $1000 Cdn is a big achievement for Kodiak Defence and Wolverine Supplies. The fact that’s it’s 100% built in Canada is just a bonus. If you haven’t already pre-ordered the WK180-C go hit up the Wolverine Supplies website to get in on it.

For your regular cravings in the firearms world in Canada and beyond be sure to follow TV-PressPass on Facebook and myself Wally F. on Instagram.

Reporting for TV-PressPass

Wally F.

Words by: Wally F.          Photos by: TACCOM Canada

……….While most people in the firearms and related industries are gearing up for IWA in Nuremberg, Germany.  In typical understated Canadian fashion, folks up here in the true north strong and free are quietly launching our very own shooting sports and tactical tradeshow: TACCOM Canada.

……….With 40 booths of vendors ranging from industry heavy hitters such as HK, CZ, Vortex, Blue Force Gear, Sig Sauer, Mossberg, Glock, and more it is also featuring a plethora of great Canadian companies ranging from firearms manufacturers, training companies, to support gear shops, and soft goods such as Nanuk, Highlander Tactical, O’Dell Engineering, Maple Ridge Armoury, and Arrowhead Coffee Company.  There is an eclectic mix of made in Canada talent being gathered under one roof.

……….With Firearms Outlet Canada being a sponsor along with Calibre Magazine and Canadian Access To Firearms, the foundation is set to having a very successful freshmen show.

 

“TACCOM Canada welcomes the leading manufacturers and Industry Leaders within the Tactical and Competitive shooting communities with the aim of engaging our diverse shooting landscape. We are committed to breaking new ground and providing the Canadian shooting sports community with not only a one of a kind experience, but the first of its kind. Join top manufacturers and industry leaders as we come together under one roof to celebrate the products, competitions, and lifestyle that any firearms owner can enjoy.  TACCOM is dedicated to showcasing the very best of the tactical and competitive shooting disciplines with regards to products, training and making industry leaders accessible. We invite you to join our maiden voyage towards the new face of shooting in Canada. TACCOM 2018 is only the beginning.”

……….The nature of the scene in Canada usually means that the firearms, training, and sporting community is smaller compared to our counterparts to the south.  While at first glance that might seem like a disadvantage by numbers, I see this as a great advantage.  A closer and tighter knit community of professionals in-front of, behind, and around the guns working to improve products, training, and support.  My hope is that TACCOM will be the first of many and that the constructive environment that the sponsors have designed around this show will benefit the industry and sport in general and have a lasting effect.

……….TACCOM Canada is roughly under a month away in Ajax, Ontario on the weekend of March 24th and 25th.  Tickets are free, you just have to sign up on their website. Even if you’re not in the Ontario area that weekend it’ll be worth the drive, fly, run there.  Support made in Canada where you can and as often as you can.

For your regular cravings in the firearms world in Canada and beyond be sure to follow TV-PressPass on Facebook and myself Wally F. on Instagram.

Reporting for TV-PressPass

Wally F.

Words by: Wally F.           Photos by: Shaun Arntsen, Tracey Wilson, and CCFR

……….Here’s is part two of my multi-part interview series with Tracey Wilson the Public Relations VP for the Canadian Coliation for Firearms Rights or the CCFR. Tracey and I talk about women in shooting sports, advocacy in Ottawa, and their new television show launching on Wild TV this fall.

Wally F.: What’s your opinion on women in shooting sports? How has it changed from when you were younger compared to how it’s like now?

Tracey Wilson: It’s completely different right, like when I was young woman when I started shooting it was, you know, boyfriend lesson, and he would lend me a 12 gauge and head out to the back forty and show me what to do. You know [there’s] just no empowerment, there was no, I don’t know it was kind of a guy thing and now you look out [there] and we’ve got women that are competing, we’ve got women going to the Olympics it’s incredible how much this community has grown, and for me, it’s especially important to continue to have women involved. You know with women, come the children, I know I bring my grandson to the range, he’s almost 5 I’ve had him out to the range a couple times and bring my daughter out to the range, and its like it used to be that guys would have the guy’s day with their buddies and they take off and head to the range and you know it wasn’t really so much a girl’s activity, but now that’s changed and the reason that’s changed is because the shooting sports is the one sport where literally everybody [is] on an even playing field, you know it doesn’t matter what age you are, it doesn’t matter what gender you are doesn’t even matter what size you are.

TW: Everybody can participate in the shooting sports, even people with disabilities or physical difficulties, you know everybody can participate and I think that’s unique to our sport because, I know if I want to try and join a floor hockey league, I’ll never keep up with them right, as well if I just went and joined a man’s football league well, I probably get squished so this is the one sport that’s truly unique in a manner that you can, anybody can do it, anybody can succeed and even age really doesn’t matter like Summer is 15, and she’s a better shot than the most adults I know so you know it’s more rewarding for the young people too when they’re able to do something and do it well as you know, I think times are changing and even women and advocacy, we’ve got some women in top positions within our organization, I know I am probably the first female gun lobbyist, I guess he could call it in Canada and I know when I go to different MPs or with public safety, and when I first started going around, it was almost like a novelty because I was a girl, right.

WF: I honestly can’t think of anyone else who’s female in the firearms lobby.

TW: We’ve got females in the antigun lobby. Of course, great. And that’s the thing as they sort of protect the you know violence against women thing and I’m all about making a safer Canada but I think we’ve just got to be rational and realistic so yes so we just sort of grew from there and then April of this year was when I became a paid staff [member] of the CCFR rather [than] volunteer so I resigned my position as a director and took up my new job and became a lobbyist and you know you can check on the lobby Canada records I’ll send you the link for it but you know I got some pretty impressive lobby records already and I think you know even just the demeanor of women sometimes I think we’ve been dealing with that kind of angry white guy syndrome, with the gun lobby over the past few decades, it’s always been the same faces, fists pounding on desk it’s you know a little bit hostile right.

TW: So when I go in there, I’m a mom and I’m a grandma is just sort of a difference, it’s a different atmosphere all together and you know it’s effective. To play the gender card be I’m going to play it to my advantage.

WF: I wouldn’t even say its a gender thing, I just think it’s more of a people just need to kind of look beyond the stereotypes.

TW: That’s exactly it. Breaking stereotypes right, left, and center. It’s never been this way before so we’re in uncharted territory and as you know it’s great we’ve had some wonderful successes and then we know last year we had the big project with the explainer videos and Rod’s always come up with all these really cool ideas on how to you know get more people involved and we started looking at the demographics as gun owners you know you got 2.2 million licensed gun owners in Canada but how come they not participating in advocacy how come you know the advocacy community is maybe one or two percent so where are they? You know we need them we’ve got to stop throwing that 2.2 million number around if they’re not going to participate because then the numbers are not valid.

WF: Why do you think it’s so fractured up here versus how it’s like in US? because we’re always compared against America, that comparison’s always made.

TW: Sure yeah I’ll tell you exactly why it is because in the United States just the culture itself [is] a little different right, up here you know hunting is more socially acceptable it’s even recognized politically it’s protected like a heritage law you know it’s more accepted however the rest of the shooting sports not so much. That’s why we’ve got a little bit of a divide is I think in general, hunters think that they’re not susceptible to the same legislation creation and burden that we face but they are because it’s like that [meme] going around Facebook all the time you know first they came for the semi-autos right, and then the next thing, and the next and that’s the thing you know… unless we are all content to be sitting around with our single shot shotguns I think we’ve got to get more together as a group and for the most part you know hunters and trappers just maybe aren’t even aware of some of the problems because maybe they do have you know firearms that are in a different classification and they don’t realize all the problems, so in an effort to reach out to that part of the community which is absolutely not preaching to the choir because like I said there not participating and we need them, we need the strength in numbers so we signed a deal with Wild TV and we have our own TV show coming up soon so we start filming for that I think like this winter or spring so shortly so the air in the next season so the 2018 and season one will air on Wild TV.

TW: This will be a show concentrating on the shooting sports in Canada and for the most part stuff like black rifles and hand guns now were going to highlight and promote [the] sport which is largely kind of ignored or hidden away and advertise it widely to the hunting community [which is] great. I know that I came from that community, I know everyone calls people who are of that mindset they call them “Fudds” or “Elmer Fudds” or something. I literally was a “Fudd” because I you know I only ever saw rifles and shotguns and I never knew I never was exposed to anything else and if you’re not going to step out of that box a little and explore what else is there in your sport you can get pretty bored of it that’s exactly where I was at. So I think it’s really important [to] reach out to these people and the aim of the show is going to be largely entertainment, but its always going to revert back to a message right, and it’s going to promote membership and it’s going to promote community and promote the sport you know. Each episode could have multiple segments, so we can cram a lot into each episode, it’s going to be super high action, super high entertainment and people are really going to love this and a 100 percent pure Canadian content so that’s never been done, nobody’s ever done that so this you know, I know I had Wild TV on my cable package for I don’t know how long maybe two decades and I loved it between hunting and fishing shows. You never see anything like that for Canada with you know a show just concentrating on the shooting sports and not so much the hunting community so we’re super excited about it.

TW: I know Rod is so creative and he’s working with the producers of the show, we’ve got a great team working on it, and I think people are just going to be completely blown away like this is huge, you know, in Canada, we’ve got you know we’ve got magazines and we’ve got you know social media, we’ve got a few other places where we can go and kind of absorb up some of our culture, but like mainstream TV, this is going to be amazing.

WF: I think don’t it’s been done before not in Canada anyways.

TW: America has had shows like I think “America Shoots” and you know there’s all kinds of different shows like that right.

WF: They literally have “NRA TV”.

TW: Yeah that’s it. Our show is going to be expensive, going to cost us some money, but ultimately I think it’s a really awesome use of member dollars because we’re going to grow the organization we’re going to grow the sport were going to grow recognition in the country like this, there’s no downside to it right and the entire community is going to benefit from it.

……….With production in progress for the show you can look for their show “The CCFR’s Down Range Canada” set to debut on Wild TV Canada during fall launch 2018.

……….To take a more in-depth look at the one of the many resources that the CCFR provides such as the Explainer videos check them out here: http://gundebate.ca/ To view Tracey’s official lobbying record with the federal government click here: https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/clntSmmry?clientOrgCorpNumber=359681&sMdKy=1513715653970&V_TOKEN=1513715653970

……….In the next part of my interview, Tracey and I go more depth with the average Canadian’s perception of firearms, the News and Hollywood effect, and the fear of the unknown, and what the CCFR is doing to dispell myths and empower non-firearm owning Canadians with knowledge of the sport, history, and facts surrounding firearms.

For your regular cravings in the firearms world in Canada and beyond be sure to follow TV-PressPass on Facebook and myself Wally F. on Instagram.

Reporting for TV-PressPass

Wally F.

Words By: Wally F.          Photos By: Wally F.

……….SHOT Show, another one bites the dust again.  Even though I stepped into Edward O’s shoes last December for TV-PressPass to continue to deliver firearms news, reviews, and promoting shooting sports and outdoor gear from Canada and beyond, it hasn’t sunk in until now.

……….I knew this gig wasn’t going to be an easy go, but it didn’t occur to me how much work it was until SHOT Show.  I’ve make fun of Ed in the past for not wanting to go out and hitting the Strip after a day on the show floor and him doing his best old man impressions and sighing like he’s 50 years old.  Fast forward to 2018 and I get it.  Meeting after meeting, interview after interview, this was the definition of a “working vacation”.

……….I met many new people, and some old friends, a bunch of near misses, and everything in between.  The amount of times I’ve had to introduce myself as “The New Ed” was staggering, borderline hilarious after day two, I should make a patch saying that, save me the conversation.

……….While there were no Gordie Howe hat-tricks this year at SHOT in terms of where everyone coveted one or two items universally last year like the Hudson H9 or the Maxim 9 finally debuting, there were a ton of great gems throughout the show if you looked for them.  I know for a fact that I missed a ton just based on my social media feed.

……….What I did do though is concentrate on Canadian companies at SHOT this year and any Canadian related stories.  That’s not to say I didn’t swing by the obvious booths like Sig and their much hyped and delivered P365 Nitron Micro-Compact pistol, the Glock 19X which is quite possibly the most popular rejected weapon system by the US Army that any firearms manufacturer has ever had, and a few odds and sods along the way.  Of course I didn’t hit everything I wanted to, but I did get everything I needed to.

……….I can tell you this though.  Every single company I spoke to told me that they are all doing much better in terms of company operations, sales, profits, and product roll out and production in general compared to last year.  While many companies scaled back and reorganized operations, it was to the benefit of firearms owners.  While there were a few standouts in significant product launches like the IWI Tavor 7 .308win battle rifle and their Tavor TS12 12+1/15+1 semi-auto shogun or Cadex Defence with their excellent debut of the CDX-R7 Lite and Field Comp bolt action chassis and the Falcon Lite Bipod, many more companies like Troy Industries, Mission First Tactical, Strike Industries, and others were concentrating on refining and innovating their existing product lines to make them better.  The general consensus is that 2018 is going to be better than the previous year for both Canada and the USA.  That’s good news for everyone.

……….I’ve got around two dozen stories I’ve captured from SHOT Show and I hope will be pushing them out in the next long while here.  I’m still working on the multiple part interview with Tracey Wilson from the CCFR, a Canadian AR magazine comparo, company features with Matador Arms and Black Leaf Industries to name a few, as well as work on several feature articles highlighting Veterans and their businesses, and pushing to bring folks the most up to date firearms, outdoor gear, and training news from Canada and beyond as frequently as possible.  I’m a couple of months in to this gig and I’m enjoying the grind like a new barista working the cappuccino machine at Starbucks.  My name is Wally F. but you can call me “The New Ed” for now…

Someone make a patch out of that quote.

Yes that’s Big Bird in a Little Bird.  Today’s patch is brought to you by the letter “I” for “Irene”.  “Fucking Irene!”

For your regular cravings in the firearms world in Canada and beyond be sure to follow TV-PressPass on Facebook and myself Wally F. on Instagram.

Reporting for TV-PressPass

Wally F.

You see, I’ve gotten rid of all my guns, and emigrated to Ireland. The good news is that the man who took my guns is also taking over this site.

I just can’t do the firearms thing anymore. In 2014 I left a moderately decent job to pursue freelance firearms content fulltime, and it was a fantastic choice. But freelancing is a job that never ceases, where you must be your own marketer, accountant, manager, editor, and all the other roles a proper business needs. I love shooting, and I love being outdoors, but looking back on the time spent freelancing: I’ve never been more stressed, or had such a hard time meeting the bills.

I’ve had the opportunity to do some amazing things, meet and shoot with amazing people and cover some truly exciting stories. But I can’t help but feel I’ve also let an awful lot of you down. People in the industry who I respected, and who wanted to work me, I was unable to meet their goals. For every successful project that made its way online, another floundered or collapsed. Editors, manufacturers, dealers, and readers: all of you have been good friends, and I owe each of you an apology.

It is my intention to avoid being maudlin here. The fact is: it was time for a change, and I changed. As much as I loved writing and talking about guns, it only just barely put food on the table. Contrary to what some believe, I am not wealthy, but driven by passion. Often every ounce of income was dedicated to the shooting sports. I realized I would never own a home or raise a family pursuing such a career. More likely I would someday find myself publicly exposed to criminal prosecution after an unexpected change in legal interpretation. I know the RCMP are readers of my work, IP addresses from the office in Ottawa are included in the analytics of this site.

Consider this: never more than a year has gone by without a major shift in RCMP policy around firearms. As one thing enters the market, another is suddenly grey area or formally banned or unbanned. I cannot tie my livelihood to something so unstable.

Instead, I have taken a decent job with a decent salary, and chased a beautiful woman across the Atlantic and into the green hills of Ireland. There are a lot of things I want to do in Europe, and spending a few years close by should make those much more attainable. To start with, I spent Remembrance Day this year in France at Vimy, Ypres, and Passchendale. It is my full hope and intention to return to Canada someday (the Irish government, while welcoming, has certain expectations on that front) and hope to revisit the shooting sports with fresh eyes. But until then, what to do with this site?

You’ve already seen the handywork of Wally F on this site. He is the very image of a sensible shooter, with the keen interest of a civilian and the formal field instruction of a Canadian infantryman. I’m delighted and can’t wait to see how he takes the site forward.

I head a great (if exhausting) time at Shot Show this year, and together with the rest of the TFVTV team produced over 90 videos from the biggest firearms show of the year.

I’m not a big Vegas guy, but I do love the gun industry and the chance to visit with all those cool people from far away that I never normally see during a year.

No. It flippin isn’t. Some days are awesome, other days are a pain in the ass, and it’s still nice to unplug every now and again.

So I went solo backpacking across Costa Rica, saw the capital, the Pacific coast, the cloud forests, volcanoes, and the Caribbean coast. It was a good time, and I’d go back again. Because I’m a work-a-holic, I also couldn’t resist visiting a gun shop, snapping some photos, and writing about the gear I used on the trail…

What did you take?

For two weeks, I lived out of this rucksack. The Tasmanian Tiger Mission bag was large enough to hold all my gear, but small enough that I could still sit with it on the bus rather than stash it underneath. I met two Canadian’s from Ottawa who had their bag stolen this way, so I definitely felt vindicated for my obsessive “kit never leaves my side” mentality. Additionally the two main pockets feature some simple internal divisions that let me make sure things like the umbrella, camera, and binos were always in the same place when I looked for them.

From a security standpoint, it was great to be able to lock the main compartments of the bag at the zippers, and still have an accessible rear pocket for little “need it now” bits like maps, guides, paperback books etc. The isolated vented pocket was also great for transporting damp clothing. Things don’t dry out in Costa Rica, but they do start to smell if you don’t give them some air. Having multiple handles on the top & sides of the pack also makes a big difference when you’re frequently shouldering & unshouldering, or shifting all your worldly possessions around you while you wait for a taxi-boat that may or may not be coming.

Because I am the hugest nerd you know, I also opted to take a wide-brim hat with me into the rainforests. The Tilley Had is Canadian-made, easily the most money I’ve ever spent on a hat ($80) and the most comfortable thing I’ve ever worn on my head. Tilley is pretty good at explaining themselves for why they think they’re hat is awesome, and I honestly was a little skeptical when I first put my money down.

But for field use: I’ve never had such a good solution for sun & rain. The wind cord only came into play once, and I was damn glad I had it.

I was there in rainy season, so the travel umbrella, pack cover, and stealth suit raincoat saw almost daily use. The stealth suit is easily one of the simplest pieces of kit I own, but damned handy. Made by Peerless Garments in Winnipeg, it’s an adaptation of the Canadian Forces goretex liner, converted into a standalone garment. Are there better pieces of technical clothing? Undoubtedly. But the stealth jacket offers a light, compact rain jacket that’s a step above the “pocket ponchos” that inevitably before stuffy suffocating feeling garments. Even when walking several kms in a heavy downpour with ambient temperature around 24 degrees C, the stealth suit was comfortable.

In the world of the Canadian Forces, apparently the stealth suit is designed to be worn under garments as an additional waterproofing layer, which explains why it has no pockets. I used it as a quick-on quick-off rain layer that I could store next to the pack-cover in the bottom of the mission bag. The rain could be threatening for hours, then start and stop at the drop of a hat.

What did you do?

Appropriately touristy things. I ziplined, I learned to surf, I kayaked the coast and mangrove swamps, I explored the cloud forest, I skinny dipped, I spent a lovely weekend at a lovely country house, I read paperback books, I drank in bars, I met a good many interesting people, I saw a wealth of wildlife. I intentionally tried to live outside the camera for a while, do more seeing with my eyes and focus less on capturing the experience.

Because really, I want a vacation to be about enjoying that time and place, not recording every moment to bring back and post-hashtag-share with you. No offense.

I also saw a sloth up close and personal. Bask in its glory.

What route did you follow?

I figured with 2 weeks, I wanted to see some of the country, but probably couldn’t manage all of the country. I booked spaces through AirBnB, which meant if I wanted to change my schedule at the last minute, I wouldn’t lose more than $20-30 a night. My first day I stayed in Alajuela and explored San Jose, then visited Jaco on the Pacific coast. I found Jaco very touristy (a town made up entirely of hotels, bars, and trinket shops) and left early in favor of Monteverde. The cloud forests and night tours of Santa Elena & Monteverde were fantastic, and I would definitely go back.

After 3 days there, I took a boat across Lake Arenal to La Fortuna at the base of the volcano. The hot springs in La Fortuna far exceeded my expectations based on previous visits to Canadian hotsprings. The addition of natural stones and a full bar cannot be understated. A weekend around the pool at a San Carlos country house rounded out an excellent time in the interior.

After that it was a long bus ride to Cahuita, a Caribbean coast town south of the port city of Limon (a place foreigners should take caution in) and on the North side of the national park that ends in Puerto Viejo. The Caribbean coast was a much more relaxed environment, and after one night in a slightly uncomfortable AirBnB, I opted to splurge and booked into a guest house run by a Quebecois couple. It was a good choice to round out the trip. I could easily spend closer to a full week on the Caribbean coast, and would love to paddle down across the national park.

But what about the guns man?

In San Jose, while looking for the pre-columbian gold museum (it’s underground) I stumbled upon a tiny gun shop downtown called Armeria Rex. Which is as good a name for a gun store as I can possibly imagine. Inside, their stock was almost exclusively handguns and handgun accessories, with a small selection of shotguns. Firearms are almost exclusively for home defense down there (crime is an issue, particularly in the capital and some poorer neighbourhoods) and once you’ve acquired the proper license to own a firearm, that doubles as your license to carry it.

While the salesman there explained that they have substantial taxes when importing, they can bring in firearms from all over the world. The entire country seems to work on a dual currency system of Costa Rican Colones and US Dollars, and this shop was no exception. They’re prices weren’t nearly as ridiculous as I was expecting. Ballpark $600 for a Baretta M9. And only $700 for the Vz61 that caught my eye. This Vz61 was a milsurp retrofit that had it’s full auto components welded up. It was the only “rifle-like” thing in the shop in that it had it’s folding stock intact. They also sold 32 ACP ammunition there, as well as a wide range of holsters and general sporting goods.

I noticed a wide variety of armed guards across the country, from everything to generic security at the local super market, to the Federal police checkpoints with full plate carriers. Drop leg holsters are still very popular down there, and I noticed a handful of insecurely retained handguns. Lots of Jericho pistols, Browning Hi-Powers, and Beretta Px4s. Not nearly as many Glocks as I would have guessed.

Apparently its possible for a foreign resident to legally acquire their firearms certificate down there and carry concealed. Only sanctioned police and security can carry openly. Personally I know a few friends who winter down there and would be very curious to learn more about that process.

We now resume your regularly scheduled Canadian firearms content…

Well I’ve still got it, and still shoot in on a regular basis. I’ve settled on a Meprolight optic, traded the A2 flash hider for a PWS brake, and removed the fancy Magpul ACS stock in favor of a matchy Magpul MOE stock.

I also bought my first M-Lok accessory for it, and found it to be a pain in the ass to install. I’m definitely a keymod person. The polymer-to-polymer connection of M-Lok was finicky.

Additionally with this rifle I’ve started using IMI .50 Beowulf magazines. I’ve been shooting .50 Beowulf mags for years now, and these are hands down the best I’ve used. They’re much stronger than some of the other .50 polymer magazines out there, and much better sized than the aluminum body mags I’ve used in the past. Definitely a keeper, and I’m glad I got a few.

I love this rifle because of it’s simplicity. It’s light, it’s handy, and it works. Even with the basic Meprolight red dot I can ring that 300 yard gong with consistency. I’d be curious to see how it handled a 10,000 round trial, but I’ve had no issues with it since I put it together. I feel like it works so darn well now that I’m naturally averse to any substantial changes. Firearms can be such a fluid thing for a hobbyist, always trying new concepts, new gear, or new platforms. But it’s nice to have a few guns in the safe that don’t change.

I still think that the most affordable way to get into the AR15 game is through a slow buy used gun. If you piece together the bits, you can take your time, watch for deals, and get a great gun for a great price. You don’t have to scour the internet and scrimp and save at every turn, but if you keep your eyes open and are patient, it pays off.

I may be born and raised around Calgary, but I’m no cowboy. I suddenly found myself curious about a family of firearms I’d never had interest in before. Not enough to spend several thousand dollars on a real antique, but curious enough to try a fully functioning replica of the original Colt.

This is a .44 caliber single action revolver that uses percussion caps and black powder to launch round-ball projectiles.

It’s a ton of fun.

It’s hands down the largest handgun I’ve ever owned. The 1860 Army essentially has a reloading press built into the frame of the gun. You pour powder, insert a ball, and then ram it into place using the lever under the barrel. Then when a cap is place on the nipple on the rear of the cylinder, and the hammer dropped, the whole thing kicks off to make a ton of smoke and put a round down range. The rear sight on this is actually built into the hammer, and consistently puts the rounds about 8″ high from the point of aim.

With any luck I’ll have a more detailed review for you in a few weeks.