by R.K. Campbell | Contributing Editor
The new Canadian Ranger C-19 rifle is a first class, 10-shot, box magazine rifle chambered for the .308 Winchester round. It was designed by SAKO and will be manufactured by Colt Canada. (Photo by Colt Canada)
A legendary combination is the Lee Enfield .303 rifle and the Canadian Rangers. This pair is going to be lost in the annals of history as the Rangers finally replace their long serving rifle. An ultra-reliable ten shot bolt action rifle with plenty of power, accuracy and absolute trustworthiness simply cannot be replaced easily. The rifle is used for foraging and defense against dangerous predators. It is also for defense of their country.
A Canadian Ranger from Gjoa Haven, Nunavu, fires his Lee-Enfield .303 rifle, the weapon of choice of the Canadian Rangers for some 70 years, during Operation NANOOK 13 on August 20, 2013. (Photo courtesy Sargent Alain Martineau)
The Canadian Rangers are a component of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve. They are chosen after a rigorous application process based on experience, personal skills, standing in the community, and determination. Their training focuses primarily on military chain of command and discipline. As one of their commanders told me, they get people in the Canadian Rangers that are already self-disciplined and of the highest caliber. There is no hardier and more respected group anywhere. These men and women engage in sovereignty patrols in the north of Canada. This is vital for Canada to maintain control of their territory. The Canadian Rangers are also involved in rescue operations and searches for lost trappers, hunters, hikers and others that get into trouble in harsh territory. This isn’t a duty to be taken lightly. The Canadian Rangers are a diverse group with male, female, Scott-Irish, French and other groups represented, but as may be expected many of the Canadian Rangers are First Nation. They operate in a beautiful and wild environment. However, they are also involved in duties in other areas of the country, even on the border, something even many Canadians do not realize. They are an essential organization for Canada’s defense and safety.
Canadian Ranger Scot King of 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group participates in weapons drill lessons, as a part of a national Canadian Ranger Basic Military Indoctrination pilot-course, held in the training areas of the Farnham Garrison in Farnham, Quebec, on April 13, 2016. (Photo by Cpl. Andrew Wesley, Directorate of Army Public Affairs Imagery Technician, ©2016 DND-MDN Canada)
The rifle is an important part of every Canadian Ranger’s gear. The standard issue rifle is the Lee Enfield No.4 and has been since 1947. These rifles are used for foraging and hunting by the individual. An important part of the rifle’s use is for protection against predators such as wolves. Bears are a danger and the Canadian Rangers are often found in territory that is home to very large and dangerous bears. After such long use, despite excellent maintenance, as might be expected the time has come for replacing the rifle. The power and reliability of the Lee Enfield are such that the new rifle designed to replace the Lee Enfield bears much resemblance, albeit in modern form, to the Lee Enfield’s specifications.
These include bolt-action and ten shots. The new rifle is also a ten-shot bolt-action rifle with a reliable action but chambered for the .308 Winchester cartridge. The rifle is designed to be effective from 0 to 300 meters according to the Canadian military, and to be useful against large North American carnivores. The rifle had to be reliable to a degree that isn’t often demanded. The new rifle will function in below freezing temperatures but also prove useful in the less common but not rare extreme heat encountered in parts of Canada.
Brig. General Rob Roy MacKenzie, Canadian Army Headquarters, Chief of Staff Army Reserve. (Photo courtesy Cpl. Michael J. MacIsaac, Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa) – Imaging Services, ©2016 DND-MDN Canada)
The new rifle is designed by SAKO and based on proven rifles. It will be manufactured by Colt’s Canadian manufacturing plant. The new rifle will replace the Lee Enfield as production is geared up. Complete replacement is scheduled by 2018. The rifle will be in use in remote areas of Canada including coastal, central and northern areas of Canada with extreme variations in temperature. This rifle will be exposed to salt laden air and will be carried on boats and snowmobiles as well as on foot patrols the Canadian Rangers engaged in.
