wondering about Canada's cartridges of historical note

[ving-thorr]

I know about the winchester '76s in 45-75 for the Mounties, and the 1895s chambered in .303 most likely for the Canadian and British markets, and that got me wondering. . .

What are Canada's most historically significant cartridges?

What are the similarities and differences from the cartridges that were significant in the US?

I'd imagine .30-30 and .308 winchester are as popular there as in the US. But I wouldn't think 50-70 or 30-40 krag would have much presence on the north side of the border.

Did cartridges like 577 and 577/450 see fighting on the frontier while down here 50-70s and 45-70s were "taming" the west?

Does .30-06 have the same presence in Canada as it does here, or is .303 the Canadian .30-06?

Was .45 Colt prominent in Canada? The peacemaker? Smith & Wessons? Or were the revolvers mostly all of British Import?


Thanks, looking forward to reading the replies.
Jesse

[QCI Winchesters]

The .577 Snider was the backbone of the Canadian Militia for decades, we kind of skipped the .577-540 and went right to the .303 in the Mk.1 Lee-Enfield. Lots of Martini-Henry rifles here but they were never general issue. The Sniders missed the Fenian raids but saw service in both Riel Rebellions. The .450 Adams was issued to the NWMP and the .476 Enfield revolver as well. Later they got the .455 Colt New Service and still later the same revolver in .45 Colt.

In sporting arms, the Snider sporting rifle was fairly common right into the 20's, cut down a bit from the original military length. The Winchester 1894 was popular in .30WCF, and .38-55. Rifles with round barrels mostly. The other calibres were around, too, but .30WCF was probably the most common. Of course, the .44WCF was always popular here, as well as the .32WCF and .25-20. Tons of Winchester 1895's in .303. Lots of Savage 1899's in all calibres.

Pretty much all the same cartridges were popular here as in the US, I would say, except that the .303 Brit was much more popular here.

[Rusty]

I used to be on a yahoo mailing list for Ruger #1 owners. A lot of the Canadians there were talking up a run of #1's Ruger made a few years back in .303 and speculating that it was about to happen again.

[QCI Winchesters]

The .303 sure was popular here, for sure.

[ving-thorr]

Thanks for the info. Going to consult cartridges of the world now to educate myself on 450 adams and 476 enfield.

[KirkD]

Where I grew up, in central Manitoba, the first settlers arrived around 1888 - 1894. The most common guns at the back door of the farm houses were the Winchester 30-30, the Lee Enfield 303 British, and the Winchester 38-55.

[sore shoulder]

I just wanna know if there's anything cooler than a .577 Snyder

[65bee]

KirkD: You say you grew up in Manitoba? I am currently reading a great book written by Joe Robertson titled 'From Prairie to Tundra'. It is an autobiography of his life from a teenage wilderness trapper in the 1920s, to Game Warden, and then head of the Manitoba Fish & Wildlife Service. In the beginning he details his trapping and hunting escapades as a teenager and refers to his hunting rifle being a .577 caliber double barrel breech-loader? Any idea what make or model he might have had?

[ving-thorr]

This led me to enfield-snider.com. Neat site! I really like the look of those carbines. Would look awful nice next to a trapdoor, sharps in 50-70, and a spencer! I'd better go win the lottery.

[perry owens]

I just wanna know if there's anything cooler than a .577 Snyder

Probably not....

[KirkD]

KirkD: You say you grew up in Manitoba? I am currently reading a great book written by Joe Robertson titled 'From Prairie to Tundra'. It is an autobiography of his life from a teenage wilderness trapper in the 1920s, to Game Warden, and then head of the Manitoba Fish & Wildlife Service. In the beginning he details his trapping and hunting escapades as a teenager and refers to his hunting rifle being a .577 caliber double barrel breech-loader? Any idea what make or model he might have had?

Sounds like a man after my own heart! As for the .577, I'm afraid I don't know. Sounds like an English double to me, though I must confess to knowing virtually nothing about the .577.

Perry Owens, that is one nice looking rifle and cartridge!

[QCI Winchesters]

Okay, I must post my Pritchett Snider sporting rifle. I will take a picture tonight.

[QCI Winchesters]

I just wanna know if there's anything cooler than a .577 Snyder

Probably not....

That is an odd one, must be a volunteer pattern? Looks like a short rifle but it has a brass triggerguard. Or is it an artillery carbine?

[awp101]

I just wanna know if there's anything cooler than a .577 Snyder

Probably not....

Please make it stop Perry! I thought I had a chance at a Snider-Enfield. ID'd it and everything for the shop because the counter guy and I were talking about M-Hs, etc and he brought it out since he figured I'd find it interesting. All he knew was that the shop owner had bought it but didn't know what to price it. When I went back with my Skennerton book to confirm exactly which variant it was, it turned out the shop owner knew exactly what he had and wasn't interested in selling it...

[QCI Winchesters]

The .38WCF seems to have been fairly popular up here, as I have owned a few of them.

[Old Savage]

Well, from reading this I see that one could have shot a lot of firearms over a long period of time and never have shot any of what is pictured here. Interesting topic.

[perry owens]

That is an odd one, must be a volunteer pattern? Looks like a short rifle but it has a brass triggerguard. Or is it an artillery carbine?[/quote][/quote]

It's an artillery carbine made for the civilian market by John Rigby of London. The name of the original owner is engraved on the trigger guard.

John Charles Augustus Yockney was a Brit who went to Argentina in the 1870s to run the railway system. His great, great grandson contacted me after the gun was featured in an article. I offered to sell it to him at what I paid for it but his wife wouldn't let him have guns in the house!
I think the coolest Snider is the cavalry carbine, and it's the most fun to shoot. Mine is a civilian version by J J Silver.

At the top is a Snider sporting rifle by Reilly of London. These were sold to British officers posted to India and Africa so they could hunt game using free military issue ammunition.
Sniders are one of the easiest old guns to get shooting again. Magtech 24 gauge shotshells are easily formed into Snider brass and if you can't find a mould a .590 round ball will work just fine.

Perry Owens

[Borregos]

Perry, you got me drooloing

[KirkD]

Dadgummit! Now I want a .577. Those .577 you fellows are posting are gorgeous! Just when I thought I was getting a handle on my addiction to Winchesters you come along and dangle a .577 in front of me and now I'm toast!

[w30wcf]

Nice looking rifles! Neat history.

“The Winchester Model ’94 played a very important role in the defense of Canada’s west coast during the Pacific conflict of WW2.”
For those that may not know, 3,000 Winchester M 94's in .30 W.C.F. chambering, were purchased for the PCMR (Pacific Coast Militia Rangers).

http://www.rarewinchesters.com/gunroom/ ... le%201.pdf

http://www.rarewinchesters.com/gunroom/ ... le%202.pdf

Here is the historical special practice cartridge made by the Dominion Cartridge Co. for the PCMR.
Pic courtesy of John Witzel


w30wcf

[QCI Winchesters]

Nice looking rifles! Neat history.

“The Winchester Model ’94 played a very important role in the defense of Canada’s west coast during the Pacific conflict of WW2.”
For those that may not know, 3,000 Winchester M 94's in .30 W.C.F. chambering, were purchased for the PCMR (Pacific Coast Militia Rangers).

http://www.rarewinchesters.com/gunroom/ ... le%201.pdf

http://www.rarewinchesters.com/gunroom/ ... le%202.pdf

Here is the historical special practice cartridge made by the Dominion Cartridge Co. for the PCMR.
Pic courtesy of John Witzel


w30wcf

I have one, but it is in extremely poor condition.