AMMO in Canada...

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ghostntheshell

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I have been wondering...

Why hasn't a Canadian producer of ammunition stepped into the game?
It would seem there is a big enough market here.

People can't find any affordable 30-06, 7.62x51, and so on.

Can anyone fill me in?
 
The only Canadian producer of centre fire rifle ammunition, only loads for the Canadian government.

Also, Canada is a very small market and it just isn't profitable enough.
 
I've often thought about this as well.....I figured there would be enough of a market. Even if it wasn't a HUGE market up here, is exporting to the states a possibility?

I know the regs would be a pain, but if you just opened an ammo factory, you would be used to it:p
 
why is it that surplus ammo going to the u.s alot of it comes through an importer in montreal? why not sell what they can here first ( taking care of our market ) then ship the rest to the u.s? i found cases of 7.62 x54r in the u.s for 140- 160 dollars. and here the same case that came through montreal cost me 400?? and our dollar is above par?
 
Often wondered the same thing, for such a great country I am suprised that the only ammo manufacturer is for the military. I think there would be demand for the civilian market as we get gouged for ammo here, even when the dollar is at par due to all the hoops we need to do just to get ammo here from the US. I would love to shoot Canadian factory ammo.
 
gushulak said:
I would love to shoot Canadian factory ammo.
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Same here!!:sniper:

I could see how it would be an overwhelming undertaking for a private entrepreneur. Let alone all the different calibers, all the different typesof different calibers. Big business motherf*****s have the resources to open up a factory without breaking too much of a sweat.

It would be amazing to see someone start small, and eventually be a big name in Canadian ammo production.
 
We did have an ammo maker in Canada. It was Called Superior Canadian Ammunition and Shotshell. It was owned and operated by a gentleman Named Garry Edwards out of Edmonton. Canadians did not support him or his business because they could save 50 cents on a box of shells from Walmart. When the issue of "hazardous" Lead toxins in ammunition came about, there was not enough support by the local market to fight it, and the business was closed down. Lead was never really the issue, but it was a target focus of the anti-gun and anti-hunting groups. His main product was shotshell and lead pellets, but due to lack of business, nothing else could take off.




SO there you go. When you had a Canadian maker, Canadians did not support him. Now we don't have a Canadian Maker, but have Walmart instead. Garry Edwards is a good friend of mine as well as a fellow musician. He lost the bulk of his savings trying to keep this factory alive and now his health is failing and probably won't make it much longer.


Canadians should be proud.
 
fiddler said:
We did have an ammo maker in Canada. It was Called Superior Canadian Ammunition and Shotshell. It was owned and operated by a gentleman Named Garry Edwards out of Edmonton. Canadians did not support him or his business because they could save 50 cents on a box of shells from Walmart. When the issue of "hazardous" Lead toxins in ammunition came about, there was not enough support by the local market to fight it, and the business was closed down. Lead was never really the issue, but it was a target focus of the anti-gun and anti-hunting groups. His main product was shotshell and lead pellets, but due to lack of business, nothing else could take off.




SO there you go. When you had a Canadian maker, Canadians did not support him. Now we don't have a Canadian Maker, but have Walmart instead. Garry Edwards is a good friend of mine as well as a fellow musician. He lost the bulk of his savings trying to keep this factory alive and now his health is failing and probably won't make it much longer.


Canadians should be proud.
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very sad to hear that. he sounds like a fine gentleman.
 
Tooling costs are insanely high, material costs are high, insurance costs....if you can even get insurance....there's just not enough margin in it to make the (relatively) small Canadian volume worth doing it.
 
Canada over regulates production and approval of ammunition. It is very difficult to enter the market and even more difficult to remain competitive.

FWIW there are still a few small ammo manufacturers around (Canadian BDX and Wolf come to mind).
 
bearhunter said:
Also, Canada is a very small market and it just isn't profitable enough.
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I keep hearing this excuse, but yet no one has an explanation as to how Dominion managed to make a go of it many years ago, when Canada's population was half of what it is now.

Also, the typical gun owner back then was a hunter, not a sport shooter, so would use far LESS ammo than now.
 
tootall said:
I keep hearing this excuse, but yet no one has an explanation as to how Dominion managed to make a go of it many years ago, when Canada's population was half of what it is now.

Also, the typical gun owner back then was a hunter, not a sport shooter, so would use far LESS ammo than now.
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I imagine Dominion might have had some military contracts. Sport shooters will certainly not provide enough demand to ensure a profit, trust me. In any case, it was a very different time politically and economically. I doubt a company like Dominion could even exist in Canada now.
 
cie said:
Canada over regulates production and approval of ammunition. It is very difficult to enter the market and even more difficult to remain competitive.
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This. The regs and level of bureaucracy involved are insane and extremely costly. Marstar (the importer of 7.62x54R mentioned above) has literally boatloads of ammo overseas that they cannot get approval for import to Canada.

relliott said:
I imagine Dominion might have had some military contracts. Sport shooters will certainly not provide enough demand to ensure a profit, trust me. In any case, it was a very different time politically and economically. I doubt a company like Dominion could even exist in Canada now.
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+1. I bet the regulations and rules that existed in the 50's and 60's were somewhat less stringent and stupid than today's version, to put it politely. Dominion may have made a go of it years ago, but how are they doing today?

40+ years of Liberal governments and anti-gun bureaucrats have done an effective job of destroying Canada's homegrown firearms industries.

angrysoldier, there are ~4 million gun owners in Canada, not 1 million.

Mark
 
ANGRYSOLDIER;
"i found cases of 7.62 x54r in the u.s for 140- 160 dollars. and here the same case that came through montreal cost me 400?? "
Obviously you are not familiar with ammo importing....
99% of the surplus ammo you see in the US is NOT approved for the Canadian Market....

If you want to mess around with trying to get specific ammo approved I can sell it to you
7.62x54r way below what you mention, I have one lot (10million) @ $80./1000 FOB my European warehouse....
John
 
FIDDLER;
You are so right.... 1000000000000000% right....
When we do have something in Canada the consumers do not support it....
Remember CIL, IVI, Gevelot, just to mention a few.... ??

John
 
johnone said:
ANGRYSOLDIER;
"i found cases of 7.62 x54r in the u.s for 140- 160 dollars. and here the same case that came through montreal cost me 400?? "
Obviously you are not familiar with ammo importing....
99% of the surplus ammo you see in the US is NOT approved for the Canadian Market....

If you want to mess around with trying to get specific ammo approved I can sell it to you
7.62x54r way below what you mention, I have one lot (10million) @ $80./1000 FOB my European warehouse....
John
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hey john dont worry i got a hold of LOTS of ammo at us type prices. i dont need 10 million rounds. i will setting up my own little business very soon. thank you for the offer.
 
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