Numbers of M305s imported to Canada?

[Beadwindow]

Hi folks,

I remember following some threads on this several years ago, but was wondering if anyone could provide an educated guess as to the number of M305s that have been imported into Canada. I know that at least a small number were brought in by Century back in the 90s, and we've obviously had a decent run of these rifles from about 2003/2004 up to the present.

I recall reading that the Chinese were producing about 30 000 rifles a month before the Clinton administration placed a ban upon their importation to the US in the early 1990s. So even if we've been limited to guns left over from that period or assembled later from parts, that could easily account for at least a couple tens of thousands. Over the past decade I recall that shipments came in to Marstar, Bell, and Canada Ammo at fairly regular intervals, would sell out and usually get replenished later.

I hope that we continue to get decent numbers of these rifles for some time, but in any event am curious as to approximately how many rifles or M305 owners are out there.

 

[Hitzy]

There are approx 25,000 CZ858/VZ58's and variants....Nork M14's I'd wager close to 100,000+

 

[Stevebot-7]

Marstar would probably have the most reliable info.

All I know is that there's somewhere between a lot and a whole bunch.

 

[celtic1123]

More than 10 and less than a billion? In all seriousness though, would be interesting to find out a ball park number.

 

[caramel]

My estimate would be one million came in Canada and many made it true the back door to the US of A... JP.

 

[Beadwindow]

Interesting numbers. I've heard numbers like 6000 plus for the CZs, but think that just included the CZ 858-2s from a news story a year or two ago. The same issue arises when reporters try to give the number of ARs in Canada, which come with all sorts of names and probably many FRT numbers.

I recall the waiting list for the first shipments from Marstar numbering about 300 or so, which if followed up by several shipments a year, plus what the other distributors brought in would have suggested something in the tune of 10-20 000 rifles. 100 000 would be a nice number of these to go around.

As one yardstick, do people on this board think that there's more M305s out there than the total number of ARs in Canada? I see both on the range, but haven't a clue as to how many M305s are taken into the bush for hunting and target shooting across the country. I would think that by the non-restricted status alone that the M305 is more common than the AR, but by how much?

I certainly hope that we've got and still get enough to ensure lots of parts and accessories, as well as enough owners to make any talk of reclassification politically hazardous.

 

[Different]

I estimate more than 24,000 Chinese M14 type rifles have been imported into Canada based on reported and observed serial numbers.

 

[daniel_250r]

theres definitely not 25 000 cz858's.

 

[ipscgraz]

If we had a registry we would be able to find out exactly how man...Whoops.


I'm gonna be quiet now.

 

[Hitzy]

theres definitely not 25 000 cz858's.

Sorry, 20,000 according to Wolverine Supplies. 7th post down...

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/936816-KCI-Magazines-Now-In-Stock!!!

 

[Stevebot-7]

Sorry, 20,000 according to Wolverine Supplies. 7th post down...

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/936816-KCI-Magazines-Now-In-Stock!!!

To be fair, he did say "rifles they will fit" and not "CZ-858", isn't there magazine compatibility between multiple different types of rifles such as the VZ-58 and the CSA-858 or whatnot?

I could have sworn he said 8,000 back when that last big shipment got blocked at the border, but I suppose he might not have been including rifles sold by other distributors.

 

[Beadwindow]

I'm pretty sure that we've had more M305s sold than the VZ/CZ 58-858 series, so even nailing down those numbers would provide a good hint about the Norincos. As to how much more common they'd be I'm at a loss to say, though just by price alone and the fact that they've been available longer ought to count for something.

We might be in for some surprises though, as I wouldn't have figured that M1 Garands are the single most common rifle type in the city of Montreal according to the copy of the registry accessed by the Gazette!

 

[Hitzy]

To be fair, he did say "rifles they will fit" and not "CZ-858", isn't there magazine compatibility between multiple different types of rifles such as the VZ-58 and the CSA-858 or whatnot?

I could have sworn he said 8,000 back when that last big shipment got blocked at the border, but I suppose he might not have been including rifles sold by other distributors.

So if it only fits one version, you think there is 20k of just the one version and more then that total?