rlauferblog

The Toronto Sportsmen’s Show started off with some great news! The Supreme Court just announced they will take up the CCFR’s case, effectively putting the confiscation on hold. I caught Tracey for a quick pic before she headed to some media interviews.

Later in the day I also met Conservative MP Blaine Calkins, a strong supporter of the shooting community.

I also met Premier Doug Ford and told him that I hope he meant what he said about the recent home invasion case and that he should protect legal gun owners like Saskatchewan is doing.

It was also great to finally meet Hunter Chef Michael! I have been to his restaurant Antler but we never met. I appreciate his opinion piece on C21 that was published in media.

More good gun news, there were lots of new ones at the show! Actually, not just new guns but also new distributors and new ranges like Down Range Shooting Sports. Range Arts, who is collaborating with Down Range had one of my favourite guns of the show, this tricked out Henry Homesteader! It looks super cool in real life like the love child of a Homesteader and Kriss Vector lol. Yes, it takes Glock mags!

Another cool new offering on the Canadian market, a Glock mag fed lever action from Sterling Arms! The mag release and trigger are “like” an AR15 while the safety is a crossbolt.

JR walked me through all the details

Introducing Magnus and Sons, our newest distributor for amazing brands like Anschutz, TacSol, and SBI!

Anschutz, as you may know, makes high end precision rimfires, we are talking Olympic level!

I liked the G-28. And if you noticed the price, consider they have some that are even double of that!

Spectre Ballistics is a bit more “tactical” and known for their light weight. Love that drum mag on the superlite ST-22

ST-22 Precision

I have shot TacSol before and always said if I were to get a .22LR rifle, it would be a TacSol.

The X-Ring with Magpul stock

And the takedown version with Magpul Backpacker stock

With Boyd’s Forest Camo Hardwood Laminated stock (felt like more of a benchrest gun given the width of the fore-end).

And my personal favourite, the PRS gun with KRG chassis!! Yup, this is the one for me!

Ok now on the huge O’Dell Engineering display of Bergara and Canuck.

Bergara is now offering mag fed versions of their popular rifles that make it easier to walk in the bush with your firearm unloaded and quickly pop in a mag when needed.

note the left-hander

rimfires

Wranglers

Including a new Trapper variant

Some new variants of the TACOP Pro shotgun

As you probably guessed, I love the gold

The more affordable Elite Operator

Shotgun revolver that shoots .410 AND .45 LC! BTW, I should mention that when O’Dell brings such things to the Canadian market, they go through three iterations, meaning the manufacturer sends a prototype to O’Dell who take it apart and re-spec the parts and send it back. The process then repeats two more times.

Canuck pump action shotguns

And over-unders

O’Dell really covers the shotgun spectrum

Now on to Tactical Imports for the shotgun I was really anxious to see, a Canada legal version inspired by the Benelli M3! That’s right, switchable from pump to semi!

Tom bought one on the spot!

That’s not a mag, THAT’S a mag!

Also from Axor, the super popular .410 revolver shotgun. I believe the micro sold-out in 48 hours and there was a waiting list sign-up at the show!

I believe the Axor FS-Pro was a military over-run

Another interesting new gun, the KOFS Triple Barrel Shotgun

Some real fire breathers from Sulun arms

Sulun also makes a revolver shotgun

Tactical Imports is also the distributor of Extrema Ratio knives and I was anxious to check those out as well.

First the fixed blades. The Numen was quite impressive!

The Herring commemorative dagger was my favourite fixed blade.

Though the MISERICORDIA, their take on the Benchmade SOCP, was also super cool.

Now on to the folding knives

The MH-STEALTH was developed in collaboration with the operators of the Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) and the Gemeinschaft Deutscher Kommandosoldaten. It kinda feels like a folding version of the SOCP to me.

Cool red scales

I like so many of the Extrema Ration folders (like the RAO variants) but ultimately the Glauca G1 GSG9 is my favourite

Operator AF

The business end of a Russian DSHK 12.7 mm, brought to you by Gagnon Sports!

Adam did an amazing job organizing a recent Shoot ‘N Show. Reach out to him for your shooting needs.

More high end military hardware, the Cold War era FRF2 at Uxbridge Arms

Victory Ridge Sports had a nice selection of shotguns and boltguns

“Can” you tell which was my favourite? Of course it was the Maple Ridge Armoury Maverick! (“can” you see what I did there?)

Hold and Point Mounts makes a gun wall mounting system for your Airsoft, paintball and Nerf

I found something to match my shirt!

Nerf muzzle

Vs. Airsoft muzzle

When it comes to archery, Excalibur and Bowtech always bring the heat! I recently covered the Excalibur Hybrid X, the first compound crossbow from Excalibur in 20 years at another event. This time they were introducing a TAKEDOWN version of the RevX, the TD!

The Quick-Loc Technology lets you disassemble and reassemble in seconds with a button pull

It also stows neatly in the included Explore Take-Down Utility Soft Case

The Bowtech Alliance was voted “ATA Best New Bow” and is chock full of technology. It is super light (just over 4 pounds) and delivers 338 FPS.

I like the customizable GripLock, especially after I learned that the adjustments are not to fit hand size (as I mistakenly thought) rather they provide the ability to fine-tune grip angle with a simple Allen wrench.

The Ascend is also new from Bowtech and is meant to be a serious bowhunting option in a more affordable package.

Speaking of archery, I like that there was a range set up at the show

Puma Knives and Brave The Wilderness are always a star attraction for those looking for knives, this year even more so with their most expansive range of offerings yet! Indeed, their product lines have an international flair with Puma and Otter from Germany, Svord from New Zealand, and Joker from Spain.

Let’s start with Puma

I liked the Hunt to Survive edition

Happy to see the General back in stock

Next, Otter.

I picked up a Mercator last year, now they are available in different scale colours/materials with and without clips.

the 05 buckhorn has a very unique lever lock

Next, Joker

While I do like stag handles, in this case the Nomad and Norizo were my favourites

Now Svord

The Black Flag Bowie is exactly my type of knife with its 13.5” blade lol

I also really liked the look and feel of the Kiwi filet knives

Last but certainly not least, a knife designed by Hewitt Custom Millwork who made the walnut handle and leather sheath for the blade made in Germany.

I am a big fan of thumb ramps so glad to see one here. It fits great in the hand.

Available in several scale colours with leather or kydex

The Toronto Sportsmen’s Show has a huge hall dedicated to fishing and I usually don’t cover it as I am not really into fishing. Still people ask me about it and every year I intend to do some coverage but don’t get around to it. Well this year I am officially dipping my toe so to speak into the water!

And what better way to start than with St. Croix, reputed to be some of the best fishing rods in the world!

I learned a lot during my visit to their booth, such as the need for power, flexibility, sensitivity, the different types of rods you would need for freshwater, saltwater, and ice etc. so thanks to the reps.

I looked at the top of the line Legend Xtreme

I was immediately blown away at how light it felt especially considering the 7’ length but the flexibility of the carbon fiber was even more impressive

Again, different rods for different applications and here is the Legend Xtreme next to the Mojo-Musky. I liked the GRASP II (what I would call a “pistol grip” lol) which was actually designed by St. Croix and found exclusively on their rods. The patent-pending grip has three interchangeable trigger options – a full-sized palming trigger, a smaller, standard-sized casting trigger, or no trigger. You can swap between these without tools.

Next the Legend X2

to give you a sense of the height

Thanks again to the rep who caught a record breaking Bigmouth Buffalo at 24.45LBS

Moving on to optics, there were some great options for night vision. I have looked through night vision in the past but I have to say the latest generations are insane. You can pretty much see the person’s skull!

Pulsar had some great monoculars and binoculars

I tried the top of the line DXT50

This is what you would typically see

Next some weapon and helmet mount night vision from Cold Harbour Supply

Mmmm quads

I tried the red SAR helmet mounted set…just so awesome! I wish I could get a pic to show you what the night vision looks like.

Next a visit to Vortex to see their incredibly expansive line of optics

I wanted to have a closer look at their line of handgun red-dots

I looked at the Defender XL and ST and learned about the differences between an enclosed and open design

And now for my biggest surprise of the show, the new AMG® 1-10×24 FFP, yours for $6,400! I believe the British Military is using these and I urge you to watch the video on Vortex’s website that gives you the background on “Project Eleanor”.

One of the super cool features, Dual Zero Turrets that allow you to switch zeros for suppressed, unsuppressed, long- or short-range loads.

Again, an amazing show discovery!

Great to see Army Issue Surplus back at the show. I was just at their retail store about a month ago and picked up another surplus PR-24 like the MANY he had available at the show.

I also picked up another TK05R from Fenix, though this time it was for a gift.

Fur is always a big attraction at the show whether taxidermy or fur products for wear. SCI had an interesting display set up in a mobile unit.

The warthog was definitely my favourite

More taxidermy at the show

Last year I put my hand in a trap at the Ontario Fur Managers Federation booth, this year they had a 3D printed version to try

Beautiful fur clothing from Cahill’s

Nice to see Nanuk back at the show and I am glad they brought cases with Guard Dog knife inserts

I had a great chat with Tactical Distributors Canada who had Altama footwear and their Bullfrogs overshoes on display. TDC represents many other brands such SPY Standard Issue, First Tactical, Cobra Cuffs, Hero’s Pride, Safety Jogger Works, and Original SWAT.

The Tavor 7 used to display Silent Dry anti-rust chamber safety plug and dummy rounds drew A LOT of attention!

Hopefully that gives you a sense of how many great things there were to see at the show! I spent the whole day there (thanks for the early access) and could have gone back if I didn’t have to fly out for Montreal Audiofest and the Quebec Sportsmen’s Show.

Let’s stay optimistic about the CCFR’s case in the Supreme Court and maybe we will see some old familiar guns back at the show next year.

RL