Peter;
Sorry I'm late in answering your query sir, I've been slogging through a similar thread on a Canuck gun board.
Linky might/might not work here...
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1253525-Colt-Canada-Rifle-Here-it-is-%E2%80%93-the-new-Sako-rifle-for-the-Canadian-Rangers
Sometimes a non-member can read threads on gunnutz and sometimes not so I'm not sure.
Anyway there's more information there by folks who seem to be much more directly involved with the procurement process and the Rangers themselves. Again interesting tidbits for folks like ourselves.
I'd say that a more closed action would actually be a good thing Peter. My good wife's 788 worked well in some less than optimum hunts back in Saskatchewan for sure and it's sorta semi-closed like a T3.
She shot her first whitetail buck when the mercury indicated a balmy -38° or so if I recall - no windchill in that either Peter and oh my was it ever windy too...
A big thing one needs to watch with any metal gear in those cold conditions is that it sweats profusely when taken indoors. I did some damage to at least one rifle barrel by shooting it at sub zero temps, bringing it inside and neglecting to swab the bore.
When we hunted moose in really cold conditions I don't think we brought the rifles inside all week for that very reason. My late father shot a Model 100 semi-auto in .308 and in the extreme cold it really didn't want to function that well either - not that it was super reliable in warm weather Peter.
Anyway sir, that's just my thoughts on the matter and I'm certain that you could find a few dozen Canuck rifle loonys who'd disagree vehemently.
All the best to you folks again Peter.
Dwayne
