Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Factory ammo availability question ...

Been thinking I should be packing a second rifle to cover for my less popular chambering should I ever lose, forget, or otherwise don't have ammo with me on a hunt up there.

Say a situation arises and I have my 358-WSM or my 35 Whelen with me up there, but my ammo is still on the bench at home over 1000 miles away... OUCH..!

If I had a "Can always find ammo for this one anywhere" rifle as a back up to my Whelen, then I could make a trip to your Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire, or other shops and buy a box so that I could actually hunt.

What would that "can always find ammo for this one anywhere" chambering be...?

I'd like to hear that the 300 WM would not be too risky a gamble, as I'd prefer it over the 30-06.

What say you..?

Sincerely,
Scott

7 Rem mag 300 Win are pretty common everywhere.

Here in Canada a safe bet would be .30-30, .270, .308, .30-06, .300 Win Mag and 7mm Rem Mag. You could probably also throw in the .303 British and the .300 WSM. You should be able to find these calibers in the WalMarts and Canadian Tires up here.

As you were thinking - ammo get forgotten, scopes pick the worst times to crap out, rifles are dropped in mud bogs etc. If you're going to be hunting 1000 miles from home then bringing a second rifle in a readily available chambering would be a wise idea. Any of the package rifles offered by the big manufacturers should work well as a back up gun. A better scope would probably be in order as the cheap ones offered in the package deals are a bit suspect. As a wise man once said - "Two is one and one is none!"

308, 30-06

I've checked backwoods country stores from here to Alaska and many places between,including rural Canada and Edmonton.

There is never "not"any 30-30 ,30/06,308, or 270 ammo to be had.300 Win Mag and 7RM.yes,but to a slightly lesser degree.Also 243.

Despite the play they get on here, I do not see a ton of 7/08 and 280 cartridges outside the larger cities.

To the OP the rock-simple no brainer selection is 30/06,308 or 270.

Here as in most places if you are using a guide or outfitter, ask them to pick up a box or two of your ammo. Otherwise the 30-06/300winmag should not be a problem. My friend tried to buy 270 from Thunder Bay through to Winnepeg this fall and could only find it at a couple of large box stores. It was a very popular round according to the clers.

Good idea to have a market centre back up. But with our laws I don't know if you could even buy ammo without a PAL.



If that happens just drop around for a visit - I have all the 35cal fixins u would need to roll your own 35 Whelen and 358WSM.

Imagine that 35 WSM is pretty rank.

I was looking at fishing reels for my sons for Christmas today and happened to walk down the ammunition aisle in the local Walmart. Out of curiousity I took a glance: 223, 243, 30-30, 308, 303 British, 30-06, 270, 7 RemMag, 300 WinMag. Don't remember seeing any WSMs.

If you chose the 270, 7 RemMag, 308, 30-06, or 300 WinMag you couldn't go wrong. From meeting lots of elk and moose hunters in the bush, I can tell you that the 30-06 and the 300 WinMag are incredibly popular here, and if I were you, that's where I'd make my choice. The 270 is popular, too, but you see more of them in southern BC than in the north.

I heeded this advice during my October trip to BC, taking an '06 to back-up my Whelen. Luckily, there were no problems with the latter, but I was ready.

FC

Hey guys quick question. If a fellow from the states(or anywhere for that matter) forgets his ammo at home can he legally buy some in Canada without a PAL. Just wondering if the paperwork that allows him to bring a firearm into the country also allows him to buy ammo if something goes wrong.
+ 1 on the 270/308/30.06/7mm mag and 300 win mag being easy to find here in Canada. Any of those 5 would be a good idea to back up you 35's. Just my 2 cents worth. Stew

I think it does, cause it's a temporary firearms licence.

Hummmm.......... Sounds like I better be finding out about this issue concerning purchasing ammo, the "PAL."

If I could mail my ammo ahead to my outfitter that would be great, but what with the laws about that, it's a mute point.

Having my Outfitter pick up a couple of boxes before things get too busy up there is another option which should give some insurance.

The BEST solution is, "Don't forget my ammo..!"

Thanks Fellas,
Scott

The BEST solution is, "Don't forget my ammo..!"


+1 on that. Few questions come to mind on this one.
1)can you mail ammo?
2)can the outfitter legally buy you ammo for you? 3)Can he lend you a rifle and ammo or do you still need permits even if you do not bring rifle across the border?

Hope to one day do a deer/antelope hunt in Montana/Wyoming etc. Is taking rifle /ammo from Canada to the states a big deal?

I recently traveled to the Yukon to hunt Dall Sheep August 2010. I recall that the temporary firearms permit would have allowed me to purchase ammo appropriate for the caliber imported.

And, where are the sheep pictures? You can't make a post like that without pictures!

Ted

+1 on the sheep pics. And I was pretty sure the temporary permit you get to import your firearm for hunting allows you to buy ammo. Would not make sense otherwise, and we don't need a PAL, a POL works as well.

a quick comment on mailing ammo - in Canada courier companies can transport and deliver ammo, but Canada Post will not.

I wonder if the average sales clerk at the hardware or Canadian Tire store knows about this provision.

Betting they do, at least the ones around these parts do.