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The Canadian Forces says the new Canadian Ranger rifle will be delivered to Canadian Ranger units starting by mid-2017. Final deliveries are expected in late 2018/early 2019, Department of National Defence spokeswoman Ashley Lemire said. (125 prototype weapons were acquired and utilized during field trials in 2015. They did not remain in circulation.)

But some civilian shooters already have pretty much the same rifle, which is now starting to appear on the shelves of gun stores in some parts of Canada.

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A small number of Tikka Arctic .308 Win, modeled directly after the Tikka Ranger rifle (the Canadian Ranger rifle), were shipped out to customers of Wolverine Supplies. Island Outfitters in Victoria, BC, also received one of the new rifles and a gun store in Montreal expects a shipment sometime in January.

The civilian version of the Ranger rifle is selling for around $2,700.

How is it different from the military version? The guns in the hands of civilians were not assembled by Colt Canada, which is handling the Ranger rifle procurement for the Canadian military. In addition, the Canadian Ranger rifle stock will be a slightly redder colour and they will have a Ranger emblem. The trigger guard area is said to be a little larger as well.

Photo above shows the new Canadian Ranger Rifle underneath the Lee Enfield, the weapon it will replace.