It is designed to be lighter and more affordable, but does stripping away the metal take away the “soul” of the rifle? After 500 rounds and some time at a 3 gun match, here is the breakdown.

Overview

The TM22 Feather is a semi-automatic .22 LR that mimics some AR-15 ergonomics without being a direct clone. While the original TM22 used a more durable aluminum chassis, the Feather uses polymer for the receiver and furniture. This makes it a breeze to carry in the field, though it does lose that “premium” heft of the original.

Specifications

• Barrel: 18″
• Mag capacity: 10, 15, or 25 rounds (comes with 2 – 10 round mags)
• Weight: 4.9lbs
• Price: $325-399

Usability: Reliable but Not a Sniper

The most impressive thing about the Feather is its reliability. In my testing, this rifle went through 500 rounds and a 3 gun match without a single jam with no cleaning or oiling in between. That is rare for a budget-friendly semi-auto rimfire. It seems to eat high-velocity rounds with zero complaints.

However, do not expect match-grade accuracy. It is “minute of squirrel” at 50 yards, but it is not going to win any accuracy competitions. It is a plinker or an action shooting gun, not a precision tool.

The Good:

• The Safety: The safety is quick, tactile, and easy to engage. It is one of the best designs in this price bracket.
• Mag release: Easy to hit for a right handed shooter with your index finger
• The Magazines: Even the extended 25-round magazines are reliable. They lock in well and feed consistently.

The Odd:

• Charging Handle: The left-hand only charging handle might not be great for some but I love it
• Front Sight Tower & carrying handle: If you want that “M16 we got at home” look, fine. At least you can pull both off easily.
• Bolt hold open on empty mag only: Once you remove the mag, the bolt slams forward.
• Plastic top rail: Don’t stick heavy optics on this thing, the rail is not meant for anything too beefy.

Aftermarket and Potential Modifications

The TM22 Feather has a decent amount of “LEGO” potential.

• Grips: It is compatible with standard AR-15 grips, so you can swap the factory polymer for a Magpul or Hogue if you want a better feel. Note that because it’s got a weird angle, pay attention to the grip angle of any replacements you choose.
• Stocks: It uses a commercial-spec buffer tube, allowing for plenty of adjustment or replacement options.
• Forend: Some guys are 3d printing other forends
• Muzzle Devices: The muzzle is threaded for brakes/suppressors/etc.
• Optics: Since the front sight is removable, I think a red dot fits the use better

Competitors

• TM22 Pro: Aluminum instead of plastic but around $590 vs $350 for the TM22 Feather
• GSG-16: Offers the “tactical” look but is historically more finicky with ammo than the TM22 has proven to be. Prohib in Canada
• Custom or semi custom 10/22 with 597 adapter or TUF-22 mags: way more expensive (like $1k for most) and they still have reliability issues as the current TUF-22 mags are picky as hell
• Adler RF224: Super hit and miss on reliability with more on the “miss” side of reliability.

Conclusion

The Derya TM22 Feather is a lot of fun as a budget plinker that you can play dress-us with. While it is not super accurate, it’s reliable, flexible in how you outfit it, and pretty ergonomic.

Once you remove the lame carry handle and front sight tower, you are left with a lightweight, reliable rifle that outperformed my expectations.

The post TM22 Feather Review appeared first on The Hunting Gear Guy.

Lie 1: The government has targeted 136,000 guns with this buyback. That’s what the government estimates there are in circulation.

Is it a lie? Depends who is saying it. Nathalie Provost recently said “1/3 is still a very good number of the total amount there is in circulation”. That’s a clear lie. We don’t know exactly how many affected guns there are but industry estimates are 1-3 million guns affected by this ban so the government always intended to short-change legal gun owners. When news outlets are saying the gov will “miss the mark” because they’re only getting 67k/136k, they’re neglecting that it’s actually way worse at 67k/2M. Others from the government have been using the 136,000 number as a target to mislead and reframe but it’s important to remember that this is not how many guns are out there, it’s just what the government budgeted for.

Lie 2: The government enacted the ban because of the NS Portapique shooting.

Is it a lie? Yes, in 2 ways.

1. Intent: They want you to believe they enacted the laws because of the shooting. These laws were already queued up for release and promised as a part of the LPC election platform, the timing of the attack was just used for convenience and maximum publicity. The real reason (leaked behind closed doors) that the Liberal Party enacted these laws is because they needed more votes in urban Quebec.
2. Omission: They want you to believe that the law would have stopped the NS shooter. They don’t mention that the NS shooter didn’t have a gun license and illegally smuggled in at least one of the firearms used. The new law would not have stopped or hindered the shooter at all. What would have stopped it? Basic police work: multiple people had reported to police that Wortman had illegally owned firearms. Following up on those tips could have resulted in charges that could have stopped Wortman.

There’s a gap between the problem (Wortman bringing in illegal guns from the US, plus failure to enforce current laws) and the solution: targeting legal gun owners.

Lie 3: “These are firearms designed for war”, Gary Anandasangaree.

Is it a lie? The government tried to give these to Ukraine and they outright refused as the firearms are not appropriate for war. The gov said that’s because the guns didn’t meet “Nato compliance standards” but Ukraine is not part of Nato and doesn’t generally use Nato-standard firearms so that doesn’t seem to make sense. A GSG16 is a mostly plastic 22LR rifle suitable for youth users. Is that newly-prohibited rifle “designed for war”? See “lie 5” for more discussion on the “designed for” argument.

Lie 4: This program will save lives.

Is it a lie? Few are directly answering. Listen to how researchers and academics are quoted on this one because they’re not answering the question above. Instead, they give more broad answers like “removing firearms so that people don’t have access can reduce injuries or death”. But again, that’s not what we’re doing here: we’re removing some firearms from people who most likely own several. You can see this in the early numbers of declarations – 27,000 people declared 57,000 guns. Separately, police and provinces have refused to participate because they claim it’s a waste of resources.

Lie 5: “These firearms are designed to kill the most amount of people in the shortest amount of time”, Justin Trudeau. “These firearms are designed to kill”, Nathalie Provost.

Is it a lie? Justin Trudeau and Nathalie Provost don’t know anything about the designers intention for each of the firearms affected in the ban and they don’t get to act as representatives of gun designers intent. Most of the firearms in the ban are not military firearms. My AR15, which was affected by the ban, was built from the ground-up by me as a competition rifle. As the designer of that firearm build, I can tell you that I did not build it to kill the most amount of people in the shortest period of time. My kid’s GSG16 is not “designed to kill the most amount of people in the shortest amount of time”.

Lie 6: “We are not removing hunting guns”, Nathalie Provost.

Is it a lie? Many of the firearms were used for hunting. The GSG16 that my son used for hunting small game was banned. I have friends who used their WK180 and Stag10’s for hunting and those guns are now banned.

Lie 7: We’re only banning 2,500 models of firearms, there are still 19,000 models on the market still left to use for hunting and sport shooting.

Is it a lie? That number of firearms includes ALL FIREARMS EVER MADE. There are not 19,000 guns “on the market” since it’s a number from Canada’s FRT database that includes information on all firearms. A great majority of those firearms are no longer in production and haven’t been for decades. It also includes prototype models that only had 1 ever made. You can’t say there are 19,000 models on the market because that’s not close to what’s actually available to purchase.

Lie 8: “This is taking assault style weapons off the street”

Is it a lie? The program is only for legal gun owners, so you can’t say you’re taking guns “off the street” because that suggests these guns are illegally owned or are being used by criminals.

Finally a truth:

“I don’t feel I am a gopher or a duck or a pop can“, Nathalie Provost. About the only thing she’s said that’s 100% true!

Pictures & video used to portray the gun ban

This is one that I think the media is readily complicit in. Out of laziness, ignorance, or just wanting to show stuff that they think will gets clicks, they regularly use images and video of the wrong firearms.

As an example, the images used towards the bottom of this CTV article from yesterday show guns that have a bump stock. This accessory is illegal in Canada and always has been.

I think that visual misrepresentation shapes public perception more than policy does and the sensational visual framing that the media uses is a broad pattern.

Me on CBC

I was on a CBC bit recently. I think they did a good job on most of the piece but they did choose to pull a clip from my YouTube channel where I was shooting full auto firearms in the US and stuck it right next to a clip of me showing an affected firearm (a GSG16). Any regular person seeing that portion of the video would assume that my GSG16 is a full auto centerfire and that’s what the government was banning. A clearly misleading editing choice.

Thankfully, enough viewers wrote in to CBC to complain about the bit and they removed the misleading portion and republished.

Just so we’re clear: I did not give the CBC that clip of me shooting full autos in the US. Fair use dictates that media can use short clips of other people’s videos. There was a lot more interview (they were at my house for a few hours) and I would have liked for them to include some parts (like that the GSG16 was my son’s for hunting) but legacy media has time constraints and has to keep things short and punchy. Excluding that clip, I still think this is one of the best segments that CBC has put out on this topic.

Here’s what CBC put on the radio (I think they did a good job of it): https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-17-edmonton-am/clip/16205683-gun-buyback-deadline-approaching

And here’s the edited and re-uploaded video:

Overall

You don’t need to lie about good policy but bad policy needs a lot of lies to make it palatable. This gun ban and buyback was always about votes in key areas and not about public safety.

The post Common Government and Media lies about the Gun Confiscation Program appeared first on The Hunting Gear Guy.

• Internal dimensions: 51x12x3″
• Removable shoulder strap
• Removable backpack straps
• 4 large front pouches, 3 weirdly thin back pouches
• Special features: Internal hand gun pouch, top grab handle, patch velcro
• 4kg

This case can hold a full size shotgun with a 28″ barrel, full length rifle, and a handgun. The front pouches are also big enough to hold mags, ammo, and everything else you’ll need for a travelling 3 gun match. I’ve got a full review of this bag here.

Princess Auto 42″ Tactical Deluxe Padded gun case

• 42×13.5×4″
• Removable shoulder strap
• 3 front pouches (2 removable)
• Molle webbing front
• Special features: id holder
• 3.8kg

No backpack straps but it does have a removable shoulder strap. You won’t be able to fit any full size shotguns or rifles in this case but it is nice and light, and decently padded. You’ll want more pouches if you want to pack along enough stuff for a full day.

Costco: Kryptek 42″ Classic Double Rifle Bag

• 42×12.2×4.75″
• Removable backpack straps
• Well padded backpack straps
• 3 front pouches
• 6 weirdly thin pouches
• Special features: Lockable zipper on main compartment
• 2.5kg

Super well padded with rigid pads that will hold in place. Super comfortable backpack straps BUT pretty heavy for the size. LOTS of pouches on this one.

Rangemaxx Tactical combo case

Review here.

It’s not well padded enough for anything other than light duty. Plus that front removable case is really small and can’t hold much useful.

The post Soft multigun cases compared appeared first on The Hunting Gear Guy.

Overview

The SBI Superlite is a two part system consisting of a rear chassis and an optional M-LOK handguard. Unlike traditional stocks where the action sits in a cradle, this chassis essentially clamps onto the rear of your receiver. It replaces the standard receiver pins with threaded ones, allowing the chassis to bolt directly to the action. This creates a very stiff interface.

Specifications

• Material: CNC machined 6061-T6 Aluminum
• Chassis Weight: 195g (6.9 oz)
• Handguard Weight: 130g (4.8 oz)
• Finish: Hard black anodized or “Tanodize”
• Stock Interface: 1913 Picatinny (3-slot)
• Grip Compatibility: Standard AR-15 grips (non-beavertail recommended)
• Receiver Compatibility: Ruger 10/22, SBI C-71, Brownells BRN-22, and most standard clones
• Price: $179 for the lower receiver bit, plus $125 for the forend

Usability

In the field, the first thing you notice is how light and flickable the gun becomes. Because the chassis is so minimalist, the balance point moves forward, which makes for very fast transitions between targets in a competition setting.

The installation is a bit different than your standard drop-in stock. You have to be careful to center the handguard before tightening the action screw, especially if you are running a thick bull barrel. There is a small amount of wiggle room there that requires a steady hand during assembly.

One ergonomic note: this setup puts your cheek rest high. If you are using an optic mount that is integrated into the receiver, you might find that traditional stocks or cheek pieces are too high. I actually had to remove the cheek rest from my Grey Birch stock just to get my eye low enough to see through the very low mounted red dot specific Grey Birch receiver.

Aftermarket and Potential Modifications

Since the rear uses a standard Picatinny interface, your stock options are huge. You can run anything from a lightweight SIG-style folder to a fixed skeletonized stock like SBI’s upcoming pic rail stock.

• Sling Mounts: Neither the chassis nor the handguard come with built-in QD cups. You will need to use the M-LOK slots on the handguard for a forward attachment and something for the rear if you want to carry it on a sling.
• Magazines: It works perfectly with standard Ruger mags. It also plays nice with the SBI magazine adapter for Remington 597 mags, which is a popular choice for Canadian shooters looking for higher capacity.

Conclusion

The SBI Superlite is not for everyone. If you want a traditional “rifle” feel with a full forend to grip, you might find it too sparse. However, for a dedicated speed-shooting rig or a backpack gun where weight is the primary concern, it is hard to beat. It is a well-engineered, Canadian-made solution that solves the rigidity issues of the 10/22 platform without the usual bulk.

The post SBI Superlite Chassis Review appeared first on The Hunting Gear Guy.

I’ve been around guns all my life, but only picked up an earnest interest in them as a hobby since 2003. I’ve got a YouTube Channel, I’m a host on a podcast, and much more. In that time, the internet landscape for Canadian shooters has grown, and I’d argue that we’ve got a couple of really cool outlets considering our population. So where do you go to get more gun talk (other than this website, of course   **Update Jan, 2026: I’ve removed any media that hasn’t been active in the last year and updated some info.**

Best Canadian Gun Forums

If you’re on Reddit and want to talk guns, head on over to /r/canadaguns and join us! The voted post + comments system is completely superior to the traditional forum style.

If you’re on Discord, there are a couple communities. The Canada Firearms Enthusiasts discord server is the most popular.

CanadianGunNutz is the most obvious one and bears mentioning. The simple look of vBulletin may fool you, but this site hosts thousands of visitors per day and is likely the most popular firearms forum in Canada. Unlike many of the websites in Canada, this one is very well recognized by retailers and manufacturers, many of whom engage to some extent on the forum. While most threads are somewhat civilized and mostly intelligent, other threads are chock full of trolls, completely uninformed, brand lovers, brand haters, and extremely knowledgeable gun owners all thrown into the same mix. There isn’t really a decent way of getting around this problem with a traditional forum, you need comment voting and threading to properly sort the great comments from the . . .not so insightful ones.

The Equipment Exchange on CGN is free and awesome. Seasoned buyers and sellers on the “EE” will pay via EMT quickly and ship quickly. Be forewarned that if you want to sell or buy on the EE, you’ll need to match these high expectations. This is not Kijiji or Craigslist.

Gun Owners of Canada is pretty much a ghost town now.

Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum also does thousands of visitors every day (actually, they usually have thousands of users on the site at any given time.) Also run on vBulletin, the Alberta Outdoorsmen forum is backed by the Alberta Outdoorsmen Magazine. This forum is less categorized as CGN, so it can be harder to find interesting topics if you’re focused on a particular theme. Great if you’re in Alberta, still not so bad if you’re not. I’ve seen a few sellers from other provinces successfully selling their items on this forum.

Best Canadian Podcasts

Most of the podcasts I had listed here from 2021 (the last time I updated this list) are done for. Here’s what’s still sticking around:

• Slam Fire Radio. I’ve been a host on this podcast since 2015
• CCFR Podcast
• The Silvercore Podcast
• Ballistically Speaking is newer compared to these other podcasts but is putting together some really interesting content.
• Rimfire Nation

Canadian Gun Blogs

• The Hunting Gear Guy (this website)
• The Gun Blog.ca

Canadian YouTube Gun Channels

Note: I haven’t watched all of these channels.

• Arm and Gun 2.5M subs
• Runkle of the Bailey 329,000 sub
• MDT 262,000 subs (Huge bump since last time)
• CCFR Channel 101,00 subs (Huge bump since last time)
• British Muzzleloaders 97,000 subs
• 314299 63,000 subs
• Marstar Canada 46,000 subs
• The Civil Advantage 44,000 subs
• Hunting Gear Guy 44,000 subs (ME)
• Womfat 20,000 subs
• Tactical Imports 19,000 subs
• Silvercore 19,000 subs
• RifleChair 17,000 subs
• GunGeek 12,000 subs
• Bats888 8,000 subs
• Wolverine Supplies 7,000  subs
• Canadian Hunter 5,000 subs
• Yukon12Gauge 5,000 subs
• Ballistically Speaking Podcast 3,730 subs
• Slam Fire Radio 1,400 subs
• Project Mapleseed 550 subs

(subscriber counts updated January, 2026. I also pulled out some inactive channels)

Best Canadian Gun Magazines

The years have not been kind to the magazine industry.

If you know of other great Canadian sources of information online or off that I should include, let me know in the comments below!

The post The Best Canadian Firearms Media: YouTube Channels, Blogs, Podcasts, and Magazines appeared first on The Hunting Gear Guy.

While receiving a brand-new optic via the VIP Warranty is a win, using the SPARC II in 2026 highlights just how much the rest of the industry has moved past this model, especially when it comes to power management and technology.

Overview

The SPARC II (Speed Point Aiming for Rapid Combat) is a compact, 2 MOA red dot designed to be a “do-it-all” optic. While it remains a staple in the Vortex catalog due to its modular mounting system, it is starting to show its age in a market dominated by “set and forget” electronics.

Specifications

• Dot Size: 2 MOA (Red)
• Weight: 5.9 oz
• Battery Type: CR2032
• Battery Life: 300 hours (max) to 5,000 hours (min)
• Brightness Settings: 10 levels
• Auto-Shutoff: 12 hours
• Price: $230-299 CAD ($215 USD)

The Elephant in the Room: Battery Life

Let’s be blunt: the battery life on the SPARC II is disappointing by modern standards. In an era where almost every competitor offers 30-50,000 hours of runtime, the SPARC II’s 300 to 5,000-hour range feels like a relic.

300 hours on the brightest setting isn’t great. Compare that to a Sig Romeo5 or even Vortex’s own Crossfire II, which can stay on for over five years. The lack of “Shake Awake” technology means you are constantly fiddling with buttons, which is the last thing you want to do when a buck steps out into a clearing.

Usability

The dot clarity remains good. The 2 MOA dot is crisp and, despite the poor battery efficiency, it is undeniably bright. Even in high-glare midday sun, level 10 is more than enough to find your point of aim. The tethered caps are a “love it or hate it” feature; they ensure you won’t lose your turret covers in the brush, but the plastic tethers are stiff and can make re-threading the caps a two-handed chore. Personally, I don’t like them. I prefer the Romeo5’s ramps that protect the exposed adjustments.

The included flip up caps are WAY better than the old rubber bikini cover style covers.

The profile of the red dot is a bit. . .lumpy? It’s not nearly as trim and sleek as some other red dots out there and I think it’d get caught on things.

Aftermarket and Potential Modifications

The SPARC II uses the Aimpoint Micro (T1/T2) footprint. This is its saving grace. The included multi-height mount system is modular, but if you want to upgrade to a high-end QD (Quick Detach) mount, the world is your oyster.

Competitors

• Sig Sauer Romeo5: The gold standard for budget dots. It has 40,000+ hours of battery and motion activation for a lower price.
• Vortex Crossfire II: If you want to stay with Vortex for the warranty but want 50,000 hours of battery, this is the better buy, though it lacks the SPARC’s button layout.
• Holosun 403B: Offers 50,000 hours and a tray-style battery compartment so you don’t have to remove the optic to swap cells.

Conclusion

The Vortex SPARC II is a rugged, reliable optic backed by a legendary warranty. It holds zero, handles heavy recoil, and has a great mounting system. However, if you hate changing batteries or want an optic that is always “on” and ready, this isn’t it.

It is a fantastic “free” upgrade if you are cashing in a warranty claim like I did, but if you are spending your own hard-earned cash in 2026, the battery specs and lumpiness of the red dot make it a hard sell over more modern designs.

The post Vortex SPARC II (2) Review appeared first on The Hunting Gear Guy.