Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Small arms ammunition produced in Canada

Challenger may be the source. I’d like to get my hands on a box for a better look.

Pops had this Imperial Ammo in the cabinet back in the 80’s. I remember him being fond of it.

I believe that Canadian Tire may have picked up the right to use that name, among many others in recent years.

Jim

I fired off an email to Challenger asking if they are making them. Hopefully, I will get a response.

Kinda wish I had saved a box of the old Whiz Bang 22 ammo I had when i was a kid. Not sure who made that.

They were made by CIL. Some places sold them for a little bit more than regular 22s.

excerpt from Sweeps General Store

“Whew! The new 22 ‘Whiz Bangs’ are in! Holy! 49 cents a box...” And Mike’s face dropped. I could sympathize. Geez, 49 cents for a box of rimfire cartridges! Who could afford that?

Back in those days, you could feed your 22 Cooey for 39 cents a box of fifty. Being kids though, we rarely had 39 cents. But Old Man Sweep was a businessman and would sell them one cartridge at a time for one cent each. High style at five for a nickel!

You often see 22 Whiz-Bang ammunition for sale at online Canadian firearms and ammunitions auctions. If the gun shows ever start again I’m sure you could find some there as well. I often wondered why they were called Whiz-Bang. Do they have an unusual sound or is it just marketing hype?

Nick

It was just a name. I know that they haven't been made for years, but you do see them a lot at gun shows. A box in excellent condition was selling for $15+ dollars. Guys used to sell empty boxes for $2. Collectibles.

When the shows are going full bore again, if you collect old ammunition, vintage reloading equipment, old presses, etc. it would be good to go. The vendors have had a while to find a lot of goodies.

Steve;
Top of the morning to you sir, I hope that you're getting weather you need out east and you're all well.

Since you twigged my memory on this thread, I took an hour and tried to get some photos from the collection to add here.

These are made in Canada for Gevelot, but I don't know where.



Fairly old Dominion stuff. I believe pre WWII. Interesting that these are full boxes in this case.



Think this is pre WWII as well - 6.5x54 - partial box.



Garden variety Dominion from pre 1969. Note the price!!! Anyone know where the store might be?



Full box of 150gr SabreTip from that pre '69 era. Note black plastic tip on these.



Box only from that era - .30-30 170gr KKSP - note the price again is $4.80. Can't make out the store.



Early Imperial - the cardboard shell holders are black though, some were white and slightly different. Note the bright yellow SabreTip.



Lastly these are box and yellow plastic cartridge holders only - ammo is reloads. Note price from Can Tire is $12.59. Think this is likely from the early '90's???



Hopefully you or someone enjoys seeing this sort of thing.

All the best and God bless.

Dwayne

I saw some in the Canadian Tire in Medicine Hat a few weeks ago.
They have been carrying it here for a year or so. I should buy a box and give it a try this Fall.
Jeff

BC30cal, Gevelot ammunition was assembled in Saskatoon from imported components. Most likely the components were from European sources. I have 6.5x55 cases from them and they appear to be of decent quality.

Nick

Nick1899;
Top of the morning to you sir, I trust that other than the political turmoil we're encountering you all had a decent week.

Thanks so much for that tidbit, I didn't know that at all!

As I've mentioned I grew up about 4 hours south of Saskatoon and had family go there to the university so we'd get up there often enough.

While I can't be sure it was this model, I believe I recall family that had one of these too, which must be related to Gevelot?



Honestly I just recall the trigger being really stiff on it, but otherwise I don't recall many details whatsoever of it.

Thanks again and all the best to you all this weekend.

Dwayne

troutfly;
Top of the morning to you Jeff, I hope that again despite our political situation you're all well as can be.

Last fall for the first time in 30 odd years a buddy and I decided to go duck hunting again, so that meant I was using a single shot made in Turkey 12guage I'd picked up "just in case I needed to shoot steel shot" awhile back. The ammo I got was the stuff pictured, that is Imperial #4 Steel.

Alas no ducks were shot at, much less shot, though I must admit that the last words my better half said to me as I left were, "Have fun today, but make sure you donate all the ducks to buddy...."

For years out here we couldn't find Rottweil Brenneke slugs for our "serious social recalcitrant bruin interaction devices", so I'd done some digging and found these which were sold then at Can Tire too.


They're put together in Quebec using the Italian Gualandi slugs which are very hard lead with the wad affixed to the slug much like the Brenneke is.

For practice drills I've found a couple weights of Score slugs made in Carbury, MB and they work fine. It was lucky I picked up a few boxes when Wholesale was still in business up in Westbank, but they're still available with a couple of the big online places I see. Not sure on availability.

Anyways that's a couple more Canadian ammo makers for our list.

All the best to you all out there Jeff.

Dwayne

I’m going to keep an eye out for some as the season approaches, Jeff. I just use 20 ga for rabbits and birds. If there is a sale, I would buy a few boxes to do me for a few years.

I have some Federal Upland No. 6 left, but should restock.

Hi Dwayne,
All is well for the most part outside the political BS we are fighting. seems like a never ending fight every time the Libs are in power, this time with a coalition from Hell of the Lib/NDP.
I'll be picking up a box of the new Imperial stuff as well as some Challenger shells before the season opens. I was lucky a number of years ago and managed to acquire a good number of cases of Black Cloud shells in various waterfowl loads when Wholesale was closing. My waterfowl gun really likes the stuff so I'm "happy, happy, happy". As well, I have a case of Rio BB that I'm working with.
I must say, I'm somewhat impressed with the ammo supply in several Alberta CT stores I have been in lately. Even the prices, while high, haven't been prohibitive, yet. On the other hand, I was in Cabelas in Edmonton a few days ago, prices there terrified me. The same 22-250 Hornady stuff I can buy at CT, was $15.00 higher at Cabelas. Needless to say, I left w/o purchasing any ammo there. Fortunately, on my way back home, I found some affordable Federal 300 Win Mag at a Walmart, I grabbed a couple boxes.....
I haven't fired slugs in a number of years, I sold my slug gun to a friend when I realized it was collecting dust.
It is reassuring to see Canadian made ammunition avail again. Hopefully they can remain viable businesses.
Have a great weekend,
Jeff

Hi Steve,
This is a cool thread, some pics of ammo I had forgotten existed. Wish I still had some of them.
I haven't seen any Imperial 20g loads around here. If you find any, I would snag it for sure.
I have gone the Bismuth route in my 20g, Kent in particular. My Silver Pigeon loves that stuff.
I also have some Kent Bismuth in 12 and 16g which I run through my SKB and Rizzini respectively.
Anything 16g is hard to come by these days though.
Have a great weekend,
Jeff

I have several boxes of those Challengers in 12 ga. as a backup for any wounded bears that might make it into thick bush or swampy areas. From my 24" bolt-action (Polychoke) they were plenty accurate and registered 1620 fps. From my 18.5" pump about 1550 fps. They produce plenty of recoil from a light shotgun, and I expect would be bad news for any black bruin. I've not yet had to use them on bear but in media they were impressive. It's a very good product.

And thanks to Steve for this thread.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

CZ550;
Good morning to you sir, I trust that you're all well and getting the weather you need on this first Sunday of the 6th month of the year.

Thanks for the chronograph numbers on the Challengers, it's interesting data that I've meant to do and just haven't for whatever reason.

You mentioned that they produce plenty of recoil and my goodness I can only say a hearty AMEN as I wince a wee bit.

My main "bear/camping" gun for decades was a Lakefield Mossberg pump gun which I bought used when I was 14 if I'm not wrong. For bear/camping duty it's running an 18.75" barrel and since they're reasonably heavy it's what I practice with.

A few years back when I was ordering some bits, pieces and parts from S&J Hardware in Belleville, ON, they were clearing out old stock Uzkon pumps at a screaming deal which I could not resist.

Long story short it's now my meat packing shotgun as it's at least a pound lighter than the Lakefield and with the 14" barrel is that much less in the way when I'm negotiating the shin tangle.

That said, I've only shot it enough with the Challengers to ensure function. Holy denture rattlers!!!

The media tests you've done match what I've read too and give me confidence that they'll do the job if need be.

All the best and thanks again.

Dwayne

Hi Jeff. Long time, no hear. I hope you're well. I think forgetting about brands that we used to buy like food, tools, and ammunition might be a function of age. I have a few boxes of this. It was budget line shotgun ammunition sold by Cdn Tire. It was made by Winchester.

Simpson-Sears and Eatons had store lines of shotgun ammunition too, as I recall.



Hi Bob. This has turned into a thread of reminiscence. I believe that Kling Kor and Sabre Tip ammunition would still be selling well, if they were still being made. With some improvements of course. Maybe Hornady studied KK to come up with their Interlock ammunition.

All the best.

Hi Steve,
I have been keeping a bit of a low profile lately. Burn out at work and planning/plotting retirement in the next year I hope.
This thread has been refreshing to say the least. You are right, a lot of items that we used to use have been forgotten due to our getting up there in years. Not saying I'm getting old.......
Take care,
Jeff