I bought my Fazakerly No.4 Mk.I for $85 + PA sales tax at Woolworth's in the local mall. This was 1985.



 

I either own or have shot practically every mainline military bolt action there is.  The discussion of cock on closing vs opening with regards to speed is always amusing.  The Enfield's cocking method has only a small part to do with its speed of shooting.  The main reasons are the location of the bolt handle, the single locking lug, and the manufacturing that went into the gun.  

The turned down bolt handle within easy reach of the firing hand is important.  Other mainline milsurp bolt guns (most Mauser 93/95/98s, Arisaka, Mosin, Carcanos, Berthier/Lebel, Swede Mausers) have the bolt handle at different areas which causes a slight delay in firing.  Also, most milsurp guns have dual locking lugs (Krag is a notable exception).  

A Krag can be fired just as fast (if not faster) than a Enfield due to the same strengths of the Enfield.  Krags cock on opening with no ill effect.  The Enfield wins due to the ability of charger loading.  Despite its Mauser inspired bolt, most 1903 Springfields can be fired as fast as an Enfield.  The only slow Springfields I've fired were WWII rebuilds with lots of Parkerizing on internal parts.  As they wear they break in.  K98's with their properly turned down bolts are also fast.  Turn down conversions such as the most Yugo Mausers and Spanish guns are not as fast as the geometry and leverage gained from their bolts isn't quite right.  Swedish M38 turn bolts are more well thought out.

A frequently maligned bolt gun that is fast to fire is the MAS 36.  Shorter than an Enfield, very robust, excellent sights, ridiculously simple.

These Canadian Rangers would be well served by having new made Mauser rifles from Zatstava (Yugo).  I have one of their "Tanker" Mausers chambered in 30-06...fun gun!  They make them in 308/7.62X51 as well.

It seems that the Canadians have a Ruger M77 rifle manufactured by Diemaco for use with their Search and Rescue teams

30.06 Cal SAR (Search and Rescue) Rifle

The SAR Rifle, .30-06 calibre, RUGER, Model M77 is a rifle designed for use by Canada's Search and Rescue Technicians (SAR Techs) and Aircrews. The SAR Rifle is designed to be a compact survival rifle chambered in .30-06 Springfield. The rifle is based on the standard Ruger M77 Mk II rifle but the barrel has been shortened to 14.5". The orange coloured buttstock has been modified so that it can fold along the left hand side of the stock and it also can hold 6 additional rounds of ammunition. The rifle is issued with a special case that has been designed to attach to the Search and Rescue Technicians parachute harness.





The Orange Canadian Survival Rifle

They could just issue the Ruger M77, since they already have a variant of it in service.

That's gotta be a thumper

Nice flamethrower.

Probably part of the design...shot fired from double barrel performs dual purpose of providing signal flash/flame for nighttime observation.  Could also provide a tertiary benefit as a firestarter in remote climes.

Lee-Enfields have dual locking lugs. The only military rifles that I'm aware of with only one locking lug is the Krag.



 

Interesting.  I've always considered the Enfield as having only one lug.  The reason for this is that only one lug locks into a recess internal to the receiver.  I did not know that the large one on the bolt handle side of the gun was considered a locking lug.  On a Springfield bolt that rear ejection port lug isn't considered a locking lug and its in a similar position as the Lee Enfield.  Mauser 98 bolts have the 3rd lug as well and the 1917 used the bolt handle as a lug.

The MAS 36 definitely has two internal rear locking lugs.

Correct. The large lug is also locking lug, and also acts a guide for the bolt when it's moving backwards and forwards.



ETA: One of the reasons that the Lee-Enfield is so reliable under the worst conditions is that the locking lug recesses are easily cleaned. If extremis, you can just untuck your shirt and use the tail.

Lee-Enfield's actually have two rear-locking lugs.

Well, to show solidarity with my Canadian Brothers across the border with what has happened. I ordered a CR patch...

Where'd ya order the patch from?

 

The Enfield won't bop you on the nose when you cycle the bolt.  

I must be a mutant. I have to move my head for basically any bolt-action, except some .22lr types, because of how far forward on the stock I naturally put my cheek. Just can't get comfy or a decent sight picture with my head farther back.
Kinda like N2CH on an AR, really.

 

That's really cool!



 

That's cause Connaught>Bisley

I wonder if the "Canadian Northern Guard" overrun rifles are the answer to this question?



The Troy website for these is dead, but these were a Black Friday deal for $599.

WTF is the Canadian Northern Guard? Never heard of 'em.

 

I don't get this as an excuse... I imagine any small mom and pop machine shop could manufacture the relatively small number of spare parts required.
Hell... I'm not a machinist and I've managed to make an extractor for an old rifle I using a piece of scrap tempered steel and a file.
It's been in the gun for 20 years and hundreds of rounds fired.

The fact that there's some agreement that Colt Canada must be the one to supply a new rifle just goes to show it probably has just as much to do with someone making a few bucks off another gov't contract.

All this is totally unnecessary.

Savage already has a presence in Canada, they could create a Scout rifle based on their long action, chamber it in whatever cartridge they wanted. Make the parts here, assemble in their old Lakefield plant in Canada and there you go.