In the changing face of the Canadian firearms market, the AR180 series found itself springboarded out of obscurity, most notably following the Federal Liberal Government Order in Council on May 1st, 2020 that saw AR15s banned, ripe for many of the alternatives to be banned via legislative means. This left the AR180s with few credible alternatives and, hence, a substantial rise in popularity.
Historically, AR15s in Canada only come into the restricted category, meaning they can only be used in the shooting range and not used elsewhere and have to be double-locked. Circulated that the need for a non-restricted rifle that could be used in public land or hunting and its atmosphere rose the rise of the WK180s. The civilian version of the AR18, the AR180 is still prohibited in Canada; its derivatives find their space in a niche market.
The AR180B and Its Evolution
The AR180B, a more affordable variant of the AR180, utilized a polymer lower and STANAG magazines, earning a “non-restricted” status in Canada. Despite its initial price of around $1000, the discontinuation of other options has driven its price above $2000. While reliable, the AR180B’s polymer lowers are prone to breaking, and it lacks compatibility with AR15 grips and forends.
Canadian Made Options
The WK180C, an AR-180 clone, seems to have gained some momentum for Kodiak Defense since it’s crafted from aluminum and allows many aftermarket parts, though not all. Designed to fit within your budget of $1,200-$1,300, the WK180C has gone through several different variations; the new generation, the Gen 2, has updated ergonomics and increased compatibility with AR components.
The WS-MCR from Spectre Ltd. features an upper made of steel and a beefier brass piston bushing, solving some of the early problems with the WK180C. Retailing for about $1600, the WS-MCR is rapidly gaining favor with the competitive shooting community.
The Templar from Spectre Ltd’s Crusader Arms has the mid-length gas system and comes in multiple trim levels that are said to retail at about $2000 or the top end of the range, there is the Sterling NR R18MK2. It carries more advanced features and depends on proprietary components; it retails at about $2700.
New Entrants and Aftermarket Parts
The $1650 BCL SRV2 Siberian features a mid-length gas system and a non-reciprocating charging handle. It’s the newest entry to the Canadian AR180 marketplace.
Several manufacturers offer lowers and kits to upgrade or assemble AR 180 rifles. These include the SBI Lynx 180B Match Lower, the TNA Enhanced 180 Lower, and the Spectre LTD Spec 180 Lower, all offering a range of customization to support the widest variety of possible stock attachments and trigger groups.
The Bill C-21 Debate
The Bill C-21 debate has since then further muddled up the Canadian firearms market. Gun-control advocates, such as PolySeSouvient, argue that confusion over the proposed and withdrawn amendments allowed manufacturers to sell weapons that would have been made illegal. Heidi Rathjen, the co-ordinator of PolySeSouvient, pointed to the SRV2 Siberian as an example of a rifle that would have been prohibited under the G-46 amendment.
The original intention of Bill C-21 was to fight growing gun violence by freezing the sale of handguns and banning the definition of “assault-style” firearms, but the amendments had to be withdrawn because of opposition by some political parties and firearms-rights groups. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino seemed to acknowledge the process has been bungled and said the closing forever gap needs to include a prohibition on firearms designed for the battlefield.
It remains to be seen, but the future of Canadian firearms legislation in the immediate term may hang in the balance of such debates as gun control seeks to make earned airtight assurances that an assault weapon ban will be written into law and advocates of firearms seek to ensure their hunting rifle privileges and responsible ownership.