TheGunBlog.ca — Glock GmbH dominates the market for Canadian police handguns and is attracting agencies faster than any other company, a survey by Blue Line magazine showed. Colt Canada Corp. supplies police with the most AR-15 rifles, and the most-popular police shotgun is the Remington 870.
Canada has federal, provincial and municipal police. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police operates across the country. Ontario and Quebec have provincial forces. In 2016, the country had 144 municipal services and 36 First Nations services, according to Statistics Canada.
The following highlights are from an article dated Dec. 15 on the website of Blue Line, which covers police and law enforcement. The results are based on the magazine’s Canada-wide surveys. View the whole December 2017 issue here.
Handguns
- Glock has almost doubled its market share in the past decade. The Austrian company will equip about 75 percent of agencies next year, compared with 38 percent in 2007. (Glock told TheGunBlog.ca in March that it estimated its market share at about 80 percent.)
- 11 departments have followed or will follow the Ontario Provincial Police in switching to the Glock 17M in 9 mm.
- SIG Sauer Inc. market share will probably shrink to 22 percent next year from 25 percent in 2007. Most-popular model with Canadian police is P226.
- Beretta Holding SpA had 19 percent of market a decade ago, and will have about 1 percent in 2018. Canada Border Services Agency uses Beretta PX4 Storm in 9 mm, but prohibits many agents from carrying one because of quality issues. Vancouver police switched from Beretta to SIG.
- Smith & Wesson Corp. had 15 percent market share in 2007 and about 3 percent next year. Peel Regional Police and Windsor police, both in Ontario, use the company’s M&P line for Military & Police. (The RCMP, Canada’s largest police agency, use an S&W model as their general-issue sidearm.)
- Heckler & Koch P2000 is used by the Correctional Service of Canada, which manages the prison system, and H&K P30 is used by Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources.
Handgun Ammo
- In 2007, about half of agencies used 9 mm Luger and half used .40 S&W.
- Today about 80 percent use 9 mm.
Holsters
- Safariland is the “overwhelming choice for duty holsters,” Blue Line said.
- Most agencies that issued the Blackhawk Serpa have switched back to Safariland.
Rifles
- Almost every police car is now equipped with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle chambered in 5.56 NATO.
- Most popular is Colt Canada Corp. C8 in semi-auto.
- Winnipeg police use AR-15s from Daniel Defense Inc.
Shotguns
- Many agencies are switching from shotguns to rifles, and some use both.
- Most common shotgun is Remington 870 Police, 12 gauge.
- A few use Mossberg 590A1.
Related Information
- More Than 90,000 Canadians Are Allowed to Carry Guns Every Day
- Ontario Police Pick Glock 17M as Pistol to Start Service in 2018
- RCMP’s Top Gun Suppliers 2016: Colt Canada, M.D. Charlton, S&W
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