Soon, Canadians will have a new option for a non-restricted domestically-manufactured modern semi-auto rifle. Ontario-based Black Creek Labs is about to release its SRV2 Siberian through distributor North Sylva, with ETA in six to eight weeks.
That matches up just about perfectly with Internet rumours about the rifle. Black Creek Labs originally showed a prototype off at the Taccom 2022 show. Since then, we've seen social media teasing about a modern tactical/sporting-style rifle from Black Creek Labs, supposedly for a December, 2022 release. Now it looks like it's all coming together, with availability from Marstar, Firearms Outlet Canada, Canada's Gun Store, Calgary Shooting Centre and Dominion Outdoors, who all have back-orders on the new rifle.
Details on the new rifle are still light, but we've seen enough to know it runs a mid-length gas system, based on the AR-180B design, similar to most other made-in-Canada semi-auto rifles. It re-uses several small parts and designs from other Black Creek Labs rifles, including the magazine and bolt release, pins, and other bits. The SRV2 Siberian has an AR-15-style barrel nut, and of course it will run AR-15 magazines (and will it also use proprietary MRX Mags from BCL? Nobody has announced any plans to do so yet).
It comes with an ambidextrous safety, non-reciprocating charging handle. There are QD attachment points built into the rails as steel inserts, so they don't wear out. For now, it seems your choice of finish is the tan upper/black lower, but it is likely that will change at some point. At this point, we've seen no details on that finish, whether it's powder-coating or anodized, but it seems likely it's the first option.
Black Creek Labs says the design may change a bit yet before release, compared to what we've seen so far. However, we can see an RCMP FRT approval from earlier this year that gives the OK to the rifle as a non-restricted, chambered in 300 Blackout, 5.56 NATO and 7.62X39. In other words, expect calibre choices among the future evolutions to come.
The big question will be, how reliable is this rifle? In the past few years, several new non-restricted options have come from Canadian manufacturers, all with questions of reliability and quality control. Some owners have been very happy, others not so much. So how will the new Black Creek Labs SRV2 Siberian work out?
Owners will be the ultimate judge, but we do have the following from Black Creek Labs' Instagram feed:
How many hoser-bucks will we be shelling out for this new rifle? Retailers have it listed at $1,649.97 CAD at this point. Then add in shipping, tax, and the inevitable cost of extra mags and accessories (if you don't have any right now), and yeah, you should start saving up.
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