Re: Firearm and Canadian paramilitary question

[Brian McDonald <Brian_mcdonald@xxxxxxx>]

Peter wrote:

>The Canadian Forces have a paramilitary organisation called The Rangers who
>act as a recce and training cadre in the north. They are civilians, but are
>provided with equipment by the government. The question I have has to do
>with their long arm. They are issued a WWII era Enfield.
>
>Are their any issues caused by extreme cold on the actions of modern
>firearms? Is a bolt-action enfield better suited to the climate of the
>arctic, and if so why? Does anyone know anything else about the Canadian
>Rangers?
>
>Thanks
>Peter
>
>
They found that the modern semiauto rifles have a nasty tendency to have 
their lubes freeze solid which could be kinda a drag.  Also those rifles 
are used mostly for hunting and over longer distances often than the 
5.56 rifles are effective at.

Most of the rangers are eskimo last i heard and being a ranger is 
considered an excellent way to make a few bucks on the side.  In event 
of any actual fighting up there they would serve largely as survival 
experts assisting troops from more temperate climes in not freezing 
solid.  I have never heard of them being gathered up in larger than 
platoon sized groups for any reason.  Rangers often accompany canadians 
going over to that winter ex in norway whose name i cannot think of 
offhand.  

I understand that in the event of war one of the major tasks of the 
rangers would be hunting down and eliminating soviet special forces 
teams seeking to damage the installations in the north like the radars 
or more likely pipelines etc.  Doubt they would be very successful at it 
given the number of rangers and the number of targets available to the 
soviets.