If you’ve spent any time scouring the used racks at Canadian gun shows, you’ve likely seen the Gevarm. At first glance, it looks like a standard vintage rimfire, but it holds a unique title: it’s one of the few open-bolt rifles legally available to Canadian shooters.
Manufactured in France by Gévelot from the late 1950s through the 80s, the E1 is a fascinating piece of engineering that prioritized simplicity over almost everything else.
The Gevarm E1 is a semi-automatic .22 LR rifle that operates on a simple blowback, open-bolt system. Unlike your Ruger 10/22 or Savage 64, the bolt on the Gevarm stays locked to the rear when cocked. When you pull the trigger, the entire bolt slams forward, strips a round from the magazine, chambers it, and fires in one motion.
It’s also a take-down model. A single large knurled screw at the bottom of the forearm allows the barrel and receiver to separate, making it an excellent candidate for a backpack or truck gun.
Specifications
- Caliber: .22 Long Rifle (some rare variants were .22 Short)
- Action: Semi-auto, Open-bolt
- Weight: Approximately 5 lbs
- Capacity: 8, 10, or 20-round detachable magazines
- Origin: France (Gévelot)
Usability
The standout feature of the Gevarm is its reliability. Because the “firing pin” is actually just a vertical ridge milled directly into the face of the bolt, there are no delicate pins to break or springs to lose. It hits the rim with a massive amount of force, meaning it will fire almost any brand of ammo you feed it. To keep the gun from beating itself up, you should try to feed it Standard Velocity ammo.
However, there is a trade-off: Accuracy. Because a heavy steel bolt is slamming forward the moment you pull the trigger, the rifle has a distinct “clunk” and a shift in center-of-gravity before the bullet leaves the barrel. It’s plenty accurate for hitting a pop can or a grouse at close range, but don’t expect to win any competitions with it.
The Magazine Situation: This is the Gevarm’s Achilles’ heel. While the rifle itself is often reasonably priced, the magazines are notoriously expensive.
- 10-round mags: ~$100
- 20-round mags: ~$200+
If you find a “deal” on a Gevarm that doesn’t include a magazine, walk away.
Aftermarket and Potential Modifications
There is virtually zero modern aftermarket support for the Gevarm. You won’t find M-LOK handguards or match triggers here.
- Optics: Most E1s feature a 3/8″ dovetail on the receiver for rimfire scopes.
- Maintenance: The action is incredibly simple (only three moving parts), but the take-down screw can sometimes work loose under high volume so keep it snug.
- Recoil Spring: Some owners flip the recoil spring spacer to tune the rifle for “Standard” vs. “High Velocity” ammo.
Competitors
In the vintage take-down market, the E1’s main rival is the Browning SA-22. The Browning is more refined, elegant, and fires from a closed bolt (making it more accurate). However, the Gevarm is usually cheaper and offers that unique open-bolt that the Browning lacks.
Modern competitors like the Ruger 10/22 takedown offer better parts availability and they’ll be easier to put a scope on, but they lack the historical charm and mechanical simplicity of the French-made Gevarm.
Conclusion
The Gevarm E1 is a quirky, reliable, and historically significant rimfire. It’s a “shooter’s” gun, perfect for the person who wants something different that will go bang every time they pull the trigger.
Pros:
- Incredibly simple and reliable action.
- Easy take-down for transport.
- The novelty of a legal open-bolt rifle in Canada.
Cons:
- Magazines are eye-wateringly expensive and hard to find.
- Trigger pull and “bolt slam” limit long-range precision.
- Parts are non-existent if something actually breaks.
