Like most of us, I have too much equipment. I get the bug often and will build something new out of boredom. For you guys running blaser, did you park or sell rifles that were overlap of cartridges? I really like the fitment idea of one stock and changing out the barrels. Just curious if you actually switch out barrels for hunting the lower 48 or did it end up staying just another rifle and a single headstamp.
Anyone running a Blaser R8 as their primary rifle ?
- Thread starter howco
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I have the R8 in 270 win and it is my deer rifle for GA.I do plan on adding more barrels down the road but I am in the middle of a build.I wish I would have bought the thumbhole stock.It is a cool rifle and it is accurate but a little heavy.I doubt I will ever have more than 2 or three barrels.If the rifle and barrels where cheaper maybe it would catch on more.Mine has stayed just another rifle.Good luck
javman
Well-Known Member
Buddy has one with the 7mag barrel, 338LM and 22LR, I see him pulling those more often now compared to his other rifles. They balance well and are accurate.
J.J. Weiland
Well-Known Member
Could never like the Blaser safety. So much so I never bought one. This was about 5 years ago, they may have changed it by now.
Pauleye
Well-Known Member
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- Jan 29, 2017
- Messages
- 278
That was the first generation. Interesting the straight pull savage has a lockup similar to the blaser
I have an R8 which has been my primary hunting rifle for a few years now. IMO, there is no better travel-to-hunt rifle. I bought the rifle with a 9.3X62 barrel, and added .308, 300WM & .375 H&H barrels. I also had a 280 AI barrel built, but think I'll stick with the 300WM. My PH in South Africa loved the R8 and let me carry it with a round in the chamber due to the safety that disengages the striker. I sold rifles in every caliber I have in favor of the Blaser, although I still probably have too many 300WM rifles. Hunting pigs and deer here in Florida, I use the short .308 barrel. For almost all NA game, including elk, 300WM. African plains game, 300WM, although this last trip I just took the .375 for PG and buffalo.
mcdil
Well-Known Member
What is different now? That was my only beef with it as well and why I never bought one either. It was like reverse cocking a fairly heavy hammer. You have no real leverage doing it in reverse, and it would be really slow trying to pull up for a quick shot. The thumb hole stock only made the situation worse, but I was not comfortable with either composite stock style. If you tried to cock it using a traditional tang safety move to fire, it was not possible, at least for me. Everything else I really liked.
ridgewalker
Well-Known Member
I lived with an R8 for a year. Planned to make it my primary. I purchased a 223, 6.5 Cm, 30-06, and 375 H&H barrels. All quite accurate. As mentioned earlier, I could never get use to the thumb cocking decocking. I suffer from skier's thumb issues. That may have been the main issue.
Also couldn't use a single thumb to top off/load the magazine without removing it. I had to push the long 375 H&H cartridges part way into the chamber then back into the magazine when the trigger/magazine group was installed making for slow reloads.
Weight of the 223 and 6.5 Cm were more than the 375.
Exchangeable barrels/cartridges aren't all they're cracked up to be IMO.
Just too many things I didn't like about it.
On the good side, besides being pretty accurate (no more so than conventional rifles), it was a very fast reload and was much easier to get around when air traveling.
Another negative, I lost a couple of thousand dollars trying to get rid of it.
I highly suggest finding someone who has one and would let you play with it for an afternoon before you spend a lot of money on it.
Who knows, you may love the "plastic fantastic" German engineering!
Also couldn't use a single thumb to top off/load the magazine without removing it. I had to push the long 375 H&H cartridges part way into the chamber then back into the magazine when the trigger/magazine group was installed making for slow reloads.
Weight of the 223 and 6.5 Cm were more than the 375.
Exchangeable barrels/cartridges aren't all they're cracked up to be IMO.
Just too many things I didn't like about it.
On the good side, besides being pretty accurate (no more so than conventional rifles), it was a very fast reload and was much easier to get around when air traveling.
Another negative, I lost a couple of thousand dollars trying to get rid of it.
I highly suggest finding someone who has one and would let you play with it for an afternoon before you spend a lot of money on it.
Who knows, you may love the "plastic fantastic" German engineering!
ridgewalker
Well-Known Member
Top Dog Guns, Mesa, AZ who is easy to talk to and discuss Blasers.
Eurooptics who has sales going usually after fall hunting season.
Another in Florida, but can't remember their name.
Most you can find on Gunbroker.
Eurooptics who has sales going usually after fall hunting season.
Another in Florida, but can't remember their name.
Most you can find on Gunbroker.
