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Hello,

Longtime lurker, new poster here. I have recently been looking at the Blaser line of rifles. I hear good things about them, but, I don't see them very often. They seem very versatile.

Do they generally feed well?

I appreciate any input.

Thanks!

Jack

Oh, Lord - NOW you've asked for it!


Anyhoo, my sample of 1 was using a friend's R8 in .308, and it fed perfectly. The whole concept was foreign to this 'Merican, but seeing as how I was overseas, it seemed to work fine, nonetheless.

I never would have figured one could remove the entire magazine & trigger assy, & have it go back together well, but it certainly did. Very nice trigger, too.

With any luck, that rifle's owner may chime in, by the by....

FC

I've been curious about them, and finally got to handle one in 6.5x55 Swede a couple of weeks ago. The guy who owned it said that he hunted all over the world with it set up in 300 Weatherby, and that it really does return to zero as advertised.

I can't speak to the peculiarities of the Blaser's mechanics and design, but it was impressive overall. I didn't shoot it, but the owner had made several little cloverleaves with hit at 100 yards, so the accuracy of that particular example was acceptable. The trigger definitely is something to write home about. It seems light and crisp, but it still feels solid and safe unlike a lot of other very light triggers. It was hard to assess handling as this example had a 36x scope for load testing, but it was light without being too light and it seemed well balanced. The straight-pull bolt is odd, but I figured out how to run it quickly after a few tries. That said, after 40-odd years on turnbolt rifles, I'd want an extensive trainup before I took a Blaser hunting, especially if that involved going into harm's way.

The ability to change calibers is interesting, but I'm more drawn to the fact that it breaks down into a small package and returns to zero. I live in a city full of gun haters and car burglars, so I'm interested in any versatile long gun that I can transport without calling attention to myself. Cost is prohibitive, but maybe I'll give it a try if I stumble into a few thousand extra dollars someday.

And that's all I know after a grand total of maybe 10 minutes on the system.


Okie John

Welcome to the Fire Jack. There is lots of great knowledge represented by the members here.

I have a Blaser R 93. Mine has just nice walnut on it kind of like you would find on an older Marlin. Not fancy. It has two barrels, one in 300 Winchester Mag and the the other in 264 Winchester. I got the 300 with the rifle and added the 264 later. Of course they take the same bolt head and each barrel comes with a magazine to fit.

Each barrel is capable of 1 inch three shot groups if the shooter does his part. That is with any factory ammunition that I have tried. I can't speak to other rifles, but this one is good to go. I haven't noticed recoil being any more than anything else in these calibers, so would not consider it to be an issue.

The function of the rifle takes a little getting accustomed to since the bolt won't lift and the safety cocks the rifle. Each of these features, while different, are nice in the field. The rifle is absolutely safe when the safety is on, as it isn't even cocked. The bolt is very fast to cycle from the shoulder. Much faster than a regular turn bolt type of rifle and very slick. Not one feeding problem to date.

Another feature is the overall length of the rifle is reduced because of the shortness of the action. Very handy in a tree stand or thick woods.

The only change I have made on my rifle is to replace the aluminum sideplates with sideplates made of Snakewood. No problems, I just like the looks better.

While they are pricey, if you look around you might luck up and get a bargain. I did.

I have had a Blaser R8 for a few years now and absolutely love it.

I can remember first handling a mates rifle and wondering how the heck one could get used to the straight pull action. Well it soon becomes second nature and when I go back to a turn that feels very awkward.

Getting used to the decocking lever doesn't take long either and if one is going to walk with a round in the chamber it is quite simply the safest system out there because, unlike a safety, it decocks the firing pin spring, so the rifle physically cannot discharge. Only disadvantage I can see there is that if one has an arthritic thumb, operating it could be a problem - quite a bit of force required to recock it.

I have now 5 barrels, and each and every one feeds flawlessly from the mag to the barrel. It's a vertical stack mag and even with rounds like the 300wsm or 500 Jeffrey's feeding is never a problem.

I have never had an issue with my rifle, it simply works.

They are not cheap though !

I'm a glutton for punishment. I'm on my second one. The first was a very ugly Ultimate .270 and .338, was controlled feed and shot very well.

I have had a R -93 since about 2000 in .270 and 9.3x62. I started out with a 270/22-250 combo. The 22-250 was twisted 1:14 topped out accuracy wise at about 60 grains. Unsatisfactory for my wants, so I swapped it for the 9.3. I like nice guns. My choice was a beautifully figured Prestidge model with the rose and scroll minted side plates. It is plenty accurate.

I see no advantage to moving on to the newer R-8 models unless you are interested in the heavier calibers, say from .375 and up. The action is a little longer and heavier. oakie john pretty well described the trigger magazine. The magazine only comes out of the R-93 and can be topped off without removal.

SIL had a R-86 which was gifted to him that he hunted a few years. I shot it a few times and it was accurate too.

These are well crafted guns. The 86 had a safety lever. The rest cock and un cock with the thumb spur that looks alot like a hammer. The straight pull is not difficult to adapt to. I have a weakness for guns that come apart in the middle. I have never shot one that was not accurate with ammo appropriate to the twist.

Down side. Everything about them is expensive. The only way I'm not upside down in mine is that I traded a steal for it. In 2000, my luggage case was $400, one piece scope saddle mounts were $300 each. Today, they retail for over $400. Barrels start at about $1100 plain, sights add about a hundred or more, and fluted can double that. The best place to buy accessories is on the Blaser Buds forum. Nice used stuff at reduced prices. Changes in barrels is quick and easy. Changing bolt heads for mini or magnum cartridges is simple. I choose standard cartridges for the 93 to avoid the expense of bolt heads. Left hand options work on the regular action on 93 and 8 models.

One more caution. Every few years they update. Stuff for Ultimates and 86s is a used market deal. The 93 is only partially supported by the factory and officially, they are gone, but truth is that is only partially true. EDIT. looks like the 93 barrels and accessories are now secondary market items. EDIT. I WOULD SUGGEST A R-8 and if history repeats, they will one day be gone.

Honestly, the big advantage is for the flying hunter who wants two calibers. I last flew to hunt about fifteen years ago. Mine should be for sale. Henry is about to introduce a nicely finished rifle similar to the H &R Topper or Savage or was it Stevens 219 in .243 and .308 and maybe several other calibers, that I ihave an urge for because they come apart, and are waaaay cheaper. Your money, your choice.....

Jack

I would opt for the K95

"K95" or Merkel at substantially less..

Jack

I have had an R8 for three or four years now, and I have been really pleased with the accuracy, function and overall quality of the rifles. I have had barrels in 300 Win, 300 Wby and 375 H&H and all three of them were extremely accurate. The straight-line magazines feed extremely well and the triggers are incredibly good.

Another nice thing is you can have a couple of extra parts (like a bolt housing and bolt head) and if something breaks, like say a firing pin or extractor, you can swap the spare bolt assembly on in a couple of seconds and be back in business. You can do the same with a spare scope in a saddle mount. In my experience, the saddle mounts always return to zero.

As already mentioned, they are especially nice to travel with. They break-down quickly and can be carried in a case that is the size of a briefcase. They are readily replaceable too. If your gun gets stolen or lost, you can have a new R8 in 48 hours that performs just like the old one.

They start at about $2,400 nowadays for the basic complete synthetic rifle and extra barrels are about $950. You can easily spend that much on an entry level "custom" parts rifle that may or may not feed or function properly. The nice thing about Blasers is they are ready to go, not a project in a box.

Excellent rifles with zero problems. Accurate, dependable, interchangeable, break down and return to zero every time with no question. You'll not regret getting one.

100%




R93 , 243 Win.


ya!

GWB

Thank you for your responses! I may have to give one a try. The R8 Professional S looks like a good way to get started.

Expensive

I have shot one several times and the action was very slick. I think I could get to like the straight pull bolt action, and the wood stocked rifles look really good, but they are a bit too high priced for me.

Mine is like geedubya's except 270/9.3x62 in a two barrel case, with no need to remove scopes. They do return to zero, so no problem there. And yes they are expensive. The only reason this old cop has one is that I had a salt wood Browning Olympian that had not yet rusted the barreled action that I was into on the cheap. I traded the barreled action, engraved by one of Browning's best engravers, Angelo Bee, for the R-93 Prestidge and saddle mount. I later added the second barrel and case. I was looking at a small fortune to replace the Olympian wood.

Best,

Jack

I have had a Blaser R93 Professional for several years with barrels in .30/06, .300 Win mag, .338 Win mag. 9.3x62 and .375 H&H. I bought it new, prior to the introduction of the R8.

It is well thought out, precisely built and packs easily for travel. The .30/06 and 9.3x62 barrels shoot .5 MOA with factory ammunition. I find the other barrels to be ammo sensitive and 1.5 MOA is the best I can get out of them.

The rifle can be disassembled for travel, including scope removal, then reassembled upon arrival and it returns to exact zero. Every time!

The trigger is crisp. Mine breaks at 2.75 lbs. I have two bolt assemblies. One has a .473 bolt face, the other a .532. Changing calibers takes all of two minutes.

There are two types of QD Blaser scope mounts. One uses rings, the other is meant for scopes with a rail mount. I use either Swaro Z6 rail mount scopes or the equivalent Zeiss product and they work perfectly. When I bought the rifle (new), it came with a setup wherein activating the cocking mechanism also activated the red dot in the Zeiss scope. This never worked properly and my Blaser dealer replaced the bolt and let me pick the scope of my choice (an upgrade, actually) at no extra charge.

The .30/06 is a great all arounder. Without a traditional "action", it is about 4" shorter than a traditional rifle with the same length barrel (22"). A .375 Blaser with a 26" barrel is no longer than a traditional .375 would be with a 22" barrel. The 9.3x62 with a 22" barrel is the perfect pig rifle.

There is no "safety" as such. Instead, there is a cock/decock lever, much like that on the Krieghoff double rifles. Since I was already used to the Krieghoff, I liked it a lot. It is perfectly safe to carry the rifle uncocked with a round chambered. It will not fire from the decock position,, even if dropped.

I recently shot an R8 and didn't like it as much. The R93 felt lighter and livelier. For standard calibers, I would prefer the R93. For the really big stuff, the R8 would make more sense. The R93 and R8 barrels are not interchangeable between the two models.

The downside is that the rifle with a few different barrels is damned expensive. Especially if you put a decent scope on each barrel so you don't have to rezero after changing barrels. One of the great attributes of the Blaser is that with one "receiver", you can have multiple caliber available to hunt/shoot with. That said, each barrel runs about a grand, and you can buy a Model 70 or Kimber for about that much.

I have never taken my R93 to Africa. I was going to one year and my PH asked me not to, stating that he did not believe they were "Africa tough" and that he had several clients bring them in the past and they all developed some sort of "issue". He did not elaborate further. That said, I've had two friends who brought their Blaser R93's to Africa and they were pleased with their performance with no problems whatsoever. YMMV.

They are expensive when compared with a standard off the shelf production rifle, but they are not really in the same class as your average production rifle as far as fit and finish, function and overall build quality.

Even a fairly average parts rifle "custom" can get pretty expensive really fast, and they may not always work as well as a Blaser in my experience.

Barrel: $350
Installation: $300
Donor action: $400+ Could be a lot more for a custom action like a Stiller, which would be a closer match to the Blaser's quality.
Blueprint: $300-$400
Jewell Trigger: $250
McMillan painted drop in: $550
Bedding job: $150
Talley detachable rings and bases $150

Total somewhere around $2,500-$2,600+ with a considerable wait.

Blaser Professional S:

Complete rifle: $2,200
Blaser Saddle mount: $400

Total around $2,600 and you can generally have one in a couple of days.

Once you buy the first complete rifle, they actually become cheaper than those basic customs. If you want a three rifle battery comprised of the custom recipe I listed above, you would spend somewhere around $7,500. The Blaser would cost $2,600 plus two extra barrels at about $900 each = $4,400.

If you get a wild hair to change calibers or try something new, it takes about two days to get a new barrel in dozens of calibers. It often takes months to get a new barrel on a conventional custom.

Not to mention the modular and takedown capabilities that the conventional custom will not have.

I have had some pretty decent rifles over the years, built by some of the top makers, and I will say that I have been really impressed with my Blaser. Enough so that I would recommend a guy that is a serious travelling hunter buy one with a couple of barrels and spend the rest of his cash on hunting trips.

Best,

Chet

Jack, you've been given some really good advice from these guys but none better than ChetAF regarding adding additional barrels. It makes the Blaser system much less expensive than the same number of custom rifles in the same calibers.

I've been shooting Blasers for over 10 years. R93, 2 R8's and 2 K95's. It's the only rifle I know of that comes with a 10 year guarantee and you may feel very comfortable that you will not shoot the barrel out. Barrels are hammer forged with a single mandrel from the chamber to the muzzle and it guarantees exceptional concentricity all the way through. Another good point to consider is the 360 degree lock up that makes the action extremely strong.

As these other Blaser shooters, I'm happy to provide any information and assistance you require. Good luck and welcome to the fire.

Really enjoying this thread. My dream rifle is a Blaser K95 Stutzen in 7 Mauser with open sights and quick detach scope. This configuration seems to be much more popular in Europe than here in the States.

Thanks for the pictures and feedback!

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