Been watching many videos on youtube with these being used on the driven hunts etc. How do they compare to a CRF mauser, winchester etc? Just curious?

I looked over a few of them at SCI.....not many fans of them on the fire but I would like to have one...the bolt does not rotate but pulls straight back and straight forward making them pretty fast for follow up shots....barrels can be changed and everything from 222 to 416 caliber is possible by changing bolt heads and barrels....most owners like them and consider them quite accurate...they have long length of pulls (14 inches and up) which fits me well..the older version (R93) is similar but the trigger assembly is not removable like the R8 is....that big button on the back is not a safety, but is actually a cocking mechanism...so you don't cock it until ready to shoot, therefore it cant go off when dropped....go to their website, as it is well done and very informative.....

wondered how reliable they are compared to mausers and winchesters crf

The rifle itself is extremely reliable and seem to be less prone to double feeding than most other push-feed systems as the operation is very slick. I have used them as a DGR and am a really big fan of the R8 generally but personally, an R8 would not be my first choice for a dedicated DGR rifle. Four main reasons:

1) the ocular bell sits in such as a position as to obstruct top loading - you can get around this by using a red dot or reflex sight.

2) while i would argue the feed mechanism is extremely reliable (a very slick midline pushfeed, which i consider much better than staggered pushfeed), it is prone to the "Blaser click" - which occurs when you rapidly work the action and fail to fully close the bolt. I think all Blaser owners have done this, and it is the particular quirk of the Blaser system (kind of the Blaser equivalent to a double feed - i don't think i have ever heard of anyone double feeding a Blaser - but that's not to say that you couldn't but it is certainly less common with the Blaser). Now you could argue that it is not the rifle's fault, but that it was your fault and not the rifle's fault may come as little consolation as you are squashed by an angry pachyderm. The safest action is the action that you operate correctly most often, and i have to admit i occasionally make mistakes with the Blaser. A friend has pointed out to me though, that because the Blaser is so quick to operate you can actually accidently "Blaser click" and still empty the magazine much faster than a mauser-type system.

3) The Blaser decocker safety is a little slower to operate than a good conventional safties, as there is a bit of resistance as you cock. However, i think it is still faster than a Winchester or Ruger 3 position swing safety. I have an arthritic thumb, so my preference is for a simple two position push-forward type safety mounted behind the tang or beside the tang.

4) Reduced extraction force - though i haven't as yet heard of someone having a fail to extract with the Blaser.

If i were buying a rifle specifically for dangerous game currently, i'd still be considering a quality mauser-type action or the Sako 85.

I really like the sako and have never really read anything bad. Do y'all think say a Kodiak would be as reliable as a safari express or cz