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What are the opinions out there regarding the Blaser straight-pull rifle (R93 I believe)? People I have talked to either seem to love them or hate them. I really like the safety and takedown mechanism, but am not sure as to reliability out in the blowing dirt and sand where I often hunt. Also, am curious as to how the "collet" locking mechanism would hold up.

I am no gun writer, but I thought I would share. I had one that gave me absolutely no trouble. I decided to sell it.

http://www.deportiro.com.ar/english_articles/al10_english_version.shtml

Well, there are something like 100,000 R93s out there and that was at least five to seven years ago and they are still selling. I have one that has grown to two stocks, three scoped barrels, and a couple different bolt faces.

In the summer of '07 (their winter) I took my .375 H&H into the red dust of Namibia. It wasn't windy but the dust was ubiquitous and nary a problem; all I did was wipe it off with a rag each night.

Collectively, "they" are the most accurate rifles I've owned whether stock or semi-custom.

Their "lugs" or collet system which expands into a 360 degree recess in the barrel (not the receiver which permits it to be an alloy and thus lighter) certainly is unique and make you wonder but...IIRC, Blaser proofs them to 110-120k psi or essentially double what a hot load would produce. As to the incidents posted above, I am not aware of the veracity of all of them but researched several shortly after I bought mine and from what I could determine, faulty handloads were the culprit. I am certainly not in the tank for Blaser and will call a spade a spade. For perspective, all well known bolt actions including Mausers, Wbys, etc. have been turned into pipe bombs by operator error, the first two mentioned within the last year in Europe I believe.

I am a traditionalist in most matters; the Blaser is apparently a highly thought-of rifle, but its not a Mauser. I'll stick to conventional turn-bolts! Just my opininated opinion.

they are a very accurate setup, if you buy one it will shoot, however for the cost I can have a full blown custom built, with more options of my choosing

re to Goodnews.

Hi, Blaser R93 are in full production since 1994 and they say they have sold more than 100000, but Ruger77 is sold by more than 2500000 in less than 40years so numbers does'nt matter. In Europe where most of these rifles are sold they have a long cohort of believers or the same number of guies who dislike them. As a sort of writer myself i soot a lot of them, they are precise, easy to take down and put together without loosing your zero but they're not faster to shoot than a good lever or pump rifle. And any guy who has trained Cooper's way with a bolt can do almost as fast a second shot. Even if they are sure to shoot it's the only rifle that give me an apprehension shooting it. I zero a lot of such R for two gunsmith, even some in 300 Weatherby,338Winch,375H&H, 416Rem Mag and i don't like to know that my face is behin such a bolt that close a little bit like an umbrella opens...But i never had problem with a Blaser except a bolt blocked for a little time when hunting in wery hot weather, calber was 270WSM. For your information Blaser and Mauser name belongs to Sauer and the barrels for all these rifles are made in Sauer Factory in Germany at Eckhenforde not far from Hamburg. They are cold hammer forged, then polished. You have a great number of wood options (in Europe, i don't know in the USA)to choose for. Even if they are very good rifle they seem to mechanical and industrial object for my tastes and i stay with my pre64 (5), my 700BDL (3)Sako (3) or my lever guns more than a baker's dozen.

Marseille-

Welcome to the 'campfire sir! And, thank you for your insight into the R93 which I agree with. The R93 is a bit like politics in that it seems to get people emotionally involved whether pro or con.

Regards,
Gdv

I came to the same conclusion. I had narrowed my choices down to the Blaser, Full custom on a Nesika action or a Weatherby Mark V when I was in search of the optimum rifle for my needs. I setteld on the Wby. Just could not discern what the extra money was going to get me that the Wby couldn't deliver.

Bought the Mark V and could not have made a better choice.

I've had 2 Blazer's, still have the LRS2 in 308. Both are indeed accurate rifles especially the LRS2 (HB target/sniper version). I find them very interesting mechanically and do offer several advantages. They takedown into suitcase size packages which might be a big advantage traveling to some locations. They of course offer dozens of different interchangable barrels. The trigger breaks crisper than almost any other trigger I've ever tried but it has more overtravel than I'd prefer.

The biggest disadvantage with them is that an interchangable barrel pretty much costs more than another complete rifle from any of several different manufacturers.

For me the thing that gives me the most Angst is that with mine you have to give it a pretty good shove forwards to make sure that it closes completely on a round. I've had a couple situations where I got the dreaded "click" because I didn't push the handle smartly enough forward to completely lock the action. It's enough of a worry that I don't think I'd ever use one as a DGR rifle though I guess some people do...........................DJ

I would echo dj's comments. I had a Blaser R93 with barrels in 6.5x55 and 30-06. Very accurate, good trigger, overall just a neat gun. Probably "over engineered". If I was flying to many hunts, I might still have it for ease of packing into smaller guncases for air travel. But, I traded it and really haven't missed it.

djp-

I know what you mean about the "dreaded click" I've been there; thank God each time it's happened I've checked the cartridge for any sign of firing pin contact and there hasn't been any (visible) and I don't think it can happen. I know it's dangerous and sometimes deadly to presume..but I think they "engineered" it that way.

So far I've haven't been able to send mine down the road; it just keeps doing what it's supposed to do.

Gdv

Back to Blaser,

In 2003 in Europe the Blaser factory send a recall and freely changed all the trigger block cause some of early models had gone bang at the closing of the bolt!!!! But in Europe Blaser guys are masters of advertising and communication. In 94 their moto in french was: Chassez en premi�re classe; for you americans it 's like "Hunt in First Class". The most proeminent peoples in hunting circles bought R93 with nice stocks and all the bells and wistles, so a lot ot hunters choosed to buy one to be like the wealthies. For me it's absolutly abnornal to have failures so dangerous on such an expensive rifle after a so short life. But i must admit that now the problem is corrected. As a gunmaker friend of mine use to say Blaser are the best marketing products in all the gun trade. Thank to a very good communication campaign.

There's a lot to be said for marketing. Just ask Barak Hussein O'bama

Marseille, what's your view of the K95?

That's a great single shot break open. Used to have a Merkel K1 with the same breeching system in 7x65R sort of 280 with rim, in a season i shot 20 pieces of game from a 400kg swedish moose to roe buck with red stag spikes and does and wild boars and 3 feral sheeps with 25 cartridges. The moose was doubled cause it was so big and one boar missed; all other were one shot kill even if half were shot in driven hunt. It had a 4 power S&B scope on it, closer shot 20m longer one 280m. The K95 is strong enough to hold 300Weatherby but as it's rather a light gun recoil is a little brisk. It's a pleasure to carry in mountains cause you can keep in backpack and mount it when you need. The scope mount hold zero so it's never a problem, even on long range shot. The breech design dates back to the beginning of XXth century, around 1905, it was designed by a german gunsmith call Jager (hunter in english!!)but at that time it was almost impossible to built in number because of machinery and mecanical tolerances. The system allows use of alloy for the "receiver" without resistance problem because of the steel bolt that hold the barrel closed. The manual cocking system is fast and secure and you can carry the K95 loaded but without risk.The trigger is excellent for hunting use. But it's rather expensive....

I like the idea of a well built, quality single shot for hunting. Oh, I forgot; very light, and take-down capability also.

I used an R93 in 416 Rem to take two cape buffalo last year in Tanzania. No problems. I also took a 300 Win mag bbl for plains game. A great deal of thought went into designing these guns. They take down in a handy fashion for travel, bbls are easily changed, and scopes come on and off while retaining zero. They are expensive, but you pay for quality.

Goodnews, I'm with you on the k95...someday. I've held one many times...but, oh the guns I'll have to give up to get it! AT some point, it will be worth it.

I sold my Blaser k95 last week. VERY nice rifle. Accurate, light weight and very pretty wood. But, I am more a stainless and synthetic guy, along with an incurable "churner", so it was moved for other toys.

I have 2 R93s, and have been shooting them for over three years. I have a several friends that shoot them as well for a
longer period of time, a few of them have hunted all around the world, and have the ability to choose ANY rifle they would want. We all agree that this is the finest rifle that we have ever owned, and no one has had any sort of issues. Last year at the SCI show in Reno, there were R93s everywhere, and many of the images of successful hunts in Africa hanging in the booths of the outfitters, showed hunters with their R93s. Sig imported them for a while, before Blaser took over for themselves. I can't imagine that Sig would put their name on something that was not 100%, or close to it.

You must not have seen the early 556's or read about all the extractor problems on P220 Carry's. Sigs may have fewer problems than some brands but more than some others.

I also wonder if the not locking forwards problem I've had with my LRS2 is something that they would fix? I may have to contact Sig about it.........................DJ