Blaser Question
Anyone on this forum own and use a Blaser rifle? Pro's and con's please...
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Which Blaser are you talking about? They made several different models, with the R-8 being the latest. They even made a single shot.
I not sure if everything from the R-8 is interchangable with their previous models or not. That is the up side of the whole concept, is a one size fits all. There is no long action, or short action, or standard cartridge, or magnum.
It is a straight pull bolt, that uses a cam to unlock a rotating bolt head, that is either replacable with a different size bolt head, or a complete bolt carrier assembly. You can also change out the barrels for mand different chamberings. They are a quite adaptable rifle, and would be great for going on a Safari, where you do not have to take any more rifles than needed...just take the extra barrels, bolts, and change them out as the game switches.
Now for the bad part...just about all accessory hardware like bases and rings are proprietary.
If you want to know more, go to Eurooptic.com, and give Alex Roy a shout. He will be glad to give you more detail.
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Have shot one, but don't own one (and probably never will).
I don't really think I can add much to what was already said.
Blaser makes all sorts of guns, including Safari-style double-rifles.
The bolt action ones (which I suppose are what you're probably interested in) use a slick straight pull bolt design, are highly accurate, are designed to let you swap calibers easily, are available with left-handed actions, and cost a big fat wad of cash. New R8 rifles start at about $3500-4000 for the entry level gun, then go up from there. Barrels for the caliber conversions start at about $1000.
That's pretty much all the pros and cons right there. Its a near custom grade German manufacture rifle with a modular design that's REALLY expensive.
Basically, these are high end production guns designed for the German/European domestic market. When getting ANY gun takes reams of paperwork and years of waiting, caliber conversion and ability to change rifle configuration is a HUGE boon. In general, in Europe hunting/shooting are considered more sports of the rich/aristocracy, and guns typically both cost more and are considered more as lifetime investments/heirlooms than "beater" working guns are in the USA.
From that perspective, I think unless you're trying to take advantage of the availability of left handed actions, something like a Blaser is basically a pure "luxury" item in the USA.
Rifles in general are just cheaper and much easier to obtain here than in Germany or the rest of Europe, to a large extent offsetting advantages of caliber conversion. Also, unlike in Europe, lever action, pump action, and semi-auto centerfire rifles are legal and readily available here, partly offsetting the advantage of a straight pull bolt design.
So for the cost of a Blaser (let alone rifle + conversion barrels + expensive proprietary accessories), you can walk into any sporting goods store and walk out with MULTIPLE nice new rifles, even having them customized or accurized, with money left over. For example, for the cost of a .308 barrel for your Blaser, you could buy an entire entry level DPMS AR-10 rifle!
quote:Ugliest gun on the market.
That's subjective, obviously, and it depends on which models you're comparing, but I beg to differ.
You're telling me THIS Blaser R8 luxus is not only "ugly", but. . .
that its uglier than this plain-jane sporter, AND. . .
uglier than THIS Saiga [;)]?
Again, I disagree. Now, maybe you say its not fair to compare a $5500 German luxury rifle with figured wood to a $350 Sears and Roebuck yard sale special? With THAT I agree!0 -
I've had an R8 300 win mag for about 2 years. Incredibly fast action and very accurate, especially with Barnes ammunition. Trigger breaks at 1.5 to 2 lbs. Shot and killed a walking zebra at 340 yards last August. Yea there expensive, but you really get what you pay for 0 -
Ugliest gun on the market. 0 -
What is a pretty gun? Merkel?.....Ruger No.!? 0
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