Blaser accuracy

I have a Blaser in 243 6.6 55 and 308


If you want better than 1" at 100m you need a proper target rifle not a stalking rifle. The blaser is too light and the barrel is too short to beat a proper target rifle

Which is as it should be. I dont want to carry a 15lb target rifle around

Firstly, I think we need to distinguish between shooting factory, and home loads.

Any rifle, sporting, or target may be very fussy on factory, but I'd expect most rifles to easily shoot sub 1" on home loads, assuming the owner puts the effort into it.
 
Here's my 30-06, 5 shots at 100 yards from my R8. I haven't got the target to show but I did a better group than that at the same distance with my .243 using PPU 100gn Spt.
 

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Ok so honest review. I got my R8 18 months ago. For the first few months I was really disappointed. 2” groups and the odd flyer. This from a £3000 rifle I was not that impressed. Then after about 50-75 shots the barrel must have run in and now the bullets touch at 100 yards and are about 1.5” at 300. It is a very capable rifle.
 
I was at Ivythorn around 18 months ago on the range and there were a couple of mob guys there who were part of the DDM scheme also. The one chap offered me a go with his Pro Success + Z6i + .308 150g Sierra (I think) home-loads (green poly tipped).

3 shots into the same hole in the bull @ 100 metres, which is the best group I’ve ever shot in that calibre at that range - with a rifle I’ve only ever handled, dry fired but not shot.

F@@k Me - I said - 3 times.... then went back to my Helix which was giving me 1/2 to 3/4” with factory Geco 105g out of my .243 barrel, which I’m very happy with and nothing has argued with it at the loud end, however that R8 was phenomenal.

I have rationalised since that it was down to the perfectly honed recipe that was sent down the spout and that keeps me at peace and my cash in my pocket!
 
Now for all the Blaser owners
What sort of goup size are you getting with your set up .
Please attach a photo if possible ?
Are they as good as a well set up trued bolt action ??


Apart from being a 3 shot group and I did pull one a wee bit ..
this is my Remington if a Blaser could not give this well I would be a bit disappointed with it ?

Why are you particularly concerned with comparing your modified Remington to a standard Blaser? Would not comparing out of the box to out of the box be more to the point if you are trying to make a point about manufacturer quality/value for money? I would have thought the barrel had more influence on accuracy than either the type of bolt, or indeed whether it was a standard or trued bolt action?

And even more than the barrel, the rifleman is single biggest factor I would have thought...certainly I put most of the variation in my group sizes down to my wobbles. I understood with appropriate ammunition most modern hunting rifles are reckoned to be much of a muchness regarding accuracy, whether breathed on or not. And then accuracy is not the only criteria for one's choice of hunting rifle, in fact given how good they all are it is arguably the least important...if it was we would all be carrying around Varmint barrelled behemoths.

A single three shot group is not much to base an opinion on either rifle, ammunition or rifleman though, even some of my 1MOA plus 5-shot groups have a cluster of three like the one you show. www.rifleman.org.uk/Fuller_group_diagnosis.htm is worth a read in this context.

More important for me is how consistent and repeatable it has been...how many more groups do you have which are the same size and critically are to the same POI? Is that your best ever group...or just an average one? Will it do the same "all day long, if you do your bit" by any chance?

I will not be winning any competitions but I have reasonable confidence that my standard weight .308W 22.5" stalking barrel R8 will put a bullet close to where I am aiming for hunting purposes. But I would expect any rifle to be capable of much the same.

The largest sample size I have is some 35no. 5-shot groups with HPS Target Master 155gr Sierra Match bullets which are currently averaging 0.818" with a STDEV of 0.222 There are 6no. groups over 1MOA. The largest group was 1.209" and the smallest was 0.536" (that I can find in the info I have here, though I thought there was one below the 0.5")

110gr TTSX are doing quite well...

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Targets below are all 5-Shot groups apart from the 0.823" 4-shot V_MAX group.

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I was at Ivythorn around 18 months ago on the range and there were a couple of mob guys there who were part of the DDM scheme also. The one chap offered me a go with his Pro Success + Z6i + .308 150g Sierra (I think) home-loads (green poly tipped).

3 shots into the same hole in the bull @ 100 metres, which is the best group I’ve ever shot in that calibre at that range - with a rifle I’ve only ever handled, dry fired but not shot.

F@@k Me - I said - 3 times.... then went back to my Helix which was giving me 1/2 to 3/4” with factory Geco 105g out of my .243 barrel, which I’m very happy with and nothing has argued with it at the loud end, however that R8 was phenomenal.

I have rationalised since that it was down to the perfectly honed recipe that was sent down the spout and that keeps me at peace and my cash in my pocket!

Hereford you may be comparing apples with pears slightly there, as I think it's pretty fair to say that the .308w round is inherently more accurate than the .243w.
Incidentally I would be more than happy with the accuracy of your Helix but it does make you wonder what the comparison would be if you tried it with a .308w barrel fitted.
 
Hereford you may be comparing apples with pears slightly there, as I think it's pretty fair to say that the .308w round is inherently more accurate than the .243w.
Incidentally I would be more than happy with the accuracy of your Helix but it does make you wonder what the comparison would be if you tried it with a .308w barrel fitted.
I know you’re right and agree - I also agree that one group does not make a rifle. I think it’s just the fact for me that I got behind a set-up that I’d never shot before and that happened - it was as if I didn’t have to try!
 
My R8 shoots far better than I ever will...

Currently just a .308 barrel and feed it with factory Norma 150g BST (No longer available but I filled my allocation with last stock from a number of gun shops...)

This is my last three shot 100 yard test zero, prone of bipod to check I was true so knocked it over to the left a tad...

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I've tried taking a shot, stripping it down then rebuilding it. Taking a second shot stripping it again and then taking a third and the group doesn't open up at all...
 
This 5 shot group was final part of my load development for 143 ELDx and RS62 through my 6.5 x 55 R8 pro

Shot off a bench and sand bag at 100m

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Unfortunately the picture is on its side so group is to left of POA, single shot is after adjustment for 1" high
 
Thanks for all the normal reply’s etc
But for the folk that did not read my original post the simple question was
Custom vs Blaser
Same price tag is it the same results ? Simple
Yes any rifle will shoot inside a 4” disc at 100 yrd
Yes the deer don’t mind blah blah blah
Not what I asked

If I am honest this site is getting worse
 
Thanks for all the normal reply’s etc
But for the folk that did not read my original post the simple question was
Custom vs Blaser
Same price tag is it the same results ? Simple
Yes any rifle will shoot inside a 4” disc at 100 yrd
Yes the deer don’t mind blah blah blah
Not what I asked

If I am honest this site is getting worse

Can you strip many custom rifles down to mod, barrel, scope, stock put it in a case, travel with it unpack it rebuild it and have true zero?
 
Not tried it but I don’t fly to my stalking or foxing ground I just take the pickup

I didn't know the question was based on your personal circumstances, I thought it was based on Custom V Blaser? I very occasionally stay in Hotels / B&B's and find it a little more subtle checking in with a small case rather than a rifle in a slip - just my preference. I cant say I've ever flown with mine probably never will.

For me another plus point and which steered me towards the Blaser route was that I could change the barrels out for different calibers but keep the stock and safety placement / trigger pull the same, also if i want to go lamping for example I can detach the scope and put NV on. Don't get me wrong im not saying Blaser's are the best thing since sliced bread but for me it serves the purpose well.

Apologies just trying to answer my take on your question, maybe I got it wrong...
 
Thanks for all the normal reply’s etc
But for the folk that did not read my original post the simple question was
Custom vs Blaser
Same price tag is it the same results ? Simple
Yes any rifle will shoot inside a 4” disc at 100 yrd
Yes the deer don’t mind blah blah blah
Not what I asked

If I am honest this site is getting worse
My blaser bbf97 will shoot far more accurately than a ferlach combination custom because the barrels are free floating. Hope that answers your question.
 
I didn't know the question was based on your personal circumstances, I thought it was based on Custom V Blaser? I very occasionally stay in Hotels / B&B's and find it a little more subtle checking in with a small case rather than a rifle in a slip - just my preference. I cant say I've ever flown with mine probably never will.

For me another plus point and which steered me towards the Blaser route was that I could change the barrels out for different calibers but keep the stock and safety placement / trigger pull the same, also if i want to go lamping for example I can detach the scope and put NV on. Don't get me wrong im not saying Blaser's are the best thing since sliced bread but for me it serves the purpose well.

Apologies just trying to answer my take on your question, maybe I got it wrong...
It fine honest .
All I asked at the start was if you had 3k to spend would it be Blaser or custom .
Would the accuracy be the same that’s all .
With the Blaser are you just paying for the modular design or even dare I say it the fashion status .
Same as with a custom are you just paying for a one off .
At the end of the day I’ve seen standard tikka rifle shoot the tiny one hole groups for a lot less cash
But that’s not what I asked at the start ..
 
It fine honest .
All I asked at the start was if you had 3k to spend would it be Blaser or custom .
Would the accuracy be the same that’s all .
With the Blaser are you just paying for the modular design or even dare I say it the fashion status .
Same as with a custom are you just paying for a one off .
At the end of the day I’ve seen standard tikka rifle shoot the tiny one hole groups for a lot less cash
But that’s not what I asked at the start ..

Now for all the Blaser owners
What sort of goup size are you getting with your set up .
Please attach a photo if possible ?

Errr

yes you did
 
I have had numerous custom rifles I have chopped and changed over the years. I currently own an Accuracy International AT with a 6.5X47 barrel done by Callum Ferguson, a Rifle with three different barrels by Dave Tooley and a custom Lawton 6mmbr by Redmist on here.

All of those along side 2 Blaser R93’s. With barrels in .308 .243 7X64 and 6mmbr.

I was going to sell the Blasers when I started collecting the other rifles but they shoot so dam well, are very short for standard barrel length and can be stripped down without loss of zero which I have done many times I just can’t bring myself to move them on.

I also think that the Blasers hold the value far better and a custom rifle.

If I was limited to one rifle it would be an R8 success with a .308 and 6XC barrels.
 
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