Blaser or Sako?

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B

Beretta shooter

Well-Known Member
I have a milestone birthday in a few months which coincides with my renewal so have decided to treat my self, my only centre fire rifle is a Sako 85 in .243 which I really like and has served me well.
I really fancy a blaser but not sure if it’s worth the extra money or is it all just hype? If I were to go for the Sako it would definitely be a carbon wolf and if a blaser more than likely an R8 Ulitimate.
im not looking for the old “I have a Blaser and it’s the best rifle in the world” but more the positives versus the negatives and if anyone had owned both that would be even better. Likewise I don’t need to hear “I have something else and it’s much better than a Sako or Blaser so you should get that instead”
Give me your thoughts guys 👍🏻
 
I've got the Carbon Wolf in .308. Its has slightly more muzzle flip because its light so I have a MAE T12 moderator on and that helps a lot but the adjustability more than makes up for that.
 
Set a budget then try and get to a gunshop and handle a few of the contenders. I would also add Schultz and Larsen and or Sauer to the list if it were me.
I still have a hankering for an R93 professional even though most of my other rifles are Sakos.
 
Lots of features on the R8, I bought the ultimate version after owning most of the other brands including Sako. The fit and handling of the stock is superb, straight pull when culling is ideal, accuracy spot on, clever mount that holds zero, nice with rail mount scope, I could go on. The only negatives are the weight and cost. Not super heavy but more than others. Cost, well you get what you pay for. You won't be disappointed. Go for it and enjoy
 
Blaser seem very expensive for what they are in my view. As I said on another thread, I think they’re priced high deliberately to occupy a ‘premium pricing’ strategy. For example the optics, made by minox (or whoever makes minox) but several times the price....the carbon bipod, Spartan but twice the price, ludicrous. For the price of the ultimate you could commission a full build based on a custom action like a Borden alpine-and for the life of me I couldn’t imagine why you wouldn’t go this route for the neck end of £5k.

All this being said blaser have a reputation for being some of the most accurate factory rifles, and if travelling abroad very practical.

Sako are just a good solid bolt action with an excellent double stack metal mag, I have a 591 and a 75 semi custom. The 85 seems to have some detractors with regards bedding but I guess that’s a easy fix by a competent smith, and I have never seen one that didn’t shoot in the first place.
 
The fabled Blaser accuracy thing didn't work out that easy for me, yes I eventually got my R8 Ultimate shooting right but it was the hardest rifle I have ever worked with and the least accurate straight out of the box.

My Tikka T3 however was a dream right from the start.

I don't actually like the Ultimate stock all that much now I have one, it is too flexible in forend and the forend is also very narrow and rounded which means it doesn't sit on a bag very well. The GRS Bifrost for Blaser however is lovely.

As has been said everything Blaser is mentally priced, £300 plus to mount a scope in Blaser mounts, which won't then fit on any other rifle. Slings don't fit straight on nor do bipods.

Don't get me wrong the rifle is lovely to use and I am now happy with it but if I was starting again it wouldn't be with a Blaser
 
I am a Sako fan, have a Finnfire, an A1, a 75 6PPC and a 85 and just recently got a .243 Blaser R93 Professional success.

If i had tried and bought a Blaser first, I wouldn’t have bought so many Sako’s.
 
I shoot blaser, Anschultz and Sako
They all perform very very well

I would say try them all, for fit and enjoyment whatever you choose, they will all shoot a straight line after you settle them in, I prefer shooting my blasers because they fit me slightly better and I like the safety on them, the sako 85 is also a great rifle and a superb safety system

Try and select
 
I've gone down to 1 blaser with 2 barrels, sold 2 custom rifles cos i never used them. Just ordered a factory tikka in creedmoor cos not keen on traveling with 1 rifle incase owt happens see me having issues with conventional bolt after years of blaser !!!!!!
 
I myself was in the very same situation you find yourself in was shooting a sako 85 finnlite in 25-06 with absolutely no complaints, also owned a full custom 22-250AI and a semi custom sako l61-r in 7x57 had everything in the uk covered
but had an itch that had to be scratched and entered the eye wateringly expensive world of blaser :lol: tried/handled r8 pro success standard and leather tried the r8 ultimate as well didn't shoot it but just didn't like the fit I'm sure you I would of got used to it but liked the feel of the pro success better out of the box just fantastic thumbhole fitted like a glove didn't bother with the leather spent the money on the atzl trigger (well worth the extra) went for .243 and 6.5x284 when it comes to the extras
mounts, bipods, slings, cases, extra barrels (fluted) take a deep breath smile and cry once :) haven't even got to use new rifle much yet due to lockdown but the little I have used it absolutely love it

regards b.b
 
So been in exactly the same position. Made a list of what I wanted in a rifle.
1. Safe safety mechanism.
2. Versatile
3. Accurate

I have owned and shot with a Sako, BSA, Styer Manlicher.
Sako gave me no end of problems. BSA old but ok. Styer accurate, with a safety system that you could be sure of.

So my initial thought was to replace my old Styer with a new version but then a friend got a Blaser R8. Slowly I came to see the how good a design they are.
After we had been out on soaking rainy days he just stripped it down and dried it. Couldn’t do that with my Styer without re zeroing. He began taking shots with confidence as his Blaser was just so accurate consistently. The safety system just about as safe as you can get.
Versatile well what can you say its modular so changing caiber is simple or a new stock. Break it down for traveling no problem.

I rulled out the Sako as the safety is archaic and all I can keep thinking about is checking that little catch is were it should be. Did the same on my BSA. Not flexible or strip able without re zeroing.
Dont doubt the Sako accuracy at all just not what I am looking for.

So went for the Blaser R8 and no regrets at all.
 
The number one priority IMO is fit. The firearm has to fit your anatomy, your stance. Even the "best" brand in the world is useless if it doesn't fit you. Try shouldering all your candidates before choosing. One small problem is that most rifles in the shops do not have a scope mounted and there is a difference in fit between unscoped and scoped rifles.

I have one rimfire rifle and five centrefires - all Sakos. They fit me nicely and muscle memory is a good thing to have when switching between them.

Good luck in your quest.

Cheers
 
I have a Sako 75 and a Blaser R8 out of the box the R8 is accurate, not that the 75 isn’t its just that the Blaser in 308 will shoot any150 grain to the same point of impact, I have a 6.5 that I haven’t had chance to really test yet but like what i have found so far, always useful to have two completely different setups.
The Blaser is a bit heavier than the 75 but the balance is better, to the point that free hand shots are possible less so with the 75.
If you dont go with the Blaser you will allways have that itch that didnt get scratched.
 
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