What are the bad points about the Blaser R8?

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Selous

Selous

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Ok so I’m looking for thoughts from people who have actually used the R8 (particularly the professional success with synthetic thumbhole) in real life deer stalking situations. I’m not interested in those who handled one once and loved or hated them or whose mate had one but the price caused his wife to divorce him!
What I’m really after is what people like and dislike about the R8 when stalking, ergonomics, balance, any problems with component failure, holding zero etc etc.
Thanks
S
 
Owned for I think 6 years ish and have shot probably well over 1000 deer with it in that time so I guess that makes me a user with some experience.

Specifically to your questions: -

I like the fact that I can have a 20" barrel and the rifle be the same length as a standard bolt action rifle with a 17" barrel or I can have a 23" barrel and the rifle be the same length as a rifle standard 20" bolt action. Makes for a very pointy rifle without any of the downsides that you might (or might not) get for having a very short conventional rifle.

Balance wise I don't really find an issue. I use a DPT over barrel moderator, which also makes no real difference.
I have never experienced a component failure in all my time owning one. I have .223, 6.5cm and .308 at present and have previously owned .243 as well.
I have never had an issue with zero shift. I do use Innomount mounts these days instead of the Blaser ones as I find them better made and randomly cheaper.

Downsides are: -

Cost. Silly things like loose a screw from a mount and it costs you £18 if you cant be bothered to trying work out what thread etc. £15 to buy a special screwdriver to allow you to adjust the standard Blaser mounts.
I would prefer to the mag to be 5+1 instead of 4+1, but that isnt an issue for the majority of stalkers.
I use a Raven carbon stock these days which is allot better than the standard stocks. I would suggest getting a stock with adjustable comb as the new age of NV and 56mm scopes mean I find allot of people coming by with eye relief issues on the standard stock. Not everyone I will admit.
 
I have the basic one (non-thumbhole plastic stock, light weight barrel). It's ok. It's very accurate and easy to shoot well. The only real issue i have is the non-stainless barrel. It sometimes gets a bit of rust start in the chamber (easily cleaned with a 410 brush), and the butt pad disintegrates easily.

It's pretty sturdy. Mine took a tumble off the front of the quad and i drove over it... with the quad and trailer i was towing... and it didn't lose zero! :lol:

I like the action. It doesn't have to be operated noisily, and the straight pull is quick.

The reason i think it's only just OK? It's way overpriced for what it is. I was over £2k for mine about 6 years ago, and it seemed too expensive then. I'd never buy another at the current prices I've seen.
 
Bad point (for me) is eye relief with the Blaser mounts, due to the design they pull the scope too far forward.
Bear in mind that I like to shoot in a natural relaxed head up position, I don't like contorting my neck forward.
It was spoiling what I thought was a nice gun - straight professional stock.
My solution was an extended picatinny rail and rings, transformed it for me, now I really like it.
I preferred the straight professional to the success, I found the butt pad of the success was too high on my shoulder BUT that was with Blaser mounts on it.

Good points - it just shoots. Load development (243) was a quick ladder test in 1gn increments to check it was behaving as normal.
Well 39, 40 and 41 shot a half inch group so loaded some up with 40gn powder and they clover leaf. Easiest load development ever.

Easy to change barrels etc if you want to.
Haven't used it much so can't comment on failures.

The current price new is eye watering.
 
I’ve been using blasers for a number of years, during that time everyone of them have been faultless, change scopes over and I’ve never had an issue with holding zero, they can take a little time to get used to in particular making sure you push the bolt slide home fully else your get just a click, the safety is really good and 100% solid you need to use them and get to know how they work to be happy with them the module parts are well made and so easy to dry and clean put them back together and mine have always been on zero
I use all mine a lot from .22 rimfire through to .308 just lately you can now get 22 WMR 17 HMR 22 HORNET and all the normal small and large calibers including 204 and 222 the world of blasers will be your oyster

i prefer thumbhole stocks and 22 mm fluted match barrels on my 4 stalking rifles, weight has never been an issue the 204 22 hornet and WMR and rimmy are the standard barrels the rimfire/small calibres in 15 x 1 moderators take a little finding but they are out there I found 2 companies Hardy and wildcat with MAE. on all the larger calibers
Mounts and rings are precision but do come at a hefty price, innomount do them and you can save a bit getting those instead and are good quality i stick with those there are a couple more makes I wasted the hard earned on

Get using them and they grow on you, they are very very accurate and well made rifles and forgiving when you treat them hard, they still work perfectly through wind rain and snow
 
I’ve had a pro success for 6 years or so from .22LR to 404 Jeff

My only complaints are that the eye relief is a bit of a struggle as the LOP is a bit long in standard form - i have to strain my head forward a bit to get a clear picture through a 16 power z8i scope

Also

I can’t top load any of my calibres without a huge struggle (no matter what people say about how easy it is).
 
I fancied grabbing one in .222 or .223 for a foxing rifle, have had a fair bit of experience with them having guided using one as an estate rifle for 6 years and using a few mates on occasion. I’ve used them in .243, .308.300win mag and 7x64. Plus used them abroad in Germany and Sweden. But I ended up going for a new tikka which I’ve been chuffed to bits with.
I think they’re absolutely fine, if having a straight pull is worth the 2-3000k premium to you then I think more power to you. I don’t think I’d bother with any of the other straight pulls but have limited experience with them.
For me, a decent bolt action between £800 and £2000 is still the choice.
 
I simply do not like the amount of polymers that are used within the action, magazine etc. I can live with a polymer based trigger group on a £600 Franchi Affinity Semi- Auto, or a plastic covered safety. But not on a few thousand pound rifle.
 
The weight.

Not an owner, but five pals are - every time someone has safely handed one to me over a fence or gate, I’ve noticed how considerably heavier it is over my own set up - fair old lump to slug about.
 
Had Ultimate and sold it after one year.
Didn't like the thumbhole stock after all. It forces to brake your grip when cocking the rifle. It is whole different in Sauer 202 where you have complete grip whole time when taking safety off in the last second.
I like Blaser, just not worth the elitist price of it when building a battery of say 3 calibers.
 
FISH BOY said:
The weight.

Not an owner, but five pals are - every time someone has safely handed one to me over a fence or gate, I’ve noticed how considerably heavier it is over my own set up - fair old lump to slug about.
Click to expand...
Can I ask the weight of your rifle that you are comparing it against? My current woodland rifle is 14lb unloaded and that to me is quite comfortable.
 
I got a shock Saturday rrp was nearly double what I paid !!! Downside is mag capacity for me and the flex in the forend a std tikka stock doesn't do it.
 
Selous said:
Ok so I’m looking for thoughts from people who have actually used the R8 (particularly the professional success with synthetic thumbhole) in real life deer stalking situations. I’m not interested in those who handled one once and loved or hated them or whose mate had one but the price caused his wife to divorce him!
What I’m really after is what people like and dislike about the R8 when stalking, ergonomics, balance, any problems with component failure, holding zero etc etc.
Thanks
S
Click to expand...
The fact that it’s not a Sako🤣🤣
 
Bad points

1) mine rusts like buggery. Slightest bit of moisture and barrels go orange.
2) the Blaser click… goes away after a while through use but has caught most owners out at some point. User error obviously not the rifles fault.
3) accessories costs
4) top loading
5) once went off when cocking never got to the bottom of why thankfully never happened again.
6) your other half loses their **** when they see the bill for it.

Other than that love it and not regretted it for a second.
 
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