Blaser R8 accuracy vs semi custom rifles, which one wins??

A few of my friends have moved to blaser. The accuracy isn't any better than the semi custom rifles they had.
But to buy a blaser you're buying into a premium product, so that costs. But the swapping of caliber easily was their reason. Rather than having many rifles in a cabinet.
For me the safety took some getting used to while I was using it. Would I buy one? Not for accuracy over my Sassen barrel. But if you want to shoot driven, swap barrels and mounts etc then yes. I can totally see why people have them.
 
apart from one other german rifle rifle all mine are now blasers I find they shoot well, work faultlessly well and fit me and to be honest I can’t fault any of mine and the pleasure of being able to swap from a scope that is zeroed for lead than swap to one for NT then again to a thermal with no loss of zero is fantastic, mine suit me 100% but the £££££’ s are something to consider i got mine gradually from R93 days and then swapped to the R8 pro - I don’t believe I would any other rifle make now I love em
 
You dont buy a Blaser for the improved accuracy, you buy one because you want a reliable tool that works with some sensible safety designs.

For me the ability to have one up the spout and the firing pin spring not cocked is a no brainer to me, in hunting conditions there's no risk of the rifle going off as it's never cocked until the last few seconds.

Oh, and I have multiple barrels for mine from 22lr up to 300wm, the same stock and trigger for all of my calibers makes shooting it a dream. I never have to think about the trigger weight.
 
phillips321 said:
You dont buy a Blaser for the improved accuracy, you buy one because you want a reliable tool that works with some sensible safety designs.

For me the ability to have one up the spout and the firing pin spring not cocked is a no brainer to me, in hunting conditions there's no risk of the rifle going off as it's never cocked until the last few seconds.

Oh, and I have multiple barrels for mine from 22lr up to 300wm, the same stock and trigger for all of my calibers makes shooting it a dream. I never have to think about the trigger weight.
Click to expand...
Yep my 22 rimmy 204, 22 hornet are tack drivers same as the CF’s nothing not to like really, safe and work as you want 👍
 
phillips321 said:
For me the ability to have one up the spout and the firing pin spring not cocked is a no brainer to me, in hunting conditions there's no risk of the rifle going off as it's never cocked until the last few seconds.
Click to expand...
Real world result from this silly German "safety" engineering is, that first time you're shooting driven, "there's no risk of getting shot off" (seen this several times). And then, you learn a habit of cocking the rifle while arriving at peg, and forget to decock it when drive is over.

FFS, they make a flag safety for Tikka T3 to make it "safer"! Since somebody has shot their toes, breaking the fifth rule of gun safety, "thou shalt not rest the loaded rifle on thy toes" (actually rules 1, 4 and 3).
 
Like most other respondents to this thread I did not buy my R8's on the supposition that they are capable of better accuracy or precision (although they have performed as well as any turnbolt I have ever owned).

They were purchased for several other reasons: I can strip them down easily and quickly for secure transport and rebuild them in moments with absolutely no shift in zero whatsoever, I can change between normal glass and IR in seconds, they have probably the best production trigger of any off-the-shelf rifle I have shot, the safety aspect of a manual cocking / decocking mechanism rather than a traditional safety-catch, after a typical Scottish day out I can be sitting in front of the fire drinking tea (having stripped, FULLY dried, cleaned and reassembled the rifle) whilst the others are still faffing around trying to get moisture out of their barrel channel, whilst away from home I can carry one rifle / two barrels / two scopes and transition from daytime stalking to nighttime foxing in a heartbeat, a change of chambering (should it take my fancy) is of a similar cost (and a lot less hassle) to a rebarreling.
 
jthyttin said:
Real world result from this silly German "safety" engineering is, that first time you're shooting driven, "there's no risk of getting shot off" (seen this several times). And then, you learn a habit of cocking the rifle while arriving at peg, and forget to decock it when drive is over.

FFS, they make a flag safety for Tikka T3 to make it "safer"! Since somebody has shot their toes, breaking the fifth rule of gun safety, "thou shalt not rest the loaded rifle on thy toes" (actually rules 1, 4 and 3).
Click to expand...

That is operator error, not a fault of the operating system...
 
jthyttin said:
Real world result from this silly German "safety" engineering is, that first time you're shooting driven, "there's no risk of getting shot off" (seen this several times). And then, you learn a habit of cocking the rifle while arriving at peg, and forget to decock it when drive is over.

FFS, they make a flag safety for Tikka T3 to make it "safer"! Since somebody has shot their toes, breaking the fifth rule of gun safety, "thou shalt not rest the loaded rifle on thy toes" (actually rules 1, 4 and 3).
Click to expand...
gotta say if that is the way some operate, best off taking their ticket off them for the sake of safety to others or a severe bout of training and a mentor, driver error is no fault of a rifle whatever make or caliber
 
Real world accuracy will be so close as to make no odds for stalking. If you want to be ostracised by those near and dear then crack on but accuracy isn't a determining factor for buying Blaser over a semi-custom (in my view) ;)
 
There is a huge variation in all the iterations of the Blaser R8, and as for semi-custom an even greater level of iterations.

I have used R93s and R8s to know that they generally shoot pretty well. An Austrian Friend has one in a long heavy barreled 300 Magnum - I think Norma or Ultra and he shoots chamois out to sill distances. I have used it, but a very right handed thumbhole stock is not ideal for my left handedness. Have also used them in smaller calibres with lighter barrels. They shoot well enough for hunting purposes.

I have seen plenty of semi customs shoot very well. I have also seen some that have disappointed.

But a hunting rifle is not just about accuracy, its much more about fit, feel and performance of the overall package.

Personally I wouldn’t spend money on a Blaser. I would much rather a proper Mauser type action (left handed ideally) fitted with a 24” medium weight barrel so that it handles well and shoots where I point it - like a fine shotgun.

I don’t like a straight pull. Would much rather drop stock out of shoulder keeping a full view of the animal and seeing that empty case is well clear and new round chambered and fire again as rifle pad hits my shoulder.

But rifle choice is a very personal thing.
 
old 30-06 said:
Selous, please take a little time to reflect. With a hunting set up and hunting ammunition you have just shot a 308 group measuring less than .4 of an inch at 100 yards. I can help you a lot here. You do not need to spend multiple thousands on another rifle. All you need is one click left !
Click to expand...
And there’s the rub, that rifle will do that all day. It always has been a shooter and the bolt throw is slick and feeding 100%. My sensible head says stick with old faithful but then this little voice whispers ……..Blaser!!
Must stop listening to those voices🤣🤣
 
Selous said:
And there’s the rub, that rifle will do that all day. It always has been a shooter and the bolt throw is slick and feeding 100%. My sensible head says stick with old faithful but then this little voice whispers ……..Blaser!!
Must stop listening to those voices🤣🤣
Click to expand...
Im going to stage an intervention for you my friend.

Truly worried.
 
Blaser de cock

Great idea if the operator uses the detent correctly without having finger on trigger ,,,,,

I’ve had to look over several R8 due to misfires that careless operators blame for their inability to follow basic a basic system of operation

Change barrels - R8 barrel start around 1200 if I am correct and the match versions are a few hundred more

That’s more than a re barrel for a “traditional bolt gun”

Watch out for corrosion in and on barrels ,,

Accuracy - well we have stood side by side on range days and watched targets being shot by numerous people - I don’t recall any of the R8 being used have anything other than mediocre grouping (one my argue operator failings here )

Trigger - the unit is numb and dead to the touch (similar to a light switch)

Overall cost - high, more so than a custom from my stable at least

Yes they work, yes one May strip and carry several barrels in a small attaché case and have a very portable system

But hell man, have you no dignity








😂😂😂



I mean no offence to Blaser owners

Honestly 👍🏻


Caveat

I used to own a Tac 2 that was them most ergonomic and accurate rifle (factory rifle) I’ve owned , so I’m not a hater
 
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