8k to spend on a rifle: high end custom rifle or blaser R8?
- Thread starter randello88
- Start date
As you don’t like Blasers, and you have the money, it seems you question is rhetorical.
Precisely the type of "custom" rifle that has little 2nd hand value and is only worth the initial expenditure to the person commissioning it.
K
swagger700
Well-Known Member
I've had both, but the modular capability of the blaser swings it for me
Have a semi custom tikka for lead free and for the money shoots as well as anything I've had for fraction of the price, std barrel and action macmillan stock tuned trigger
Both rifles shoot tiny groups with home loads can't ask for any more
Have a semi custom tikka for lead free and for the money shoots as well as anything I've had for fraction of the price, std barrel and action macmillan stock tuned trigger
Both rifles shoot tiny groups with home loads can't ask for any more
Blasers are built by the same type of people who also build BMW's. Looks are maybe good but everything is made to be cheap with max profit. They are very good at that. Looking at competition rifles, high end sniper rifles, high end ultra reliable DG rifles of this world, certain components or designs or materials that have evolved over the years are mostly not found on a Blaser Blaser R8. One has to look at all components, why parts are made the way they are, designed they way they are. In the last years we are working with US custom rifle builders and rifle companies as well as US trade shows which gave us a little insight of the products that are being produced. I feel many of these products are made with a different set of mind and the US have pulled away from Europe in design, functionality and quality. At meetings it is all about these attributes, meetings with several European companies all end in the same sentence... " we need cheap, good looks, quality does not matter".
There is however one issue with custom rifles, even the best components are worth nothing if not put together right.... in that case the Blaser wins. We have had a rifle built on a fantastic Hawk Hill Barrel which was personally made for me by the owner... only to have had it put together by "gods gift" of a custom rifle builder which after "blue printing" the action led to a barrel that was fitted almost 1cm off centre at the muzzle and would not fit in a stock.
The UK is very lucky as there are fantastic rifle builders and the rest of Europe envy you for that however there probably a few unlucky ones too. Finding the right builder is just as important as the right components.
and..... there is another little issue with custom rifles.... often a customer makes a balls of the component selection or added fittings or barrel length etc leading to a rifle that doesn't really suit. Same thing can happen with choosing the wrong mass produced rifle.
just my opinion
edi
There is however one issue with custom rifles, even the best components are worth nothing if not put together right.... in that case the Blaser wins. We have had a rifle built on a fantastic Hawk Hill Barrel which was personally made for me by the owner... only to have had it put together by "gods gift" of a custom rifle builder which after "blue printing" the action led to a barrel that was fitted almost 1cm off centre at the muzzle and would not fit in a stock.
The UK is very lucky as there are fantastic rifle builders and the rest of Europe envy you for that however there probably a few unlucky ones too. Finding the right builder is just as important as the right components.
and..... there is another little issue with custom rifles.... often a customer makes a balls of the component selection or added fittings or barrel length etc leading to a rifle that doesn't really suit. Same thing can happen with choosing the wrong mass produced rifle.
just my opinion
edi
For the range: a friend has a PGM Précision with the civilianised wooden furniture. Probably in 6XC
For the Hill and Hedgerow: either a 505 or a Lynx. Probably in 7mmx 64
For the Hill and Hedgerow: either a 505 or a Lynx. Probably in 7mmx 64
There are a good half dozen plus gunsmiths repeatedly referred to on here and also on here.
They’d build you what your heart desires in budget, and I’d predict far happier at the end of it than with a blaser.
Not knocking blaser, it’s off the shelf vs bespoke.
You just need a clear idea of what you are speccing.
Also, might be better to start ground up with intended use, action, barrel, stock, chambering, etc rather than £8k.
I have a full custom built by one of those smiths and would be new £6k plus scope and mod. I have two rem 700’s that have been sorted, rebarrelled and fitted to PSE stocks, and you’d get three of those for the same price. And just as accurate!
Not a bad problem to have though.
They’d build you what your heart desires in budget, and I’d predict far happier at the end of it than with a blaser.
Not knocking blaser, it’s off the shelf vs bespoke.
You just need a clear idea of what you are speccing.
Also, might be better to start ground up with intended use, action, barrel, stock, chambering, etc rather than £8k.
I have a full custom built by one of those smiths and would be new £6k plus scope and mod. I have two rem 700’s that have been sorted, rebarrelled and fitted to PSE stocks, and you’d get three of those for the same price. And just as accurate!
Not a bad problem to have though.
Last edited:
Overlay
Well-Known Member
Yep 100%
One man’s delight is another’s nightmare
My thoughts would be to find the rifle you like and enjoy shooting, otherwise you will be looking again in the near future
I shoot blasers because I like them and they fit me easily but the rifle that keeps popping up for me is the sauer 404 with thumb hole and cheek riser with a standard fluted barrel,I've shoot a couple of them and they are very very accurate.
If out helps ease your pain, I had the 404 and loved it. I switched to the blaser for the change to barrel mounted scopes. The SUM mount was a pain.
The new 505 with the blaser mount but improved looks fantastic and may tempt me back to Sauer.
They both do the job very well. I am happier with the Blaser than I was with the Sauer.
if only you could still buy a mini metro
Sako75Hunter
Well-Known Member
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
Far better rifle than the 505. Only problem is they don’t make it in 25-06
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
Buy a Mauser M18 for $500 and send me the rest, everyone’s happy 
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