Blazer R8 .243 discharge by safety disengagement

[Oryx]

Bit of an odd one.
Slipped safety off and gun went bang. Fortunately pointed in a safe direction, finger was nowhere near the trigger. It was the first time in three years of use. Has anyone experienced this and how normal is this occurrence? Causes?
Please refrain from the normal, more £ than sense may not have bought a blazer, etc.
Many thanks

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Did you buy a blazer to wear as in the old boys club or a Blaser firearm? Asking for a friend.

 

[Oryx]

Did you buy a blazer to wear as in the old boys club or a Blaser firearm? Asking for a friend.

It’s not a 6.5 creedmore
It’s a working tool that has served well until now.
Just wondering if the occasional pop off is normal for an R8 and was hoping for sensible replies

 

[LeftHandGuy]

I had an air rifle that did this when excessively lubricated. If you are handy, and if it's easy (I know cock-all about the R8) take the trigger mechanism, bolt, and anything else out and give everything a good clean, then reassemble and test to see if the safety can still cause the firing pin to release.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Bit of an odd one.
Slipped safety off and gun went bang. Fortunately pointed in a safe direction, finger was nowhere near the trigger. It was the first time in three years of use. Has anyone experienced this and how normal is this occurrence? Causes?
Please refrain from the normal, more £ than sense may not have bought a blazer, etc.
Many thanks

Wow! That is a real concern - a poor cleaning/maintenance regime can cause this sort of thing as can “adjusting” the trigger but I would suggest taking it to a reputable gunsmith - next time you may not be so fortunate…

 

[doric_prince]

Don’t have an r8 but have 2 x r93s. Odd as you say.

 

[Oryx]

Wow! That is a real concern - a poor cleaning/maintenance regime can cause this sort of thing as can “adjusting” the trigger but I would suggest taking it to a reputable gunsmith - next time you may not be so fortunate…

All factory but severely lacking in the cleaning department, we’ll get into it. We use as a tool for the job as I’m not a recreation stalking, maintenance does get neglected.
Cheers

 

[lochty]

Happened to me with an American guest many years ago. Turned out to be corrosion on part of the sear in the trigger mechanism. Take to a gunsmith ASAP.

 

[cjs66]

I’ve had two R8 rifles and a third barrel for around twelve years and never had them go off by disengaging the de-cocker. The trigger has surprised me a couple of times if I’ve been using other rifles for a while.
Get it checked

cjs

 

[VSS]

Will you ever be comfortable with it again, or will you be forever worrying about where the next unexpected discharge might end up?

 

[Oryx]

Will you ever be comfortable with it again, or will you be forever worrying about where the next unexpected discharge might end up?

Concerning yes, think it’s time I’ll pull my finger out and clean the bugger

 

[Oryx]

I’ve had two R8 rifles and a third barrel for around twelve years and never had them go off by disengaging the de-cocker. The trigger has surprised me a couple of times if I’ve been using other rifles for a while.
Get it checked

cjs

I think I may need to upgrade my maintenance regime which is currently once a year after several hundred rounds

 

[cjs66]

I can’t say that I’m on top of the cleaning lark either.

 

[doric_prince]

Thing is, with the blaser you only really take it off ( cock it) just before taking a shot. So the only time it can go off is when your are ready to fire. Still not safe, but after getting it fixed I would be comfortable with it. It’s a Different situation if your gun goes off when you put the safety on.

 

[Jon69]

I would still be staggered if a lack of cleaning could cause such a serious safety malfunction? Surely (hopefully?!) more likely to be some sort of mechanical failure maybe as @lochty firearms are typically expected to capable of firing thousands of rounds between cleaning without ever suffering critical safety faults

 

[Oryx]

Happened to me with an American guest many years ago. Turned out to be corrosion on part of the sear in the trigger mechanism. Take to a gunsmith ASAP.

Many thanks very useful information time for a full service I think. Cheers

 

[Freeforester]

Don’t have an r8 but have 2 x r93s. Odd as you say.

As per Doric prince here, but have had 4x R93, currently three, including my most used one, which I’ve had since they first came out, and never had a problem. Usually if the safety/cocking mechanism has been engaged, it means I’m just about to fire.
I tend not to shoot multiple quarry at once, so more often than not I eject the used squib after firing, then decock at that ‘empty chamber’ moment, so the bolt is thereafter closed on the following round but in a decocked state. I appreciate this may well be different from someone with several to shoot at once (I have on several occasions knocked over a family of 3 roe - doe and 2 kids, but never once had any such issue).

Shooting typically 100+ per year the last 30 years.

 

[NP435]

It’s not a 6.5 creedmore
It’s a working tool that has served well until now.
Just wondering if the occasional pop off is normal for an R8 and was hoping for sensible replies

It better not be normal.

 

[Smellydog]

Lack of maintenance!
Rusting trigger parts!!
Self discharging!!!
How much are they?
Amazing

 

[Heym SR20]

One of the very good reasons that when loading, unloading, cocking, decocking, putting on safety, taking safety off rifle should be pointing in a safe place.

I don’t like the practice of taking aim then letting off the safety.

I have had a rifle go off when letting off the safety. Fortunately I was not aiming at the buck I was about to shoot, instead the rifke was pointing at the ground to one side.

Later inspection- grass seed and gunk in the trigger mechanism.

Sear engagements, springs etc in trigger units are all quite tight. Typically sear / trigger engagements are less than a 1mm. It doesn’t take much crude to push the engagement to an absolute minimum so it goes off with a little jolt etc.

If in doubt on how to clean, take it to a good gunsmith.