Let's talk spare barrels for Blaser K95.

[Heym SR20]

From memory, a TGS Outdoors video covering Beretta and custom engraving by Abbiatico and Salvinelli, once a gun enters a hand engraver's vice, you will be paying similar sorts of £££ regardless of whether the gun is CNC'd or hand filed, as the engraver's time rapidly becomes the significant (or majority) of the price.

I suspect from your discussions with the Scheiring staff, that the €15-20k starting figure would be for something with either minimal hand engraving, or machine engraving at most (who knows may even just be a bare rifle!).

Running off the fixed ££ addition for engraving, yes, you might have seen custom blasers for €30k+, but an equivalent Scheiring with the same level of engraving could possibly set you back €40-50k+ - and this is highly optimistic, as it looks like they have a much larger surface area for engraving...

If you want to have a laugh on how much "optional extras" can add to a rifle price, go onto the Rigby rifles website and play around with their rifle builder. A £40k gun doesn't come with much as standard... My mess around is currently at £60k with limited gold enlays and no engraving! And I gauge that the engraved surfaces on a Rigby rifles are much smaller than on a Scheiring. The 'London Best' Rifle - John Rigby & Co.

Cost principally comes down to the cost and time of skilled craftsmen, and the overheads of employing them. Such skills these days are now rare, and they have healthy order books with Patrons who are prepared to support their work.

I look at Dicksons up in Dunkeld. Their factory is just a small Steading with an old lathe, and couple of antique milling machines and a few other bits and pieces. The principle “machines” are a few skilled craftsmen with hand tools who build a few guns a year, with each gun taking at least a couple of years from start to finish. You will pay well over £60,000 for a round action gun, but when you consider the amount of work that goes in, it’s not a lot on a per hour basis.

 

[secondtry]

Blaser will supply K95 chamberings other than the standards that they list.

I have seen a 9.3x62 K95bbl, and know of a specially ordered 223. No doubt the price of such variations would not be low.

 

[deeangeo]

As I understand it, to have a spare barrel for a K95 from Blaser, the rifle should be returned to Blaser (For correct fitting). That was the info I had from my local retailer - the cost was pretty high (I thought) so didn't proceed.
The cost was around £2k plus for a standard barrel. More if the barrel was an octagonal. But hey, life & prices have changed a lot recently

 

[secondtry]

As I understand it, to have a spare barrel for a K95 from Blaser, the rifle should be returned to Blaser (For correct fitting). That was the info I had from my local retailer - the cost was pretty high (I thought) so didn't proceed.
The cost was around £2k plus for a standard barrel. More if the barrel was an octagonal. But hey, life & prices have changed a lot recently

Often said, but in practice simply not true. I have mixed and matched several barrels and actions and have seen others do so. With only one combination was I told (didn't see it) that some slight fitting was needed.

 

[doric_prince]

Hi all

By now I am sure most people are aware that there was an Islamic terrorist attack at Bondi, Australia. One of the guns used was a Beretta BRX and that was that for straight pull rifles. Who would have thought terrorism is solved by simply requiring a bolt lift?

So here I am with the better part of $35,000 worth of quickly becoming banned Blaser rifles. My calibres for my main hunting rifle, R8 Success, 22-250, 6.5x55, 30-06 & 9.3x62 and I would like to stay in this group.

I have a K95 and was looking at the calibre options, no 22-250, no 9.3x62 and sure I could go 243w and 9.3x74R but that isn't the point.

Do Blaser make barrels outside of the calibre list currently on the website. I have sent an email but I am being impatient.

So remember terrorist can't operate turn bolt rifles, good to know.

Cheers
John
Live From Communist Australia

As a blaser r93 owner, I appreciate your concern. My sympathies.

Is the Aussie gov expecting you to go “native” and use a traditional hunting tool? , can’t see them banning that.

You would want to watch out for ricochets however. (I’m sure there is a song which is contrary to that risk though)

 

[JohnCZ]

If you go for custom, I would consider a company that does just that.
Blaser are high end factory riffles and allready pretty expensive for what they are offering. That is for regular models, pricing for custom adaptions is exponentially more and, in my opinion, just over the top.
In the end it still is a factory riffle, but you are almost paying Scheiring money.

I already have the K95 Luxus, grade 6 wood and all the other options, kind of like a Tikka .
Scheiring just isn't available here in Oz.

 

[JohnCZ]

How dare we be so ignorant to not know how much a Scheiring is... Don't see any prices for new ones online, but the used prices would suggest Blaser still has a lot of catching up to do.

I can tell you that here in Australia Scheiring just aren't available and yes I looked at their lightweight double on their website. Simply unobtainable for me! I bought my Blaser K95 Luxus with grade 6 walnut and ebony tip, Blaser super finish, DLC coated locking block and trigger, chambered in 308w that shoots 150gr Barnes TTSX at 2820fps for 5 shot 0.5MOA. And yes it is a factory rifle because it was made at the Blaser factory. Cost for the K95 was listed at $16,000 and I paid $11,500 and I would absolutely buy it again, it is a beautiful rifle for those willing to buy nice factory rifles.

 

[artschool]

why not just apply for a category C licence for your blaser?

 

[JohnCZ]

As a blaser r93 owner, I appreciate your concern. My sympathies.

Is the Aussie gov expecting you to go “native” and use a traditional hunting tool? , can’t see them banning that.

You would want to watch out for ricochets however. (I’m sure there is a song which is contrary to that risk though)

Yes, sharp sticks will need to be registered, permit to acquire etc..Maybe they will cap how many sharp sticks one can have.

 

[JohnCZ]

why not just apply for a category C licence for your blaser?

I should be okay in Queensland to keep it but I hunt mostly in NSW, this will also likely restrict travel through NSW. I don't meet the requirements for Cat C.

 

[JohnCZ]

That’s quite a reach from your police. I imagine it could be challenged legally given the lack of evidence and the fact it’s completely hypothetical?

I got my new Winchester M70 Safari Express 375 H&H approved one day after the Bondi shooting. It always astounds me that police and politicians think larger medium and big bores are what people choose for mischief. Could you see a terrorist running around with a $30/shot 500NE double, seems likely.

 

[Rafter]

Your mistake is assuming that cops and politicians think - that is, understand the situation and apply reason. At most they'll apply a opinion poll, more frequently just mash dogma to suit.

 

[KimE]

That’s quite a reach from your police. I imagine it could be challenged legally given the lack of evidence and the fact it’s completely hypothetical?

Yes the police wants to add an open paragraph to the new law for things they think may be dangerous in the future. I hope it dont get through as it would open up the possibility for the officer to select heir own rules and make guidlines never intended by the makers of the law.

 

[NullMac]

Blaser will supply K95 chamberings other than the standards that they list.

I have seen a 9.3x62 K95bbl, and know of a specially ordered 223. No doubt the price of such variations would not be low.

Well I asked specifically about 223 and they declined to rob me

 

[JohnCZ]

Hi John,

I’m very sorry you and other legal rifle owners are being punished for no reason. It’s pathetic that the State is trying to ‘do something’ by banning straight pull rifles, and not rooting out the cause. We’ve had it here with bans of hand guns and semi auto rifles. Nothing changes as a result, in terms of criminality, by banning legally owned firearms. Criminality involving firearms here is far higher now in fact than it ever has been. And those that want to will simply use another weapon that’s not a firearm, or get one illegally. This has been vividly illustrated across Europe and elsewhere on many occasions.

Moving on.. Do you get paid out for the confiscation of your Blaser R8 collection?

For what it’s worth I’d add whatever barrels you want for the K95 from the factory. You can put together a group purchase of a certain amount of barrels (say 10 or so) if you want a cartridge that has been listed in the past. For example I have a 25-06 R8 barrel because a shop here ordered them. Standard price paid by me.

Otherwise get something custom made and treat yourself. Book an exotic hunt too.

It’s a **** situation I know, but you can form a silver lining if you squint

Hi
Thanks for your input, absolutely thought of a group buy however there just isn't that many K95 owners here in Oz. It's a great thought though and I think I will seek more info on this through our distributor.
As for compensation, gun laws are an individual state matter here in Oz, my state (Queensland) has now decided to let us keep them (great news), the state next to me where I predominately hunt (New South Wales) is reclassifying them like a semi-automatic so I won't be able to use them or travel through there. Got to admit this is causing major issues in Oz and people are genuinely. So no buyback/payment in Qld, terms to be advised in NSW and Tasmania are talking 1.5x value. I would sell for 1.5x value LOL
Cheers
John