8,5x55 Blaser
- Thread starter Top Spanish Hunting
- Start date
What are you using in the 7mm
Sinistral
Well-Known Member
It helps to have a fast lookup table to identify close matches, and near possibilities.
The 8.5 x 55 Blaser, and the other Blaser magnums will fade, as they're all different lengths, and there's not one readily available case that can be used to form any of them. I have formed the .375 Blaser Magnum from 7.21 Lazzeroni Firehawk, but that case is discontinued and rarer still.
The .338 WSM is CIP-registered, uses the magnum bolt-face, and can be made from .300 WSM which is everywhere.
If a .338 is necessary for boar this is the easiest solution by far.
| CIP Dimensions | L1 | L2 | L3 | R1Ø | P1Ø | P2Ø | H2Ø | G1Ø | SA° |
| 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser | 1.711 | 1.858 | 2.165 | .480 | .480 | .435 | .297 | .264 | 25 |
| 7.5 x 54 French MAS | 1.685 | 1.827 | 2.126 | .486 | .482 | .445 | .339 | .308 | 20 |
| 8.5 x 55 Blaser | 1.669 | 1.798 | 2.154 | .535 | .545 | .518 | .369 | .338 | 30 |
| .338 Ruger Comp Mag | 1.569 | 1.695 | 2.015 | .532 | .532 | .516 | .370 | .338 | 30 |
| .338 WSM (CIP 1/2006) | 1.521 | 1.643 | 1.960 | .535 | .556 | .540 | .369 | .338 | 35 |
Yes the .300 and .338 are the same length but the 7mm smaller and .375 bigger all a little different and more available in Europe, it’s like Blaser and Norma did it because they could then went well done to each other and forgot about them.It helps to have a fast lookup table to identify close matches, and near possibilities.
The 8.5 x 55 Blaser, and the other Blaser magnums will fade, as they're all different lengths, and there's not one readily available case that can be used to form any of them. I have formed the .375 Blaser Magnum from 7.21 Lazzeroni Firehawk, but that case is discontinued and rarer still.
The .338 WSM is CIP-registered, uses the magnum bolt-face, and can be made from .300 WSM which is everywhere.
If a .338 is necessary for boar this is the easiest solution by far.
CIP Dimensions L1 L2 L3 R1Ø P1Ø P2Ø H2Ø G1Ø SA° 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser 1.711 1.858 2.165 .480 .480 .435 .297 .264 25 7.5 x 54 French MAS 1.685 1.827 2.126 .486 .482 .445 .339 .308 20 8.5 x 55 Blaser 1.669 1.798 2.154 .535 .545 .518 .369 .338 30 .338 Ruger Comp Mag 1.569 1.695 2.015 .532 .532 .516 .370 .338 30 .338 WSM (CIP 1/2006) 1.521 1.643 1.960 .535 .556 .540 .369 .338 35
Top Spanish Hunting
Well-Known Member
Here in Spain we are not having problem to get the ammunition, at least for the moment.
Top Spanish Hunting
Well-Known Member
very intresting post, thanks!It helps to have a fast lookup table to identify close matches, and near possibilities.
The 8.5 x 55 Blaser, and the other Blaser magnums will fade, as they're all different lengths, and there's not one readily available case that can be used to form any of them. I have formed the .375 Blaser Magnum from 7.21 Lazzeroni Firehawk, but that case is discontinued and rarer still.
The .338 WSM is CIP-registered, uses the magnum bolt-face, and can be made from .300 WSM which is everywhere.
If a .338 is necessary for boar this is the easiest solution by far.
CIP Dimensions L1 L2 L3 R1Ø P1Ø P2Ø H2Ø G1Ø SA° 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser 1.711 1.858 2.165 .480 .480 .435 .297 .264 25 7.5 x 54 French MAS 1.685 1.827 2.126 .486 .482 .445 .339 .308 20 8.5 x 55 Blaser 1.669 1.798 2.154 .535 .545 .518 .369 .338 30 .338 Ruger Comp Mag 1.569 1.695 2.015 .532 .532 .516 .370 .338 30 .338 WSM (CIP 1/2006) 1.521 1.643 1.960 .535 .556 .540 .369 .338 35
Top Spanish Hunting
Well-Known Member
In spain boxes are around 80€/120€
I am not.
I was trying to find brass in which case I would have bought a pristine barrel for the Blaser for sweeties. One dealer has some brass but wants £380 for 50 pieces,
good luck wi that. There are dies kicking around but again people think there is value in a dead calibre. Basically this is its last hurrah. Find enough brass to wear the barrel out and you could buy a barrel and dies for next to nothing because there are no other buyers.Norma says the brass is still current but it is a special so they will wait until they have enough back orders to justify a run. In reality that will probably never happen.
You can get 8.5x55 dies from Triebel too, I got mine directly from them but it looks like there’s a few importers in the uk now, Brownells being one. excellent quality but pricy.
I’m very pleased with my 8.5x55, very accurate, recoil doesn’t feel that different to the 30-06 and makes for a handy rifle in a shorter barrel length, even with a moderator on, which is what it was designed for. Not worth considering in the UK unless you home load really imo, factory ammo is eye wateringly expensive, if you can get hold of any. Mine was very easy to develop a load for (you’ll need quick load as there’s very little, if any, published data), and brass is easier to get hold of and ship or bring over from Europe.
Of course there’s plenty of other chamberings that will do the same job that are easier to get hold of, but I’ve always had a perverse draw to unusual cartridges and I like it!
JohnCZ
Well-Known Member
Here in Australia (1/01/2025) the Norma 8.5×55 Blaser 230gr Oryx 20 Pack is Aud $183, compared to the Norma 9.3×62 232gr Oryx 20 Pack is Aud $118 and the Norma 338 Win Mag 230gr Oryx 20 Pack is Aud $122. Even the grand old 375H&H from Norma with the 300gr Oryx 20 pack is Aud $169.
As good as the Blaser round may be it is priced out of the market for Aussie hunters, sure some will buy it but it won't be many. The 9.3x62 seems to be getting more and more of a following for water buffalo, scrub bulls, pigs and big Sambar stags.
As good as the Blaser round may be it is priced out of the market for Aussie hunters, sure some will buy it but it won't be many. The 9.3x62 seems to be getting more and more of a following for water buffalo, scrub bulls, pigs and big Sambar stags.
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