Blaser R93 or Not ??

Gucci handbag of rifles, carried by “latte drinking, man bag carrying soft southern poofters”:stir: )
I didn’t notice your location when I posted that, so funny when it fitted so well. :lol:

Of course Thar you are absolutely spot on.
Blaser the must have accessory ....it goes nicely with the Large house ,Chelsea tractor,Jag,and Revenger 27 .
Almost makes me feel sorry for my poor Northern cousins, almost ;)
I take that you are insinuating I can’t afford a Blaser, “Oh how we Laughed”:rofl: obliviously you didn’t read my first post on the matter. No need to feel sorry for me mate, spent enough time in London making the big money, now fled north to enjoy more time stalking. Oh boats by the age of 14 I was sick of them, forced by my dad to go boating for every school holiday.:(

I did some research for you on the gentleman in the photo; it was of Jan Sørlie, 41 years old, from Norway.
Albrecht Huf, 38 years old, from Germany suffered the same type of accident.
Other documented accidents are:-
1 Accident near Münster with a Blaser rifle model R93 caliber 6,5x68
1 Accident near Koblenz recently with a Blaser rifle R93 caliber .300 Weatherby
1 Accident in Africa with a Blaser rifle model R93 caliber .416 Rem Mag, that then was stolen
2 Accidents near Nantes, one with a Blaser R93 caliber .375 H&H and another with a .300 Winchester Magnum
1 Accident near Paris with a Blaser R93 caliber .375 H&H
1 Accident in Austria
After the last accident, the CEO of Blaser company, Mr. Knöbel, said to the press that in all the models of his brands sometimes wrong ammunition, in bad state or bad reloaded could cause the gun rupture and the shooter could be injured.

A gun engineer of Germany, Mr. Arndt G. Kriegeskorte, after making a technical analysis of the R93 action and saying that they are risky and insecure for the shooters, was menaced formally by Blaser that if he continue telling about his findings will be demanded by Euros 200.000 (about us$ 250.000.-):suss:

Now if you are happy to have your pants pulled down by Rupert for a rifle that is now being made in Poland I believe, and accept that if something goes wrong with the rifle or your ammunition you could lose half you head then fine. But remember something I was told as a young man starting my career in engineering by my boss, a man with the enduring nick name of Ba5tard Bivings. “The man that never made a mistake, never made anything.”
Still laughing, I can’t afford a Blaser.:rofl:

Tahr
 
Last edited:
Thar, if you are going to paraphrase a Deportiro.com article, take the trouble to let the viewers know where you got the quote from and maybe post the CEO of Blaser's reply, it also makes interesting reading


Report from Blaser Jagdwaffen about these incidents with Blaser R93 Rifle

Blaser CEO Mr. Bernhard Knöbel and Monika Alexander

"There was also an accident in Norway last year; statement will be forwarded in the near future."
"Dear Mr. Moratto.

As you are aware of, on January 10th, 2004, at a shooting range near Koblenz Germany, a Blaser R93 has been damaged and in that accident the shooter was injured.

Unfortunately this issue has been taken and exaggerated from various people in order to discredit the R93 in an un-objective and dubious way.

On January 22nd, 2004 the technical directors of Blaser and I were able to look at the rifle in question together with three police officials with the permission of the public prosecutors office Koblenz.

The steel showed deformation in the lockup area as well as two definite cracks beginning at the rear end of the chamber. Powderized brass was found in the lock-up area.
There was deformation on the bolt head as well as deformation on the bolt head elements.
The cam plate, which supports the assembly in locked position, and the right rail were broken away from position while the assembly was in a closed and locked position.

In a series of tests through DEVA (Deutsche Versuchs- und Prüfanstalt für Jagd- und Sportwaffen e.V.) measurements of the gas pressure were increased to almost 8.000 bar /
116.000 psi, whereby under this pressure there were no measured deformations to the outer contour of the chamber area in the barrel. There were also no seen deformations to the bolt head.

Without wanting to anticipate the results from the public prosecutors office and after examination we have concluded clearly the damage was caused through extreme overloaded gas pressure.
With consideration to the above mentioned DEVA examination, it is our opinion that the cause of this accident is without doubt due to the ammunition and cannot be related to the rifle.

At this point we would like to clearly state, that the technical design of the R93, with more than 100 000 rifles supplied, has not been found responsible for any accident where the rifle has been damaged.
Every single R93 is controlled and tested by the state/county proof-house according to the C.I.P. regulations using proof cartridges exceeding the maximal allowed gas pressure by a Minimum of 30%.
The R 93, however, withstands loads / Gas pressures way above proof-level as our in-house / combined DEVA-tests clearly document.

In the test reports from DEVA it was confirmed that there is no reason to doubt or fear the R93’s strength and durability.

DEVA states:
“In the case of destruction to a rifle with an (illegal) gas pressure of 8.000 bar or above, this eventually may result in injury to the shooter. This cannot be related to the rifle.”

There are no reasons for us to doubt the safety of the technical design of the R93.

Unfortunately, it may happen in individual cases that the use of defective or incorrectly loaded ammunition results in damage to the rifle and/or the shooter, no matter what brand or type of rifle is used.
For example in 2003 we were aware that in Austria alone, three cases of destroyed bolt-action rifles occurred due to incorrectly loaded ammunition with three different rifle-manufacturers being involved.
Even through the enormous numbers of R93s on the market there are extremely few cases occurring through inadmissible, well overloaded gas pressures where a rifle is damaged or destructed. For this there are appraisals from different institutes with clear statements:
In none of these cases a weapon-lateral cause of the damage was determined.

The Blaser R93, through its exemplery safe and practise suited technical design is one of the most popular hunting rifles offered on todays market.
The straight fact is that with the enormous numbers of R93 rifles in the field today it is extremely rare that a rifle is destructed through incorrectly loaded ammuntion.
This is argument enough for the R93.

Yours sincerely

Blaser Jagdwaffen GmbH
Bernhard Knöbel"

The original texts are available for all Deportiro Online Magazine readers.
 
Thar, if you are going to paraphrase a Deportiro.com article, take the trouble to let the viewers know where you got the quote from and maybe post the CEO of Blaser's reply, it also makes interesting reading
.

Only read the first page mate, that said nothing unsurprising in the CO reply, to cut point “it wasn’t our fault, the gun went though proof ok, the gun blown up because of a faulty cartridge” I don’t dispute that, my point is because of the Blasers design if something does go wrong no matter who’s fault it is the bolt gets imbedded in your head. :roll:

ATB

Tahr
 
I agree that there's not much surprising about the reply, except that DEVA state there is no reason to doubt the rifle's safety.

That to me is end of story, end of debate and conclusive enough evidence to say the rifle design is safe.

I know FC WRMs who will not buy Sauer rifles because the one he had years ago had warped wood, he now lets that experience cloud his judgement on them.
I know custom rifle makers who hate Blaser rifles, he gets no work from re-barreling them so why should he like them?
I know stalkers who swear that there's no need for any other calibre except .270

All this shows is that we all have personal preferences as to what we like to hunt with, which is not a bad thing.
Personally I don't like folks slagging any brand I use, whether it be Apple computers, Canon cameras or Blaser rifles, all it does is reduce the 2nd hand value of them if enough people shout against them.

Bloody internet, we should get back to smoke signals, at least they could be shut up with a puff of wind
 
I have been reading all off the comments. I have used the R 93 and bought a R8 in 6.5 x 55 6 months ago. I have had a Sako, Ruger & a mannlicher in the past. I am really impressed with the Blaser which ive used on roe, sika and fallow and had clients use on Red stags & hinds recently. The big plus for me is the straight pull bolt and they are very accurate with factory ammunition without going down the homeloading road. I would definetly recommend them but its a personnel choice.:-D
 
This has been quite an interesting debate that has rumbled on for some time now and I was tempted to post a “witty” comment on the lines of;
Blaser the marmite rifle – you either love them or hate them.
But then I thought about it and my own views on the rifle. While I am very impressed by the design and quality of these rifles, would I ever buy one ? My own personal answer would be NO. The only reason I would give is that unlike traditional designs which rely upon a small number of substantial lugs in the lock up the Blaser relies upon a large number of small components. If anything goes wrong which for varying reasons probably mainly user related such as bad reloading practises, these small components act as shrapnel while more traditional designs appear to be slightly more forgiving.
Now that’s my own personal view but I wouldn’t in any way criticise anyone else for their choice of firearm because it all comes down to personal preference in the end.
 
Hmmm well this discussion reminds me of the reported ones involving the Ross M10 and the .280 Ross. Those that couldn't get their minds around the straight pull mechanism and the interupted thread breech locking slagged it off as dangerous and cited bolt failures. Those that loved them defended them. The Ross too was expensive for it's time. The strange thing there was despite photography being available there didn't seem to be any photos of the claimed injuries. Sure a few broken rifles arived at places like the NRA (America) and once again improper handloading was blamed.

The thing I noticed about the "reported list of failures with the R93" is that they are all magnum type cartridges!!! Hmmm I wonder if those cartridges are working at the top of the ceiling for the Blaser in normal conditions and just a slight pressure spike is enough to cause a failure?

As I said I enjoyed shooting the Blaser R93's we were testing, those were a pair of .308's on Bilsey's Short Siberia range however I cannot afford one really and I stil say they are way over priced :suss:. To do so would mean selling a fair chunk of the collection and I am not sure I could bring myself to do that. If I was going to spend that sort of capital then I am afraid it would have to be for a nice light SxS Dbl rifle in something like 7x65R or 8x57R or 303 (I wish) :D. On the same day we tested the Blasers Jack ( the shop owner ) also brought along a very nice Chapuis 8x57R which shot outstandingly with RWS 196 Grn ammunition.......................... trouble was it was over £4000 back then :oops: now that one I would have loved to have. Sorry chaps but the Blasers took a back seat to this one.
 
All this shows is that we all have personal preferences as to what we like to hunt with, which is not a bad thing.
Personally I don't like folks slagging any brand I use, whether it be Apple computers, Canon cameras or Blaser rifles, all it does is reduce the 2nd hand value of them if enough people shout against them.

Bloody internet, we should get back to smoke signals, at least they could be shut up with a puff of wind

Tikka the internet is a double edged sword that is for sure, sorry if you are trying to sell one by the way, I am sure if somebody wants one they will buy it, I think Blasers are a bit like bottled Pierre water, some people will buy them just because of the marketing and they think of it as a aspirational product, while you can get better water free from the tap.:D

I guess I look at the design from a engineers view and I think how over complicated the design is, look at the “what if” scenario and think Oh no,:scared: then the price, 2 to 3 times that of a good European bolt action despite the rifles are now being built in eastern Europe, finally you get well and truly ripped off for the accessories.
Sorry mate the price of belonging to the Blaser lovers club is too high IMO.

Brit
You are right, when using a big game rifle such as a 375 on dangerous game the last thing you want is to find the bolt stuck in your head, that would really make the buffalos day.:lol:
At least anybody looking at Blasers now has both sides of the Blaser story. Marmite rifles yes I think that sums it up.

My last post on the subject, in deference to the guys selling Blasers in the classifieds.

ATB

Tahr
 
Last edited:
This has been quite an interesting debate that has rumbled on for some time now and I was tempted to post a “witty” comment on the lines of;
Blaser the marmite rifle – you either love them or hate them.
But then I thought about it and my own views on the rifle. While I am very impressed by the design and quality of these rifles, would I ever buy one ? My own personal answer would be NO. The only reason I would give is that unlike traditional designs which rely upon a small number of substantial lugs in the lock up the Blaser relies upon a large number of small components. If anything goes wrong which for varying reasons probably mainly user related such as bad reloading practises, these small components act as shrapnel while more traditional designs appear to be slightly more forgiving.
Now that’s my own personal view but I wouldn’t in any way criticise anyone else for their choice of firearm because it all comes down to personal preference in the end.

Marmite motorway rifle more like.....

Leather trousers and everything. :D
 
The one thing I will say is that a Blaser or Sauer will hold it's value in a way that a parts/custom gun never will. I know, I have tried most of the options out there. Spend £2000 - £3000 on a semi custom on a factory action. Keep it a year and try and sell it. You will do well to get 50% of what you paid for it.

Which would make a second-hand (semi-) custom a good buy, if it's close to your ideal spec???
 
Which would make a second-hand (semi-) custom a good buy, if it's close to your ideal spec???

Andrew, a second hand semi custom is possibly the best buy out there currently. Unfortunately they don't appear every often. I missed a 6.5x47L on a Tikka a couple of years ago. Spotted it for sale, went to check out what a 47 Lapua was ( I hadn't heard of it at that time), when I went back the next day it was gone. A Kershaw build, I think it was about £1200 with a Border barrel and McSwirlly.
 
Right thats my mind made up then, if I need to pick a rifle in which to use dangerously overloaded homeloads in, I will buy a semi custom bolt action and not a blaser. that way I will be able to persue my damages claim with the 'custom gunsmith' by using my remaining 2 fingers to type letters to his lawyer.
how come no one has said that they are no good in dusty conditions? that used to be what everyone said about them.
I do own a R93 and even a bolt action as well. So far i have found the safety a bit hard to operate and i do miss having a detatchable mag. i love the way it handles the way you can de cock it is great. it is a great rifle to travel with and shoots really well. if I should be quite honest i find all the references to the R93 being the hairdressers rifle a bit of a laugh. As far as i'm concerned putting a stainless barrel on a blued action is like having highlights in your hair and a diamond ear stud but it's just a matter of taste.

Ezzy
 
Well, what an interesting thread ;)

I have just put a down payment on a new R93....in fact if I'm totally honest I paid the money on Saturday and then came back and thought I'd see what helpful advice I could glean from the site :)

Little did I realise that buying a Blaser was making such an overt statement about my logic, my bank balance, my perceived status as a stalker or my virility :roll:

For those who care to know, I bought one for a number of reasons.

First, those people I know who use them already are people whose advice I respect, who have shot a lot of deer (four are professional or semi-professional stalkers), and who happily explained the R93's plus and minus points. In all cases they now seem to use R93's exclusively, which I found quite telling.

Second, on the occasions I've had the chance to shoot an R93 they have consistently produced cloverleaf groups regardless of ammunition, whether factory or homeload. Recently I've been having problems with my own Sako 75 in .308 (that's a different story that I will relate at some point) so to reduce some of the variables we shot my homeloads through an R93...and produced a ragged single-hole group. We then tried some of the factory ammo I'd brought along...and produced a ragged single-hole group. Results like that give you confidence in your kit.

Third, whilst a custom/semi-custom rifle is attractive, a wait of several months for a rifle that will lose a chunk of its value before I've fired a shot is not attractive. That is why a second-hand custom rifle is a good buy. If you buy second-hand then what your getting is not your rifle, it's someone elses, and you trade off the lower price for compromising on your ideal. If you sell a custom rifle, you have to accept that you will lose money. Having spent the best part of six months looking for a second-hand Blaser I quickly came to the realisation that buying new was, for me, an affordable option. I can get exactly what I want, built to my spec, and should I subsequently decide to sell it, I can get back the majority of my investment.

Fourth, the takedown capabilities of the rifle are not without their benefits. Maybe it's just me, but I don't particularly care to be wandering through hotels and airports with something that is so obviously a cased rifle. At a more practical level, getting my cased Sako into the car for trips to Scotland and elsewhere can be a pain as the only place is across the back seats. Can't really leave it there in full view to pop into somewhere for a pie & pint (of course the three dogs are a useful deterrent :lol:).

The fact that people who use Blasers consistently disassemble/re-assemble the components with no loss of zero says something about the quality of the engineering. Yes, £350 for a set of saddlemounts is expensive, but if they enable you to re-assemble your rifle and optics with no loss of zero then that is what you are paying for, not the cost of the metal itself. The only mounts I've seen that offer anything similar are Apels, and set of those for my Sako would cost the same as saddlemounts. If you don't want that capability then Optilocks and bases for a Sako are £120. You pay your money and take your choice.

Fifth, call me idiosyncratic (I've been called a lot, lot, worse) but I like the fact that the Blaser is different. The other rifle I'd like is a Ruger #1 for heaven's sake!

Finally, as for being a hairdresser's rifle....co-incidentally I am currently about half-way through reading Vidal Sassoon's autobiography. The man was born into poverty in the East End of London, was placed into an orphanage at an early age, fought fascists in the streets of London, fought in the Arab-Israeli war, dated (and married) some of the most beautiful models in the world, partied with Michael Caine and Terence Stamp, oh yes, and along the way built a multi-billion dollar empire. Not bad for a hairdresser.

Once the rifle turns up I'll happily post my experiences, both good and bad.

willie_gunn
 
Willie,

you are insane.

1. buying a blaser
2. trying your homeloads in another rifle
3. reading books

welcome to the master race, now you just need a decent scope:stir:

Gary
 
Back
Top