.470 Capstick Blaser

[dchamp]

Not sure exactly what you mean here.
If you buy the Professional Hunter Safari Steel Stock it's over $4K.
That is the safari stock opened up to accept the 22mm barrels and a steel receiver.

The Professional stock comes with an aluminum receiver and they sell for under $2K.
However they normally come with either the standard or mid-weight barrel channel.
Having it opened up to accept the safari barrels will add a little money to that.

I can always be wrong the best thing to do is ask them. But I bought a Safari Pro Stock around a year and a half ago steel receiver, kickstop & widened channel, at least that's what I was told for $1,600.00

 

[meigsbucks]

Not trying to highjack this thread but just out of curiosity how does the accuracy of J Sip barrels compare to that of an actual Blaser barrel?

 

[dchamp]

Thanks!

FYI, my understanding is that the "Blaser R8 Professional Savanna Stock Receiver Safari" does not have the steel receiver. It simply has the wider .

The one with the steel receiver is the so-called "Blaser R8 Professional Savanna Big Bore Stock Receiver." It lists for $4,500 although EuroOptics occasionally have it on sale for much less...

I see the listing at EuroOptics and you are correct about the $4,500.00. I weighed my stocks and trigger groups this morning to make sure that I have what I think I have and here are the results.

It looks to me like my green stock may be missing the kick-stop but that the Safari Pro Hunter stocks seem to be steel receivers. If purchasing I would ask

 

[One Day...]

I think that your conclusions are absolutely correct, and I applaud the scientific approach to collecting objective data. I also believe (?) that one visual clue is that the steel insert stocks do not have a front swivel at the tip. Can you confirm this on yours please, I am curious...

The steel receiver is advertised as adding approximately 1 lbs and the Blaser kick-stop is stated to be 16 oz. This matches your observations.

As to asking when purchasing, believe you me I did . But I have been endlessly impressed (negatively I must say) by the level of confusion that seems to preside over the EuroOptics sales staff when it comes to the technical side of things. I had similar discussions - and others - with them on several occasions when I was looking into the R8 and in over 50% of the cases they were wrong in their answers (e.g. cross compatibility of mag inserts, scope saddle mount material, new vs. old rings styles, Selous .300 Win barrel weight, etc. etc.)

If you were able to purchase a new steel insert stock with kickstop - however they called it that day, since they seems to name it differently virtually every time one talks with them - for $1,600 (I entirely believe you), even a year and a half ago, I would not eliminate the possibility that they invoiced you for the wrong item

And even if the kickstop was not in it, for $1,600 you still got the deal of the year

Please do tell:
1- do your steel insert stocks have front swivels?
2- why does the trigger group weigh double? Is it by any chance because the steel insert stock come with the steel trigger guard trigger group? They told me they do not...

 

[dchamp]

I think that your conclusions are absolutely correct, and I applaud the scientific approach to collecting objective data. I also believe (?) that one visual clue is that the steel insert stocks do not have a front swivel at the tip. Can you confirm this on yours please, I am curious...

The steel receiver is advertised as adding approximately 1 lbs and the Blaser kick-stop is stated to be 16 oz. This matches your observations.

As to asking when purchasing, believe you me I did . But I have been endlessly impressed (negatively I must say) by the level of confusion that seems to preside over the EuroOptics sales staff when it comes to the technical side of things. I had similar discussions - and others - with them on several occasions when I was looking into the R8 and in over 50% of the cases they were wrong in their answers (e.g. cross compatibility of mag inserts, scope saddle mount material, new vs. old rings styles, Selous .300 Win barrel weight, etc. etc.)

If you were able to purchase a new steel insert stock with kickstop - however they called it that day, since they seems to name it differently virtually every time one talks with them - for $1,600 (I entirely believe you), even a year and a half ago, I would not eliminate the possibility that they invoiced you for the wrong item

And even if the kickstop was not in it, for $1,600 you still got the deal of the year

Please do tell:
1- do your steel insert stocks have front swivels?
2- why does the trigger group weigh double? Is it by any chance because the steel insert stock come with the steel trigger guard trigger group? They told me they do not...

My $1,600.00 tan stock does not have the front swivel. The green stock does have the front swivel. My magnet sticks to the three heavier trigger groups.

 

[Tra3]

I’d suggest to contact Cove Creek Outfitters about R8 questions. Bob Turkovich was very helpful in answering questions and checking details like weights, etc.

I believe The kickstop comes in 12 Oz and 16 Oz weights.

My ultimate stock and my son’s professional have different styles of trigger group, but they fit in the other stock and work.

I’m also curious about the question By @meigsbucks Are the JSip barrels equally accurate? Maybe @Philip Glass can give and opinion to that.

The composite stocks like my ultimate or the professional allow for the final few inches of the forend to come off the stock when installing the Blaser bipod forend. The position of the swivel stud is different with the bipod receiving forend.

 

[TOBY458]

I'm considering having J Sip build me a 416 Rem Mag barrel in the semiweight contour. Then I will buy a semiweight receiver for it. I can use my bolt and magazine from my current standard weight rifle and interchange as needed. That would give me all the versatility needed, without resorting to the heavier Selous barrels and steel receiver. I wonder what my gun weight would be with a 24" Semiweight 416 barrel and a 16oz kickstop?
BTW, the J Sip Barrel can be had for $1385.00 with a barrel band front sight and fully adjustable rear sight. And, I was quoted a 4-5 week lead time once they can get the 416 barrel blank in hand.

 

[Glenn Slaven]

I’ve been happy with his barrels. He did a .325 WSM barrel and it shoots well. The .470 on the regular weight receiver and no weights is an ass kicker, but will put 3 shots touching if I don’t flinch on the bench.

I attached a photo of 4 shots at 100 with the .325 shooting 200 grain TSX. I imagine with a little playing around with load, I could shrink even more.

 

[Glenn Slaven]

Correction. That’s not the TSX, let me grab that photo right quick

 

[Glenn Slaven]

Here is the Barnes TSX

 

[Tra3]

@TOBY458 for weight I’ll guess 8 1/2, without a scope. My son’s R8 pro with a kick stop, the .22 Lr barrel and a lighter 3-9 swaro is 9 lbs 9 Oz.

 

[CoElkHunter]

This is a VERY informative, detail oriented piece on the Blaser R8 for someone like me who knows nothing about them. My head is spinning with all the barrel, receiver, stock, etc. options available. Great thread and posts for us neophytes.

 

[TOBY458]

J Sip said my 416 Semiweight barrel with express sights will weigh 3lbs 9oz. So with the aluminum receiver, and a 12oz kickstop, I'm looking at around 8lbs 12oz bare rifle weight. About right for a 416 in my book.

 

[Glenn Slaven]

You have me in the mood to buy another barrel from him now... I do like the .416 RM idea.

Maybe a 16” barrel threaded for a can

 

[TOBY458]

You have me in the mood to buy another barrel from him now... I do like the .416 RM idea.

Maybe a 16” barrel threaded for a can

He said he has a 22mm 416 barrel in stock that's threaded, but it's 23" long.

 

[BeeMaa]

I'm considering having J Sip build me a 416 Rem Mag barrel in the semiweight contour. Then I will buy a semiweight receiver for it. I can use my bolt and magazine from my current standard weight rifle and interchange as needed. That would give me all the versatility needed, without resorting to the heavier Selous barrels and steel receiver. I wonder what my gun weight would be with a 24" Semiweight 416 barrel and a 16oz kickstop?
BTW, the J Sip Barrel can be had for $1385.00 with a barrel band front sight and fully adjustable rear sight. And, I was quoted a 4-5 week lead time once they can get the 416 barrel blank in hand.

That sounds like a real high-speed, low drag rig...right up your alley.
Like to see a video of you shooting it when it's all said and done.

Don't forget to look at the magazine insert.
I don't believe the 375H&H and 416RM are compatible.
At least the ones I have take 2 different inserts.
Although in actual use, it could work just fine.

 

[TOBY458]

That sounds like a real high-speed, low drag rig...right up your alley.
Like to see a video of you shooting it when it's all said and done.

Don't forget to look at the magazine insert.
I don't believe the 375H&H and 416RM are compatible.
At least the ones I have take 2 different inserts.
Although in actual use, it could work just fine.

The 416 RM uses the standard belted mag magazine like my 7mm Rem Mag does. Says so right on the side. Plus I ran some 416 rounds through it and it feeds fine. Just can't close the bolt obviously!
My Winchester 70 416 weighs in at 9lbs with the scope removed and it's not bad to shoot. Just need to stay away from the bench once you're sighted in. Freestanding from the sticks, with the scope on it, I didn't feel a thing when I shot a buffalo with it! Haha!
Also, I plan to load my ammo to around 404 Jeffery levels, aka 2150 fps, in the lighter R8 for practice. Then load to around 2300 for hunting. Should be an easily schlepable elephant rifle!

 

[Glenn Slaven]

He said he has a 22mm 416 barrel in stock that's threaded, but it's 23" long.

I was giving it a look for sure. Just have it cut down and rethreaded. Hmmmm...

 

[TOBY458]

I was giving it a look for sure. Just have it cut down and rethreaded. Hmmmm...

Wonder what kind of ballistics you'd get from such a short barrel? With the R8 already being somewhat shorter than a standard bolt gun, maybe you should go with 20"?

 

[Glenn Slaven]

Wonder what kind of ballistics you'd get from such a short barrel? With the R8 already being somewhat shorter than a standard bolt gun, maybe you should go with 20"?

Good point. I should look at what the OAL would be rather than worry strictly about the barrel length. And like you point out I wouldn’t lose so much velocity, if I did a 20”.
I was going to suppress my .470 Cap, but it already had a front sight and barrel band