Blaser R8 Configurations

[John Telford]

So my neighbor has a Blaser with the following:
.308 win - good for medium game in the Bushveld and my fav.
.375HH for bigger soft skin game- he has taken a giraffe with this.
6.5x 55 swede for his kids to learn to shoot with and also a Great Plains caliber.
.500 Jeffery - to cover anything else!

 

[BeeMaa]

So my neighbor has a Blaser with the following:
.308 win - good for medium game in the Bushveld and my fav.
.375HH for bigger soft skin game- he has taken a giraffe with this.
6.5x 55 swede for his kids to learn to shoot with and also a Great Plains caliber.
.500 Jeffery - to cover anything else!

Need to tell your neighbor to get on the ball.
I see a ton of holes in that lineup.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I tend to only neck size, or bump size my cases for any particular gun except DG since my rifles are conventional caming bolts. Just wondering how this works on a Blaser R8 since it doesn’t cam?

 

[jmclemore]

I have three barrels for my R8 - 6.5x55, 30-06 (Blaser) and 308 (J Sip and Sons).
I do not load to max velocity, neck size for all three calibers.

The 6.5 and 30-06 have 400+ rounds down range (100 pieces of brass each) and have not yet needed the shoulder bumped. The 308 barrel is new and is showing signs it may need full length sizing every two firings ( only 150 firings so far).

 

[Ridgewalker]

I have three barrels for my R8 - 6.5x55, 30-06 (Blaser) and 308 (J Sip and Sons).
I do not load to max velocity, neck size for all three calibers.

The 6.5 and 30-06 have 400+ rounds down range (100 pieces of brass each) and have not yet needed the shoulder bumped. The 308 barrel is new and is showing signs it may need full length sizing every two firings ( only 150 firings so far).
[/QUOTE

Good info! Thanks for the reply!
By the way, beautiful timber on your Baser!

 

[BeeMaa]

I have three barrels for my R8 - 6.5x55, 30-06 (Blaser) and 308 (J Sip and Sons).
I do not load to max velocity, neck size for all three calibers.

The 6.5 and 30-06 have 400+ rounds down range (100 pieces of brass each) and have not yet needed the shoulder bumped. The 308 barrel is new and is showing signs it may need full length sizing every two firings ( only 150 firings so far).View attachment 360257

First, allow me to welcome you to AH.
Second...I agree with @Ridgewalker about the stock, very nice.

I was considering a 6.5x55 for my R8 but I believe the twist rate offered is a little slow.
Might go with a J Sip barrel so I can customize the twist rate.

What weight bullets are you shooting for the 6.5?

 

[jmclemore]

The Swede likes the 120gr Barnes TSX, the Sierra 130gr Tipped Gamekings, and really likes the 140gr Gameking...see tagged groups. 30-06 barrel at top and bottom of the center square. It shoots everything well.

 

[TOBY458]

I wish someone in the USA would make aftermarket parts, such as bolt heads and scope mounts for the R8, and sell them at reasonable prices. The initial investment in the rifle doesn't seem so daunting, but the idea of $400 scope mounts along with other overly expensive factory parts, is somewhat limiting to most would be gun buyers.

 

[spike.t]

OH NO @TOBY458 dont tell me you are going over to the dark side....

 

[TOBY458]

OH NO @TOBY458 dont tell me you are going over to the dark side....

It's doubtful! But never impossible!

 

[jmclemore]

First, allow me to welcome you to AH.
Second...I agree with @Ridgewalker about the stock, very nice.

I was considering a 6.5x55 for my R8 but I believe the twist rate offered is a little slow.
Might go with a J Sip barrel so I can customize the twist rate.

What weight bullets are you shooting for the 6.5?

Thanks and sorry @BeeMaa. I didnt quote you with my above reply on the 6.5 SW.

 

[Philip Glass]

I have three barrels for my R8 - 6.5x55, 30-06 (Blaser) and 308 (J Sip and Sons).
I do not load to max velocity, neck size for all three calibers.

The 6.5 and 30-06 have 400+ rounds down range (100 pieces of brass each) and have not yet needed the shoulder bumped. The 308 barrel is new and is showing signs it may need full length sizing every two firings ( only 150 firings so far).View attachment 360257

Very nice

 

[BeeMaa]

I wish someone in the USA would make aftermarket parts, such as bolt heads and scope mounts for the R8, and sell them at reasonable prices. The initial investment in the rifle doesn't seem so daunting, but the idea of $400 scope mounts along with other overly expensive factory parts, is somewhat limiting to most would be gun buyers.

I bought Contessa QD mounts for 3 of my scopes.
About half the cost of the Blaser, faster to deploy and lock up like a vault.
Mine had the rail made to fit the Swaro rail scopes.
OK, they are made in Italy...but at least they are less expensive.

 

[TOBY458]

I bought Contessa QD mounts for 3 of my scopes.
About half the cost of the Blaser, faster to deploy and lock up like a vault.
Mine had the rail made to fit the Swaro rail scopes.
OK, they are made in Italy...but at least they are less expensive.
View attachment 360444

That's good to know!

 

[Ridgewalker]

I bought Contessa QD mounts for 3 of my scopes.
About half the cost of the Blaser, faster to deploy and lock up like a vault.
Mine had the rail made to fit the Swaro rail scopes.
OK, they are made in Italy...but at least they are less expensive.
View attachment 360444

Can you get those with rings, or do they only fit railed scopes?

 

[Tra3]

@BeeMaa does the Contessa weigh the same as the Blaser mount?
What weight for the Contessa and Z8 together?

 

[BeeMaa]

Can you get those with rings, or do they only fit railed scopes?

You can get them with rings as well.
I just preferred the rail because Swaro offered it.
Look at Euro Optic, I know they have them.
Several other options for Blaser like rings, Picatinny and even to fit reflex sights.

@BeeMaa does the Contessa weigh the same as the Blaser mount?
What weight for the Contessa and Z8 together?

The Contessa Swaro rail mount with the scope weighs 880 grams on my kitchen scale.
The Swaro Z8i 1.7-13.3x42 on the 375H&H is listed at 620 grams.
So this particular mount (part # SB B05) weighs 260 grams.

For my 22lr...
This Blaser ring mount with a scope together weigh 461 grams.
The Leupold FX-II 6x36 (1" tube) is listed at 284 grams.
The Blaser ring mount (part # C8800015) for 1" rings weighs 177 grams.

The Blaser is clearly lighter, by almost 100 grams, but 1" rings vs Swaro rail mount.
I'm not sure what a Blaser rail mount for Swaro weighs for apples to apples.
Plus you will need to factor in cost, are you willing to pay 2x for ~100 grams.
If you are building a LW mountain rifle, it could be worth it.
For DG calibers hunting Africa, we didn't see the benefit in the weight savings.
Plus the QR system is much quicker to use on the Contessa.
***Both mounts do as they should and return to zero without any issue***