Blaser R8 for Dangerous Game

[TOBY458]

Well tell us about the .404 crowd there Toby... weren't you a member for like four shots and a few weeks?
In glad you got the rifle sold there and quickly. I almost talked myself into it, but figured I'd have to give up my .458 Lott #1 and there's just no way in hell that's happening.

I have to agree with you there on the complete rifle for cost. Although many good points have been made about air travel and such.

I have to say I respect you both for your willingness to lay out large sums to purchase fine things, but also to liquidate them when they do not live up to what seems to be a practical set of expectations. I fear that admission price for some comes with a damning commitment to defend their choice to the last lest they imperil their ego.

Hold on there! I've had two 404J rifles, thank you! And a total of 8 rounds fired! LOL!!!

One other thing I will say about the R8 is, if you buy them used, at a good price, you won't lose any money if you do decide to sell. And you may just make a few dollars, if you play your cards right.
I've never owned much of anything for ego's sake. Heck, I drive a 2002 Chevrolet pickup and a 1999 Jeep. Point A to point B is fine with me. But as for guns, I do prefer the nicer things. But I will say you don't have to spend a huge amount to get a fully reliable and nice looking rifle. It's all about preference.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Hold on there! I've had two 404J rifles, thank you! And a total of 8 rounds fired! LOL!!!

One other thing I will say about the R8 is, if you buy them used, at a good price, you won't lose any money if you do decide to sell. And you may just make a few dollars, if you play your cards right.
I've never owned much of anything for ego's sake. Heck, I drive a 2002 Chevrolet pickup and a 1999 Jeep. Point A to point B is fine with me. But as for guns, I do prefer the nicer things. But I will say you don't have to spend a huge amount to get a fully reliable and nice looking rifle. It's all about preference.

Well some of the points are valid about buy once cry once. You can dump money into anything. For me it seems to be the 300 BLK. I don't even want to talk about it. It's my tinker toy, but it is not a fine arm. I think I've found my zenith in the #1 Lott. I'm happy to shuffle shells in and out rapidly. It's a belt fed weapon. Lol. I'd get into real trouble with an R8. It shoots fast and they seem to be systematically discontinuing all the .375 plinker bullets.

 

[One Day...]

Yes it is indeed about preferences. It is even rumored that some folks actually prefer a Ruger #1, as if getting it chambered in .458 Lott somehow sufficed to make it a practical DG rifle

Would you believe this?

Totally ludicrous, right?

• Don't we all know that a single shot is suicidal on DG?
• Did you not hear that #1 have notoriously difficult extraction with high pressure cartridges in Africa?
• Is not it true that #1 have a crappy trigger?
• I heard from a reliable source that I cannot disclose that Ruger sources their barrel from the lowest cost producer and that they are junk
• Does not everyone know anyway that a #1 can't hit a barn shooting from the inside of it?
• Everyone knows that the #1 fore end - fore end hanger - mainspring contraption and its attachment on the barrel, is a catastrophe
• Wait, wait, I am being told by a PH in the know that the underlever of a #1 can be tapped open

I know the #1 minutemen will descend upon us, and they are the touchiest bunch, but how could anyone possibly want, never mind prefer (and as to finding a zenith it it, you gotta be kidding), a #1 in .458 Lott



PS: a joke obviously, but I could not resist



My own R8 rationale: 3 calibers, heavy (.470 NE), medium (.375 H&H), light (.300 Wby or .257 Wby), in less than 62" linear and less than 50 lbs.

The R8 does not do anything an upgraded CZ 550 cannot do, but where I could have only 1 CZ 550, I can now have one R8 with two barrels... And there is nothing that a tuned-up double square bridge magnum Mauser actioned rifle can do, that the R8 does not do. Just different.

 

[sureshot375]

That's pretty damned funny. You won the internet today.

I do what I can.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Yes it is indeed about preferences. It is even rumored that some folks actually prefer a Ruger #1, as if getting it chambered in .458 Lott somehow sufficed to make it a practical DG rifle

Would you believe this?

Totally ludicrous, right?

• Don't we all know that a single shot is suicidal on DG?
• Did you not hear that #1 have notoriously difficult extraction with high pressure cartridges in Africa?
• Is not it true that #1 have a crappy trigger?
• I heard from a reliable source that I cannot disclose that Ruger sources their barrel from the lowest cost producer and that they are junk
• Does not everyone know anyway that a #1 can't hit a barn shooting from the inside of it?
• Everyone knows that the #1 fore end - fore end hanger - mainspring contraption and its attachment on the barrel, is a catastrophe
• Wait, wait, I am being told by a PH in the know that the underlever of a #1 can be tapped open

I know the #1 minutemen will descend upon us, and they are the touchiest bunch, but how could anyone possibly want, never mind prefer (and as to finding a zenith it it, you gotta be kidding), a #1 in .458 Lott



PS: a joke obviously, but I could not resist

We Ruger #1 lovers are low class blue collar folks so we naturally have a thicker skin.

I'll tell you something hilarious. My rifle is apparently worth $4,000. That's what the last one sold for on GB. That's ridiculous to me. It's one of thirteen in its configuration, but come on. At least it's not a laminate stock.

To be honest it's one of the seeming few that came chambered in .458 Lott from the factory.

I'm pretty sure I'm all alone on the #1 defense front. You've got me surrounded. You poor buggers!

I guess I could get one in a heavier caliber and spend my life getting out of the way of it, but I'm not looking to impress the Joneses and be about that country club life.

I like your setup though. The bolt face crossover is great, but it's a shame about the barrel prices and aftermarket availability.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Minutemen sounds better to me. I'd want to share a beer with a minuteman and hear his stories. An actual owner and user and hunter of dangerous game...I probably couldn't stomach the company.

I kinda think of Townsend Nelson @Bob Nelson 35Whelen as a minuteman? Standing guard over his tomato garden with a beer in one hand and his rifle slung over his shoulder.

 

[Tra3]

I kinda think of Townsend Nelson @Bob Nelson 35Whelen as a minuteman? Standing guard over his tomato garden with a beer in one hand and his rifle slung over his shoulder.

We are all minutemen to some extent. You spend months anticipating a trip and inside of a trip a hunt and inside of a hunt a single moment when everything is supposed to work perfectly. When it does work perfectly, a powerful memory is formed and not forgotten. Imagine the arguments over archery equipment construction hundreds of years ago!

 

[Forrest Halley]

I kinda think of Townsend Nelson @Bob Nelson 35Whelen as a minuteman? Standing guard over his tomato garden with a beer in one hand and his rifle slung over his shoulder.

I think he's more of a moment man at this point. I think Quarantalia has taken the piss out of our good buddy. He's gotta get his bum back in the bush.

We are all minutemen to some extent. You spend months anticipating a trip and inside of a trip a hunt and inside of a hunt a single moment when everything is supposed to work perfectly. When it does work perfectly, a powerful memory is formed and not forgotten. Imagine the arguments over archery equipment construction hundreds of years ago!

Haha, how about we have a modern day discussion on traditional archery setups drawing over 80#? Hell 60#. You'll see some real egos come out then. Those that can draw it and those that can't and they get outright nasty to each other. Knuckle draggers vs. The 50# wonder kids. Carbons vs. True woodies.

 

[Tanks]

My own R8 rationale: 3 calibers, heavy (.470 NE), medium (.375 H&H), light (.300 Wby or .257 Wby), in less than 62" linear and less than 50 lbs.

The R8 does not do anything an upgraded CZ 550 cannot do, but where I could have only 1 CZ 550, I can now have one R8 with two barrels... And there is nothing that a tuned-up double square bridge magnum Mauser actioned rifle can do, that the R8 does not do. Just different.

I guess this works in RSA game farms. But in free range countries where the menu includes multiple species one does not have time to switch barrels depending on game.

On my recent hunt as we were driving around the tracker indicated that he saw a particular game in the distance and we'd jump out, I'd grab my rifle and start stalking. Taking minutes to change barrels was not an option.

 

[Red Leg]

I guess this works in RSA game farms. But in free range countries where the menu includes multiple species one does not have time to switch barrels depending on game.

On my recent hunt as we were driving around the tracker indicated that he saw a particular game in the distance and we'd jump out, I'd grab my rifle and start stalking. Taking minutes to change barrels was not an option.

Precisely why the .375 is such a wonderful thing .............

 

[Tra3]

I think he's more of a moment man at this point. I think Quarantalia has taken the piss out of our good buddy. He's gotta get his bum back in the bush.

Haha, how about we have a modern day discussion on traditional archery setups drawing over 80#? Hell 60#. You'll see some real egos come out then. Those that can draw it and those that can't and they get outright nasty to each other. Knuckle draggers vs. The 50# wonder kids. Carbons vs. True woodies.

As an intermediate archer I’ve gotten good enough to respect what I don’t know and can’t do. I guess it is the same with rifle hunting. When someone provides incorrect info it does chap my hide. Incorrect info about an R8 is as annoying as overhearing a sales clerk tell a mother of a 12 year old boy that they should get rid of his compound bow and the boy should hunt with a stick bow. Too much ego, not enough practical knowledge and minimal experience is an unfortunate mix. That advice was about as good as another store clerk telling me that a .270 win won’t kill and elk because it just makes a tiny hole.

Knocking an R8 out of battery when on safe would take a hammer. One could also remove the round by pulling it out of the pressure release port, but that might require a drill and some pliers.

I just purchased a 3rd R8. This one is for my daughter. I am a fan because the safety system is the best I have used.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Why no stainless steel R8s? Seems for the bushwhackers in Alaska, Canada and points North it would be perfect?

 

[Forrest Halley]

Why no stainless steel R8s? Seems for the bushwhackers in Alaska, Canada and points North it would be perfect?

Because the price elasticity isn't there even with all the fanbois. They'd probably try and charge six grand for the receiver alone and three grand for barrels. I'm seeing that as a non starter.

 

[Red Leg]

Why no stainless steel R8s? Seems for the bushwhackers in Alaska, Canada and points North it would be perfect?

Because the metal coating is very nearly impervious to anything.

 

[Red Leg]

Because the price elasticity isn't there even with all the fanbois. They'd probably try and charge six grand for the receiver alone and three grand for barrels. I'm seeing that as a non starter.

You do sound rather bitter about all this. Just saying. And you have offered another one of these suppositions based upon no hands on experience at all. The Blaser metal coating is just about impervious to anything. My go anywhere, any conditions rifle is an R8 with synthetic stock. I own other stainless choices.

And I love my No. 1's just as much as the R8. There should be no "either/or" with respect to these wonderful things.

My favorite is a .300 H&H. With it I took my best mule deer.

A very few weeks ago I was in Zambia with a Rigby Highland Stalker .275. My favorite whitetail rifle is a single shot 7x65R by Bradshaw. Wonderful rifles.

That said, were I going on an international hunt in tough conditions where the shot mattered very, very much, the .30 cal rifle would be the R8 in .300 Win Mag.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Because the metal coating is very nearly impervious to anything.

I just knew there was a logical reason. Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I kinda think of Townsend Nelson @Bob Nelson 35Whelen as a minuteman? Standing guard over his tomato garden with a beer in one hand and his rifle slung over his shoulder.

@CoElkHunter
What do you think I am mate, it would be a Bundy not a beer and the tomatoes don't need watching.
It's more fun stirring you and others up.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

We are all minutemen to some extent. You spend months anticipating a trip and inside of a trip a hunt and inside of a hunt a single moment when everything is supposed to work perfectly. When it does work perfectly, a powerful memory is formed and not forgotten. Imagine the arguments over archery equipment construction hundreds of years ago!

@Tra3
That's why I have a Whelen mate.
I know it's going to work perfectly every time without all the hassle of changing barrels, bolt heads and other stuff and then maybe end up with the wrong caliber.
Simplicity works for me. Whelen just works for me.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I think he's more of a moment man at this point. I think Quarantalia has taken the piss out of our good buddy. He's gotta get his bum back in the bush.

Haha, how about we have a modern day discussion on traditional archery setups drawing over 80#? Hell 60#. You'll see some real egos come out then. Those that can draw it and those that can't and they get outright nasty to each other. Knuckle draggers vs. The 50# wonder kids. Carbons vs. True woodies.

@Forrest Halley
I don't need to get my bum back in the bush mate.
I need to get my whole body back in it and a few rifles.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter
What do you think I am mate, it would be a Bundy not a beer and the tomatoes don't need watching.
It's more fun stirring you and others up.
Bob

Ha! Ha! I thought about the Bundy after the beer, but I got sidetracked and missed the edit deadline before I could change it. Be it Bundy or beer, Cheers! And, the tomatoes do need protection from the varmints in the area?