Blaser R8 for Dangerous Game

[One Day...]

 

[Philip Glass]

After spending several hours going over the various configurations of the R8, I came away learing a few things.
One of them particularly interesting if you plan on hunting dangerous game...

First the good...
1. The options are almost endless, we must have tried about 20 different configurations and we didn't scratch the surface.
2. The wood options are beautiful.
3. The engineering is everything I've been told it would be.
4. Tolerances are tight and wood to metal fit is extremely good.

Now the not so good...
1. Some of those options you may want...you could be waiting to have them made, waiting for 3-6 months.
2. If you want a LOP of less than 13 5/8" it will be a special order (again waiting) or a gunsmith/DIY project.
3. There is no top loading of the magazine with the magazine installed, it must be removed.

That last one surprised me, both in the fact that I had never heard it mentioned before and the fact it can't be done.
I had 375H&H snap caps that I brought with me to try to do so, no luck...I had to remove it from the rifle to load.
The way they slide into the magazine and the proximity to the barrel don't allow it.
Add to this that I didn't have a scope mounted which would further hinder the operation.
The only option I could find is to have a spare "fire control group" with a "magazine insert" already loaded and in your pocket.
This will facilitate the fastest possible reloads, along with the redundancy of having a spare fire control group...but at a price.
I won't get into the specifics of the pricing, but let's just say that it's not cheap.
At the same time from what I've read, most R8 owners carry a spare fire control and magazine anyway...just in case.

Is this enough to turn me off the R8 for use with DG, no it's not a deal breaker for me...but I thought others should be informed as well.

BeeMaa,

#3 is totally incorrect. I am sorry you had trouble top loading the R8. My .375 Ruger with Swarovski Z8 installed is no problem to top load. I was just at my range Sunday and prefer top loading for just one or two rounds. There is no need for snap caps on these guns. Dry fire till your hearts content! Anyway not trying to brow beat you but your biggest turnoff is simply not true.
On the positive side what a neat day of gun shopping with your wife!
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

I've posted several times from YouTube.

Love to see a video of reloading from the top, because apparently I don't know Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
Tried several time to no avail.

BeeMaa
Don’t feel bad I am just remembering I had the same trouble at first. Just press the shell down hard into the mag.

 

[BeeMaa]

BeeMaa
Don’t feel bad I am just remembering I had the same trouble at first. Just press the shell down hard into the mag.

After further investigation, it has been determined that I was trying to shove a 375H&H into a 300WM magazine.
The magazines for the two calibers are different and therefore this problem was created.
Created by me...sorted by @Red Leg and @Opposite Pole .

I understand what you are saying about pushing down to clear the feed lips on the magazine when loading.
Appreciate the follow up.

 

[Opposite Pole]

After further investigation, it has been determined that I was trying to shove a 375H&H into a 300WM magazine.
The magazines for the two calibers are different and therefore this problem was created.
Created by me...sorted by @Red Leg and @Opposite Pole .

I understand what you are saying about pushing down to clear the feed lips on the magazine when loading.
Appreciate the follow up.

That explains it ;-)

 

[BeeMaa]

The Department of Finance has allocated funds for firearms and we have taken the first steps to becoming a Blaser family.
I just ordered a used R8 300WM from Euro Optic, too good a deal to pass on any longer.
We will be getting the rest of the parts/optics/etc as funds become available, probably at the end of January 2020.

 

[Red Leg]

The Department of Finance has allocated funds for firearms and we have taken the first steps to becoming a Blaser family.
I just ordered a used R8 300WM from Euro Optic, too good a deal to pass on any longer.
We will be getting the rest of the parts/optics/etc as funds become available, probably at the end of January 2020.

You will be happy! Was just out back yesterday with my .300 Win Mag (and new Leica scope). Have a quail and Nilgai hunt upcoming on King Ranch next month. Will use the .300 with the Hornady 200 gr eld-x Precision Hunter loading. Like nearly everything else, the rifle loves it. Bore-sighted at 100 yards - two shots to get it close - and a final three-shot group. This rifle is configured with the semi-weight barrel.

 

[One Day...]

I just ordered a used R8 300WM from Euro Optic, too good a deal to pass on any longer.

Sincere congratulations BeeMaa!

This is the one I looked at long and hard. Advertised at $4,500 on both GunBroker and EuroOptics for the last 6 to 8 months. Pro safari stock with steel receiver, .300 Win mag, semi weight (19 mm) Selous barrel with traditional iron sights. They said it went on Safari once and it has a few minor scratches. I would assume nothing notable and it just gives it a bit of "been there, done that" character
Of course it could have been a .300 Wby, CRF, 6 rounds capacity JUST KIDDING (you and old friend Red Leg).

In fact you made the choice I wanted to make. This is the rifle on which I made an offer to EuroOptics (with second Selous barrel in .375 H&H, two scope mounts, and a .22 conversion kit) but in the end, as you well know, I just could not get myself to pay what they asked for it. Value, like beauty, is definitely in the eyes of the beholder and injection molded plastic and steel pipes must really be expensive in Germany these days...

Genuinely happy for you my friend. Enjoy it.

Have a quail and Nilgai hunt upcoming on King Ranch next month. Will use the .300 with the Hornady 200 gr eld-x Precision Hunter loading.

Kidding aside Joe, is not Nilgai something that would justify the .375 H&H? I never hunted them but a lot of folks report them to be pretty tough...

Anyway, I DO believe that a high speed tough 200 gr .30 cal slug will do the trick quite nicely, and, as you know, this is what I really like in the .300 mag:

• In your case with the Win, shoot a 130 gr and you have de-facto the trajectory of a 25-06 for the small stuff, and shoot 200 gr and you have de-facto the power of a .338 Win.

• In my case with the Wby, 130 gr TTSX gives me a flatter (can you believe that?) trajectory than the 100 gr TTSX .257 Wby and 180 gr TTSX gives me a higher kinetic energy than either 225 gr or 250 gr .338 Win, and comes hot on the heels of the 225 gr TTSX .340 Wby.

Yep, we all know energy alone does not kill, but massive energy in a well constructed .30 cal slug that stays together and drives deep, really does amazing things. I expect you will prove this again on Nilgai...

 

[Ridgewalker]

BeeMaa...ENVY...ENVY...ENVY!!!

 

[Red Leg]

Sincere congratulations BeeMaa!

This is the one I looked at long and hard. Advertised at $4,500 on both GunBroker and EuroOptics for the last 6 to 8 months. Pro safari stock with steel receiver, .300 Win mag, semi weight (19 mm) Selous barrel with traditional iron sights. They said it went on Safari once and it has a few minor scratches. I would assume nothing notable and it just gives it a bit of "been there, done that" character
Of course it could have been a .300 Wby, CRF, 6 rounds capacity JUST KIDDING (you and old friend Red Leg).

In fact you made the choice I wanted to make. This is the rifle on which I made an offer to EuroOptics (with second Selous barrel in .375 H&H, two scope mounts, and a .22 conversion kit) but in the end, as you well know, I just could not get myself to pay what they asked for it. Value, like beauty, is definitely in the eyes of the beholder and injection molded plastic and steel pipes must really be expensive in Germany these days...

Genuinely happy for you my friend. Enjoy it.


Kidding aside Joe, is not Nilgai something that would justify the .375 H&H? I never hunted them but a lot of folks report them to be pretty tough...

Anyway, I DO believe that a high speed tough 200 gr .30 cal slug will do the trick quite nicely, and, as you know, this is what I really like in the .300 mag:

• In your case with the Win, shoot a 130 gr and you have de-facto the trajectory of a 25-06 for the small stuff, and shoot 200 gr and you have de-facto the power of a .338 Win.

• In my case with the Wby, 130 gr TTSX gives me a flatter (can you believe that?) trajectory than the 100 gr TTSX .257 Wby and 180 gr TTSX gives me a higher kinetic energy than either 225 gr or 250 gr .338 Win, and comes hot on the heels of the 225 gr TTSX .340 Wby.

Yep, we all know energy alone does not kill, but massive energy in a well constructed .30 cal slug that stays together and drives deep, really does amazing things. I expect you will prove this again on Nilgai...

A .338 would indeed probably the perfect choice for them, but I suspect the great majority are taken with a .300 magnum of some persuasion. As you noted, with a 200 gr bullet it is pretty much a toss-up. A .270 gr .375 would be effective as well. However, it would engender a few raised eyebrows among the guides.

 

[BeeMaa]

This is the one I looked at long and hard. Advertised at $4,500 on both GunBroker and EuroOptics for the last 6 to 8 months. Pro safari stock with steel receiver, .300 Win mag, semi weight (19 mm) Selous barrel with traditional iron sights. They said it went on Safari once and it has a few minor scratches. I would assume nothing notable and it just gives it a bit of "been there, done that" character

It seems there is a bit of confussion between semi weight and Selous barrel weights and partly the fault of Euro Optic.
Semi weight is the 19mm diameter, Safari barrel is 22mm diameter and available on the Selous, Kilombero & PH stocks.
The barrel I'm getting is the 22mm 300WM with the barrel band sling swivel and iron sights, I made them check it.
Yes the stock is the PH version with the steel receiver which adds about 550g (or ~ 1 lb 3 oz).
All of their other stocks can be channeled out to accept the 22mm, but most are for the 17mm (standard) & 19mm (semi weight) barrels.

Not too concerned about it being used, a good cleaning does everything good and the marks from use only tell tales...

You will be happy! Was just out back yesterday with my .300 Win Mag (and new Leica scope). Have a quail and Nilgai hunt upcoming on King Ranch next month. Will use the .300 with the Hornady 200 gr eld-x Precision Hunter loading. Like nearly everything else, the rifle loves it. Bore-sighted at 100 yards - two shots to get it close - and a final three-shot group. This rifle is configured with the semi-weight barrel.

I hope mine shoots even close to as good.
If not, it's more likely me than the rifle .
Planning on Norma Oryx, Swift AF and Barnes TTSX all in various weights to see what works the best.
Also switched from the Blaser scope mounts to Contessa and will be going with a Swaro Z8i 1.7-13x42 4A-IF railmount.

Good luck on your hunt.
Let us know how it goes.
And since when are you concerned about what a guide thinks about the caliber you are shooting?
Especially in TX where bigger is always better!

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Good show BeeMaa! Glad to see you got one. And good glass too wow!

 

[BeeMaa]

BeeMaa...ENVY...ENVY...ENVY!!!

Like I said, too good a deal to pass up.
I know of a few on AH who have been watching that exact rifle for a while... @One Day...
So the bride will get the 300WM barrel and have her Intuition channeled to fit it.
We'll be adding a 22lr conversion, 375H&H Safari barrel and 416RM Safari barrel...
Some optics and other stuff to round it out and now I have to get back to work to pay for all this.

Christmas came early!!!

 

[One Day...]

It seems there is a bit of confusion between semi weight and Selous barrel weights and partly the fault of Euro Optic. Semi weight is the 19mm diameter, Safari barrel is 22mm diameter and available on the Selous, Kilombero & PH stocks.
The barrel I'm getting is the 22mm 300WM with the barrel band sling swivel and iron sights, I made them check it.

Looks like you are going exactly the same path I went a few months ago BeeMaa, and I am predicting that you shall end in the same place

Regardless of what our good friends at EuroOptics told you, I am willing to take a bet with you (say, let us bet your new R8) that the Safari Selous barrel is actually 19 mm in .300 Win.

The only reason I know that reasonably for sure is because the Blaser documentation says so. Notice the last footnote at the bottom left of their barrel chart (note #5). Red Leg will recognize my analytical mind right there

This being said, your barrel will indeed be the Selous configuration, i.e. the one with barrel band front sight, barrel band front swivel, rear sight island (regrettably NOT barrel band or integral, oh well...) and traditional iron sights (V rear and brass bead front).

It will be fascinating when you put a caliper on it yourself (the ultimate test, right?). My money (and your R8?) is that the EuroOptics salesman you spoke with is wrong.

By the way, based on my own experience, including with EuroOptics, this would not be uncommon...

 

[BeeMaa]

Damn it @One Day... @#$%^&* MFer....DAMN IT.
OK fine, 19mm it is...and there will be no R8 under your tree without you putting it there yourself.
Damn it again!!!

I need a drink...

 

[One Day...]

Damn it @One Day... @#$%^&* MFer....DAMN IT.
OK fine, 19mm it is...and there will be no R8 under your tree without you putting it there yourself.
Damn it again!!!

I need a drink...

That's OK, you still need the wide channel. The .416 Selous pipe will require it

Like I said, too good a deal to pass up ... 375H&H Safari barrel and 416RM Safari barrel ... Some optics ...

FYI, there is also quite an interesting deal waiting for you to scope that .375 H&H barrel:

 

[BeeMaa]

That's OK, you still need the wide channel. The .416 Selous pipe will require it

All in good fun...appreciate the correction and the ribbing.

Wife needs the wide channel as well for shooting the 375.
And I bet she takes at least one poke with the 416 to try it out...you never know.
I may have to plan on getting her a kickstop as well.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Have a quail and Nilgai hunt upcoming on King Ranch next month. Will use the .300 with the Hornady 200 gr eld-x Precision Hunter

How big are your Quail?! We normally use #6 shot...

 

[BeeMaa]

How big are your Quail?! We normally use #6 shot...

No worries, @Red Leg is probably taking the Blaser S2 500/416 for the quail.
The beaks on those things alone...cut you to shreads on a charge.

 

[One Day...]

Texas quail are indeed something to behold Opposite Pole! Even top predators are quite careful of them...
BeeMaa is right, Red Leg's S2 in its largest chambering is but a minimum...