Blaser R8 - Why do African PH’s and Alaskan Bear Guides Choose Not To Use Blaser R8’s?

[Newboomer]

Sorry if I stepped on some tender toes, but as I said, Give me simple. One 375HH is all I need for anything on this earth I care to hunt. Nothing more to lug around and hope I can be(come) proficient with. No decisions as to what I'll carry on which hunt. Just the gun I know and trust and that has proven itself.
Just my thoughts.

 

[MerlinMc]

I have shot more game with my R8 375 H&H than any other rifle or barrel. Nonetheless, I like having a second barrel in my case. It's usually something smaller in caliber and flatter shooting for PG. My R8 with two barrels fits in a smaller case than one conventional rifle.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Resentment? That certainly does not apply to me. I just do not care what rifle others shoot.

Exception - I care what my family members shoot- not the brand or look, but the performance.

Nor do I care if the members of the opposing skeet team are all shooting Grade A Parkers - more power to them , the payoff is the fun of shooting a gun you like and can hit with.

@crs
So true my friend. It matters not what others shoot with. A man who hunts with a Rigby or H&H either has money or worked their arse off to get one. Who am I to judge which they are.
I have been called a son for having custom rifles but in reality they have cost me less than a model 70, as Sako or even a Ruger No1.
Judge a person not by their rifle but how they shoot and the person they are.
There are a lot of would be if they could be but never will be in this world but I am yet to encounter any on this site.
I enjoy stirring the pot about people's choices the same as they get enjoyment giving back but it is always in fun and jest.
Bob

 

[Aaron N]

Sorry if I stepped on some tender toes, but as I said, Give me simple. One 375HH is all I need for anything on this earth I care to hunt. Nothing more to lug around and hope I can be(come) proficient with. No decisions as to what I'll carry on which hunt. Just the gun I know and trust and that has proven itself.
Just my thoughts.

Then why on a separate thread, did you say that you pack a 7 mag or 6.5 along with 40 rounds along with your 375 with 20 rounds?

There’s nothing wrong with packing two guns on a safari, and some gentleman have found a way to do that with less hassle.

 

[BeeMaa]

Then why on a separate thread, did you say that you pack a 7 mag or 6.5 along with 40 rounds along with your 375 with 20 rounds?

There’s nothing wrong with packing two guns on a safari, and some gentleman have found a way to do that with less hassle.

I see your point and I'm on your side...but there is a little glitch with the above post that should be straightened out.

One R8 receiver and 2 barrels is still only only one rifle no matter how you cut it. If you were to make your own foam cut out, it is conceivable to fit 2 complete R8 rifles in a Pelican 1700. I'm not sure how close this would put you to a 50# weight limit, but I don't believe there would be room for more than 2 (or maybe 3) calibers total by doing this particular combination.

What my wife & I do...each take our own R8's in separate cases. This way if there is a problem, at least we have options to get at least one of the rifles back up and running. Last resort would be a camp rifle (preferably a 375H&H) that I make sure and ask our PH to have available before our trip.

I'd give @Newboomer a little slack on the one caliber issue. He may have posted about taking a couple of different rifles on another thread, but he also may have changed his views. Just one trip to Africa can have such an effect. Simplifying packing by only taking one rifle, like a M70 375H&H is a great way to pair down on weight and it's good for EVERYTHING on the menu. Premium softs and solids (for the T10) and he's done. The one gun safari is alive and well.

 

[Newboomer]

I see your point and I'm on your side...but there is a little glitch with the above post that should be straightened out.

One R8 receiver and 2 barrels is still only only one rifle no matter how you cut it. If you were to make your own foam cut out, it is conceivable to fit 2 complete R8 rifles in a Pelican 1700. I'm not sure how close this would put you to a 50# weight limit, but I don't believe there would be room for more than 2 (or maybe 3) calibers total by doing this particular combination.

What my wife & I do...each take our own R8's in separate cases. This way if there is a problem, at least we have options to get at least one of the rifles back up and running. Last resort would be a camp rifle (preferably a 375H&H) that I make sure and ask our PH to have available before our trip.

I'd give @Newboomer a little slack on the one caliber issue. He may have posted about taking a couple of different rifles on another thread, but he also may have changed his views. Just one trip to Africa can have such an effect. Simplifying packing by only taking one rifle, like a M70 375H&H is a great way to pair down on weight and it's good for EVERYTHING on the menu. Premium softs and solids (for the T10) and he's done. The one gun safari is alive and well.

I've done it both ways. On one safari I took only my 375HH with 235gr and 350gr TSXs. On others I had either 7RM or 6.5CR but ALWAYS my 375. If I had to settle for one gun it would be my 375. Granted, the 6.5 and 7 give me more range if needed but I very seldom shoot beyond 300 yds. and only under perfect conditions. I try to stay under 250 yds. My 375HH is good to 300 plus if necessary but I like to stalk as close as possible. That's the fun of it.
If I knew I was going after lighter pg one day I would opt for the 6.5 or 7, depending on which one I had on that safari, because of the weight difference. 7 or 8 lbs is much handier than 11. On an eland or heavy pg day it would be the 375 for the sure kill.
I have no problem with the number of guns one has on a hunt--as long as he is proficient with all of them. It's the guys with the shoulder fired howitzers that they can't manage that irritate me. Recoil intolerance equals poor shooting equals wounded or lost animals.

 

[mikecatt13]

I have a feeling due to proprietary design Blaser is charging what the market would bear for wood stocks. The custom Turkish walnut stock on my B&M rifle cost me $3,700 (blank was $1,500) including hand checkering and ebony ends etc., etc.. I'd have no issues paying a similar amount of an upgrade charge for similar quality of stock. Paying an extra $15K for a basic factory stock, not so much.

For comparison, I ordered a Heym 88B SxS double rifle some months ago. I wanted a nice Turkish walnut stock for it as well. I paid $750 for a Turkish walnut blank and sent it to Heym along with the order. Now, regular stock manufacturing was already built into the cost so it was just using my blank instead of theirs to produce my rifle. Hopefully I will see it in a month or two.

Not sure where you're getting this $15k number. I'm not super current with Blaser base models but according to this thread assume the very base model is mid $3000, with other synthetic stock versions with more "frills" being $6-7k ish.

I can tell you from first hand experience that they dont charge about extra $15k just for "basic" wood, based on what I paid for a brand new, fully engraved Luxus with fairly high grade wood and a decent amount of gold inlays...

 

[Tanks]

I can tell you from first hand experience that they dont charge about extra $15k just for "basic" wood, based on what I paid for a brand new, fully engraved Luxus with fairly high grade wood and a decent amount of gold inlays...

Baroness is about 17K and goes up from there. I wasn't talking about cheapie Luxus models but those that are more equivalent to Turkish walnut stocks that are on my custom rifles.

 

[Tra3]

@Tanks ”cheapie luxus” is funny. I suppose the wood on one of those might be offensive or even harmful to your eyes!

 

[mikecatt13]

@Tanks ”cheapie luxus” is funny. I suppose the wood on one of those might be offensive or even harmful to your eyes!

Yup, but my wife is thrilled with her "cheapie" fully engraved, gold inlaid, Luxus. Or maybe we are fancy because it's a "super luxus"? Definitely not high class since it's not a Baronesse, even though those only had a choice of a handful of game scenes and this lowly luxus has unique engravings

 

[Tra3]

Yup, but my wife is thrilled with her "cheapie" fully engraved, gold inlaid, Luxus. Or maybe we are fancy because it's a "super luxus"? Definitely not high class since it's not a Baronesse, even though those only had a choice of a handful of game scenes and this lowly luxus has unique engravings

That is quite a nice rifle. We all have our personal taste. To me, this is truly a fantastic blend of art and function.

 

[Rickmt]

Beautiful rifle !

 

[mikecatt13]

Thanks guys, it's the wife's but hopefully I'll get to borrow it for a shot or two haha

 

[Red Leg]

Yup, but my wife is thrilled with her "cheapie" fully engraved, gold inlaid, Luxus. Or maybe we are fancy because it's a "super luxus"? Definitely not high class since it's not a Baronesse, even though those only had a choice of a handful of game scenes and this lowly luxus has unique engravings

That is indeed both lovely and unique engraving on that rifle. I have never seen stylized thorn done like that. A very special thing.

 

[mikecatt13]

Yup, but my wife is thrilled with her "cheapie" fully engraved, gold inlaid, Luxus. Or maybe we are fancy because it's a "super luxus"? Definitely not high class since it's not a Baronesse, even though those only had a choice of a handful of game scenes and this lowly luxus has unique engravings

By the way everyone, no offense intended to anyone, especially anyone who owns a Baronesse, I was sarcastic about it in particular because it was mentioned specifically.

I'll admit that even as an owner I cant keep track of all Blaser models and differences but to make blanket statements about price or models, especially in an effort to talk down about Blaser, is just silly.

Thanks for all the kind words. It was my dream to have a custom Blaser built one day but we started looking at this couldnt be beat and my wife needed/deserved a safari gun too. All I'll say about the price is that it wasnt $15k extra over a base model and obviously that wasnt just a wood upgrade. I'm impressed with the platform and had I gotten my hands on an R8 at a different point in my life I definitely wouldve bought whatever model I couldve afforded then. I'm a gun nut and they're impressive and among the favorites I/we own and not just because they're pretty lol

 

[Lobo]

With the bolt closed on an R8 tap the bolt knob from the barrel end. It can dislodge enough not to go off in a DG situation. So if you are stalking in thick brush or you fall and your bolt is tapped/ hits something like a branch, that could render the rifle unusable in a hairy situation. An R8 is not a DG rifle. Excellent for everything else. Dont believe me... try it with your R8 and an empty chamber. Tap the bolt from the front of the rifle.. and fire.

Why do the PH’s who are hunting DG and the great bears chose not to use the Blaser R8’s?
I am not talking about the outfitters who run the high fence concessions in SA in a semi controlled environment, but the
the PH’s hunting wild Africa as in Tanzania or the great bear guides in Alaska.
If the Blaser R8 was the technological mechanical break through some think it is, why wouldn’t the people who hunt for a living
not use the Blaser R8?
Many PH’s will not put in print their true feelings in writing about the R8, as they do not want to offend their clients who are spending
a large sum of money to hunt with them, and their $10K Blaser R8.
Sure the Blaser R8 fits in a attaché case and lots of marketing dollars has been spent on advertising to convince the flock, but does that make it a DGR? I am not a fanboy.

 

[BeeMaa]

With the bolt closed on an R8 tap the bolt knob from the barrel end. It can dislodge enough not to go off in a DG situation. So if you are stalking in thick brush or you fall and your bolt is tapped/ hits something like a branch, that could render the rifle unusable in a hairy situation. An R8 is not a DG rifle. Excellent for everything else. Dont believe me... try it with your R8 and an empty chamber. Tap the bolt from the front of the rifle.. and fire.

Precisely incorrect.

The bolt (on any rifle) can only be moved if the safety (or in the case of the R8 a cocking device) is in the fire position. If the safety is on, the bolt is locked. So this scenario you have presented is true of any rifle, not just the R8. If the safety is off, the bolt can be moved taking the rifle out of battery and preventing a shot.

So how is this specific to the Blaser R8?

 

[double rifle newbie]

As a person who has been on many hunts in alaska to include csribou and griz, i can say that the hunting conditions can be absolutely brutal and hard on gear. ive seen the guns that the seasoned guides use and most of them are beaten up and will inevitably take much abuse. unpredictable rain, river crossings, thick brush, etc. on fly-in hunts u usually dont fly with your case so your gun is thrown in with the rest of the gear. an alaska gun will get beaten up. most people hunt with sunthetic stock bolt actions up there.

 

[TOBY458]

Precisely incorrect.

The bolt (on any rifle) can only be moved if the safety (or in the case of the R8 a cocking device) is in the fire position. If the safety is on, the bolt is locked. So this scenario you have presented is true of any rifle, not just the R8. If the safety is off, the bolt can be moved taking the rifle out of battery and preventing a shot.

So how is this specific to the Blaser R8?

I would also add that there are a lot of pushfeed rifles on the market that don't have a bolt locking safety. This is done in the name of added "safety" but in my mind it makes it very easy to have the bolt inadvertently open while walking around in thick brush. The R8 bolt is locked at all times except when the striker is cocked.
However I have heard some stories of the "Blaser click" whereas the bolt is not fully closed on a round in the chamber, and the gun fails to ignite the primer when fired. Not sure if this situation could also be caused by tapping the bolt handle rearward when the gun is in "safe" position, but I really don't see how it could with the bolt locked into place.

 

[Tony Landino]

I shot a nice buff in Namibia with my R8 in .375 H&H using an Aimpoint Hunting sight and 300gr Hornady DGS Ammo. A clean 1 shot kill right behind the right shoulder got the lungs and part of the heart. I had the second shot chambered and ready to go in less than 2 seconds. Used the second shot for insurance but the buff was dead already.
I planed on taking the R8 to Tanzania with the .375 and a .300WM barrel. I see no problem using the R8 on DG.