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

[R eight]

Well I don't know any African PH's....but I have hunted with a few Alaskan Guides. With the exception of one they all hunted with USA manufactured rifles that wore USA manufactured glass. Price / cost and maybe a bit of patriotism probably had a bit to do with it. The exception to the rule carried a CZ 550 in 416 Rigby with iron sights. Price / cost would have helped with his decision.

As to whether an R8 would be suitable ? Well hell yes. I've been using an R8 for a few years without issue. Never had a problem with it. Accurate, reliable and robust. As to the Blaser click.... Yep, it exists....and yes it is caused by operator error. Once experienced never forgotten. I think it sort of like the first time you throw a cartridge directly into the chamber of model 98 actioned rifle and slam the bolt home and find that it doesn't work like your push feed Remington 700. Operator error and once done, rarely if ever repeated.

Do I prefer the R8 over a traditional 98 actioned rifle ? Sometimes. But then again I love them both....and push feeds too.

 

[Tanks]

...

Now going against what your Father, Grandfather and fellow young PH’s have and using a R8…that is the peer pressure that I’m talking about.

Actually, the biggest peer pressure in firearms is to get a double for an up and coming PH.

 

[WAB]

The PH’s I am closest to carry a CZ or M70 in .458 Lott. Reasonable price, plenty of power, and bullet proof.

 

[Paul Homsy]

I have used R8s more than a few times. They are nice rifles but I don’t see them withstanding abuse of being used as a walking/climbing stick, not being cleaned, dust, etc. I’m sure that’s part of reason they aren’t used. Also a dangerous game PH or bear guide in Alaska probably isn’t too interested in anything other than a stopping round.

The stopping round has nothing to do with the mechanism of a rifle. Blaser offers several "stopping rounds" and they run very well. Where I was surprised is after full length resizing cases and being very mindful of the oal of the rounds, they were not as smooth to chamber as I anticipated. I have not experienced this with factory loads. My view is that it is a fussy action that does not tolerate 1/1000th of an inch in difference from factory. This hasn't been my experience in all barrels but in one in particular which is still disappointing. I've been reloading for over 40 years and know what full length resizing and oal length mean and never experienced this in any other rifle. It's possible that PHs aren't too thrilled about the fact that unless it is a factory load a client is shooting, chambering a second round cannot be as fast as one can do it in a smooth bolt action.

On the very positive side, I've found that in the Blaser R8 hot loads do not affect extraction and that after firing a hot load cases extract very easily and very smoothly.

 

[375Fox]

The stopping round has nothing to do with the mechanism of a rifle. Blaser offers several "stopping rounds" and they run very well. Where I was surprised is after full length resizing cases and being very mindful of the oal of the rounds, they were not as smooth to chamber as I anticipated. I have not experienced this with factory loads. My view is that it is a fussy action that does not tolerate 1/1000th of an inch in difference from factory. This hasn't been my experience in all barrels but in one in particular which is still disappointing. I've been reloading for over 40 years and know what full length resizing and oal length mean and never experienced this in any other rifle. It's possible that PHs aren't too thrilled about the fact that unless it is a factory load a client is shooting, chambering a second round cannot be as fast as one can do it in a smooth bolt action.

On the very positive side, I've found that in the Blaser R8 hot loads do not affect extraction and that after firing a hot load cases extract very easily and very smoothly.

This was an old post. I ended up buying an R8. I’m not as sold on it as some members here, but I see it’s value for certain circumstances. What I meant with my original post about a stopping round is I doubt many Alaskan guides are interested in spending several thousand on an R8 with interchangeable barrels when a standard rifle in appropriate caliber would work for the job at hand.

 

[Paul Homsy]

If all I was shooting was factory loads, I'd be as sold on it as some other members. It's a great rifle capable of superb accuracy. NOT with all barrels mind you.

I now understand what you meant about stoppers, I thought you weren't aware of the vast caliber choice Blaser offers.

 

[Tanks]

... Where I was surprised is after full length resizing cases and being very mindful of the oal of the rounds, they were not as smooth to chamber as I anticipated. I have not experienced this with factory loads. My view is that it is a fussy action that does not tolerate 1/1000th of an inch in difference from factory. This hasn't been my experience in all barrels but in one in particular which is still disappointing. I've been reloading for over 40 years and know what full length resizing and oal length mean and never experienced this in any other rifle. It's possible that PHs aren't too thrilled about the fact that unless it is a factory load a client is shooting, chambering a second round cannot be as fast as one can do it in a smooth bolt action.
...

I don't care whether it is factory loads or handloads. In addition to case gauging, I run every round I am going to take on a hunt through the gun I am going to hunt with (regardless of the brand). I do that at the range for safety reasons.

 

[RTG]

@375Fox Here is an R8 that is used as a walking stick

The fancy gets beaten away but the functional qualities remain.

 

[Paul Homsy]

I don't care whether it is factory loads or handloads. In addition to case gauging, I run every round I am going to take on a hunt through the gun I am going to hunt with (regardless of the brand). I do that at the range for safety reasons.

I do the same.

 

[Inline6]

The stopping round has nothing to do with the mechanism of a rifle. Blaser offers several "stopping rounds" and they run very well. Where I was surprised is after full length resizing cases and being very mindful of the oal of the rounds, they were not as smooth to chamber as I anticipated. I have not experienced this with factory loads. My view is that it is a fussy action that does not tolerate 1/1000th of an inch in difference from factory. This hasn't been my experience in all barrels but in one in particular which is still disappointing. I've been reloading for over 40 years and know what full length resizing and oal length mean and never experienced this in any other rifle. It's possible that PHs aren't too thrilled about the fact that unless it is a factory load a client is shooting, chambering a second round cannot be as fast as one can do it in a smooth bolt action.

On the very positive side, I've found that in the Blaser R8 hot loads do not affect extraction and that after firing a hot load cases extract very easily and very smoothly.

Most people are not able to measure that difference much less a factory to be able to hold those tolerances. A good many hand loaders can't hold that tolerance either if we are going to be honest.

Second that is a function of the chamber (head space) . Has a go no go gauge been used to determine if it is out of spec? Has the brass been measured to see if and/or how much it has grown?

I have no dog in it fight I don't own one, I have no objections to owning one. I think there is a lot of unanswered questions to write off a system based on this . JMHO

 

[Red Leg]

The stopping round has nothing to do with the mechanism of a rifle. Blaser offers several "stopping rounds" and they run very well. Where I was surprised is after full length resizing cases and being very mindful of the oal of the rounds, they were not as smooth to chamber as I anticipated. I have not experienced this with factory loads. My view is that it is a fussy action that does not tolerate 1/1000th of an inch in difference from factory. This hasn't been my experience in all barrels but in one in particular which is still disappointing. I've been reloading for over 40 years and know what full length resizing and oal length mean and never experienced this in any other rifle. It's possible that PHs aren't too thrilled about the fact that unless it is a factory load a client is shooting, chambering a second round cannot be as fast as one can do it in a smooth bolt action.

On the very positive side, I've found that in the Blaser R8 hot loads do not affect extraction and that after firing a hot load cases extract very easily and very smoothly.

Your reload doesn't feed properly. Therefore it must be the fault of the rifle.

I own several R8's and several calibers through .404 (that one a custom barrel) and have never had a feeding or extraction issue of any kind. The .375 has been used extensively. A friend has used his in .416 Rem on numerous African DG hunts with never an issue.

Moreover, each of mine is a sub-MOA configuration.

 

[Paul Homsy]

I wouldn't write off the system, it's what I hunt with.
The difficulty in chambering occurs long before the cartridge is fully engaged in the chamber even though my overall length is the same as factory. My die may not fully resize the shoulder. In general my preference is not to but for a Blaser I feel it's essential for ease of chambering. The rounds chamber, they just aren't as smooth as I would like them to. I've been told by friends to treat this action like a pump or autoloader, in other words full length resizing which is what I do. The rounds chamber perfectly in two other standard bolt action rifles of the same caliber. My feeling is that it's a tight chamber which I don't mind. No big deal. I mentioned this point however to sugggest that in my personal experience it's perhaps better to only use factory loads for hunting.

 

[Paul Homsy]

I believe that particular barrel has a tight chamber. I own three other barrels without any single issue. I hever had an extraction problem with any of the barrels. Just this one requiring slowly feeding.
I also have a custom barrel that feeds flawlessly.

 

[matt vejar]

I watched Tony Makris kill dozens of buffalo in Botswana and then Timbavati on “Hunting Under Wild Ski’s” at least a decade of shows. If that is enough evidence for the kind of rifle an R8 is- what else is there????

 

[Wyatt Smith]

@Paul Homsy were the cases fired in a different rifle before before you resized them. If they were fired through your rifle they should fit with only neck sizing.
I have had had once fired brass from a friend’s rifle cause me trouble in mine.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

I’ve reloaded quite a few rounds for my R8 using a Lee collet die and have had no problems. I don’t think it’s possible to reload with less resizing than that. Nothing in my experience indicates in is particularly fussy.

 

[Inline6]

I wouldn't write off the system, it's what I hunt with.
The difficulty in chambering occurs long before the cartridge is fully engaged in the chamber even though my overall length is the same as factory. My die may not fully resize the shoulder. In general my preference is not to but for a Blaser I feel it's essential for ease of chambering. The rounds chamber, they just aren't as smooth as I would like them to. I've been told by friends to treat this action like a pump or autoloader, in other words full length resizing which is what I do. The rounds chamber perfectly in two other standard bolt action rifles of the same caliber. My feeling is that it's a tight chamber which I don't mind. No big deal. I mentioned this point however to sugggest that in my personal experience it's perhaps better to only use factory loads for hunting.

Okay let see what we can figure out.

What round are you reloading?

Are you trimming/chamfer your brass?

How many firings on said brass?

Like someone else asked are they shot from this rifle only or is it mixed brass?

You could be right it might be a tight chamber but it doesn't mean it is out of spec.

 

[Paul Homsy]

@Paul Homsy were the cases fired in a different rifle before before you resized them. If they were fired through your rifle they should fit with only neck sizing.
I have had had once fired brass from a friend’s rifle cause me trouble in mine.

For a Blaser, you're supposed to full length resize. My initial post mentions this. You have to treat that rifle like a pump or an auto.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I was curious if the cases were ever fired in a different rifle.

 

[Paul Homsy]

Okay let see what we can figure out.

What round are you reloading?

Are you trimming/chamfer your brass?

How many firings on said brass?

Like someone else asked are they shot from this rifle only or is it mixed brass?

You could be right it might be a tight chamber but it doesn't mean it is out of spec.

The brass was shot exclusively in that rifle when the rounds were new. Fired once only. I have three other barrels for which I reload, they all accept reloads like champs. I believe the chamber is tight all the way around, it doesn't take much.
I appreciate all the good intentions everyone has shown. I've been reloading for over 40 years, I reloaded for competition, for hunting and for plinking. It isn't a new game to me. I follow all the necessary steps to have an easy to chamber round. I do not just neck size for hunting unless it's a once fired case, lightly fire formed in a bolt action. For the blaser, everything is full length resized. Case dimmensions are monitored, measured, etc...My thinking is that it's a tight chamber and the chambering of the bullet raises it a bit when pushed from the bolt which can get it stuck if I go too fast. This does not happen with the other barrels using the same set up.
Thanks again for the good intentions.