Is Blaser Trying To Price Themselves Out Of The American Market???

[Bert the Turtle]

I have always thought I would like to try a Blaser but to me the price doesn't justify it.With careful planning I can have a rifle built to my specifications on a synthetic stock for less than a Blaser.I do like the interchangeable barrel option and that it is easy to travel with but I guess I'm old school.

The straight pull and takedown aspects of the R8 tend to be what people (other than people who use them) focus on. The design of the action, which makes the rifle shorter than an average rifle and optimizes the balance is much appreciated once you handle one. That can’t be duplicated with other actions.

 

[Daisy]

I agree with most everything that's been said about the economy, buying used, ect. I was mostly just wondering if the new prices are going to keep going up so high that the average gun buyer can no longer afford them. Let's face it, we on this forum are more the exception, and not the norm among gun buyers. I've definitely been on the good side of some used deals and have thus passed those savings along to some members here when I decided to sell.
Mostly I'm bored sitting at the hospital with my dad, and needed to get something going to keep my mind occupied.

Sorry about your dad!

Also not sure Blaser is the “average man’s” gun.

 

[UpNorthMI]

The R8 is the go to rifle for European driven boar, the QD scope mounts and ability to change out scope to open sights or red dot are all key features. Add the straight pull giving fast reloading on driven shooting. Combine this with easy barrel changing, you have a gun for many purposes that is effectively a single all round rifle.

Even if it does come at a cost, I’ve come to bond and believe in my R8, let’s see how it does on buffalo and plains game this year.

I’m busy planning more trips and hope to drag the R8 to other countries next year.

 

[Datchew]

not relevant to the title of the thread but one of my absolutely favorite aspects of the blaser was discovered afterward.

Cleaning the barrel.

No scope in the way. No bolt removal.
I don't have to hang it in a vice upside down and protect wood or other things from solvent.
No fancy extension into the chamber to contain things.
It's literally a metal tube with 2 bolts attached.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I’m afraid we will look back at this time period and realize that there are several companies that will be adjusting prices up quite a bit. Some are already where the market is. But companies like Heym will soon follow suit and be raising prices. 2-3 times per year so it’s not so drastic.
And 3 years from now will be 30% higher.

Blaser and Heym are underpriced

 

[Altitude sickness]

I didn’t pull that out of the air. I read an article recently saying the same. And it called out Heym specifically as being underpriced and a great value

 

[meigsbucks]

I just joined the Blaser clan in late ‘22. It was a financial stretch but managed it. I soon added two additional barrels and scope mounts at the time. I haven’t regretted the decision.
I’ve been thinking of adding a .223 barrel and bolt head plus another scope mount. I recently looked at the increased prices. I think I may need to nix the idea. The increase in price for the three items would be the cost of another animal on a hunt.

 

[Daisy]

I just joined the Blaser clan in late ‘22. It was a financial stretch but managed it. I soon added two additional barrels and scope mounts at the time. I haven’t regretted the decision.
I’ve been thinking of adding a .223 barrel and bolt head plus another scope mount. I recently looked at the increased prices. I think I may need to nix the idea. The increase in price for the three items would be the cost of another animal on a hunt.

Have j sipp make you one.

Cool thing is once you have a few, getting a new barrel is same price as buying a new rifle from someone else. But you know it fits and that you shoot it well before buying it.

 

[wvfred]

It is not the straight pull design or the barrel interchangeability that turns me away as I said I would like to try one and base an opinion from there.What does make me apprehensive is the price for a mass produced plastic stocked gun with very expensive accessories.I do like the concept but not at the price.

 

[Rare Breed]

I agree with most everything that's been said about the economy, buying used, ect. I was mostly just wondering if the new prices are going to keep going up so high that the average gun buyer can no longer afford them. Let's face it, we on this forum are more the exception, and not the norm among gun buyers. I've definitely been on the good side of some used deals and have thus passed those savings along to some members here when I decided to sell.
Mostly I'm bored sitting at the hospital with my dad, and needed to get something going to keep my mind occupied.

Just lifted him up in prayer Toby!!!

 

[TOBY458]

Just lifted him up in prayer Toby!!!

Thanks! He had a bad fall Friday night and was unresponsive when I got there. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital and has been there ever since. His dementia is getting worse and not sure how much longer he'll be able to stay at home.

 

[TOBY458]

I just looked over at Europtic and a brand new green Professional stock/receiver is $2172 and a standard .300 WM barrel is $1496. Bolt and bolt head adds another $1000. Rings and Base add an additional $526. A new complete .300 Win Mag would then be around $5200. Of course one can then add a new .375 "rifle" for $1496. I don't see that as all that unreasonable.

Griffin & Howe is selling new complete Professional rifles less the rings and base in standard calibers for around $4200.

I think it's mostly the safari guns and barrels that have gone up the most. The Selous and Safari barrels have almost doubled in price the last few years. Whereas the standard barrels have only gone up a couple hundred dollars. And it seems like every few months they add another couple hundred bucks. I was just wondering how many people are actually buying those barrels at that price. I suppose Someone must be, but it's just moving the R8 further and further from the reach of many people in the US market. I am happy that the standard profile 375 option is available, as that's about the only DG option that's somewhat affordable to the average guy at the moment. I guess at the end of the day, that's all one really "needs" anyway.

 

[TOBY458]

I didn’t pull that out of the air. I read an article recently saying the same. And it called out Heym specifically as being underpriced and a great value

Have labor and materials gone up by that much in Germany? I agree that Heym is an excellent rifle, but at the end of the day, it's still a Mauser style bolt action rifle. Not a double rifle that requires hours of regulation, fitting, ect. Aside from having beautiful wood and good stock fit, the performance is no better than a Winchester or similar rifle. But when we get up into the Heym price range, we're definitely not talking about the average shooter/hunter anyway. So I guess that most that want one will find a way to get one.

 

[TOBY458]

Accurate, interchangeable barrel, QD mounts. If an American manufacture can do that for $5000 there might be competition, but I would still end up buying the R8 because the safety system is so ideal. I bought my kids R8’s because the safety is absolutely worth the additional expense to me. Oh, and I can use “their” barrels when I want.
Additionally, it cost me around $700 to make the R8 professional stock into a left hand rifle. (Sister, nephew and best friend are lefties)

The price jump doesn’t seem to match inflation, but I wonder if it matches demand?

It seems that a few companies are trying to sort of mimic the R8. But the one's I've seen don't even come close. I think Blaser hit that one out of the park and will be hard to surpass.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I checked some of the boutique companies now building 100% custom rifles and compared to the Blaser, it's a bargain. Prices are anywhere from five to over ten thousand and that's just a one barrel, one cartridge rifle. Arrowhead's start at four thousand and Gunwerks, around six thousand and on up to a lot more than ten thousand.

Products | Gunwerks

In stock Gunwerks rifles, ready to ship.

www.gunwerks.com

And what price is a new Parkwest (Dakota) rifle? $10K? Absurd!

 

[R eight]

I bought my first R8 about 12 years ago. Back then its cost was equivalent to the purchase price of 2 Sako 85’s.

I can still purchase the same model R8 for about the same price as 2 new Sako’s.

I reckon I get better value for my dollar with the Blaser.

 

[Challer]

It’s not the cost of the gun initially that gets me. Wanna spare plastic magazine? $300. Scope mounts $600. Same for all the other stuff - if you can even find them.

Then again many of us here use the Z8i which feels like the same overpricing.

 

[Philip Glass]

As some of you may know, I have owned several and still own a couple Blaser R8 rifles and barrels. So I guess you can mark me down as a fan. I have had good success with them in every aspect. They are accurate, deadly and dependable, for lack of better words. However, I can't help but wonder just how many more price increases are they going to have before they price themselves out of the US market? Thoughts?

All I saw at the shows was high end, specialty models. What is the price now for a standard Pro S? This is how you compare price. That said I am very glad I bought my Professional Success Stingray Leather when I did!

 

[Philip Glass]

It’s not the cost of the gun initially that gets me. Wanna spare plastic magazine? $300. Scope mounts $600. Same for all the other stuff - if you can even find them.

Then again many of us here use the Z8i which feels like the same overpricing.

Yes but the Z8i is like cocaine! Once you have one you can't do without it.

 

[Philip Glass]

I checked some of the boutique companies now building 100% custom rifles and compared to the Blaser, it's a bargain. Prices are anywhere from five to over ten thousand and that's just a one barrel, one cartridge rifle. Arrowhead's start at four thousand and Gunwerks, around six thousand and on up to a lot more than ten thousand.

Products | Gunwerks

In stock Gunwerks rifles, ready to ship.

www.gunwerks.com

This is a very good point. Everyone wants a "custom rifle" yet what they wind up with is just an expensive, heavy, target gun that has nothing on the R8.