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

[akrifleman]

Pretty much everywhere runs suppressors now. I don’t know any serious shooter (besides here) that don’t run suppressors. Just no downside I can find.

I bet you most camp rifles are supressed in Africa now too. Really behooves the PH to have them canned.

Africa is a big continent, and I've only seen them in SA as others have mentioned. Even then, it was far more common, but probably not the rule. I'd have to be your huckleberry on that bet.

As many PHs with hearing issues I've seen, they definitely should embrace customers showing up with them. Plus, people generally shoot better with them (given the same practice).

I'm a fan, but sorry I can't agree on the current numbers. No chance.

 

[UpNorthMI]

Just to throw a little more cold water on the notion that almost everyone uses them in Europe, I have hunted fairly regularly in Spain and Austria over the last decade and a bit. I have hunted Germany extensively, but that is quite dated. Were I a typical small revier holder in Germany today where my principle hunting was from a high seat for roe deer, wild boar, and red fox, a suppressor would make a lot of sense. But there is a lot of Europe that has far more in common with the American West and Middle West, than a small revier in Germany.

For instance, I have hunted ibex, chamois, wild boar, red and roe deer fairly extensively in Spain and Austria. Traveling with firearms to Europe and playing tourist afterwards can be complicated so I almost always use a rented rifle. I have never been handed one with a suppressor. Three quarters of those rifles were R93's or R8's and I do not recall any with a threaded muzzle but it is possible a cap was in place that I missed. But like the American West, I can't imagine maneuvering a rifle all day in the terrain of the Gredos, Beceite, Pyrenees, or Alps with a suppressor on the end of it.

We and another couple will be back in Spain in a couple of months. I'll be using my host's rifle. It is a perfectly balanced R8 with professional success stock carrying Zeiss optics in .270 WSM and without a suppressor. My hunting companion will be using a R8 300 Win Mag also without a suppressor. Year after next I'll be in Hungary using a Mauser M12 also in .300 Win Mag. It too will have no suppressor.

It seems there have been a lot of changes in European laws and hunting attitudes in the last 5 years. I believe that Germany changed its laws to allow suppressors for hunting in most of the country in late 2017. Austria allows suppressor hunting, there are several hunt reports on here of folks hunting with their guides suppressed Blasers for Ibex. Most Scandinavian countries allow and encourage suppressors, I read that some countries have mandatory suppressor use for hunting!

Many countries do not have any rules about buying or owning suppressors in Europe. I think a lot of hunters are more traditional and see no place for suppressors. I’m not advocating for everyone to use a suppressor, I believe they have advantages in some situations.

My key comment was that current new rifles sold in the UK are mostly threaded, the number of new rifles sold in a large part of Europe are threaded and an increasing number of new rifles sold in the US are now threaded. With the opening up of German suppressor use legislation about 5 years ago, I believe that most Blaser barrels being sold in Europe must be being sold threaded. I’m at the UK Deer Stalking Show in mid April and will ask the Blaser reps for clarification.

My hearing would probably be a lot better if I had used suppressors more consistently, good look on your upcoming hunts.

 

[CoElkHunter]

A thread is a thread. Read the adverts and most say brake or suppressor ready with X by Y thread pitch. Brakes are quite common, suppressors are becoming common. No manufacturer is going to be like "We only support brakes!" So, no. They are threaded because customers want them, so they can use them as they desire. Obviously, more people current are going to use them for brakes, unless the law changes in the US. If it did, suddenly the popularity contest would change overnight. Most younger shooters just consider it future proofing, and don't make a deal of it.

I WANT a quality suppressor for $500! Total! Import them from China if they have to along with 90% of everything else we buy. Watch out for the lead in the steel though. Call your Congressfreaks and tell them we need this to protect our hearing or they can pay for our hearing aids! LOL

 

[TOBY458]

What does all this suppressor talk have to do with the price of Blasers? LOL!

 

[CoElkHunter]

What does all this suppressor talk have to do with the price of Blasers? LOL!

Nothing, unless Blaser were to provide their own factory suppressors at about $4K a pop? LOL

 

[Hogpatrol]

Yep

 

[CoElkHunter]

YepView attachment 587403

Is that the Kerch bridge in Russia? LOL

 

[TOBY458]

Nothing, unless Blaser were to provide their own factory suppressors at about $4K a pop? LOL

Shit.....If they just put "safari" on the side of it, you'd have to take out a mortgage.

 

[CoElkHunter]

So, speaking of the rising cost of Blasers, this post has nothing to do with that unless your Blaser is suppressed. Two weeks ago at the range I frequent, a guy a couple of benches down from me was shooting a suppressed M4 or similar. It was loud! There's no way you wouldn't want ear protection shooting that. I'm waiting for him to shoot and he shoots again and a black object flies down the range about 25' in front of him. He asks me where IT went and I told him. I asked him what was IT? He told me it was his suppressor that must have come off his rifle. He then mumbled something like, "I hope it didn't jack up......... and then went to pick up his suppressor. He then shot with a brake on his rifle after that. I'm thinking, did he just fu** up a $1K suppressor? I don't know?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Sitting here in the derailment, here in SE PA, silencers are equally prevalent as brakes. One of my buds has one for every caliber rifle he owns. To those that have them, the tax stamp, the two hundred bucks and the waiting period are just minor inconveniences. One can visit our gun club on any given day and there will be someone shooting a centerfire bolt action or autoloader rifle equipped with one. LEOs that use the range almost always have them on their service rifles.

 

[Tra3]

So, speaking of the rising cost of Blasers, this post has nothing to do with that unless your Blaser is suppressed. Two weeks ago at the range I frequent, a guy a couple of benches down from me was shooting a suppressed M4 or similar. It was loud! There's no way you wouldn't want ear protection shooting that. I'm waiting for him to shoot and he shoots again and a black object flies down the range about 25' in front of him. He asks me where IT went and I told him. I asked him what was IT? He told me it was his suppressor that must have come off his rifle. He then mumbled something like, "I hope it didn't jack up......... and then went to pick up his suppressor. He then shot with a brake on his rifle after that. I'm thinking, did he just fu** up a $1K suppressor? I don't know?

Yes, he probably blew the end cap off. That happens, but I don’t think it is very common. If the end cap is not fixed and it starts to unscrew… that baby will blow right off and impart major recoil.
With that said, I think it is rare, and most likely user error. And expensive.
I like suppressors and have them for my R8’s. I haven’t taken the suppressors to Africa yet. I think a suppressor is very good for teaching youth to shoot.
My observations: not many suppressors in Namibia. But that would be for the bigger guns. A farm/ranch .270 or similar is (probably) going to have a suppressor.
In England: everything had a suppressor for being polite to the neighbors.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Yes, he probably blew the end cap off. That happens, but I don’t think it is very common. If the end cap is not fixed and it starts to unscrew… that baby will blow right off and impart major recoil.
With that said, I think it is rare, and most likely user error. And expensive.
I like suppressors and have them for my R8’s. I haven’t taken the suppressors to Africa yet. I think a suppressor is very good for teaching youth to shoot.
My observations: not many suppressors in Namibia. But that would be for the bigger guns. A farm/ranch .270 or similar is (probably) going to have a suppressor.
In England: everything had a suppressor for being polite to the neighbors.

What does a suppressor cost in England? And for that matter in Africa? I'd like to be polite and quieter too, but I'm not going to put a big dent in my total firearms budget to do it. Here, the suppressors seem to be in the $1Kus range plus a $200 tax stamp or thereabouts. Maybe here we could get President Brandon to fund it out of "The Inflation Reduction Act (scam)". LOL

 

[Tra3]

What does a suppressor cost in England? And for that matter in Africa? I'd like to be polite and quieter too, but I'm not going to put a big dent in my total firearms budget to do it. Here, the suppressors seem to be in the $1Kus range plus a $200 tax stamp or thereabouts. Maybe here we could get President Brandon to fund it out of "The Inflation Reduction Act (scam)". LOL

From what I have seen, 1/2 or 1/3 of the cost of a suppressor in the USA. And no tax stamp. The USA is backwards, easy to get a gun, slow to get a suppressor.

For R8 practice, a .22lr barrel kit and a little suppressor feels about like a normal rifle. Very much worth the money and wait.

 

[Wyfox]

You can get a high quality suppressor for around $500 +200 stamp, check out Rex Silentium, best bang for the buck in quality in my opinion.

Someone like @Red Leg should let Purdey and Rigby know that suppressors are for mere peasants and not serious shooters...

 

[375Ruger416]

I think we can all agree it would be good for hunters and shooters in general if they were widely available, inexpensive, and not taxed. Everyone should be encouraged to hunt with one and have the opportunity to own one at a reasonable price. Regulatory barriers to their use is bizarre. It’s like regulating seat belts, air bags, eye and hearing protection to PREVENT their use. Absolute craziness.

I’ve had the opportunity to hunt with a suppressor and if I had the option in my own country I wouldn’t hunt or shoot without one. If they were widely available and inexpensive I’m sure the market would create rifles and cans with the features people want. As I’ve been shopping for a Blaser, I’ve been drooling over the integrally suppressed barrels (prohibited here in Canada). Should address the weight/balance issues effectively.

 

[Red Leg]

You can get a high quality suppressor for around $500 +200 stamp, check out Rex Silentium, best bang for the buck in quality in my opinion.

Someone like @Red Leg should let Purdey and Rigby know that suppressors are for mere peasants and not serious shooters...
View attachment 587405

You obviously think you are humorous. Care to explain that more fully?

I responded to someone who stated that he didn't "know any serious shooter" who didn't "run" a suppressor. I don't know any serious hunter or shooter that runs one for anything but pigs, predators, and self-defense.

I am sure you are a very funny person so why don't you clarify your crack about class.

 

[Forrest Halley]

What does all this suppressor talk have to do with the price of Blasers? LOL!

At the rate it's going we should change it to a discussion of wet wipes because the smell of the last few pages would have my toddler yelling "change-a-butt!"

 

[CoElkHunter]

You can get a high quality suppressor for around $500 +200 stamp, check out Rex Silentium, best bang for the buck in quality in my opinion.

Someone like @Red Leg should let Purdey and Rigby know that suppressors are for mere peasants and not serious shooters...
View attachment 587405

Well, someone like @TOBY458 should call Blaser tomorrow and tell them Rex Silentium (odd name, Greek?) could make suppressors for the Blaser R8 starting at $500. Blaser could then charge $4K to put their name on them and have them made in Oshkosh, WI. PLUS another $1-2K ($1K Standard barrel up to Limpopo, then $1.5K up to Selous and $2K for Tanganyika)) to have their factory barrels threaded in Scranton, PA. Gold, platinum, palladium and rhodium finished suppressors are extra. LOL Seriously though, I see no reason Blaser can't thread some of their barrels at the factory for the US market? I've only shot a couple of suppressed firearms (Glock 19, Scorpion? 9mm) and I still wore earplugs. The suppressed M4 being shot a couple of benches down was even louder. I'm not paying a fortune for "quieter" when I still have to wear earplugs.

 

[Tra3]

Well, someone like @TOBY458 should call Blaser tomorrow and tell them Rex Silentium (odd name, Greek?) could make suppressors for the Blaser R8 starting at $500. Blaser could then charge $4K to put their name on them and have them made in Oshkosh, WI. PLUS another $1-2K ($1K Standard barrel up to Limpopo, then $1.5K up to Selous and $2K for Tanganyika)) to have their factory barrels threaded in Scranton, PA. Gold, platinum, palladium and rhodium finished suppressors are extra. LOL

I think Rex silentium is “king of silence” in latin.

Edit: I just read Latin and think in Spanish and you’ll probably be pretty close.

 

[Red Leg]

Always someone who is apparently incapable of a rational contribution, so they decide to make it personal.

Of course the higher end UK houses make rifles that are compatible. They are, duh, UK based and suppressors are pretty much the norm when potting the local fanged deer. They are not the norm hoofing the hills of Scotland for a red stag.

It has nothing to do with class and everything to do with the environment in which the hunt takes place.