Transitioning To A Blaser R8 - A Two Months / 500 Rounds Review

[Tra3]

+1 for cove creek. Bob and Bobby are great.

 

[Blaserman]

I have been shooting a R93 since they came out
Love them
I just built a R8 down to the last piece a stand bolt head
I only went to the R8 because of caliber
6 XC could not find one in the states forsale
In the R93 so I build an R 8

 

[Paul Homsy]

I've owned a 375H&H Blaser R8 with the 22mm safari barrel...rifle weight was over 13#, and was way too heavy of a rifle for that caliber. I now shoot a 375H&H with a 17mm standard barrel, alloy receiver and no kickstop that weighs right at 10# including scope, sling and ammo. Bare rifle weighs 7.75# and is still a pleasure to shoot. I'd highly recommend staying with the 17mm standard barrel for 375 and below. If you need to add weight, add the kickstop because you can easily take it out. For a rifle that is being carried much more than it's being shot, it's something to consider.

As for calibers...if you are looking for 375H&H and 300WM it would be wise to stay in the same Magnum (MA) category of bolt heads. Something like the 257WBY would be a nice 6.5mm to add to the collection and uses the same MA bolt head.

The 257 Weatherby is a .25 caliber, (6.35 mm), not a 6.5 mm. The 6.5 is a .264 caliber. Not that the 257 Weatherby is less efficient, with its speed it's generally as efficient as most 6.5s but it's a smaller caliber.

 

[BeeMaa]

The 257 Weatherby is a .25 caliber, (6.35 mm), not a 6.5 mm. The 6.5 is a .264 caliber. Not that the 257 Weatherby is less efficient, with its speed it's generally as efficient as most 6.5s but it's a smaller caliber.

I understand that I was off 0.15mm, but I should have been more clear. The idea was to get as close to a 6.5mm and still use the MA bolt head. The 257WBY is as close as it gets.

 

[Paul Homsy]

I understand that I was off 0.15mm, but I should have been more clear. The idea was to get as close to a 6.5mm and still use the MA bolt head. The 257WBY is as close as it gets.

The 264 Winchester Magnum is actually as close as it gets or the 6.5x300 Weatherby. There are no flies on the 257 Weatherby but it is not "as close as it gets".

 

[Newby]

The 264 Winchester Magnum is actually as close as it gets or the 6.5x300 Weatherby. There are no flies on the 257 Weatherby but it is not "as close as it gets".

It's as close as it gets with factory chamberings in the rifle being discussed - Blaser R8.

 

[Paul Homsy]

The closest of the bunch in that case would be the 270 Weatherby. The 257 is limited to 120 grains bullets. Both the 264 and the 270 go much higher in weight. Not trying to argue, just present facts.

 

[Newby]

Depends what the intended usage is. I am no fan of small bore mags, but remembering that the setup already has a 300mag bbl, I would probably opt for the lighter bullet options of 257, rather than the greater grunt of the 270. If more is wanted than the 257, simply use the 300.

 

[Paul Homsy]

Your reasoning isn't on topic. It's the same meandering that the author of this thread had about the reason why the Germans invented the CRF. Nothing to do with reality. The Mauser was not a "peasants" rifle. It was sold to governments and their military. Same uninformed idea that a 22 mm barrel can fit into a standard Blaser action, then surprise...The author bought an action that could accomodate that barrel. A second action after praising wrongly the vast peripheral virtues of the standard action capable to accomodate anything. Man, just stay on topic. I don't enjoy uninformed banter for the sake of it. You wont get another reply.

You're trying to be a white knight for someone as uninformed as you are confused.

 

[BeeMaa]

Your reasoning isn't on topic. It's the same meandering that the author of this thread had about the reason why the Germans invented the CRF. Nothing to do with reality. The Mauser was not a "peasants" rifle. It was sold to governments and their military. Same uninformed idea that a 22 mm barrel can fit into a standard Blaser action, then surprise...The author bought an action that could accomodate that barrel. A second action after praising wrongly the vast peripheral virtues of the standard action capable to accomodate anything. Man, just stay on topic. I don't enjoy uninformed banter for the sake of it. You wont get another reply.

You're trying to be a white knight for someone as uninformed as you are confused.

I see your passion, but I must say...you have a peculiar way of trying to influence people. Good luck with that.

 

[TOBY458]

I think they should come out with a Jaeger or Luxus receiver with a synthetic stock, and affordable forends that can be easily changed with different barrel contours. That would add greatly to the "one rifle for everything" concept.

 

[One Day...]

Your reasoning isn't on topic. It's the same meandering that the author of this thread had about the reason why the Germans invented the CRF. Nothing to do with reality. The Mauser was not a "peasants" rifle. It was sold to governments and their military. Same uninformed idea that a 22 mm barrel can fit into a standard Blaser action, then surprise...The author bought an action that could accomodate that barrel. A second action after praising wrongly the vast peripheral virtues of the standard action capable to accomodate anything. Man, just stay on topic. I don't enjoy uninformed banter for the sake of it. You wont get another reply.

You're trying to be a white knight for someone as uninformed as you are confused.

Well, since I am the author of the review (not "the thread", others contributed ), I might as well answer about my "meanderings"

I did not say that "the Mauser was a "peasants" rifle" and I know that "it was sold to governments and their military." What I said, exact quote, was "the other reason CRF was perfected was to prevent 1890’s peasant conscripts who had never handled a bolt action rifle before to jam the rifle by double feeding and risk detonating the cartridge in the chamber with the tip of the spitzer bullet of the cartridge being rammed into it; or to load the rifle inadvertently...".
Conscripts, who were mostly peasants in late 1800's Imperial Germany --- this was reality --- and most of whom had never handled a bolt action before -- this too was reality --- WERE the people who used the rifles "sold to governments and their military" --- that also was reality.
FYI, there is ample historical documentary evidence supporting this "meandering" of mine, which is very much in tracking with reality

As to my "uninformed idea that a 22 mm barrel can fit into a standard Blaser action, then surprise...The author bought an action that could accommodate that barrel", a more attentive reading on my posts will indicate that:

• I knew very well that any barrel of any caliber, including a 22 mm barrel, can be used with a standard stock --- not "action" mind you, the same receiver is used regardless of barrel diameter; we need to stay "on topic" don't we --- as it is a small matter, and routinely done, to open the stock channel with sand paper wrapped on a wood dowel to accommodate any barrel diameter.
• I did not buy a steel receiver stock in order to install 22 mm barrels, I bought one, when I found one at the price I was willing to pay, because I wanted the additional weight (584 grams / 20.6 ounces to be specific) of the steel receiver over that of the aluminum receiver of the standard stock.

My decision to own both an aluminum receiver standard stock AND a steel receiver PH stock was not made "after praising wrongly the vast peripheral virtues of the standard action capable to accommodate anything" it was made in order to own both a comparatively light R8 for the lighter calibers and a heavier R8 for the heavier calibers.

It seems to me that the one being off-topic, off reality, uninformed and confused here is the one who berates quite inappropriately fellow AH members

 

[Hunting Sailor]

The 257 Weatherby is a .25 caliber, (6.35 mm), not a 6.5 mm. The 6.5 is a .264 caliber. Not that the 257 Weatherby is less efficient, with its speed it's generally as efficient as most 6.5s but it's a smaller caliber.

Would you be able to expand on the above?
From what I can gather the .264 caliber is in fact a 6.7mm and the .257 is a true 6.5mm. The 6.35mm would be a .251 caliber.
Although most cartridges named 6.5 is .264 and therefore not true 6.5mm.
Although I cannot anchor any evidence about that fact, I believe it was a strong factor when the Cape Province came out with their Ordinance of 1974 that is still in force in the Eastern Cape “… calibers above 6.5mm to be used for…” or something to that effect.
Thanks

Sorry for the off topic.

 

[Hunting Sailor]

@One Day...
Back in the early posts you mentioned that you would use a 257 Weatherby for a few different animals. One you mentioned was Mountain Nyala. Perhaps somewhere in the 14 pages since then you may have clarified that, if so I apologise, but could you please expand of why you would prefer the 257 Weatherby over the 300 Weatherby for such a specific and also costly animal?
Thanks

Sorry for the off topic.

 

[Christot]

Would you be able to expand on the above?
From what I can gather the .264 caliber is in fact a 6.7mm and the .257 is a true 6.5mm. The 6.35mm would be a .251 caliber.
Although most cartridges named 6.5 is .264 and therefore not true 6.5mm.
Although I cannot anchor any evidence about that fact, I believe it was a strong factor when the Cape Province came out with their Ordinance of 1974 that is still in force in the Eastern Cape “… calibers above 6.5mm to be used for…” or something to that effect.
Thanks

Sorry for the off topic.

There's a misunderstanding. While (almost) every metric calibre is rated by the lands' diameter the imperial approach is rating the calibre by the grooves' diameter. That's the reason why both dimensions usually don't match. One of the few exceptions is the 9,3 calibre group.

 

[Newby]

Your reasoning isn't on topic. It's the same meandering that the author of this thread had about the reason why the Germans invented the CRF. Nothing to do with reality. The Mauser was not a "peasants" rifle. It was sold to governments and their military. Same uninformed idea that a 22 mm barrel can fit into a standard Blaser action, then surprise...The author bought an action that could accomodate that barrel. A second action after praising wrongly the vast peripheral virtues of the standard action capable to accomodate anything. Man, just stay on topic. I don't enjoy uninformed banter for the sake of it. You wont get another reply.

You're trying to be a white knight for someone as uninformed as you are confused.

Que ???

 

[BeeMaa]

Would you be able to expand on the above?
From what I can gather the .264 caliber is in fact a 6.7mm and the .257 is a true 6.5mm. The 6.35mm would be a .251 caliber.
Although most cartridges named 6.5 is .264 and therefore not true 6.5mm.
Although I cannot anchor any evidence about that fact, I believe it was a strong factor when the Cape Province came out with their Ordinance of 1974 that is still in force in the Eastern Cape “… calibers above 6.5mm to be used for…” or something to that effect.
Thanks

Sorry for the off topic.

There's a misunderstanding. While (almost) every metric calibre is rated by the lands' diameter the imperial approach is rating the calibre by the grooves' diameter. That's the reason why both dimensions usually don't match. One of the few exceptions is the 9,3 calibre group.

Thank you @Hunting Sailor & @Christot. I appreciate the information on lands vs diameter. I don't currently own a 257WBY but it's not for lack of wanting one. When I do, I can tell all my buddies I've joined the man-bun-club with a 6.5mm. Cheers.

Appreciate you too @One Day... for setting the record STRAIGHT in a way that only you can do.

 

[Strausser]

I must say your writing would seriously make me consider the R8 if I didn’t own one already @One Day...

 

[Christot]

Thank you @Hunting Sailor & @Christot. I appreciate the information on lands vs diameter. I don't currently own a 257WBY but it's not for lack of wanting one. When I do, I can tell all my buddies I've joined the man-bun-club with a 6.5mm. Cheers.

Appreciate you too @One Day... for setting the record STRAIGHT in a way that only you can do.

Well, close. Transferring the .257 Wby to a metric rating it would be a 6,35mm Wby or 6,35 x 56,7 mm. If your buddies don't know the difference, yes you joint the 6,5mm club.

 

[dchamp]

I think it matters no what the fractional differences are between calibers as they have been classified by SAAMI and I think CIP into their respective groups, .257/6.3 & .264/6.5 calibers.

I find the ballistics of the .257Wby with 100gn bullets and the .300Wby with light weight (130gn TTSX) bullets to be pretty much the same out to around 400yds. The main difference is recoil, which can be substantial.

Blaser offers in the R8 both the .257Wby and the 6.5x68. Both I think, would be wonderful calibers to have but the .257Wby would probably be the most practical for us in North America.