Blaser R-93 Straight pull Bolt action

[Rob Pincus]

Is anyone familiar with this rifle platform?
J. Cooper has commented on it often, I believe he holds it in very high regard, perhaps 2nd after his beloved scout rifle in the world of long guns.
I am looking for any info that you may have on this weapon, including experiences, availability, pricing, etc.....

Thanks

[.]

I've no personal experience with the Blaser rifle. However, I recall seeing pictures and descriptions of the rifle. It did have a straight pull bolt system, and was made in Europe (FRG, Austria??). Seem to recall an option for interchangeable barrels and calibers. It was *very* expensive then (about 10-yrs ago), seems like it started in the $2700 range and quickly escalated depending on features and accessories. I recall considering it to be a well engineered piece, at least from the description.

[Rob Pincus]

Yes, it does have interchangable barrels. it is made im Germany, SigARMs imports them to the US.

[ShadedDude]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, came over from BladeForums.com
I heard about the blaser a couple of months ago and just from the lack of information got obsessed with trying to find out about them.
I have no idea how I found it, but this is thier web sight.
http://home.t-online.de/home/blaser.jagdwaffen/homeengl.htm
Or just click <A HREF="http://home.t-online.de/home/blaser.jagdwaffen/homeengl.htm">here</A> =)

[.]

ShadedDude, Welcome to the forum. Your post with the Blaser link helped put an end to speculation and the ache in me noggin from trying to remember something I'd read 10-years ago. Blaser GMBH has an excellent site. Unfortunately, after reading the history and details... I gotta have one! Now where did I put that checkbook?

[Rob Pincus]

Luckily I am not having to get the Checkbook out, we are going to be doing some promotions with the Blaser. I'll make sure to give you guys a report. Our first hunt in about a month away.

[.]

We'll all be looking forward to hearing about your adventure, and how the Blaser performs. Any chance you'll be able to keep us abreast from field?

[Rob Pincus]

It shouldn't be much of a problem to keep you guys posted, but I'm not planning any long trips until next year, this year's trips with the Blaser are all less than a week.

[Rich Lucibella]

Picture, Rob. Pictures! If you take 'em, we'll post 'em!
Rich

[Rob Pincus]

If I do it will be either of the rifle with a dead animal or the rifle in my wife's hands!
The boys at SIG need to get the gun to me soon! only two weeks before the laws change her in TENN, they are similar to the Fed instnat check, but the log jam during initial use could keep me from being able to take the rifle with me on the 7th !!!

[ShadedDude]

Sorry been away.

Mykl, Sorry about you having to sell your car to buy a rifle.

I also would like to know how well the blaser performs...especialy in the accuracy dept. Being that it has interchangable barrels, thus interchanging calibers, it would be a great gun to take when traveling, and hunting for multiple types of game. But I have have been stuck in with the benchrest croud a little to long, so I want to know if it has the accuracy worthy of the $2500-$25,000 price tag. Albeit...them sure are pretty.

[.]

ShadedDude,

No problem ditching the 4x4 cages, just as long as I don't have to sell the Road King.
http://www.thefiringline.com/ubb/smile.gif

[ShadedDude]

Great! When you get it I want to come shoot it!

****edited...I decided to start a new thread.

[This message has been edited by ShadedDude (edited 10-19-98).]

[ShadedDude]

After thought...
hey Rob...where in TN are you?
I'd really love to get a look at the Blaser...I havent seen one in person.
I live in Atlanta, but drive up to the lower part of TN often. Maby we can set something up.

[Rob Pincus]

I'm wayy up near the kentucky Border, north of Nashville, bout 5 hours from Atlanta. But I'll be down there for the SHOT show, and a few days before and after. I was shooting at South River Gun Club in Conyers earlier this month, maybe we could meet up there and do some shooting this winter. Unless you know of a better place?

[ShadedDude]

Ever hear of Jasper?
Other than there (where my shooting club is)
I dont know of any off hand...but I live
right off I-75 which is probly the root you
take into Atlanta. Jasper is about 45 minuits back into the mountains. And there is a REALLY good BBQ place just a littel past the range!

P.S. Is the Blaser REALLY reversible???

[Rob Pincus]

Sounds good to me, either on the way in or the way out. remind me about it after the holidays. SHOT show is the last week in Jan.

My hands on experience is limited (I'm still anxiously waiting for the Blaser...) BUT, I was told that it was when the VP of SigArms was Demoing it to, I figure he should know...It _might_ require an extra part or something, but he definitely said it was a quick and easy switch.
The whole gun is like a lego kit (I'm sure they'd love that..yeah, you'll probly see that in their catalogue next year...hehe)anyway everything jsut sorta pops together or apart, yet from all reports it is rugged and reliable too!. After a few demonstrations I was switching from .270 to a belted magnum in just a minute or two. That requires the barrel, boltface, and magzine insert to be changed, that is as complicated as it got.

[ShadedDude]

awwww MAN! Now I gotta go sell MY car!

Ok, getting into in-depth questioning, since you *are* the knowledge person in here...

With a reguler Blaser rifle...if I bought one...can I get the "CISM" stock to put on it? Does th CISM have a diferent barrel? It was the Blaser in this configuration that I first saw, and it impressed me. When I found the Blaser page and saw one with a wood stock...it impressed me more!

Ok hard question to answer...
In your opinion...is the Blaser capable of "benchrest" accuracy? I have always heard that whenever you have a rifle that the barrel comes off you are sacrificing accuracy. I think someone has to have found a way around this =)

Last for the post....
What kind of tools do you need to change barrels?

Thanks Rob!

[Rob Pincus]

Last things first..

The Blaser comes with a T handle allen wrench which is the only thing you need to switch barrels.

The gun is built around the barrel, so Blaser likes to think of you adding the stock, recvier, etc... to the barrel. This shift in focus from the receiver to the barrel is what makes the transition so easy. This also influences the issue of the accuracy from one barrel to the next. This is going to get kinda hard to follow: Think about a traditional rifle, like a Ruger M-77 or a rem mdl 700. If you have one, go get it. Okay, now open the bolt (or think about it) picture the gun without the barrel. See how there is still some of the receiver left infront of the ejection port? this is where the scope is often mounted (or at least one of the rings is usually there) If you attach a new barrel to that reciever you are going to have to change the scope, etc. That barrel may also mate up with the recievere differently.
now, back to the Blaser. The Blaser doesn't have that "front part" of the recevier. The "back half" of the reciever attaches to the stock. This includes the part that moves, which mounts to the lower half rather like a 1911 slide mounts to a frame, in other words it is not the bolt being pulled through a receiver, rather, the whole receiver top with the bolt face is pulled backwards to work the action. Just in front of the two pieces of the receiver is the magazine, which uses a few different inserts, depending on the round being used. Now, you add the barrel to the equation, which is attached to the stock in front of the magazine. On the Blaser, the scope is mounted to the barrel itself so there is no change in that relationship. Also, the barrels relationship to the stock is as constant as modern manufacturing allows (pretty damn constant...) The boltfaces are particular to the round being used and have a 360 degree lock up and push the round into the chamber the same way for every barrel. all of this consitency, with the key factor being that the barrel is really the heart of the rifle result in some the Blaser's almost unique ability to change calibres without changing the feel of your rifle, nor compromising its ability to perform as an outstanding rifle in any of the calibres. In fact, in Europe, the fact that the Blaser's barrels can be changed is often an afterthought. The R-93 is the gun of the hunting elite in Europe and most of them can afford to buy as many rifles as they need, it is not uncommon for people to have more than one complete Blaser over there. (lazy continentas!)

Whew.. that said, as far as benchrest accuracy goes, I cannot make a statement until I have some serious time for testing it out. So I will reserve comment.

The CISM issue goes back to what I was talking about with rifle being built around the barrel. So, Although I am not familar with the internal workings of the CISM platform, I can only assume that the stock could be added to any Blaser Barrel.

sorry for the length...

[ShadedDude]

Well I cant wait until you have one of these in your posetion! I am excited to hear about the accuracy, and other features.

Do you know what the cost is going to be?
Also cost of barrels,
and if barrel blanks are availible for chamberings Blaser doesnt offer?
It is looking like I may have to get one of these. IF they are really that good.

[Rich Lucibella]

SD/Rob-
I've got a place about an hour north of SD, near Murphy, NC. Somewhere between you two. If you guy's are really into it, we might set up at time to meet there. I'm usually there once a month or so. My back yard is about 160 acres surrounded by National Forest....great shooting area.

I'll contribute a Steyr Scout to the experience and, if we can pull Mykl away from his fun and games, I'm certain he can come up with a toy or two. Might be fun.
Rich

[Rob Pincus]

Very cool idea. This has got to be a record. A forum is up for less than two weeks and we are already planning a get together!

My schedule is HELL, starting this thursday it is full time work (hehe read: hunting, T&E, Hunting, banquets, hunting, etc.) until at least the second week of Decmeber. BUT, I am working on a promotion with a guide in S.C., If it goes through, maybe we could plan around that? unless you guys are interested in joining me on a hunt with that guide service? discounts all around?

Now, I have to ask... Tell us about that Scout.. worth the $$ ?

[ShadedDude]

Oh this is heart breaking....YES I WANT TO!
My wife and I are planning on moving to Greenville NC in January,

PLEASE PLEASE! LETS WORK AROUND IT!!!!!!
hahaha...If its planned ahead of time enough I will be MORE than happy to EVERYTHING in my power to be there! Unless its day trip range from Atlanta, after the holidays would be better for me...
Whats "that guide service" and what kind of discout? As I said my wife and I are moving, so we are trying to save as much money to move on as we can. But heck...how long are you going to be doing this Blaser Tour?

[ShadedDude]

I just checked it out and Murphy is about 120 miles from me. This is definatly day trip distance. If Rob thinks its within range lets set it up!

[Rob Pincus]

WEll, it's not just the Blaser I am working with right now, but I'll be messing with it for at least the next year. of course, after march there won't be much use for it until next fall.

If this hunt happens it will probably be the second weekend in November. The only other weekend that might work for me and for the lodge would be the weekend before Christmas. but the hunting would be worse then.
The lodges advertised rates are $350/day the first time frame, $295 the second time frame, I'm not comfortable putting out a number now, but the discount would be significant. Those prices are for guides, 3 meals, overnight lodgeing the night before, dressing and cooling of the carcass. Also, they offer hog hunting in the afternoon at no additional fee if you get your deer in the morning. Buck or Doe are in season at those times.

[Rich Lucibella]

OK, Rob you got me! http://www.thefiringline.com/ubb/wink.gif I haven't posted a review of the Scout for two reasons:
1) I've put less than 50 rounds thru it
2) I'm not qualified, as I've never considered myself a competent rifleman and have no formal training.

Hilton has briefly handled it. So has Mykl, who threatened to train me to use it while in ND a couple months ago. Unfortunately, there were too many people around, all of who wanted to follow us and shoot all the "neat" guns. We begged off with a look at each other that acknowledged our mutual understanding of an impending Cluster #@%!.

My initial impressions:
-More accurate than I am.
-Very light
-Very, very ergonomic with the butt pads stripped down to one.
-Great optics system in the forward mount design...oughta be considered on mid-range tactical pieces
-Outstanding out of the box trigger pull for a 90's production piece.
-Stiff bolt action....Cooper's also mentioned this in his commentaries as a relatively frequest complaint.

That's the most I can give you right now. If you ask Hilton to take it from me for a test drive, I assure you you'll receive one of the most comprehensive reports you could ask....Hilton's within an hour; Mykl's about 15 hours.

As for the hunt...count me in! Just give me notice so I can get up with Mykl for my remedial long gun training.
Rich


[This message has been edited by Rich Lucibella (edited 10-21-98).]

[ShadedDude]

This sounds like alot of fun!

Where is this lodge?

I'm awaiting details!

[.]

I'm intrigued. But am not sure whether we're to be focused on a guided hunt, or a regular Shootinanny in the hills. As long as it happens before January, I'm in. Keep us apprised of the details as they develop.

[Rob Pincus]

I was just saying that my schedule is nuts and it would only work for me if we planned it around a hunt I am probably doing in S.C., then as an afterthought I figured maybe some of you guys might like to participate in the hunt. Neither activity is mutually _ex_ or _in_ -clusive.

Otherwise, SD and I are definitely on for a shoot-fest in January, on my way to or from the SHOT Shot, eh SD ?

[ShadedDude]

Shot show is a possibility, but as I posted
a few posts ago...My wife and I are moving to Greenville North Carolina in January. So I dont know if I will be around for the shot show. (Thats why my heart was breaking!) It is likly that we will be going back and forth between Atlanta and Greenville during that time, so if possibly then by all means!

What are the dates for the SHOT show?
I'll make every effort to be here!
And I will make sure in advance so your not left out on a hook.

[This message has been edited by ShadedDude (edited 10-22-98).]

[Kodiac]

Okay - I will throw my hat in this one too.
I refrained from comment because I dont want to talk about something I dont know anything about.
I saw the link for Blazer's site and went snooping. Radial locking. This sounds interesting. As you guys may have figuered, I am a huge fan of German Waffens. I am also a huge fan of technology in general. And like peanut butter and jelly - you put german guns and technology together - You have a very pleased Kodiac. I get warm fuzzies thinking about things like that *sigh*. (Dont get me started on BMW motorcycle - or I'll need a smoke - and I dont smoke)
This Blazer rifle while it sounds good - reminds me of a certain odd little .22 I shot at a Boy Scout Camp I was instructing at. I think it was a Browning but I am not sure. It was called a T Bolt. This Blazer reminds me of a grown up T Bolt, with a twist. I didn't get those warm fuzzies about this rifle - I dont see just how advanced this is. The ability to swap barrels and calibers is nice - but then agian so could the Contender I had for a few weeks before I sold it off. This Blazer is like taking two old technologies and mixing them up together... and creating something new. I would have to spend some time with a Blazer before I could see owning one. I am very slow be willing to spend my own money on a new gun. I usually investigate the hell out of a piece and its maker before I buy it. Remington and HK are the only trusted companies for me. I will go ahead and buy a gun from either maker with no foreknowledge.
The Blazer does look interesting enough to warrent further research.

[ShadedDude]

One word.

VP-70.

=D

[Kodiac]

Ah yes...
I have the VP-70Z and LOVE IT.
Carried it for a time before I switched to the SIG P220... For caliber reasons only.
First successful polymer framed handgun.

Back when Gaston was making "Bigwheels"

TEASING - Dont Flame me! - Just TEASING

[ShadedDude]

You know, I went to bed last night and thought to myself...I bet he has a VP-70.
Then I thought...nahhhh. http://www.thefiringline.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Kodiac]

"To all the GUNs I've loved before...
All the guns whove come in and out my door..."
Sorry, you reminded my of a song I heard Willie Nelson singing. The VP has always stayed there.

[Rob Pincus]

SigArms called _me_ today to assure me that the rifle would be here before the November 1st cut off....
expect a report from the range just as soon as I can get a scope mounted on the sucker.

[ShadedDude]

cool!