Printable View
Biggest cunt of a thing I ever used. If it was one way pressure it would be fine, but it's not. Arsehole of a place to have a safety to, if your snap shooting or there is a chance of it you've got to carry it two handed. Period.
Yes I use a double barrel, no I don't use the safety on that either.
My one is sweet and is no different than removing the safety on a shotty. Easier in fact, as its got meat to work against. I love the thing I can cock the rifle quietly as I am shouldering it. Decocking is a tiny bit different.
As I said before it takes time to get the hang of a R8 or R93.
They could learn a hell of alot looking at the Sauer safety ;) Now that is fast.
I wasn't even going to mention how bad decocking is :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wirehunt
I wouldnt give a pich of shit for a copycat sauer unless its a P226 tactical.
I cant for the life of me see how any system is any quicker or quieter as the blaser once you are used to it, or even why it would need to be.
When I first got mine, I struggled a bit trying to lift the bolt etc but never had any drama with speed of cocking or decocking. If I use a conventional bolt I struggle to operate that now.
I meant recocking the safety.
Go to central and try the running bore :D:D
Have had my R8 Professional since before xmas. I have only one barrel at this point in 6.5x55 which I chopped to 18" and put an A-Tec Can on....
R8's are a couple of inches shorter than more conventionally built bolt actions for the same length. The standard barrel length for the R8 is 580mm but on the R8 the overall length ends up being about the same as a Sako Finnlight in non magnum calibre's.. for a longer barrel.
I chopped 100mm off mine and then added the can which brings it back up to about the same length. If I was running a genuine bush pig in 308, I would have chopped it to 16"..... was hedging my bets with the 6.5x55 a bit..This barrel is intended as a multi purpose until I get more specific calibres sorted...
I got mine through Quentin at 45 South, who dealt with the agent Stagers. I tried to talk to them years ago about a 93 and was put off by the attitude. Quentin takes away the need to deal direct and he gives a fair deal. This time I also made enquiries with Europtic, but the landed price for what I was after ended up being at least as dear as what I was quoted through Quentin....
My understanding and observations of the R8 are as follows....
Its a little heavier than the 93...it feels heavier than the Sako Finnlight (but only about 300grams on a finnlight in 708) but the mass is central and it points extremely well... It weighs 3.7kgs all up with 18" barrel, Z3 Swarovski 3x9 and saddlemeount, and attached sling. Atec can adds another 270 grams so all up just over 4 kgs loaded..
The stock is the best fitting stock I have come across as a general purpose hunting stock, drop at heel is very close to drop at comb, almost level in the american style of being designed for scope shooting. No cut away, or cheekpiece as the professional stock is designed for left or right handers, with a modified palm swell being the only change to achieve this. This is in keeping with the modular nature of the firearm. The palm swell and grip about perfect for me. While I thought the 93 was OK, I felt that the balance was more forward than I preferred, the fore-end was less than satisfactory for me, and the general fit was no-where near as nice as my Sako 75's.
I took a punt when ordering the R8, cause I had never seen one.. the descriptions I had read of the stock fit seemed to indicate that the R8 would be more "Sako" like in fit than the 93 had been... I was lucky cause I would consider it to be an even nicer fit..
Obviously a switch barrel, and QD scope mounts as per the 93.
Its a stronger action than the 93, which is a stronger action than most other commercially produced conventional bolt actions...
Some say the action is not a smooth as the 93, I wouldn't know, but I suspect that well used 93s are going to be smoother than newish R8's.. Its certainly the smoothest cycling action I have had the pleasure to own... and its fast... as both are..
Fit and finnish... almost perfect....
The trigger thing... no real issues with losing it I believe if it is properly locked in.. It requires two fingers to squeeze both sides of the action to release the trigger group. The ability to insert another mag insert quickly if you carry a spare would increase your firing rate over the 93 if you need to fire more than the 4+1 from the first mag... Trigger itself is very nice... crisp let-off, fractional creep but better than most others..
Its very accurate... I am getting clover leaf groups with Norma practice ammo in factory 120gr. Not quite so good with the barnes 120 TTSX that I am sorting at the moment... 3 shot 3/4 MOA groups with H335 powder for 2900fps.. I have a feeling that I will be moving away from the H335 with the 120s, or maybe dropping down to the 100s for just a touch under 3100...
This is getting long winded.. but hopefully may be of use..
This isn't a cam locked piece of tube steel, with a permanent barrel attached to it and a dedicated stock for each calibre. This rifle is a precision piece of engineering, enabling a 60 sec switch from a 222 right up to a .500 Jefferey, with bolt heads, bolt assemblies, trigger groups barrels and stocks being able to be changed from one rifle to the next, without issue... to be able to detach and re-attach the scope without significantly affecting group size between rounds. Its about or close to the fastest manually operated reloading system and its smoothness is a delight to use.
Its just a rifle that goes bang and yes its pretentious bullshit for some, but it is also a very functional piece of kit. These days my remaining sakos hardly get out of the cupboard, and I had to sell a few to pay for it...
Money wise... should be able to get a Professional R8 in a standard cal with a saddle mount for around $5000... yep it's dear, but with Sako 85 finnlights being advertised at around $3500 its cheap and you don't have to spend another $3500 to get the nxt calibre... $1200 - $1500 for a factory barrel, other options are starting to come up maybe... and if you get really lucky the same scope and mounts may transfer across without issue as well..
You are not going to get any change out of $4000 bare rifle for putting together a custom cam lock tube either.....
Not for everyone, and I don't need it either... I just like it... :pacman:
Just what the OP ordered. Awesome write up there Sid.:thumbsup: Almost convinced me to buy one, but my old clunky has never once let me down, and it is all set up the way I want, but for one more barrel.
If I was going to change anything, I would try and get it lighter. I am going to put an Aimpoint Micro H-1 on it for general hunting and carry a scope for tops stuff. That will reduce the carry weight on the rifle. Its not a problem, I just prefer rifles to weigh less. The point-ability of this one more than makes up for it I am sure.. might build a super-light carbon stock one day..
The Safety-de-cocker is a bit different, but you get used to it quickly and its a non-issue as far as I am concerned after just a few months of use.. tell that man to get a stronger thumb..:)
You rifle has got most of whats good, I wouldn't change if you are sorted... for me it just made sense to do the R8..
I am still tempted to do a superlight titanium/carbon in say Pierce Action in 308 bushpig just for beating around, but like I said... it will cost me $4K and I can prob get 3 more calibres for my R8 for the same money...
Or you could just go get a Kimber and hack it, red dot and done.
Maybe that's why I hate the Blaser, only got short fingers....
Aimpoint is a great idea. I loved the iron sights on the factory barrels but since I got custom ones I needed something else in their place.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sidney
I got another saddle mount with 30mm rings out of the states and put a cheap bushnell red dot scope in it.(surprisingly robust) I can shoot accurately out too 100 with it and carry my main scope in my pack in a soft case.
It makes a huge difference in carrying the rifle as well. I have snotted a few deer with the wee red dot (has 4 reticules. I use the wee cross)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wirehunt
True... then all I am missing is that really quick second shot......
In heavy bush how often do you even get that? Out in the open, sure, but....
Like anything, you never get the opportunity if you don't have the capability...
You're right its probably not necessary, it potentially just adds a different dimension...
I also like hunting with a single shot..
Alex used to have a great link on his site of all the assholes who owed him money. Some of it was big money too. He put up names, addresses, what was sold and even photos of these peoples homes etc. I think he'd even cut you in even if you recovered his money. The photos were usually of flash homes with boats and shit, so they weren't poor people, just assholes.Quote:
Originally Posted by ishoot10s
They're obviously awesome but is the extra few thousand dollars justifiable in an increased performance aspect? I don't think so, If you can work out a load for a Sako 85 that shoots half a MOA and a Blaser that does the same I dont think there is any difference just the aesthetics and the ability to say "I own a blaser".Quote:
Originally Posted by sakokid
I still want one some day though!