Thread: Single Shot Rifles - Blaser & Merkel

I've been toying with getting a single shot rifle for a few years but often the ones I've handled have put me off due to weight. I know this is a dangerous rabit hole to go down as it will involve some serious $$$

Baikals... too heavy although i have thought whether you could lighten them up?

Bergara.... ok but again a bit on the weight side and not in a calibre i fancy

Thompson contender... my thumb is busted so pulling back a hammer isn't ideal.

I've been fortunate to handle a Hagn... which is stunning but pricey.

Blaser K95 & Merkels K3 I've handled in Austria so I'm toying with them although the Merkel tends to take my fancy and they offer it in a calibre such as 7x57R which I like.

So... just wondering whether anyone has any experience with the Blaser and/or Merkels to share as I know one or two members have the Blasers they actively hunt with.

@Seventenths I have had a Blaser K95 6.5x65R for over 10 years
No complaints at all
Blaser and Merkel will both offer all the rimmed calibers and some popular un rimmed ones
Rimmed is a good idea because of a lack of primary extraction
But I haven't heard of anyone having problems with the rimless
But a lot of rimmed cases have more body taper and that helps in a single shot like this
I doubt there's really much difference between the two flavours
Just personal taste and what's available
Both are as strong as a modern bolt action rifle so you can load to high pressure safely
Both will be more accurate than most of us can shoot

I haven't used mine as my primary big game rifle
But it goes on most alpine hunts and especially when im guiding someone because you do a lot of climbing and not a lot of shooting

Just ask if there's anything more specific you want to know

I’ve had my K95 for a few years now. Love it. Packs down well, really accurate, lovely to shoot. I e got mine in 7x65R which is like a .280. Great open tops mountain cartridge. Rob liked mine so much he got one in .270. The K95 handles rimless cartridges just as well as rimmed. The disadvantage of rimmed cartridges is the cost of brass and dies and getting factory ammo is difficult to impossible. Have a think about 6.5x55 as an option as well. The .308 is a pretty popular chambering in Europe apparently.

Yes the brass is expensive
But
I went through all my 6.5x65R brass recently and found that in over 10 years and having used half of my 500 cases about twice each that I have only lost 3 cases in the field
And you might also have limited choice and if that means only RWS is available it's very good brass

Mohawk, yup the Rugers are fantastic. I've lusted after a Farquharson style action for most of my adult life...

In the context of this thread though, they are very heavy rifles, and known to be finicky to work on, couple of gunsmiths I know are not keen to work on their internals.

Originally Posted by ebf

Mohawk, yup the Rugers are fantastic. I've lusted after a Farquharson style action for most of my adult life...

In the context of this thread though, they are very heavy rifles, and known to be finicky to work on, couple of gunsmiths I know are not keen to work on their internals.

Originally Posted by Mohawk .308

Yeah, probably not a very practical hunting rifle, but would still love to have one in the safe. I had a fully wooded ruger bolt action carbine .308 once.
Sold it and still kicking myself, was a lovely little rifle.

I would politely disagree with you there. The 303brit one I used was very good as a hunting rifle. It was far more accurate than I will ever be, and was given the name "the hammer" by my hunting companions. Everything I pointed it at went down. Right there, right then. Good old BOOM Flop. ( This probably had more to do with my/its preferred hunting load of a 215gr Woodleigh RN doing 2100fps......)

I had a mate look at some of my rifles at the time and he said it 'felt heavy' so I weighed a few of them. The BLR 30/06 was 4.1kg, the Ruger was 4.0 and his 308 M77 that he had lightened ' was 3.9.....I told him he had very sensitive hands to tell the difference of 5% (Bear in mind the full magazines weighed more than the difference....)

I also enjoyed shooting the 375 H&H Magnum in another Ruger #1 that I owned, but at $180 for 20 rounds it was not really what I wanted to spend on Ammo.

If you are really chasing lightweight Try finding an SSR (Scott Trail made) single shot. Rarer than hens teeth but worth it. I know of just one and it is 2.3kg / 4 pounds and take down...Or perhaps get one made....The real advantage is takedowns can be put in the pack for the carry out. And while it is nice if they are lighter, 4kg in the pack is easier than 4kg in the hands...Remember though, you cant hit anything with it in the pack.

$200 Baikal Anshutz barrel just need a wee scope, Happy as Larry.

Here’s my report on my K95 from a few years back

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....-report-39623/

Yeah, always good to swing past Wilson's in Whanganui and foldle a couple there. A mate of mine up the road here collects them, I think he has 5 or 6 ! Even some in true "safari" chambering

I’ve got a K95 and really am enjoying it. Always liked the idea of the single shot and classic-ness of them but was always put off personally by the hogs back style butt stocks so when Blaser brought out the classic straight stock last year I jumped on it!
Got mine in 6.5x55, again wanted to keep things classic. Has taken a bit of trail and error for me on how best to shoot it for consistency but have got it sorted now.
You’re more then welcome to have a look at mine if you’re up my way sometime as well.



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bakails arent that heavy really...and you go much lighter and the recoil factor comes to bite you in bum...taking a 7.62x39mm and reaming to 303brit would be an interesting stalking rifle....suppressing would tame it no end. decent recoil pad on other end and be good to go.
that hagn you had fondle of wouldnt happen to be in a funky custom 6.5 chambering perchance???? LOL

I have just done a count up and realised I have 17 single shot rifles and 4 bolt action rifles
So I guess I'm a single shot guy through and through

4 Muzzleloaders
5 Falling blocks
2 Martinis
2 Rolling blocks
4 Kipplaufs

Originally Posted by akaroa1

I have just done a count up and realised I have 17 single shot rifles and 4 bolt action rifles
So I guess I'm a single shot guy through and through

4 Muzzleloaders
5 Falling blocks
2 Martinis
2 Rolling blocks
4 Kipplaufs

This post is worthless without multiple photos

Originally Posted by ebf

This post is worthless without multiple photos

That sounds like hard work

If you trawl through some of my posts you will see a few of the vintage ones

but I can give you some calibers

.45 FL
.50 ML
.52 ML
.72 ML
.22 LR x 2
.22 WMR project
.22 Hornet
.22 K Hornet
.223
6.8 SPC Work in progress and should be functional tomorrow
375 Win
45-70 in process of rebore and cut rifling
50-70
500 BPE
Rolling block in 8x58R process of re barrel to 38-55