R8 safari questions

So I have the itch to get an R8 in 458 Lott. This will be my first R8. I was looking for feed back on the configuration, from what I have gathered there are 3 options alloy with kick off should be a 9lb rifle so little light but more usable with other calibers, steel receiver with out kick off what would this weigh?

And steel with kick off the heaviest, is the kick off user removable?

I have a cz550 in 404 jeff that was worked over by matrix gunsmith and a Montana rifle co 375hh in stainless that I’m considering parting with to fund it.

I can only comment on the aluminum receiver with no kick stop. Mine is a standard professional model, and I have both 416 Rem Mag and 458 Win Mag barrels for it. Bare rifle weight for the rifle and either one of those two barrels is 8lbs 4oz. With 4 rounds of 450gr ammo, a lightweight sling and a Nikon 1-4×20 scope, my 458 weighs 10lbs, 2oz. The Lott rifle that you mention will be the same weight. My loads are 450gr @2200 fps. Recoil is not bad at all at this level, and will handily kill anything that walks.
Unless you're sensitive to recoil, I see no real need for a kickstop or a steel receiver. They just add extra weight that you will have to carry around for miles and miles if hunting buffalo and elephant.

This is the kilombero model with steel receiver. The trigger housing is steel as well. No kickstop installed wearing the aimpoint acro comes in right at 10.5 pounds. Very easy to instal or remove kickstop with 5mm Allen wrench (which is the same as the barrel screws).

Thank you that is the feed back I was looking for seems like just the steel receiver adds 2k to the price

that is a beautiful rifle

ay2626 said:

This is the kilombero model with steel receiver. The trigger housing is steel as well. No kickstop installed wearing the aimpoint acro comes in right at 10.5 pounds. Very easy to instal or remove kickstop with 5mm Allen wrench (which is the same as the barrel screws).

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Beautiful rifle! I kick my a$$ every day that I sold my last Jaeger stock that came with my 458 barrel.

I have a R8 Professional Hunter in 500 Jeffery (previously owned by a member on here). It has had some weight added and comes in a touch over 11lbs. It has the steel receiver and is a comfortable rifle to shoot in the big 500J cartridge. The Blaser rifles are superbly accurate as well.

The kick stop is easy to deal with. Finding the slits in the butt pad is entertaining.

I personally like the added weight of the kick stop. An R8 pro with kick stop, .375 barrel and Z8i 1-8x is a little over 10 lbs. I don’t find it too heavy for a long walk. I also like a lot less recoil than @TOBY458
If you do find it too heavy, just bring your Allen wrench and remove it while on safari.

Tra3 said:

The kick stop is easy to deal with. Finding the slits in the butt pad is entertaining.

I personally like the added weight of the kick stop. An R8 pro with kick stop, .375 barrel and Z8i 1-8x is a little over 10 lbs. I don’t find it too heavy for a long walk. I also like a lot less recoil than @TOBY458
If you do find it too heavy, just bring your Allen wrench and remove it while on safari.

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I don't actually like recoil. I just don't like a heavy rifle. Too much weight, to me, takes away from the quick point ability of a lighter weight rifle. The 416 barrel I recently bought is about perfect for the package I have. Same recoil as 458 Win Mag, with a little flatter trajectory for the incidental PG you may run across. It's probably the combo I'll use on my upcoming Elephant bull/buffalo hunt I just booked.

TOBY458 said:

I don't actually like recoil. I just don't like a heavy rifle. Too much weight, to me, takes away from the quick point ability of a lighter weight rifle. The 416 barrel I recently bought is about perfect for the package I have. Same recoil as 458 Win Mag, with a little flatter trajectory for the incidental PG you may run across. It's probably the combo I'll use on my upcoming Elephant bull/buffalo hunt I just booked.

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phew! Then I also can admit that I don’t like recoil! Which is why an R8 375 H&H with the ultimate stock with the recoil system works great for me. It weighs 9 lbs with a scope. I’ve practiced enough with that to shoot it well enough.
No need for me to increase caliber, but I would love to test the .416 or .458.
Where are you hunting Ele and Buff?
And, an R8, with increased prices, is still cheaper than that hunt!

Tra3 said:

phew! Then I also can admit that I don’t like recoil! Which is why an R8 375 H&H with the ultimate stock with the recoil system works great for me. It weighs 9 lbs with a scope. I’ve practiced enough with that to shoot it well enough.
No need for me to increase caliber, but I would love to test the .416 or .458.
Where are you hunting Ele and Buff?
And, an R8, with increased prices, is still cheaper than that hunt!

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Going back to Zimbabwe. Hunting with Dalton and York in Maninga. It's a non trophy bull elephant hunt. Then hopefully a buffalo after the elephant is down.

@TOBY458 that will be about as much excitement as can be had! What combo of rifles/scopes are you bringing? Or will that change in the ensuing months?

I’ll be with my .375 and 9.3x62 this summer again. I’m putting together a late season trip to Namibia. Last summer I brought 3 barrels. I’ll probably bring a .270 or 7 mag as the 3rd barrel.

Tra3 said:

@TOBY458 that will be about as much excitement as can be had! What combo of rifles/scopes are you bringing? Or will that change in the ensuing months?

I’ll be with my .375 and 9.3x62 this summer again. I’m putting together a late season trip to Namibia. Last summer I brought 3 barrels. I’ll probably bring a .270 or 7 mag as the 3rd barrel.

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Most likely I'll bring my R8 416 Rem Mag. I don't really have any plans to hunt PG, so the 416 should do all I need. If the odd Eland pops up, (which could happen in that area) I'll still be well armed.

Toby if I am not mistaken this use to be yours. It definitely kicks, love the the 458 Lott. Still a safe queen for now but I hope to take it to Africa soon.

TOBY458 said:

Most likely I'll bring my R8 416 Rem Mag. I don't really have any plans to hunt PG, so the 416 should do all I need. If the odd Eland pops up, (which could happen in that area) I'll still be well armed.

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No plans to hunt Pg has the same meaning as when I was in college and we went to the bar to have 1 drink.

No plans to hunt Pg translation: 1 impala sized animal, 1 kudu sized animal, any big warthog plus the DG in your original plans. This can modify depending on how many days the DG hunt takes.
Also makes me wonder the wrong inverse correlation between days to success with DG and fish caught on a hunting safari.

thanks for the input, seems like steel is a good option but certainly for a 375hh the alloy is fine especially if adding a scope

It’s always easier to add weight to a rifle than take it off.

As your level of experience goes up, you will want a lighter rifle. Having the aluminum receiver with a kickstop would be a good starting point because the kickstop is easily removed. Changing a steel receiver out is another story. Highly recommend going with the aluminum receiver.

My 375H&H R8 is the synthetic stock and aluminum receiver and standard (17mm) barrel comes in just over 10 lbs with four rounds of ammo, sling and Z8i 1-8x24. Bare rifle is 7.75 lbs with no ammo.

Truth is that my rifle is very soft shooting even without the added weight of the scope and sling. Rifle fit makes a HUGE difference in felt recoil.

It’s always easier to add weight to a rifle than take it off.

Secondly, rifle fit is just as (if not more) critical than the weight of it. As caliber goes up, rifle fit becomes more important.

As your level of experience goes up, you will want a lighter rifle. Having the aluminum receiver with a kickstop would be a good starting point because the kickstop is easily removed. Changing a steel receiver out is another story. Highly recommend going with the aluminum receiver to allow this.

My 375H&H R8 is the synthetic stock and aluminum receiver and standard (17mm) barrel comes in just over 10 lbs with four rounds of ammo, sling and Z8i 1-8x24. Bare rifle is 7.75 lbs with no ammo.

So the steel receiver vs. the aluminum is a $2000 price difference. That's just stupid and ridiculous. There is no justification for it IMO. Safari...now rob them of more money.

Here is the data mms45









Here is mine. It has so far killed 3 of the big 5. I have tried all possible permutations (I also have an aluminum insert stock). My favorite is the steel insert stock and no kickstop.

But this is because I have a steel insert stock that I was able to purchase used in new condition at a huge discount from a guy who had ordered it mistakenly for its 22mm barrel channel to shoot a target barrel and did not realize he could get an aluminum insert stock with a 22mm channel. He just wanted enough cash to buy the aluminum insert stock, so I essentially got mine for the price of a standard aluminum insert stock. I would not have bought a new steel insert stock, because even a few years back, I was offended by its price, which I can afford, but it insults my intelligence to be taken to the cleaner so blatantly. There is no earthly reason why a steel insert stock should cost 3 times what an aluminum insert stock costs, aside from Blaser milking the safari market. If it had not been for this opportunity, I would use the aluminum insert stock with the 16 oz. kickstop.

And no, I do not mind its 11 1/2 lbs. with scope. It makes the .458 Lott "almost" easy to shoot, and I cannot tell a 10 lbs. rifle from a 11 1/2 lbs. rifle on my shoulder.