8,5x55 blaser Is it as good as it seems?

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Stutzen

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I’ve been looking with interest at the 8,5x55 Blaser lately. On paper it seems like a very interesting cartridge. In many ways it looks similar to the .338 Win Mag in terms of bullet weight and performance, but with the advantage that it was designed to work efficiently in short barrels.

Personally I really like shorter barrels, especially for driven hunts (monterías) here in Spain, where a compact rifle handles much better in thick cover and fast shooting situations.

For many years I’ve considered three cartridges to be among the best all-around choices for worldwide hunting (excluding large African dangerous game): the .338 Win Mag, the .300 Weatherby Magnum and the 8x68S. Between them they can handle almost anything.

Looking at the numbers, the 8,5x55 Blaser seems like it could fit nicely into that same category.

However, I would really like to hear from people who have actually used it in the field. How has it performed on game? How does it compare in practice to cartridges like the .338 Win Mag or the 8x68S?

The only drawback I see at the moment is ammunition availability.

I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences
 
Unless you reload, and you depend on Factory ammo, avoid.
If you reload, I have no doubt the ballistic tables dont lie. Should be good.

Having said that: my 30-06, my 9.3x62 and my 375 H&H, can do everything this one can do, and even more. I confirm. Up to buffalo.
I dont see in academic and theoretic debate what this one can do more?
 
I don’t reload, so ammunition availability is probably the main concern I see with the 8,5x55 Blaser at the moment.

Regarding the comparison with those cartridges, I see it a bit differently.

The .30-06 is obviously one of the most versatile cartridges ever made, but the 8,5 would clearly offer more stopping power and heavier bullets when hunting larger game.

The 9.3x62 is a fantastic cartridge and I like it a lot, but in my opinion it’s not the most suitable choice for longer range mountain hunting or longer shots in open country.

As for the .375 H&H, I completely agree with you, it is the best universal hunting cartridge ever designed. If I had to choose only one rifle for the whole world, including dangerous game, that would probably be it. However, the reason I didn’t include it in the group I mentioned (.338 Win Mag, .300 Weatherby Magnum and 8x68S) is mainly the type of rifles that usually chamber it, this rifles tend to be heavier and more oriented toward dangerous game hunting, at least here in Spain if you don’t reload, most commercially available 375 H&H ammunition is designed primarily for African game, so the bullets tend to be quite tough. For much of our local game this can sometimes be harder than ideal. Also, for mountain hunts and longer range shooting, where you may have to carry the rifle all day and take more precise shots at distance, I personally prefer somewhat flatter shooting cartridges and lighter rifles like the three I mentioned. In my experience they still offer enough power for virtually all non-dangerous game worldwide while being more comfortable in those situations. That’s why I was wondering if the 8,5x55 Blaser might fit somewhere in that same category especially if its main advantage is simply the possibility of being chambered in shorter and more maneuverable rifles.
 
It is as good as it seems. It's essentially a modernized .338 Win Mag optimized for short barrels and suppressor use. It does everything the .338 does, but in a handier package.
 
In Spain, unless you reload very large quantities of ammunition (for example for training shooting, olympic shooting or pistol shooting), the costs end up being very similar to factory ammo, so the savings are minimal, and even if you reloaded, for the 8,5x55 you're not going to find a huge variety of components either.

Right now ther isn't a lot of commercial ammunition available for the caliber, but what is available should work fine for european game. I would recomend watching Michel Coya's video about the cartridge, he exolains it quite well.

The main issue is simply that it's a very new cartridge. If something like this had been introduced last century, it probably could have pushed some of its competitors out of the market. Another disadvantage is the German nomenclature, many hunters outside Europe are still a bit reluctant to buy rifles in calibers with an "X" in the name, even though this one is a true magnum cartridge in every sense.

Blaser clearly knows what they are doing. There is also a video on Youtube of a hunt organized by Blaser to test the new Professional 2.0 rifles, all chambered in this cartridge, I think the spanish hunter in the group took a gold medal mouflon with it.

For what you have said I think it fits very well with what you are looking for. It's a cartridge that works both for stalking and driven hunts, recoil is quite manageable, and it can be chambered in short and lightweight rifles suitable for demanding mountain hunts. At the same time, it still carries enough energy to take large animals at long distances.
 
Thanks for summarizing thats so well, it’s exactly what I’ve read of the cartridge.
I’ve seen the video, it clearly performs well. Still, the ammo used looks a bit too hard for roe deer and chamois, (he hunted a female goat of around 20kg) at least for small European game. That’s what made me curious in the first place.

For those of you who have hunted with both the 8,5x55 Blaser and classics like the .338 Win Mag or 8x68S in the field, does it really match the stopping power and versatility of the older magnums? Or is it mostly a “handier rifle” version with similar numbers on paper?

I’m interested in honest comparisons. Who has actually pick the 8,5x55 over the tried-and-true magnums, and why?
 
Greetings Stutzen.
8.5x55 was primarily created as a bullet to be used from cross barrels, especially those with suppressors. I think it's a good bullet for powered hunting, but I'm not sure it can hold energy at most distances like the long ones you mentioned. However, the 55mm length of the barrel and its capacity are more suitable for smaller diameter bullets. Only if they fill it with some nuclear fuel that we don't know about
Here are some velocities that are spectacular for the length of the barrel
IMG_1370.jpeg
 
Greetings.

I’ve read a lot about this cartridge and it seems clear that the 8,5x55 was designed to perform efficiently in shorter barrels, especially with suppressors. Of course, here in Spain the use of suppressors is currently prohibited, but even so, for our monterías the 52–58 cm barrels are perfect for fast, intuitive shots in thick cover, and also make for a more comfortable rifle on stalks.

Looking at the numbers, it seems to stay just a bit below the .338 Win Mag in terms of velocity and energy, but I don’t think that will make a real difference in actual hunting conditions. Have you tried it?

Overall, for a compact rifle with a shorter barrel, the cartridge offers a very interesting balance between power, recoil, and handling, that’s why I’m thinking of getting one. I’m curious if anyone has experience shooting it past 300–400 meters: does the energy drop feel significant compared to more traditional magnums with longer barrels? In the video mentioned earlier they hunt an ibex at 185 meters and a goat at 355 meters. It seems to work perfectly, although the rifle they are using appears to have a longer 65 cm barrel, and they describe the cartridge as a kind of “European short magnum.” It’s in Spanish, but I’ll post the link below.

 
I haven't a chance to try this caliber. I think it is interesting for shorter and more common hunting distances. As for direct comparisons, I don't see any connection with the magnums. When I look at the ballistic programs, they say that it has potential for long distances as well. The maximum allowable pressure is 62366 psi, and the capacity of the cartridge is 80.50 gr. Case is 13.59mm, almost 2mm thicker than .3006. Hence the high capacity
IMG_1371.jpeg
 
When I mentioned the comparison with magnums, I was mostly thinking about the .338 Win Mag in terms of practical field use rather than exact ballistic equivalence. On paper it looks slightly below it, but still within a similar performance range for most hunting situations. That’s why I was curious to know if this cartridge could fit into what I consider my ideal group of calibers for all kinds of game (except DG) and hunting situations (.338 Win Mag, .300 Weatherby Magnum and 8x68S).

That’s why the concept caught my attention: getting close to that level of performance but in a cartridge optimized for shorter barrels and more compact rifles, which I prefer.
 
I don’t personally know anyone who has actually used the 8.5x55 Blaser yet. With the other calibers already available (like .30-06, 8x57, 8x68, .338 WM, 9.3x62, etc.), it will be difficult for it to carve out real market space. It’s true that on paper it looks like a very versatile cartridge, but I think it still needs several years of real-world use before we know whether it will stay in the market or eventually fade into obscurity.
Here’s an article with some additional information and ballistic tables at the end:
https://www.wildlandmag.co.za/post/a-new-caliber-for-the-k95
"Rifles with silencers are gaining more and more importance. In order to keep the firearm as compact as possible with a silencer, short barrels are the perfect choice. Especially for this reason, Blaser has developed the caliber 8.5x55. Even with barrel lengths of less than 50 cm, it reaches ideal ballistic values that are normally only achievable with use of longer barrels for high performance calibers. 8.5 mm bullet diameter with 11.7 g and 12 g bullet weight, together with a high bullet velocity provides the best possible effect as well as a very long trajectory. These features make the 8.5x55 Blaser a caliber with an incredibly wide field of use; ranging from local hunting territories to hunts for moose or large antelopes."
 
Well, you will have to decide about that yourself. 8.5 looks like 8x57 to me on Viagra. Make it a little thicker and that's it. Not bad for short barrels and a silencer, definitely a modern bullet. Now, how good he will be, only time will tell
Stutzen said:
When I mentioned the comparison with magnums, I was mostly thinking about the .338 Win Mag in terms of practical field use rather than exact ballistic equivalence. On paper it looks slightly below it, but still within a similar performance range for most hunting situations. That’s why I was curious to know if this cartridge could fit into what I consider my ideal group of calibers for all kinds of game (except DG) and hunting situations (.338 Win Mag, .300 Weatherby Magnum and 8x68S).

That’s why the concept caught my attention: getting close to that level of performance but in a cartridge optimized for shorter barrels and more compact rifles, which I prefer.
Click to expand...
 
Frankonia dealer here in town thinks that the biggest problem with it is, the cost of ammunition and the availability.

Frankonia is leaning on it pretty hard, and most new rifles are only ordered by Frankonia to be stocked in 30-06, 8,5x55, 6.5 CM, 308, 9,3x62, and 8x57. There are some exceptions.

It is about 100-150 Feet/28-50 meters per second slower than the 338 Wichester with the same bullets, so it isn't as great as the 338 Winchester is.

My take, as a casual observer with the people that I know that have used it and the professional guides that have seen it used.

1. Here in Europe it is your typical answer for the question you didn't ask.

2. It is a driven hunt cartridge, beyond that I don't see the point.

3. For driven hunts in Central Europe I prefer the 9.3x62 to that 8.5x55. I won't be ordering one. Saying that I am a 10,3x68 and 9,3x64 guy on driven hunts.

4. In Spain, I would rather have a 300 Winchester as the distances are farther.

5. Ammunition here in Germany is 90 Euros for Hornady to 160 Euros for RWS per 20.
 
Muskox said:
Frankonia dealer here in town thinks that the biggest problem with it is, the cost of ammunition and the availability.

Frankonia is leaning on it pretty hard, and most new rifles are only ordered by Frankonia to be stocked in 30-06, 8,5x55, 6.5 CM, 308, 9,3x62, and 8x57. There are some exceptions.

It is about 100-150 Feet/28-50 meters per second slower than the 338 Wichester with the same bullets, so it isn't as great as the 338 Winchester is.

My take, as a casual observer with the people that I know that have used it and the professional guides that have seen it used.

1. Here in Europe it is your typical answer for the question you didn't ask.

2. It is a driven hunt cartridge, beyond that I don't see the point.

3. For driven hunts in Central Europe I prefer the 9.3x62 to that 8.5x55. I won't be ordering one. Saying that I am a 10,3x68 and 9,3x64 guy on driven hunts.

4. In Spain, I would rather have a 300 Winchester as the distances are farther.

5. Ammunition here in Germany is 90 Euros for Hornady to 160 Euros for RWS per 20.
Click to expand...
I think so
 
Theleatherman said:
In Spain, unless you reload very large quantities of ammunition (for example for training shooting, olympic shooting or pistol shooting), the costs end up being very similar to factory ammo, so the savings are minimal, and even if you reloaded, for the 8,5x55 you're not going to find a huge variety of components either.

Right now ther isn't a lot of commercial ammunition available for the caliber, but what is available should work fine for european game. I would recomend watching Michel Coya's video about the cartridge, he exolains it quite well.

The main issue is simply that it's a very new cartridge. If something like this had been introduced last century, it probably could have pushed some of its competitors out of the market. Another disadvantage is the German nomenclature, many hunters outside Europe are still a bit reluctant to buy rifles in calibers with an "X" in the name, even though this one is a true magnum cartridge in every sense.

Blaser clearly knows what they are doing. There is also a video on Youtube of a hunt organized by Blaser to test the new Professional 2.0 rifles, all chambered in this cartridge, I think the spanish hunter in the group took a gold medal mouflon with it.

For what you have said I think it fits very well with what you are looking for. It's a cartridge that works both for stalking and driven hunts, recoil is quite manageable, and it can be chambered in short and lightweight rifles suitable for demanding mountain hunts. At the same time, it still carries enough energy to take large animals at long distances.
Click to expand...
Even if savings are minimal. Consistancy is alot better.
 
So if I don’t reload, should I just stick with the old 30-06?

On paper the 8,5x55 seems to outperform it in almost every aspect, except for ammunition availability. As for the price, 90–100€ per box is actually quite normal for hunting ammunition here. I’m more curious about whether the cartridge really offers a practical advantage in the field, or if in the end the difference compared to more established calibers isn’t that noticeable. Still waiting to hear from someone who actually bought one, I’d really like to know their impressions and why they chose it over more common cartridges.

I have to admit I had already started picturing myself with a Blaser R8 Professional 2.0 with a 52 cm barrel… maybe I fell for the marketing a little too quickly!
 
Stutzen said:
I’ve been looking with interest at the 8,5x55 Blaser lately. On paper it seems like a very interesting cartridge. In many ways it looks similar to the .338 Win Mag in terms of bullet weight and performance, but with the advantage that it was designed to work efficiently in short barrels.

Personally I really like shorter barrels, especially for driven hunts (monterías) here in Spain, where a compact rifle handles much better in thick cover and fast shooting situations.

For many years I’ve considered three cartridges to be among the best all-around choices for worldwide hunting (excluding large African dangerous game): the .338 Win Mag, the .300 Weatherby Magnum and the 8x68S. Between them they can handle almost anything.

Looking at the numbers, the 8,5x55 Blaser seems like it could fit nicely into that same category.

However, I would really like to hear from people who have actually used it in the field. How has it performed on game? How does it compare in practice to cartridges like the .338 Win Mag or the 8x68S?

The only drawback I see at the moment is ammunition availability.

I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences
Click to expand...
@Stutzen
To me it looks like Blaser has tried to re-invent the wheel Ruger invented and it was a spectacular fail .
Ruger introduced the 338 Ruger compact magnum to compete with the 338 win mag but in a shorter (20") barrel.
The Blaser, Ruger and win mag are all in the same performance but the first two are hard to get and expensive the win mag is common easy to get.
The choice is yours.
Bob
 
Stutzen said:
I don’t reload, so ammunition availability is probably the main concern I see with the 8,5x55 Blaser at the moment.

Regarding the comparison with those cartridges, I see it a bit differently.

The .30-06 is obviously one of the most versatile cartridges ever made, but the 8,5 would clearly offer more stopping power and heavier bullets when hunting larger game.

The 9.3x62 is a fantastic cartridge and I like it a lot, but in my opinion it’s not the most suitable choice for longer range mountain hunting or longer shots in open country.

As for the .375 H&H, I completely agree with you, it is the best universal hunting cartridge ever designed. If I had to choose only one rifle for the whole world, including dangerous game, that would probably be it. However, the reason I didn’t include it in the group I mentioned (.338 Win Mag, .300 Weatherby Magnum and 8x68S) is mainly the type of rifles that usually chamber it, this rifles tend to be heavier and more oriented toward dangerous game hunting, at least here in Spain if you don’t reload, most commercially available 375 H&H ammunition is designed primarily for African game, so the bullets tend to be quite tough. For much of our local game this can sometimes be harder than ideal. Also, for mountain hunts and longer range shooting, where you may have to carry the rifle all day and take more precise shots at distance, I personally prefer somewhat flatter shooting cartridges and lighter rifles like the three I mentioned. In my experience they still offer enough power for virtually all non-dangerous game worldwide while being more comfortable in those situations. That’s why I was wondering if the 8,5x55 Blaser might fit somewhere in that same category especially if its main advantage is simply the possibility of being chambered in shorter and more maneuverable rifles.
Click to expand...
@Stutzen
Personally I would look for another rifle and cartridge. I can see the 8.7x55 going the way of the dodo.
There's a lot of good light weight hard hitting mountain rifles chambered in common cartridges that would suit your needs.
Bob
 
Stutzen said:
So if I don’t reload, should I just stick with the old 30-06?

On paper the 8,5x55 seems to outperform it in almost every aspect, except for ammunition availability. As for the price, 90–100€ per box is actually quite normal for hunting ammunition here. I’m more curious about whether the cartridge really offers a practical advantage in the field, or if in the end the difference compared to more established calibers isn’t that noticeable. Still waiting to hear from someone who actually bought one, I’d really like to know their impressions and why they chose it over more common cartridges.

I have to admit I had already started picturing myself with a Blaser R8 Professional 2.0 with a 52 cm barrel… maybe I fell for the marketing a little too quickly!
Click to expand...
If you're so fired up, then buy 8.5. I know for sure that it will work properly. I'm not sure what kind of recoil it has, but I believe it's decent (without mufflers). (the software says 32J, which is at the magnum level). If you have already mentioned the calibers that you consider to be the best in the world, and you imagine yourself with an R8, then my recommendation is the 8x68. I have been hunting with him for many years. The action of the Blaser R8 is significantly shorter than that of most carbines, so a 65cm barrel would be at your desired level. And, you will have a bullet for all distances up to ……
 
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