Transitioning To A Blaser R8 - A Two Months / 500 Rounds Review

Luminous Ham said:

I like it. Yes, a bit tighter than just flicking a switch, but so much safer, not cocked. Gives peace of mind, also for others, including PHs. I know of nothing like it, but perhaps Sauer is the same.

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That's my biggest concern. I hate the safety on my Krieghoff, and it has a similar cocking system.

@Beck - I like the safety and find it very easy to operate.

I bought one on the advice of a friend. It sits in my gun cabinet every year during hunting season.

I have joined the R8 club with a Professional 2 in 500 Jeffery. So far I like it:
1. The trigger is nice.
2. The straight pull works well.
3. The ability to fit Blaser accessories is great, I have bought a RD20 which goes straight on, and of course includes the mount.
4. It is comforting to know that I can change out to almost any other big bore barrel.
5. The Blaser sling has the correct sized swivels.
6. Mine came as a lefty, a simple change out to a RH bolt and now it is a RH, and it can just as easily go back again.

No negatives at this stage.

BeeMaa said:

@Beck - I like the safety and find it very easy to operate.

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I am going pick one up the next time I am in Houston to try the safety out

I just have ordered a semi-weight barrel in .338 Winchester magnum to build another R8.

The Professional stock should arrive tomorrow. I bought it at a very cheap price because its former owner has kept the receiver to install it onto another stock. Next week, I will order a receiver from Akila with their incredible adjustable single stage trigger.

Later, I will open the barrel channel to fit the semi-weight barrel and also add a mobil cheek rest. It will be my new plains game rifle.
My Steel action doesn't want to shoot as straight as my Blaser and is picky with some bullet profil so I'm returning to my first love.

Is it a safety or is it a cocker / decocker ?

There is simply no two ways about it, the Blaser R8 (or Krieghoff double rifle) "safety" is not something that you slide effortlessly off as you swing, like on a Parker 20 gauge quail shotgun, or Holland & Holland Royal or Purdey double rifle.

Pretending otherwise would be irrational.

And this is probably where the fundamental question lies.

It is likely more accurate to describe the Blaser R8 (or Krieghoff double rifle) device not as a "safety" in the traditional shotgun or tang safety rifle sense, but for what it actually is, which is a cocker / decocker lever.

The two provide different services and embody different philosophies.

A safety is designed to prevent the trigger or sear from moving and releasing a firing pin under spring tension. It implies carrying the rifle fully ready to fire. Its upside is speed of operation. Its downside is the possibility of accidental or unintended discharge. Enough have happened to make the concern real, especially with the so-called African carry where folks end up sooner or later pointing the muzzle of their rifle at the head or back of the guy walking in front of them, regardless of muzzle discipline.

A cocker / decocker is designed to allow a cartridge to be chambered in the barrel while the firing mechanism is actually not under spring tension, and the firing pin is mechanically blocked from moving forward. Its upside is absolute safety with the impossibility of accidental or unintended discharge. Its downside is a slower operation requiring significant muscle effort to compress the spring(s) behind the firing pin(s).

A few thoughts...

One can engage in endless dissertations about various types of tang safeties and their inherent designs, for example tang safeties that block the trigger; those that block the sear; those that are located on the side of the action; etc. but the bottom line remains the same: if the firing pin jumps the sear, the rifle fires.

Yes it happens, especially with rifles "tuned up" for minimal sear engagement. Knock the rifle stock hard on a tree trunk behind you (when carrying the African carry), or drop the rifle hard as you fall on rocks, and all bets are off.

Sear jumping is actually the mechanical reason behind double rifles "doubling" under recoil (assuming the shooter does not strum the rear trigger under recoil): the second firing pin jumps the sear under the shock of recoil.

This is why bolt-mounted safeties that actually block the firing pin - invented by Mauser and generally know now-a-day as "Winchester" 3 position safeties - have become near universal on DG rifles. They offer a substantial increase in safety, albeit at the price of losing the "erase the safety as you swing" convenience of the tang safeties.

The Blaser or Krieghoff cocker / decocker goes one step further than the Mauser safety. It is therefore mechanically safer, but also slower.

Does it matter?

I do not think so.

In truth with the rare exception of following a wounded DG at close quarter, there is no shooting speed imperative. In fact, I believe that the best practice would be to generally carry a rifle without a round in the chamber, until the last 100 yard of a stalk.

Internet culture has me soundly defeated with so many videos showing both clients and PH loading their rifles as they dismount the bakkie. So be it, I guess, but if such is the case I see in the R8 and Krieghoff cocker/decocker a huge safety improvement: they are simply impossible to cock accidentally. Even a bolt safety can be taken off accidentally by a snagging branch or a jacket.

As to the rare indeed following of wounded DG at close quarter, the discussion becomes irrelevant as it seems that most folks have their safety "off" or cocker "on" ready for instant defensive shooting...

In conclusion...

I have personally seen a few accidental / negligent discharges from "unloaded guns" in military and civilian shooting stands, and they are scary. I have a friend who witnessed a woman getting killed on safari by a rifle inadvertently loaded. I know a number of PHs who are terribly uncomfortable, and I personally refuse, to walk in single file in front of a loaded rifle carried "the African way". I do not impose it to the PH walking in front of me.

The Blaser or Krieghoff cocker / decocker trades speed for safety, and in the real world this trade off wins any day of the week and twice on Sunday.



PS: the so-called African carry make me laugh. Folks enamored with the image apparently miss the point that the gun bearer was carrying the rifle ahead of the hunter so that the hunter could simply lean forward to grab the rifle from the bearer's shoulder, and the hunter would already be at port arm, ready to shoot. Hence the rifle being carried barrels forward, so that the hunter could grab the stock. No one walked in front of the gun bearer hence the muzzle never pointed at any one.

And if folks think that they are faster with the African carry, I would love to see 20 hunters, 10 with the rifle on a sling, 10 with the rifle on the shoulder, clocked as they get into shooting position. I am betting that the African-carry folks are not getting on target any faster than folks with their rifle on a sling behind their shoulder, and that they are slower than those who carry their rifle "the German way" on a sling under their non-shooting shoulder.

WC86 said:

Apologies for resurrecting an older (but excellent) thread.

I have read this post several times over the last year as I consider taking the dive on an r8 and several barrels

I am greatly appreciative of all contributions

One thing that I’d like to get more clarity on is the alleged overall length difference between an r8 and other repeating rifle action designs

I oft see quoted “3-4 inches shorter than a comparable rifle with the same barrel length”

That said, when I review listed OALs for an r8 and compare them to 98, 70, 700, etc with the same barrel length I come up with ~2 inches shorter for short action rifles and ~3 inches shorter for magnum actions.

To go further, as the OP states, r8 barrels are ~1 inch shorter in comparison due to the collet lockup being included in the Blaser measurement

As such, my understanding is that, for a given barrel length, taking into account the collet lockup, an r8 is effectively only about 1 inch shorter than rifles sporting 98, 70, 700, etc actions in short action and 2 inches in magnum length actions

I’d love to measure some myself but I live in north Alabama (recently moved from the gulf coast) and haven’t been able to place my hands on one despite trying for the last few months

Thanks very much for any insight, education, correct that the forum can offer

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Here are a Win 70 .300 Wby with 26" barrel and a R8 .300 Wby with a 650 mm / 25.59" barrel.



As previously indicated, the difference in overall length is 3".

I would expect this to remain consistent in other caliber groups with shorter barrels.

I stand by my earlier post that the barrel lengths given by Blaser are not directly comparable to the American barrel lengths due to the R8 collet lockup. American barrels are measured from bolt face to barrel end. If this method is used, the Blaser .300 Wby barrel is actually approximately 24.5".

Note: Whether this has a meaningful impact on velocity remains debatable. For example, the two above rifles clock the same ~3,300 fps with factory 165 gr loads, both below the factory spec of 3,390 fps (which does not surprise me )

This being said, I agree with Red Leg that the primary reason for the shorter length is the fact that the trigger mechanism is placed below the magazine rather than behind it. The above pic clearly illustrates it.

One Day... said:

Here are a Win 70 .300 Wby with 26" barrel and a R8 .300 Wby with a 650 mm / 25.59" barrel.

View attachment 771389

As previously indicated, the difference in overall length is 3"

I would expect this to remain consistent in other caliber groups with shorter barrels.

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Thanks very much!

One Day... said:

Here are a Win 70 .300 Wby with 26" barrel and a R8 .300 Wby with a 650 mm / 25.59" barrel.

View attachment 771389

As previously indicated, the difference in overall length is 3".

I would expect this to remain consistent in other caliber groups with shorter barrels.

I stand by my earlier post that the barrel lengths given by Blaser are not directly comparable to the American barrel lengths due to the R8 collet lockup. American barrels are measured from bolt face to barrel end. If this method is used, the Blaser .300 Wby barrel is actually approximately 24.5".

Note: Whether this has a meaningful impact on velocity remains debatable. For example, the two above rifles clock the same ~3,300 fps with factory 165 gr loads, both below the factory spec of 3,390 fps (which does not surprise me )

This being said, I agree with Red Leg that the primary reason for the shorter length is the fact that the trigger mechanism is placed below the magazine rather than behind it. The above pic clearly illustrates it.

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I had more time to look through your response. I think this corroborates what I was seeing from comparing various online measurements- that a magnum length action is 3 inches shorter but is effectively 2 inches shorter as a result of Blaser including the collet lockup in their barrel length measurement (exactly as you say)

Given that a short action is nearly 1 inch shorter than a magnum length action in a bolt action based on Mauser 98 or Remington 700 anatomy, a short action is 2 inches shorter with an effective length reduction of 1 inch from “traditional” actions

This doesn’t change whether I will be getting one but helps me decide what barrel length I’ll select

As always, thanks very much to all on this forum for their insight, wisdom, and time

I have a couple R8s and they are approximately 3” shorter than my standard rifles. For instance, I have a 23” Selous barrel on my 458 that provides the same overall rifle length as my 20” barrel standard bolt action rifles. This rifle is very compact and makes a standard rifle with a 24” barrel seem very unwieldy. In fact, I had a Parkwest 76 416 Rigby on order a couple of years ago. But once I got home and felt of my compact “little” 458 R8, I cancelled the order.

TOBY458 said:

I have a couple R8s and they are approximately 3” shorter than my standard rifles. For instance, I have a 23” Selous barrel on my 458 that provides the same overall rifle length as my 20” barrel standard bolt action rifles. This rifle is very compact and makes a standard rifle with a 24” barrel seem very unwieldy. In fact, I had a Parkwest 76 416 Rigby on order a couple of years ago. But once I got home and felt of my compact “little” 458 R8, I cancelled the order.

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God damn it, you guys are like a bunch drug dealers! The last thing I need right now is another rifle. I have two rifles being customized at the moment, but you guys are making a lot of convincing arguments.

Beck said:

I am going pick one up the next time I am in Houston to try the safety out

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Beck said:

God damn it, you guys are like a bunch drug dealers! The last thing I need right now is another rifle. I have two rifles being customized at the moment, but you guys are making a lot of convincing arguments.

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How is this for a convincing reason? 500j Selous at Safari and Outdoor.

Kevin Peacocke said:

How is this for a convincing reason? 500j Selous at Safari and Outdoor.
View attachment 771519

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Leave me alone!

Beck said:

God damn it, you guys are like a bunch drug dealers! The last thing I need right now is another rifle. I have two rifles being customized at the moment, but you guys are making a lot of convincing arguments.

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Ah, but it was hard for me to abandon the romance of double square bridge, claw extractor, big Mauser system actions, and it took me 2 more years after that to abandon double rifles, so I can feel your pain

All I will say --- just to help --- is that I have zero regret, and that the real-life convenience of bringing 3 calibers to Africa in a small Pelican 1700 <50 lbs. and < 62" linear, plus the truly critical advantage of being able to practice endlessly and virtually for free with the actual rifle I use on the hunts, thanks to the .22 LR and .223 Rem barrels have transformed my Safari life.

What a pleasure to use the .257 Wby barrel one day for distant Reedbuck or Vaal Rhebok, then the next morning the .300 Wby barrel for Kudu or Wildebeest, and the next day the .458 Lott barrel for Buffalo (or the .375 H&H barrel for Lion or Eland), and all that with the absolute certainty that the rifle keeps its zero regardless of caliber configuration, and that bricks upon bricks of .22 LR practice make me shoot it close to 1 MOA from the quad sticks !!!

Get the best, ditch the rest

One Day... said:

Ah, but it was hard for me to abandon the romance of double square bridge, claw extractor, big Mauser system actions, and it took me 2 more years after that to abandon double rifles, so I can feel your pain

All I will say --- just to help --- is that I have zero regret, and that the real-life convenience of bringing 3 calibers to Africa in a small Pelican <50 lbs. and < 62" linear, plus the truly critical advantage of being able to practice endlessly and virtually for free with the actual rifle I use on the hunts, thanks to the .22 LR and .223 Rem barrels have transformed my Safari life.

What a pleasure to use the .257 Wby barrel one day for distant Reedbuck or Vaal Rhebok, then the next morning the .300 Wby barrel for Kudu or Wildebeest, and the next day the .458 Lott barrel for Buffalo (or the .375 H&H barrel for Lion or Eland), and all that with the absolute certainty that the rifle keeps its zero regardless of caliber configuration, and that bricks upon bricks of .22 LR practice make me shoot it close to 1 MOA from the quad sticks !!!

Get the best, ditch the rest

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Does it maintain zero when switching between calibers? Also do you need the aluminum or the stee receiver for the big bores?

Kevin Peacocke said:

How is this for a convincing reason? 500j Selous at Safari and Outdoor.
View attachment 771519

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God damn it, that gun is beautiful

Beck said:

Does it maintain zero when switching between calibers? Also do you need the aluminum or the steel receiver for the big bores?

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The only functional difference between steel and alloy receivers is rifle weight. As detailed with actual figures in previous posts, the steel receiver adds 1 lb. 5 oz. which is appreciated with heavy recoil calibers.

You can tame recoil even further with an easily removable 12 oz. or 16 oz. kickstop. This does make steel receiver rifles with heavy caliber Selous barrels appropriately heavy, but a joy to shoot

You could mount a .500 Jeff barrel on an alloy receiver if you wanted, the mechanical strength is the same as that of a steel receiver. Good luck with the recoil though

I have three R8 and nine barrels. A steel receiver R8 for a heavier Safari rifle (due to .458 Lott recoil); an alloy receiver R8 for a lighter mountain rifle used in Europe and America; and a shortened-stock alloy receiver R8 for my wife. I bolt indifferently all standard diameter barrels (17 mm) onto any of the receivers and all combinations retain exact zero.

The heavier Selous (22 mm) .458 Lott and mid-weight .375 H&H (19 mm) barrels only go on the steel receiver R8, but this has nothing to do with zero or mechanical strength. It is just because the barrel channel is wider on the steel receiver rifle, and I did not see the need to widen the channel on my alloy receiver rifles. You can get an alloy receiver rifle with a 22 mm barrel channel if you want though.

The reason why R8 rifles retain zero when switching caliber is that the scope is mounted on the barrel, not on the receiver, hence changing the barrel does NOT change the scope attachment.

In addition, the detachable scope mounts return to exact zero. I have detached and re-attached enough R8 scope mounts on enough R8 barrels to be categorical and final about this.

The only limitation is that each mount MUST be adjusted (2 easy back screws) to its barrel. Therefore, in practical reality, each barrel has its dedicated scope on its dedicated mount.

The reliability is such that I DO NOT check zero when arriving in camp, and I DO NOT check zero when changing barrels. I simply bolt the barrel I want, attach its dedicated scope to it and go hunting.

To my PH friends who ask, my answer is that I know full well that the purpose of checking zero at the beginning of a safari is not to check the rifle, but to check the hunter, and that if they are comfortable with me, I am comfortable with the rifle


PS: I happily oblige PHs with whom I never hunted before

One Day... said:

The only functional difference between steel and alloy receivers is rifle weight. As detailed with actual figures in previous posts, the steel receiver adds 1 lb. 5 oz. which is appreciated with heavy recoil calibers.

You can tame recoil even further with an easily removable 12 oz. or 16 oz. kickstop. This does make steel receiver rifles with heavy caliber Selous barrels appropriately heavy, but a joy to shoot

You could mount a .500 Jeff barrel on an alloy receiver if you wanted, the mechanical strength is the same as that of a steel receiver. Good luck with the recoil though

I have three R8 and nine barrels. A steel receiver R8 for a heavier Safari rifle (due to .458 Lott recoil); an alloy receiver R8 for a lighter mountain rifle used in Europe and America; and a shortened-stock alloy receiver R8 for my wife. I bolt indifferently all standard diameter barrels (17 mm) onto any of the receivers and all combinations retain exact zero.

The heavier Selous (22 mm) .458 Lott and mid-weight .375 H&H (19 mm) barrels only go on the steel receiver R8, but this has nothing to do with zero or mechanical strength. It is just because the barrel channel is wider on the steel receiver rifle, and I did not see the need to widen the channel on the alloy receiver rifles.

The reason why R8 rifles retain zero when switching caliber is that the scope is mounted on the barrel, not on the receiver, hence changing the barrel does NOT change the scope attachment.

In addition, the detachable scope mounts return to exact zero. I have detached and re-attached enough R8 scope mounts on enough R8 barrels to be categorical and final about this.

The only limitation is that each mount MUST be adjusted (2 easy back screws) to its barrel. Therefore, in practical reality, each barrel has its dedicated scope on its dedicated mount.

The reliability is such that I DO NOT check zero when arriving in camp, and I DO NOT check zero when changing barrels. I simply bolt the barrel I want, attach its dedicated scope to it and go hunting.

To my PH friends who ask, my answer is that I know full well that the purpose of checking zero at the beginning of a safari is not to check the rifle, but to check the hunter, and that if they are comfortable with me, I am comfortable with the rifle


PS: I happily oblige PHs with whom I never hunted before

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How much does your .458 lott weigh? That is the precise chambering I would target first, probably with a .375, and a .300 win barrel

Probably already posted, but happy to respond



My own .375 H&H is a semi-weight barrel (19 mm, 25.6", iron sights, 1,708 gram / 3 lb. 12.2 oz.) so my .375 H&H weighs the same as my .458 Lott (thinner but longer barrel), which does not bother me, and is a delight to shoot, but a standard barreled .375 H&H on a steel receiver stock would weight 10 lb. 12 oz. Same for a .300 Win with standard barrel.

I too trust in the .458 Lott, .375 H&H and .300 mag battery, although my .300 is a Wby

My fourth hunting barrel is .257 Wby. A true gem of a caliber

My two training barrels are .22 LR and .223 Rem.

My wife shoots .270 Win, 9.3x62 and .222 Rem.


.458 Lott, .375 H&H, .300 Wby battery in Pelican 1700