Blaser K95 Stutzen question

[VertigoBE]

Hello esteemed Blaser owners, I have a question on a situation that happened recently to me and that continues to bug me:

Sitting in a blind, I recently had the occasion of taking a shot on a roedeer with a K95 stutzen in 6,5x57r :

As I was seated on the right of the blind, while the animal was at about 180m fully on the left of us, the only position I could have in that angle, was one whereby the very tip of the fore end was resting on the wooden window frame. And I truly mean the very tip. You can see in the picture the little black point on the underside, that was the part pressing (almost biting) into the wood. My friend in the blind (whose rifle it was) told me that this is not a problem, the barrel is not touching the wood fore end.

When I took the shot, being quite sure and confident about my shot, there was no animal on the ground and after describing to my friend what happened (him being much more knowledgeable about animals/hunting) he concluded that I must have shot high, so high as to have missed him completely (there was no blood, no hair to be seen) And as you have read from a more recent hunting report. I indeed fully missed that roebuck, because I shot him a few days later).

Now the suspicion I have is that when the entire weight of the rifle is on the far out end of the fore end, the fore end will indeed be touching the barrel, making any accurate shooting impossible.

Is there someone here who could confirm this suspicion, or better yet, who could test this out ?

thanks a lot,

V.

 

[IvW]

Taking a shot at an animal without having shot the rifle before?
I believe operator error....how much of the wood from the stand was just below the arrel and ahead of the barrel?

 

[VertigoBE]

Taking a shot at an animal without having shot the rifle before?
I believe operator error....how much of the wood from the stand was just below the arrel and ahead of the barrel?

there must have been about 3-5cm of wood of the window sill still in front of the barrel crown, due to the severe angle.

I had actually shot this rifle 8 years ago already, taking my first wild boar.

If operator error, could you venture a guess what I did wrong?

 

[IvW]

You did not have the barrel far enough forward, over the window sill, nothing to do with the stock touching the barrel do same test at a shooting range and see what happens

 

[Philip Glass]

I know having the barrel touching anything can reduce accuracy. I doubt it would make you miss an animal entirely. Sorry but in my estimation you just missed. Happens to the best of us!

 

[VertigoBE]

You did not have the barrel far enough forward, over the window sill, nothing to do with the stock touching the barrel do same test at a shooting range and see what happens

thank you @IvW, but could you explain a bit more the physics? What does the window sill in front of the barrel have to do with it?

 

[VertigoBE]

I know having the barrel touching anything can reduce accuracy. I doubt it would make you miss an animal entirely. Sorry but in my estimation you just missed. Happens to the best of us!

I'm just hoping it was something else than myself, but if so...
Well the roebuck got a few days more of life, but did not escape in the end

 

[IvW]

Well you rested the small black scnabel on the window sill at an acute angle and then took a shot with a lot if window sill ahead of the muzzle.... You could have even have clipped the window sill with the bullet hiting the window sill slightly causing it to go high. Failing that the muzzle blast hitting the window sill could also cause the bullet to go high as the bottom is at an accute downward angle to the muzzle deflecting upwards.
And then leaning far over to the left firing from an akward position can cause all sorts of accuracy issues, being in a stand or similar you could possibly have had enough time to get into a better position to take the shot or if not do not take the shot. So my opinion it is definately not a rifle issue especially in a K95...

 

[IvW]

Yes we all miss sometimes but I think we too often try to find the fault in the wrong place....

 

[VertigoBE]

Thanks Guys, I appreciate the input.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Did you hold the forend down? Lightweight and heavy recoiling rifles tend to jump up at the shot, this causes POI shift. Roe deer are small animals, not hard to miss at that distance. Depending on point of aim, at that distance, an error of 2-3MOA is enough to miss it.

 

[VertigoBE]

Did you hold the forend down? Lightweight and heavy recoiling rifles tend to jump up at the shot, this causes POI shift. Roe deer are small animals, not hard to miss at that distance. Depending on point of aim, at that distance, an error of 2-3MOA is enough to miss it.

no I was not holding it up front, I'm right handed, so looking through to the extreme left of me, I had my left hand on the shoulder stock pulling it down. Below the shoulder stock was a shooting stick (bipod) and then the tip of the fore end on the window sill.

something like this:

please forgive my crude paint skills

 

[mark-hunter]

Repeat the shot, on the range, in the same manner, with same ammo, on paper target.
Then you will know for certain.
Comment no.2 is something to think about.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hello esteemed Blaser owners, I have a question on a situation that happened recently to me and that continues to bug me:

Sitting in a blind, I recently had the occasion of taking a shot on a roedeer with a K95 stutzen in 6,5x57r :
View attachment 403818

As I was seated on the right of the blind, while the animal was at about 180m fully on the left of us, the only position I could have in that angle, was one whereby the very tip of the fore end was resting on the wooden window frame. And I truly mean the very tip. You can see in the picture the little black point on the underside, that was the part pressing (almost biting) into the wood. My friend in the blind (whose rifle it was) told me that this is not a problem, the barrel is not touching the wood fore end.
View attachment 403819
View attachment 403817
When I took the shot, being quite sure and confident about my shot, there was no animal on the ground and after describing to my friend what happened (him being much more knowledgeable about animals/hunting) he concluded that I must have shot high, so high as to have missed him completely (there was no blood, no hair to be seen) And as you have read from a more recent hunting report. I indeed fully missed that roebuck, because I shot him a few days later).

Now the suspicion I have is that when the entire weight of the rifle is on the far out end of the fore end, the fore end will indeed be touching the barrel, making any accurate shooting impossible.

Is there someone here who could confirm this suspicion, or better yet, who could test this out ?

thanks a lot,

V.

@VertigoBE
The man you need to be talking to is a new member called @K95.
Ken absolutely loves his.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I know having the barrel touching anything can reduce accuracy. I doubt it would make you miss an animal entirely. Sorry but in my estimation you just missed. Happens to the best of us!

@Philip Glass.
Being the expert I am, I have NEVER missed anything I have shot at.
I may have given them a couple of warning shots but never missed.
That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Bob

 

[ZG47]

Most likely that the rifle rose up at the front before the bullet left the muzzle. Common issue when you rest the front of the rifle on a hard surface when taking a shot. Snipers only get away with it when they have a very heavy rifle.

 

[K95]

@VertigoBE
The man you need to be talking to is a new member called @K95.
Ken absolutely loves his.
Bob

Hi
Just read your story. I have used a K95 extensively for the past 25 years and love these rifles. Mine however is the full length rifle version not the Stutzen, I have however owner stutzen versions in other European made rifles. Personally I would never fire a rifle resting on a hard surface and expect to hit anything. Rest your hand, hat, or anything soft between the rifle and the surface you are shooting off. If you are sure you pulled a good shot I would be blaming the vibration between the rifle and your resting surface.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Cheers Ken

 

[VertigoBE]

Hi
Just read your story. I have used a K95 extensively for the past 25 years and love these rifles. Mine however is the full length rifle version not the Stutzen, I have however owner stutzen versions in other European made rifles. Personally I would never fire a rifle resting on a hard surface and expect to hit anything. Rest your hand, hat, or anything soft between the rifle and the surface you are shooting off. If you are sure you pulled a good shot I would be blaming the vibration between the rifle and your resting surface.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Cheers Ken

Thanks Ken,

I’m indeed a bit wary from now on to ever shoot again from the same position. I ‘think’ the shot was good, definitely not so bad to completely miss the animal at 180m. I have taken longer shots than that.

My main reason for the thread was to know if anyone who has a stutzen K95 could test if shots go high when the very tip of the fore end is resting on wood. Or if, as my friend told me, don’t worry about that, it’s made for it (in which case it is indeed my fault, which is fine, but I prefer to keep my confidence).

Cheers,

Vertigo

 

[Frederik]

More importantly now, what rifle ae you brinning in a few days time to the Eastern Cape?

Your answer hard surface and putting pressure on the tip of the rifle !!

 

[K95]

More importantly now, what rifle ae you brinning in a few days time to the Eastern Cape?

Your answer hard surface and putting pressure on the tip of the rifle !!

Thanks Ken,

I’m indeed a bit wary from now on to ever shoot again from the same position. I ‘think’ the shot was good, definitely not so bad to completely miss the animal at 180m. I have taken longer shots than that.

My main reason for the thread was to know if anyone who has a stutzen K95 could test if shots go high when the very tip of the fore end is resting on wood. Or if, as my friend told me, don’t worry about that, it’s made for it (in which case it is indeed my fault, which is fine, but I prefer to keep my confidence).

Cheers,

Vertigo

Hi Vertigo
I m sure that firing off the end cap would fling the bullet anywhere , especially high . You didn’t say you saw where the bullet went so it probably wasn’t to close. No the caps purpose definitely isn’t for shooting off. I’d put it down to experience.
Good hunting
Ken