Who did the threading for your .22 barrel?
Until the BeeMaa factory got (exceedingly late) on-board with 4wd and AWD, I used to LMAO at countless "J-Canoes" as they call 'em in toxic wasteland NJ, wiped out up/down the road (in the snow/rain) otw to and fro working for the man, once upon a time. One current client has a nice, high end BeeMaa 4wd (that his wife in NJ paid for! LMAO) but he can keep it, as it's useless on my fam farms, on backroads in deep mud/snow, and it doesn't pay the med-school bills for my kids! I can beat him in a race w/ a Honda RC211V for less, but more skill. Conspicuous consumption makes up for shortcomings....Now, for the 65K+ USD PHs pay for quality Toyota diesel 4wd rigs over in Africa, I'd be happy to send you some BMWs for use in the bush! 'Any takers?In the same vein as C.W. Richter's comment re. challenging a bit things...
I am amused that just because NWT decided to title his thread "Blaser R8 - Why do African PH’s and Alaskan Bear Guides Choose Not To Use Blaser R8’s?" folks automatically assume that he speaks God's revealed truth.
Allow me to laugh at this assumption
I do not know about Alaskan Bear Guides, so I won't say, but I noted once that before he was paid to carry a Nosler rifle Jim Shockey hunted with a R8, and I even spied it in the bakkie's rack in one relatively recent episode when he hunted Buffalo with the muzzleloader he was then paid to use
But I do know a few African PHs and I can tell you that most do not CHOOSE not to use a Blaser R8, they simply cannot afford it, or more accurately, its advantages are simply not worth their money. Period. End of discussion.
This is something that I really understand, because I personally struggled with the R8 price myself, and only decided that it was worth my money because I am a TRAVELING HUNTER WHO WANTS TO PACK 3 CALIBERS TO AFRICA IN A GUN CASE THAT COMPLIES WITH THE MAXIMUM 62" LINEAR DIMENSION AND MAXIMUM 50 LBS. WEIGHT AIRLINES REQUIREMENTS.
Admittedly, THIS is NOT a critical requirement for most African PHs and Alaskan Bear Guides, hence it is not worth their money. Again, period, end of discussion.
Sure, some PHs and Guides probably have strong feelings against the R8 due to the usual (no CRF, a lot of plastic, etc. etc.) - like some still mourn the Colt 1911 as standard issue and poopoo the Glock - but I suspect that these folks make a very limited percentage of those African PHs and Alaskan Bear Guides who just believe - rightly I might add - that a $1,500 debugged Winchester 70 or CZ 550 in .375 or .458 is all the tool they need to back their clients, and see no earthly need to spend more
And yes, some outfitters/owners/PHs can afford the R8, and by the way one sees them more and more as rifle for hire in Africa, with Zeiss or Swaro glass in general, but the vast majority of young, or not so young, PHs simply do not earn enough from hunting for a R8 to be on the shopping list, and a Toyota Landcruiser ranks much higher. Something that I understand quite well
It is like arguing that because most African PHs or Alaskan Guides do not drive in town with a BMW or Mercedes coupe, it must mean that Beemers and Benz are pieces of crap. Laughable...
For the same amount of $, a dedicated hunter can acquire a custom American rifle built by hand, with better wood, metal, trigger, attention to detail (bedding, scope leveling, action truing, etc. etc.) My 7th sense marketing BS indicator is pegged here. Every single one of my American bolt action rifles, excepting 1 with worn out from use rifling, shoots perfectly and flawlessly every time. Only a required test firing in camp. Handloading will save a bundle on factory ammo (which is NOT as accurate as DIY!) so you can fire away in pre-practice. But, if you're going on a $10K+ safari, a few % spent on factory ammo. by the average hunter should not be a worry.
I'll take a low-mileage Dakota takedown, myself. Buy American (esp. w/ the current @$$hats in-charge!I think what frustrates most R8 owners is that the most outspoken critics of the rifle, like the originator of this thread, have never held, fired, or likely even seen an actual R8. They have allegedly heard or read someone say something negative, and have assumed it must be the truth. Please note our OP didn't really ask a question, but instead made a negative assertion about the rifle's lack of suitability for DG.
The other usual critic owns a CeeZeeRemwinburg and demands validation that it is "just as good" as a R8.
This is a unique forum because it counts among its members quite a few actual R8 owners who have extensive experience with the rifle. That experience often includes dangerous game. Should it be surprise that such assertions generate informed responses?
I am fortunate to own and hunt with a large number of rifles. I love just about all of them. I was in Zambia in August with a Rigby; I shot my last two whitetail with a custom Bradshaw and an Al Lind; and I'll likely bring either my Craig Libhart .404 or William Douglas & Son .470 on my next buffalo hunt. But my "best", most consistently accurate, most practical, and easily transportable rifle is my R8 - by a significant margin.
I should also note, in synthetic guise, it is my "beater" rifle. It is impervious to almost anything.
I will not argue the aesthetics point. I think they can be a quite handsome rifle, but as you correctly note that is opinion. One of mine in its "classic sporter" stock. But aesthetically pleasing or not, it is simply superb.
The argument of the other re: the price of ammo. ? ?? ??? If you're over-paying for a mass-produced rifle, you can either afford the ammo (or you're "house-rich, pocket poor.") LOL We the People suspect that some of the posters are involved in Sales & Marketing of such things, and we don't subscribe. Is the R8 mentioned in any of Kevin Robertson's books on preparing for an African hunt? 
Van at Top Dog Guns Global ordered several of the Blaser 22lr kits and had them threaded all at the same time. I'm not sure who he used.
So, by my calculations, statistically rounded to ZERO by those in the know, the rather biased flaggings amount to essentially 0.002. LOL What does it remind us of? Those politicians and their sponsors that spout about Chinavirus! Please spare us! We can only laugh so much. Yes, selling meds to the avg person works over time if you beat it into their heads. We are not your audience, at all.
'Taking 500 level statistics some years back as part of a rather rigorous training for profit, certain things stick out like the proverbial red thumb! In over 1100 posts, 3 dislikes have been logged by 1 person, at the very same time, over a several year-without-incident period, regarding 1 post, on 1 product most Americans will never, ever consider. It has the same name as CCI's cheapest ammo, so it MUST be pronounced entirely differently!
Wow, I guess I dont understand the above few posts.'Taking 500 level statistics some years back as part of a rather rigorous training for profit, certain things stick out like the proverbial red thumb! In over 1100 posts, 3 dislikes have been logged by 1 person, at the very same time, over a several year-without-incident period, regarding 1 post, on 1 product most Americans will never, ever consider. It has the same name as CCI's cheapest ammo, so it MUST be pronounced entirely differently!
IOW, BS.
(translation) Although i type >100 wpm, there's a limit to the amount of detail I'll waste my energy on, especially if the topic du jour is entirely BS (for the sale.) It was a 30,000 ft perspective-the forest from the trees, and using analogies...CCI blaser pistol ammo ($10) lol Sorry-the Americans will surely get it! Keep on, keeping on!
Quick! Give KR a viggie ($) for his next book!!! L O L 'MuricaI'll take a low-mileage Dakota takedown, myself. Buy American (esp. w/ the current @$$hats in-charge!
I think it is possible he starts drinking this time of evening.
And where's @sestoppelman to correct the spelling and grammar? LOL
Thank you for not understanding. LOL! With one prominent Univeristy professor as 1 parent and a West Point dad that fast became same on the GI Bill, I get that-sometimes. L O L # of posts does not represent omnipitence, but that of which I speak, is TRUTH.I think it is possible he starts drinking this time of evening.
I have no clue what he is talking about.
There are terms regarding this tactic, both military and marketing, and i subscribe to neither.
I'll break it down in simple phonics whenceforth I'm not making $ by not taking advantage of anyone.Thank you for not understanding. LOL! With one prominent Univeristy professor as 1 parent and a West Point dad that fast became same on the GI Bill, I get that-sometimes. L O L # of posts does not represent omnipitence, but that of which I speak, is TRUTH.
lol
Now, who can argue with that?
Absolutely true mate
The Blaser is an amazing gun I am not sure the technological breakthroughs are tactical. I think that if one decided one wanted to create a firearm of entirely novel form, that would address a variety of problems, and then executed on that design in such a masterful way that out of the blue the gun achieved a significant market share in it's niche, that would be a breakthrough. But at a tactical level, in support of one's that finds one afield, I don't see any meaningful advances. Though I suppose one could argue the tactical advantages of skirting a regulatory environment that is prejudiced against the ownership or importation of multiple rifles...
The problem with someone of Don's massive experience is that over the years he said a lot of things. I did come across a pro R8 quote. It was only one comment, if he covered it more completely in the Accuracy forums, I would love to see that. It was, however, framed in the context of his belief that in order to outclass the 9.3x62 in his hands, that on elephant he needed at least a 500 Jeff. Cartridges in between those two he favoured, he did not believe had enough knock out energy to make a move from the 9.3 of any benefit. He could get all the killing power he needed out of the 9.3, but as with the time that elephant stumbled forward onto him, the 9.3 lacked the stopping power. So was the Blaser a means to getting a 500 Jeff, not so much to getting a second shot?
