So, Blaser or Rigby?
I will admit that I was not a Blaser fan until 2019. I've fooled around with them a bit at the gun shop and at shows, but never got to fire one. I love the classic Rigbys.
I got to hunt in the UK for roe deer and muntjac twice in 2019 (April and August). My guide, Ben Heath (who is excellent and very highly recommended) suggested I use his rifle rather than the hassle of traveling with my own. Ben's primary "deer stalking rifle" is a Blaser R8 Professional Success in 6.5x55. It is suppressed and sports a Zeiss Victory V8 4.8-36X56 (34mm tube) with an illuminated #4 reticle. A pretty expensive set-up, and certainly one I wasn't going to turn down. I figure the same set up would run about $8500 without the suppressor. But suppressors are shocking inexpensive outside the US.
I really struggled with the Blaser "safety" the first day I used the rifle. Second day I started to get the hang of it. Fast forward four months to my second trip with Ben and by the fourth day of using the Blaser it was like second nature. I say "safety", but technically it's a cocker/de-cocker I think, which is really handy. I love the idea of walking around with the rifle uncocked until you are ready to fire. I'm sold on the Blaser after using it a couple times. Very accurate, very versatile, great trigger, easily transportable, etc. Lots of reasons to love them.
There are only three (potential) drawbacks as far as I'm concerned:
1. Price. They are expensive. Any/all of it. A second barrel is $1200+ which is as much as many/most full bolt guns. Scope mounts are $450.
2. While the trigger is great, there is a lot of plastic/polymer for an expensive gun and it seems weird to remove the trigger group to get to the magazine. Won't rust or pit, that's for sure.
3. There are a lot of moving parts on a Blaser. It's strongest attribute could be considered a weakness - how eminently customizable it is. But to be that customizable, lots of parts need to move.
With all that said, I very well may own one in the next few years. They are a genius bit of engineering and all the folks that have them seem to love them. Lots of Blaser owners I very much respect as well.
Pic of Ben's Blaser R8 Pro Success. He uses this gun extensively - as in 250+ deer a year in the damp coolness that is England. Never a single hiccup as far as I know. Also pictured are the Viper-flex quad sticks, which are excellent. Bought myself a set after I used them back in April. Shot a roebuck in the neck at 182m and a fox at over 200m. Almost like shooting off a bench.
