Yes to all your questions
Chago
1) As I posted elsewhere,
you can use the following Blaser "menu" to build whatever rifle you want:
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Within a few oz. all calibers barrels weigh more or less the same weight in each "standard", "semi-weight" or "safari/Selous" contour.
For example, a .300 mag configuration on the alloy receiver stock and with a typical American scope will be:
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2) It is indeed possible to use one scope for all barrels, but it is inconvenient. Not only would you need to re-sight the scope for each ballistic curve, but I have also noticed that you would need to adjust the mount tension going from one barrel to another, which does cause a small change of point of impact.
The solution is obviously to have one scope per barrel, but you can also have two scopes per barrel if appropriate. For example, my own semi-weight .375 H&H R8 barrel wears:
--- one Leica ER i 2.5-10x42 with BDC ring custom engraved to the 300 gr TSX clocked in my barrel for any PG out to any reasonable hunting distance, and buffalo in herds. This configuration also gives me the light gathering (42 mm objective) that I am likely to need for cats, and it only takes 7 clicks down to move from the TSX zero to the faster-opening 300 gr Partition zero (the Barnes TSX factory load clocks slower in my barrel than the Federal Partition load).
--- one Leica Magnus i 1-6x24 sighted with 350 gr Woodleigh FMJ solid for elephant (as a backup to my .470 K gun should a dream 60 pounder walk across a clearing and I cannot close on him at less than 50 yards), and 350 gr Woodleigh RN SN (round-nose soft-nose) for hippo body shots on land or dagga boy outside of a herd, should I not use my .470 K gun. The RN SN and FMJ shoot to the same point of aim, and one RN SN followed by FMJ make sense in this scenario.
3) Being able to use a 3 rifles - or at least a 2 rifles / 3 calibers - battery is
THE reason I transitioned to the Blaser R8...
Blaser R8 + Krieghoff Big Five = 3 calibers to Africa in a rifle case <50 lbs. and <62" linear...
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Depending on the hunt:
Light rifle - The
.257 Wby 100 gr TTSX is absolutely devastating on all small & medium PG and likely one of the very best for mountain hunting (Vaal Rhebok, Mountain Reedbuck, Mountain Nyala, etc. as well as Himalayan Tahr, European Chamois, American Mountain Goat, etc.) and it shoots laser flat out to 400 yards with barely any recoil to notice (equivalent .270 Win) which makes it
extremely easy to shoot well.
Medium rifle - Two options, depending on the hunt:
- The .300 Wby is by a large consensus the best .300 there is when combining reach, power, and ammo availability. It does everything with a modern 165 gr TTSX or a more traditional 180 gr Partition, and hits a tremendous blow with a 200 gr AFrame. You can replace the .300 Wby with a .300 Win if you prefer. Either are needlessly powerful for small and medium PG species, but shine on the larger ones (Kudu, Wildebeest, etc. as well as European or New Zealand Red Deer, American Elk, etc.).
- The .375 H&H satisfies all minimum legal requirements for DG and has done it all for over 100 years. It is certainly not ideal for climbing mountains after Vaal Rhebok, or stopping a charging Buffalo, but it can do both in a pinch. It is perfect with a 300 gr TSX or AFrame on Lion, undisturbed Buffalo, Eland, etc. and on Leopard too with a faster opening 300 gr Partition.
Heavy rifle - There is no question that a .416 Rem or .458 Lott barrel for the R8 would do just fine, but to me the double
.470 NE is likely the quintessential rifle for elephant, buffalo - and we might as well add hippo on land - up close & personal in thick bush or Jess. In addition, to me a true DG rifle should also be a "stopper," and while the .375 is a great killer, it is admittedly on the light side as a charge stopper.
Sure, the .375 H&H could do it all, but the .257 Wby is such a sweet, easy to shoot, and devastatedly efficient caliber, and the .470 NE double is so much the "proper" rifle to hunt Buff and Ele that what why not bring them all when a solution finally exists to transport them easily in a rifle case that meets the <50 lbs. and <62" linear dimension airlines requirements
PS: I also have a
.223 Rem barrel for inexpensive but realistic unlimited training shooting standing off the sticks out to 300 yards. I reckon it was probably one of my smartest R8 purchasing decisions...
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