What problems have you encountered with your Blaser R8?

[Daisy]

It is a Magnum bolt head which I am using with 6.5 PRC

Will it close fully without ammo?

 

[Muskox]

The only reason I will ever own other bolt action rifles is for the Sniper rifle competitions.

I could be a happy old man with a few R8 receivers 8-10 barrels.

 

[dchamp]

Ah hah, I have had my first and only problem with a Blaser R8, it happened yesterday infact.

I haven’t shot any of my R8’s in a while because I have been playing with some other rifles. Yesterday I decided to go through the R8’s to make sure everything was in good working order since I was planning on working with a new load for a couple of them.

I assembled the first one, close the bolt and pressed the trigger and herd the dreaded thunk/click. I tried to pull the bolt handle back but it didn’t want to move. I thought this isn’t right so I smacked the bolt handle hard with the palm of my hand and it opened. I tried working the action a few more times trying the safety and such but still it would not work properly.

I grabbed another bolt & housing and that worked flawlessly. Then I swaped only the bolt heads and that too worked with the one but not the other. So then I deduced there is a problem with the bolt itself. I decided to first clean the dang bolt head. I grabbed an aerosol can of Bore Tech Blast and flushed any crud out of it. I wiped her down with a q-tip, put a drop of light oil on my finger and lubed any ware marks with it.

Wouldn’t you know, it cured the problem and now it works fine. I quess I should be more diligent in cleaning these darn guns.

 

[30.06king]

Ah hah, I have had my first and only problem with a Blaser R8, it happened yesterday infact.

I haven’t shot any of my R8’s in a while because I have been playing with some other rifles. Yesterday I decided to go through the R8’s to make sure everything was in good working order since I was planning on working with a new load for a couple of them.

I assembled the first one, close the bolt and pressed the trigger and herd the dreaded thunk/click. I tried to pull the bolt handle back but it didn’t want to move. I thought this isn’t right so I smacked the bolt handle hard with the palm of my hand and it opened. I tried working the action a few more times trying the safety and such but still it would not work properly.

I grabbed another bolt & housing and that worked flawlessly. Then I swaped only the bolt heads and that too worked with the one but not the other. So then I deduced there is a problem with the bolt itself. I decided to first clean the dang bolt head. I grabbed an aerosol can of Bore Tech Blast and flushed any crud out of it. I wiped her down with a q-tip, put a drop of light oil on my finger and lubed any ware marks with it.

Wouldn’t you know, it cured the problem and now it works fine. I quess I should be more diligent in cleaning these darn guns.

Also, I found it worth occasionally wiping crud out of the circular recess inside the barrel that the collet expands into. Over time with field use crud will accumulate there and smoother bolt lock up and unlocking is helped by keeping this recess fairly clean.
I'm an R93 owner / user, not R8.

 

[JohnCZ]

I would like to add to my initial response.
The problem with having a Blaser R8 Success timber stock is that I now want an R8 Professional plastic stock which would give me a great poor weather option utilising my already acquired barrels, optics/mounts and cases. Maybe a Savanna stock for my 9.3x62 would be just the trick.
No actual mechanical issues just options.

 

[Skshyk]

I love my R8 have had it for many years no major issues. Only 1 slight complaint is the safety, it takes a bit more effort then I would like to put into fire.

 

[BeeMaa]

I love my R8 have had it for many years no major issues. Only 1 slight complaint is the safety, it takes a bit more effort then I would like to put into fire.

It takes some getting used to, but a few dry fire sessions will have just about anyone sorted out pretty quick.

As soon as I grip the stock, I push the de-cocker forward as I bring the rifle up to my shoulder. Easy to practice even without doing the "fire" portion of a dry fire. Then I release it as it comes down.

 

[Skshyk]

It takes some getting used to, but a few dry fire sessions will have just about anyone sorted out pretty quick.

As soon as I grip the stock, I push the de-cocker forward as I bring the rifle up to my shoulder. Easy to practice even without doing the "fire" portion of a dry fire. Then I release it as it comes down.

Very interesting I’ll try it, but with all this AI talk I was hoping to whisper to it blaser safety off!

 

[gearguywb]

The only issue I have run into is not working the bolt "hard" and then getting the dreaded "click".

 

[BeeMaa]

The only issue I have run into is not working the bolt "hard" and then getting the dreaded "click".

No offense, but that's not a Blaser problem, it's a training issue you need to correct.

The bolt on any rifle (straight pull or traditional) are made to be run hard to ensure proper extraction, ejection, feeding and firing.

 

[gearguywb]

I respectfully disagree. They are meant to be run hard...at the right time. When initially chambering a round in a hunting situation, you don't need to slam a bolt forward in any rifle to insure it is "cocked". The R8 is a bit of a different animal and calls for a different type of manipulation.

It is a different design, and that means there might be different techniques, but it doesn't mean that all bolt guns are the same.

 

[BeeMaa]

I respectfully disagree. They are meant to be run hard...at the right time. When initially chambering a round in a hunting situation, you don't need to slam a bolt forward in any rifle to insure it is "cocked". The R8 is a bit of a different animal and calls for a different type of manipulation.

It is a different design, and that means there might be different techniques, but it doesn't mean that all bolt guns are the same.

I see your point and it is a different animal than a traditional bolt action, but not that much different.

One of the big differences is the R8 is designed to be carried safely with a round in the chamber. Most outfitters and PH's guiding people with traditional bolt action rifles prefer for the client to wait until the game is in sight before chambering a cartridge.

With an R8, all that should need doing is to push the cocking device forward when preparing to shoot. This eliminates the need to slowly & quietly chamber a round when the game is within hearing distance. And possibly cause the malfunction you are talking about.

I've tried for the past 10 minutes to close the bolt so slowly that the action would close, but the gun wouldn't fire. Hasn't happened yet, but I'm not discounting your experiences. Pushing (not slamming) the bolt all the way forward resulted in the firing pin dropping when the trigger was pulled.

If you can, load up a video of what you have experienced as I've been unable to replicate this scenario.

Or maybe take a look at post #63 from @One Day...

Dispassionately understanding the "Blaser click" and the difference between R93 and R8



Operating words: "using reloaded ammunition".

Here is what happens, in as concise a form as possible:

The R8 bolt locks when the collet (green) is expanded outward by a steel sleeve (Orange) that is pushed forward by the in-line forward rotation of the bolt handle.
View attachment 601875
THIS IS DONE IN THE LAST HALF INCH OF BOLT HANDLE FORWARD ROTATION, when the bolt head advances forward about 1/128th of an inch.

If the last half inch of bolt handle forward rotation is not done, the action LOOKS closed, but it is not:

View attachment 601880

If the trigger is depressed at this stage, this is the dreaded "Blaser click". The firing pin is released (just as it can be released with a turn bolt by depressing the trigger while closing the bolt), but it is blocked by its safety block and stops short of striking the primer.

View attachment 601881

The two most classic ways for the "click" to happen are:

1) The use of reloaded ammo either not fully re-sized, or incompletely fully-resized. The case does not penetrate completely in the chamber, the bolt head does not penetrate the last ~1/128th, the collet does not line up with its barrel recess, and the action does not close although it looks closed at a glance. The action is not in battery, therefore the safety block stops the firing pin.​

​

2) Hunters loading a round in the chamber in close proximity of a game they have stalked and trying to do it ever so delicately in complete silence. Because there is marked mechanical stage after the bolt is partially closed, before it is locked by the bolt handle rotating forward the last half inch, some new Blaser users have failed to actually close the bolt fully. The action is not in battery, therefore the safety block stops the firing pin.​

The infamous "Blaser click" likely annoys reloaders, and probably cost a few R8 novices an easy shot after a successful stalk, but it is the result of operator error and - most importantly - it mechanically cannot result in a detonation out of battery on the R8.


The big difference with the R93 is that the locking mechanism was different in three significant ways:

1. There was no sleeve pushing the collet outward. The collet itself (red) was pushed forward by the rotation of the bolt handle and slid upward on the ~50⁰ ramp of the bolt.
2. The locking surface of the collet, and the locking surface of the barrel were also slanted at ~50⁰ which made both locking AND UNLOCKING easier.
3. The firing pin was slightly indenting the primer of the cartridge when the trigger was depressed while the action was not locked.

View attachment 601883

While I have no direct personal knowledge of any of the accidents, it is factual that some R93 fired out of battery, and it seems factual based on the various reports that the R93 accidents were caused by the use of reloaded ammunition.


I am speculating that it was possible with the R93 to get to the exactly wrong combination of events:

i) to push the bolt forward enough on an oversized case so that the collet could partially slide in the barrel locking recess along the ~50⁰ ramp;​

​

ii) that a primer not deeply seated could be indented deeply enough by the firing pin to detonate;​

​

iii) that the absence of the steel sleeve under the collet could allow the collet to flex under the pressure of the out of battery firing, slid back on the ~50⁰ ramp, and disengage from the partial lock.​

It is my personal analysis that the addition of the steel sleeve under the collet, and the near ~90⁰ locking edge of the collet make the R8 as different from the R93 as a Mauser (18)98 is from a Mauser 1871, in as much as they prevent a partial lock. The collet is either expended outward in the barrel recess and cannot flex back inward due to the presence of the sleeve, or it is not. There is no in between.


I hope this was of interest.

 

[Daisy]

I see your point and it is a different animal than a traditional bolt action, but not that much different.

One of the big differences is the R8 is designed to be carried safely with a round in the chamber. Most outfitters and PH's guiding people with traditional bolt action rifles prefer for the client to wait until the game is in sight before chambering a cartridge.

With an R8, all that should need doing is to push the cocking device forward when preparing to shoot. This eliminates the need to slowly & quietly chamber a round when the game is within hearing distance. And possibly cause the malfunction you are talking about.

I've tried for the past 10 minutes to close the bolt so slowly that the action would close, but the gun wouldn't fire. Hasn't happened yet, but I'm not discounting your experiences. Pushing (not slamming) the bolt all the way forward resulted in the firing pin dropping when the trigger was pulled.

If you can, load up a video of what you have experienced as I've been unable to replicate this scenario.

Or maybe take a look at post #63 from @One Day...

That’s a good point Bee. I have found you can close the bolt slowly but as long as you push it hard forward after closed it will fire reliably.

 

[godwincp]

The only issue I have with my two R8’s is constantly buying more barrels. I just returned from Nyakasanga and my 20.5” factory 375 barrel was a joy to carry and shoot.

 

[Charlieboy]

I do not understand what you are writing about in the first question. I assume operator error.

The second question is also operator error. You need a very thin bladed Blaser screwdriver to tighten down the rings to the barrel.

Just purchased R8 problems with ammo owned R93 for 10 years same recipe on homeloads not one problem. Tight chamber is the issue standard full sizing does are no good.problem solved by using small base full sizing dies or new factory ammo .fantastic rifles would no hesitate to recommend

 

[TOBY458]

I’ve never had to run my R8s hard at all to make them cycle correctly. Just a firm push forward until the bolt comes to a firm stop. I’ve never had any of mine to misfire or misfeed in any way.
I do get why some people see them as very untraditional, and I understand that sentiment myself. I find myself drawn more toward traditional bolt action rifles as well. But one simply can’t deny that the R8 does everything it claims to do. That’s probably why I have four of them at the moment.