Blaser R8 Reloading

[Konrad.inc]

I’m in the process of putting my R8 together and I’m curious if you can load an R8 as hot as bolt action rifles? I know there are even differences between say a Remington 700 and a Tikka T3…..but how does the R8 rate?

[ebrownw2]

I have no idea, but I know the answer.

Start with the minimum load in the reloading manual and work up in .00000005 grain increments, checking for signs of pressure after each shot. Never exceed maximum loads in manuals. Wear eye and hearing protection. Say 100 Ave Marias a day. Use JB’s bore paste often with a righteous purpose. Always use a minimum of a 700 Nitro Express when hunting Sambar. Preferably from an aftermarket J. Sip barrel.

[ebrownw2]

Thought of a couple more.

Never clean your rifle.

Clean your rifle after every shot.

Or once a year.

[Konrad.inc]

I’ll clean the Blaser as much as my FTR rifle or my service rifle……which is pretty much never. I’m not worried about how to load for it, just wanting to know if there are long term problems with continued hot loads.

[Gamsjagd]

Sambar, man I wish I was hunting sambar right now.

We used to hunt a big open hops farm on the Vic/NSW border.

I never killed a stag, but there were nice ones killed. Could have killed a few hinds, and should have. Left Australia without killing one.

We have them in 3 herds in America as ferals, and on some game ranches in Texas. Our biggest ones are as good as the stags in New Zealand. The game ranch ones, and the ones on St Vincent in Florida are more like the sambar in Australia.

The feral ones are in Florida, California and in Texas near Houston on state land.

Florida and Texas are on a draw, that has one in 4000 odds.

California is on private land and about $15,000.

[Vaughan]

I’m in the process of putting my R8 together and I’m curious if you can load an R8 as hot as bolt action rifles? I know there are even differences between say a Remington 700 and a Tikka T3…..but how does the R8 rate?

Not sure this is the answer you're after but.... they are tested and approved for the pressures generated by the round the bbl is designed to shoot. There is no reason to think or evidence to suggest the mechanism of an R8 would become unsafe with max loads. Beyond max loads, well, then you're into suck it and see territory just as you are with any other mechanism. I understand your point that some actions can take more pressure beyond the recommended max for that cal than others but that always means you need work up carefully regardless of the reputation or otherwise of the rifle/mechanism brand... I've put a lot of high pressure rounds through my various R93 bbls without any long-term wear issues that I have observed - and the R8 is supposed to be stronger.

All of which is a long way of saying if you work up your loads carefully as you would with any other rifle you will produce excellent and safe loads.

[pagosawingnut]

I stick to the reloading manuals and have a lot of loads at, or near, max. zero issues.

[stokesrj]

The R8 is a very strong action, much stronger than the brass case, which is the limiting factor. I routinely find accuracy nodes above what some manuals say, I have about ten or 12 manuals and they never agree.

[9.3x64]

The R8 is a very strong action, much stronger than the brass case, which is the limiting factor. I routinely find accuracy nodes above what some manuals say, I have about ten or 12 manuals and they never agree.

Yeah I agree. I to have found several accuracy nodes above max in many reloading manuals. Not saying I encourage this practice, but it certainly has been my experience with the R8.
My 7x64 is a typical example.
I have read that the R8 action was tested to over the limit of the German proof house, at which point testing was stopped.

[stokesrj]

Yeah, we can’t really say that can we? The reloading brown shirts will get us
Seriously, I would never encourage anyone to go over max loads as listed in the manual, but which manual, the bullet manufacturers manual, the powder manufacturers manual, or the many other manuals. I actually pay more attention to the bullet manufacturers manual first and the powder manufacturers manual second and then the rest on down the line. One of my best all time loads that I have shot more than 30,000 rounds of in competition and practice for competition is above max in both the bullet and powder manufacturers data, yet I have experienced no negative results, and only positive effects with long brass life and great accuracy. Yet, I would encourage no one with less than 20 years reloading experience to follow suite.

[Vaughan]

Yeah, we can’t really say that can we? The reloading brown shirts will get us

Knock knock.....