Picked up a Blaser BBF97 the other day in 20g/6.5X55. I needed it real bad because I had a nice Blaser case and nothing to go in it.



Got it on paper at 52 yards and shot one shot with the 6.5 and one 2 3/4 Brenneke slug

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1st shot at 100 yards.

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2 3/4 buckshot at 25 yards

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3 inch number 5 turkey load at 25 yards.

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Here are three rounds loaded with 45 Grains of Winchester supreme 780, 160 grain Hornady and Lapua brass ready to try as soon as the weather gets better.

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Looks nice Ron, glad you found something to put in that case.

What is the make of your front rest? And do you like it or does it have any drawbacks? I like the way the two front feet are positioned out of the way, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

quote:

Originally posted by Dom:
Looks nice Ron, glad you found something to put in that case.

What is the make of your front rest? And do you like it or does it have any drawbacks? I like the way the two front feet are positioned out of the way, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

It is one of those that the owner of Midway makes.It works pretty well, the adjustments could be a little more precise. I am probably going to get one of the Sinclair rest so you can quickly change out the tops as I have lot of different shaped forends.

Been playing with my load in the BBF97 today.I think I might just about have it.

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That would get it done. It looks like a shooter.

I'm getting a real strong itch for a combo gun but would like to ease my way into this. What starters are recommended?
I presume Savage will be on the list. What others?

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
I'm getting a real strong itch for a combo gun but would like to ease my way into this. What starters are recommended?
I presume Savage will be on the list. What others?

The cheapest combo that really is a good gun to own, and will shoot with the most expensive combo's made, are the Valmet 412's.

They really are a "best buy" for a work gun!

That Savages aren't even on the same page!

DM

Are they or were they at one time labeled Tikka?

quote:

I needed it real bad because I had a nice Blaser case and nothing to go in it.

Hard to argue with that kind of reasoning.....

Very Nice; the Combo Rifle, the Case & the Results.

Those Hornady 160's are hard to beat in a 6.5x55 or 6.5x57 - great bullets.

Have fun with your new aquisition!

I found this "Treasure" in the junk pile at a local gunshop. It looked pretty abused & nasty; whatever was growing inside/outside of it appeard to be outa culture from a "Gone Wrong" biological experiment. The Salesamn waved me off when I asked how much? He told me I could pack it in with some other purchases we had made that afternoon.

At home and about an hour's worth of Saddle Soap and TLC - the result.



L-2-S's sage Quote:

quote:

Wot chew talkin bout?? Dats mah Pimp drilling!

I now have the appropriate Pimp Leather Drilling/Single Shot Case! I guess I could carry a Pool Que in it, too!

Very nice Gerry,
Now if I could only get you to trade me your LH buttstock that's on your stutzen for my RH buttstock on my Stutzen, we'd both be really happy.

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
Are they or were they at one time labeled Tikka?

Valmet of Finland was the inventer and origional mfg. of the 412's.. They sold the line out, and they are now built in Italy and called Tikka 512's.

Personally, i think the 412's are better guns than the 512's, and there's some VERY good deals on 412's out there...

DM

Congrats!! Nice gun and a great caliber for NA.

BBF were pretty popular in Germany when I lived there and there are a couple of models that seem to remain favored and have held value well...the Sauer Model 54 and the Heym Model 55. Not seen too often in North American calibers but you do see them occasionally in '06 or 243. I would be partial to the 7 x 65R and then maybe have a barrelled insert in 22 Savage Hi Power for that coyote that walks by the stand!!!

Ron,

Love the gun I think the combo is perfect! Glad it shoots good.

Wish I could be at the hunt this year and shoot that beauty!

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by DM:

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
Are they or were they at one time labeled Tikka?

Valmet of Finland was the inventer and origional mfg. of the 412's.. They sold the line out, and they are now built in Italy and called Tikka 512's.

Personally, i think the 412's are better guns than the 512's, and there's some VERY good deals on 412's out there...

DM

What would you consider to be a good deal?

quote:

What would you consider to be a good deal?

Well, a friend of mine just bought a VERY nice 412 in 12ga./30-06 for $700.00 about a week ago. I'd call that a good deal...

DM

quote:

Originally posted by ron williams:
Been playing with my load in the BBF97 today.I think I might just about have it.

That groups looks as though the gun will get the job done.
How is the extraction with the rimless case?
I usually advocate rimmed cases in a break open gun, but rimmed ammo and components can be hard to find here in OZ.
A 6.5x55 like that would be nice to ease the logistics...

It is now official that I am getting a BBF 97 "shorty" in 12 ga over 308.

Thanks to Ron, I am getting exactly what I want, and it should only take 90-120 days to get it.

Jeff,

Great!

We expect to see a photo similar to the one Ron posted above from you, too.....

quote:

90-120 days

Don't forget!

Very nice looking gun. More traditional looking than most Blaser products.

Blaser Combo guns....

Their rifled barrels seem to shoot not as good as most bolt rifles....

They shoot BETTER.
I CANNOT EXPLAIN IT, bit they ALL seem to be "tack drivers".

I chose the 6.5X55 becuase it is a round I have gotten used to loading ammo for the last few years.And Lapua brass are fairly easy to obtain. So far the extraction is very positive and has given me no trouble. I plan on ordering another set of barrels in the next year in a 12 gage/9.3X74R. The 8X57JRS was in contention but I feel I have made the best choice for me.

Ron
I would agree, if you have a 6.5x55, then the logical step up would be to the 9,3x74R.

However I am not sure if you can go to the 12ga as your SGN bbl, since your BBF is a 6.5x55/20ga.

I just do not know????

If so, there is nothing wrong with a 9,3x74R/20ga.

Ron,

quote:

in a 12 gage/9.3X74R

+2!

Good choice!

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:

However I am not sure if you can go to the 12ga as your SGN bbl, since your BBF is a 6.5x55/20ga.

According to the Australian distributor, it's the same frame for all the caliber/gauge combinations in the 95/97 series.

quote:

Originally posted by ron williams:

So far the extraction is very positive and has given me no trouble.

Excellent to hear. I believe next one I order will be something a little easier to feed here in OZ than the 7x57R/12.
Maybe a 6.5x55SE, or a 243 Win with a 12g shot BBL.
That should cover everything from rabbits to Fallow deer. And ease logistics when away from major cities...

Can you use the shotgun effectively with rifle sights? Never tried wingshooting with a combo gun before.

I've used both Drillings and Combo rifles for birds - works great. On the Drilling we could fold the rear sight down and on the Combo, with the more "fixed" sights it didn't make any difference at all.

One time we even tried a Drilling with the scope on it at a Wobble Trap range - if you could manage to pick up the clay in the scope's field of view - they were smoked.

quote:

Originally posted by Mikelravy:
Can you use the shotgun effectively with rifle sights? Never tried wingshooting with a combo gun before.

Not so bad. I have a big aperture mid-barrel on my Savage 24V, and can follow a duck with it...

thanks for the replies I should try some clay bird shooting with one sometime before I buy one, if possible

quote:

Originally posted by Mikelravy:
Can you use the shotgun effectively with rifle sights? Never tried wingshooting with a combo gun before.

Yes indeed. I used mine for Duck season this year, the only drawback was the lack of a quick second shot for duck. I had plenty of chances for 2 birds, but no means of taking them.

Still, the Fallow deer on the way back to the car kind of took the sting out that...

That, and the redfin from the dam made for a very good day.

I have not found the rifle sights to be a problem while wing shooting.

Also I have taken several ground birds like turkey and grouse with the scope on the gun.

I made an email today to get a set of synthetic stocks from Germany. I plan on using this gun a substantial amount. The other day while testing buckshot loads the gun fell from the rifle rest and put a couple of marks so small I would probably have to show you where they were but I was just sick about it. Most of my bolt guns are now synthetic, it was a hard change for me as I really love the wood stocks but I really like hunting in rough spots and would rather concentrate on hunting than worry about getting a nick or gouge in a beutiful stock.

I also have a Doctor optics red dot and a mount lined out to use when I am stalking in medium to heavy cover.will shoot clay birds with the Doctor to get used to fast shooting with the red dot.

ron

I will be waiting to see how the "Plastic" stocks look and how you think they "feel".

Its the same material used in the Offroad stock.

The same maker that makes Blasers Offroad stock, makes stocks for the K95, drilling and kombies...

Sadly, I dont remember the web adress.

Here is Nowak's site.

Nowak Stocks

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
ron

I will be waiting to see how the "Plastic" stocks look and how you think they "feel".

Hopefully I can do that before Dave has me tar and feathered for something I did not do. Oh well.

I got the firm price on the stocks today. I am going to have to sleep on it a day or two as it is about 300.00 more than I was thinking it would be.

Ron, thier price is higher that I thought they would be as well.

I can say I hunted with my wood stocked R 93 in Alaska, and it was in rain for 10 or so days.

It was a tent camp and it never did really dry out.

The wood still looks perfect, like it never got wet.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
ron

I will be waiting to see how the "Plastic" stocks look and how you think they "feel".

If God had wanted us to have plastic stocks, he'd have planted plastic trees
Just MHO.. FWIW...

I really wanted a synthetic stock for the BBF 97 that I have ordered, but for over $800 US, I believe I can get by with the factory wood stock.