Help me plan a Blaser R93 battery

Short term, I plan to get an R93 in .270 Win and the .22 LR barrel set up for hunting in Texas only for nothing larger than mule deer. Later, in 2-3 years, I plan to get a second R93 and 3 more barrels - .30-06, .338 Win. Mag. Semi-weight, and .375 H&H safari weight.

Should I:

1) Get both with wood stocks. First with std forend and 2nd with semi-wt/safari wt forend, so I can swap bolts/triggers/barrels/forends as needed to get one working in case of breakage during a hunt and always have a close fitting forend.

2) Get both synthetic stocked. First with std forend and 2nd with semi-wt/safari wt forend, so I can swap bolts/barrels but triggers-forends as a unit as needed to get one working in case of breakage during a hunt. Have correct fitting forend in all cases, but if I have a trigger problem with the frame with big/semi-safari wt barrel channel then the mag barrels can’t be used.

3) Get both synthetic stocked. Both with semi-wt/safari wt forend, so I can swap bolts/barrels/ triggers-frames as needed to get one working in case of breakage during a hunt. Have to live with forend gap all the time with std wt barrels, but everything is plug & play.

I don't know how recoil shy you are, but if that is not too much of a problem, I would personally *not* get the .375 H&H in the safari contour! A semi-weight contour would do just fine for this caliber - in terms of recoil management and (increased) accuracy chances compared to a standard barrel contour.

The safari contour guns get VERY heavy, and IMHO are really only sensible for calibers such as the .416 Rem.

I have a 9.3x62 (almost the same bore diameter as the .375 H&H, and thus approximately the same weight) in semi-weight. The barrel shoots really, really well and the extra weight in the barrel keeps muzzle flip down. I brought the gun to Africa last year, and I would not want a heavier gun if I had to do any amount of hunting on foot - at least not for a caliber like the .375 H&H.

An acquaintance has a .375 H&H with a safari contour barrel - if you like dragging varmint weight guns around, go for it, otherwise think hard... I have a .375 H&H barrel in a standard contour, it is nicer to carry than the semi-weight and it balances better, but the semi-weight does have advantages in terms of shooting.

I'm a "synthetic man" when it comes to stocks, so I guess I would buy 2 synthetic stocks. The idea of plug and play across two stocks is nice, but requires that you always travel with two stocks. I would probably get one stock inletted for a standard contour barrel, and the other for semi-weight (or Safari/taget/varmint if you think that might be in the cards). That will still leave you with an awful lot of flexibility.

Your choice

- mike

Thanks MHO,

I think I'll probably take your advice on the stocks for now. But I'll stay open for a few more days to see any further arguments before I order. I've got at least a couple of years to decide whether to go with the semi wt or safari .375 barrel.

How do the camo Professional stocks looks up close?

I second MHO's advise. The .375 is not bad at all in the standard contour in my opinion. I just acquired a new Proffessional stock and prefer it over the other two stocks I own (standard synthetic & wood).

Good luck!

First take just one stock and one barrel - regular contour in .270 if you wish or .30-06 maybe .308 - my first barrel was 8x68S until I got 9.3x62 from then on 8mm is picking up dust - I'd take 9.3x62 or .375 H&H from the start now - the rest will follow - or not. If you still insist on second barrel - I wouldn't bother with .22 l.r. - I'd take 222 or 243. Back when I was buying R93 there was no Pro. stock just Offroad - with sweaty or wet hands it is slippery. Nowadays I'd get a Pro. - Natural stone - IMO R93 is "realy pure" with sinthetic stuff - but hey - thats just me and I like the idea of one rifle .

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Mouse93,

The R93 with 270 barrel will take care of all my Texas hunting. But from now until I retire in 5 years I will only be stateside on leave a few weeks a year. Often time, weather, and opportunity conspire to prevent me from getting to an outdoor range. The .22 LR set up will allow me a lot of practice and familiarization with the R93 at indoor ranges that I otherwise wouldn't get.

The second frame and other barrels will come along years later when I am getting closer to retirement when I'll have time to hunt elk ('06) or big bear (.338WM) in other states or if I get to visit my friends with retirement homes in South Africa and try for cape buff (.375H&H). Each of the post .270 calibers would be obtained if and when it looked like they would get used. Obviously for once in a lifetime Alaskan or African hunts, a spare rifle makes sense to me.

You have to squeeze in Australia and PNG for some Asiatic buff as well.

B-J,

I admire your calculated planning, my Blaser R93 started as one rifle and has managed to manifest itself into a entire collection - beware, owning a Blaser with it's component/modular concept slowly becomes an affliction.

Mike is very knowledgable when it comes to Blaser R93's; his assembled Bits & Pieces shadowing mine considerably. Mouse93's 9.3x62 barrel adornes the Euro Forum with his hunting exploits and a friend's 9.3x62 barrel is also his favorite and has made the trek to RSA. If I didn't have the .375H&H; the 9.3 would suffice in every stead. A .338 Win. Mag. is probably more of a good thing, too.

Like Mouse alluded to, I use the .222 Rem., .223 Rem & .243 Win. barrels much more than I initially contemplated. For eaxample, the .243 Win. barrel already packed for next weeks Namibia departure with the .375H&H for Springbok culling. If there is Varmint shooting, Coyote hunting or similar in your cards a .224" or .243" barrel would be a big plus.

I've never seen a standard weight (or any other contour) Blaser barrel that wouldn't shoot very respectably (right at MOA) with good factory ammo or reloads from the Get-Go; personally the Semi-Weights, Safari-Weights are nothing more than marketing measures designed to part the Client with his hard-earned cash. I find both heavier than I'd prefer for carrying.

As for the Camo Stocks; Blaser offered a Timber something or other Wood-Colored synthetic stock and everyone of those I've seen had the coloring worn off after only one season's hard use; hopefully they've improved their stock colors scheme. The OffRoad & Professional don't suffer such.

Have Fun with your Blaser planning - I considered mine seriously for a year or two before making the plunge and am pleased I did so.

Jack:

I did it a bit differently. I picked up a used Prestige frame with a standard barrel contour forearm that was in really nice shape and then I only added two barrels, a 9.3X62 and a 30-06. I figure with that package, a guy could hunt the world.

I was a huge fan of the .375 H&H but after having a 9.3X62 I believe that with the really great bullets we have available today, the metric cartridge will do all that the .375 will do and it makes up into a much trimmer, more portable package with a lot less recoil.

Beware, these Blasers are really addictive

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Originally posted by Gerry:
B-J,


As for the Camo Stocks; Blaser offered a Timber something or other Wood-Colored synthetic stock and everyone of those I've seen had the coloring worn off after only one season's hard use; hopefully they've improved their stock colors scheme. The OffRoad & Professional don't suffer such.

Have Fun with your Blaser planning - I considered mine seriously for a year or two before making the plunge and am pleased I did so.

Gerry,

The Professional is now offered in Slate Gray, Natural Stone, and Dark Green solid colors in addition to "Mossy Oak" Camo and "Signal" (safety orange) Camo. If the Camo's don't hold up, what is the best solid color for the Professional for Texas terrain (Mostly East, South, & Central)?

Other than the .270 & .22LR, which I paln to order in the next couple of weeks, this forum probably has at least a year or more to change my mind on any other calibers. So no hurry there.

So now narrowing down the stock choice is key.

The only reason I would buy a receiver or fore end for a safari contoured barrel is if I had my heart set on a .416 Rem. Mag.

Otherwise, I have found the normal contour is very light and accurate in five calibers running from .25-06 to .375 H&H Mag.

A 270 and 9.2x62 ought to cover all your bases unless regulations stipulate something larger, in which case a 416 Rem might be an even better choice than a 375 H&H for the ursos and syncerus. As for stocks get the synthetic professional, as Momma used to say "Pretty is as pretty does."

That said, I met a couple fellas in the RSA who use only a 375 H&H for everything and want for nothing. With the money you save buying only one rifle you can make a down payment on an R93 Selous...and that nifty 22 rimfire adapter of course.

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The Professional is now offered in Slate Gray, Natural Stone, and Dark Green solid colors in addition to "Mossy Oak" Camo and "Signal" (safety orange) Camo. If the Camo's don't hold up, what is the best solid color for the Professional for Texas terrain (Mostly East, South, & Central)?

B-J,

The Slate Gray, Natural Stone & Dark Green Professionals appear, like the Black OffRoad to be dyed-in colors. Scratches, nicks & Wear/Tear hardly noticable. I find these three color pallettes currently offered to be quite attracticve & functional. It would be beyond my remit to suggest a stock for Texas but again, I consider these three "standard" Professional colors to be really good-looking.

The Timber Stock appears to have been removed from the market - at least I haven't seen one in a store in years. A friend had one and the "Foil" (for lack of a better term) that the Stock had applied to it wore off quickly.

I really can't comment on the Safety Orange or the Mossy Oak cammo'ed stocks because other than giving them a casual glance (walking-by) at Trade Shows & Conventions I've never had one in my hands.

European tastes tend to the conservative - I've never seen one of the Cammo'd stocks either Mossy Oak or Orange in a Store or in the Field here.