I am considering a Blaser R95 mainly for deer stalking (eventually chamois) and maybe some wild boar nigth hunting (high seat).
From the calibres offered by Blaser these two seem to me to be, probably, the most appropriate.
Which one would you choose? (If any!)

B.Martins

B. Martins,

I have the 7x57R in my K95 Stutzen (short) and it is a great stalking rifle for European game.

I selected the 7x57R based on the following criteria:
1. A rimmed catridge for a single shot rifle,
3. to match the light, handy rifle,
2. short barrel (19") and,
3. for it's low recoil since my wife occaissionally uses the rifle.

I also vary the bullets to match the game being pursued from 140 grains for Roe Deer to 177 grain TIG's for Wild Boar and Red Stag. I have never felt undergunned and never lost an animal with this rifle although I have never used it in any long(er) range potential situations such as chamois hunting.

I will say that a colleague has a K95 in standard barrel length in .30/06 Sprg. and it kicks and jumps about alot when shot. While I am not particularly recoil sensitive and shoot many high powered calibers the .30/06, as the more powerful 7x65R may detract from pleasurable use due to it's increased power (recoil).

Personally, I'd buy the 7x57R.....you asked!

Gerry

I'm with Gerry on this one - as much I love the 7x65R. The K95 is a pretty light gun, so the less recoil you have to deal with, the less it will jump on you, and the more pleasant the experience will be. In reality, you can do pretty much anything with a 7x57R. For Chamois, there would be better choices - such as a 6.5x57R - but for general hunting, the little seven is hard to beat in a light rifle.
- mike

Martin I agree , the 7x57 it's a good option as you reload no problem to find the right load , 7x64 have more factory loads , the x65 have a lot more recoil , a friend bought one and after testing it send the rifle to made the magnport , with it the rifle reocil more in line , don't hit the checkbone, but still heavy on the shoulder , he opted for a mercury recoil reducer ... if recoil is no problem x 65 if don't want to reload x 65 .

Saludos

daniel

B. Martind,
If you do not reload I would choose the 65mm cartridge.
7x57R factory loads are very, very soft ones.
7x65R are soft, too, but will offer an extra 150fps over the x57R.
Montero

Thank you guys for helping me to decide between the two calibres!
Definitely the R75 will be in 7x57R!

Montero,

I do reload and, almost as a rule, I usually buy the reloading dies first than the rifle itself!
At the moment I have a set of .45/70 dies waiting on my making up my mind between a Marlin and a Winchester lever gun.

B.Martins

b.martins,

Glad we could be of assistance in helping you make your decision.

You received some good advice - the K95 is a VERY light rifle, after all we carry a stalking rifle alot more than we shoot it. The more powerful calibers detract from the pleasure of shooting as it really jumps around on the bags, when shooting from field positions and also the 1" Blaser rings (for a lighter, shorter scope to match the rifle) are higher than 30mm Blaser rings so you have to shoot with a more erect head position which additionally increases felt recoil.

You could also easily get by with either the 140 grain Nosler Partition, or the 126 grain 7mm RS Allzweckgeschoss for most general 7x57R use which would offer premium bullet performance with somewhat increased velocity.

P.S. Get the Marlin Guide Gun in 45/70! It's also a light, handy rifle - there will be recoil to deal with!

Cheers,

Gerry

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gerry:

... or the 126 grain 7mm RS Allzweckgeschoss for most general 7x57R use which would offer premium bullet performance with somewhat increased velocity.

Gerry

---

Gerry, I had never heard of the RS Allzweckgeschooss, can you please give us more information about it?

Thanks,

Montero

I have a K 95 Stutzen in my favorite non magnum calibre, 308 Winchester. It is one of the most accurate hunting rifles I have ever fired. It does not make any difference if I shoot 150, 165/168, or 180 grain bullets.I do not find the recoil to be bothersom at all.
So far I have killed a turkey and a black bear with it. It is becomming one of my favorite rifles.
I have had no problems with the rimless case.

I am a proud owner of the Brno O/U 7x57R. I have shot dozens of deer with it and I am very fond with this caliber. Blaser K95 is a fairly light rifle so my vote goes to 7mm Mauser.

montero,

I apologize for the delayed response about your RS Allzweckgeschosse query (translation: RS All Purpose Bullets).

They have a Website at www.kieferle.com where you can obtain additional information at your lesuire.

The concept of the RS bullet is similar to the GS and Barnes bullets - a solid metal composite bullet.

1. They are a solid metal bullet made of a mixture of copper, zinc, etc. (no lead insert).
2. Double diameter (they are long for the calibers).
3. A sharp forward cutting band. They claim this creates blood flow at the entrance & exit wound instead of only exit wound.
4. Driving bands to reduce bearing surface & pressure.
5. Hollow Point.

The hollow point does not open up and cut, they are made to break off (fragment) as secondary projectiles inside the game causing secondary wounds but leaving the the base of the bullet (@85% of bullet weight) to bore straight through.

The hollow point is also made to accept a stainless steel pin whcih according to the manufacturer then makes the bullet a solid. The pin can be pushed straight into the hollow point cavity in the field so you could use them for Roe Deer (fragmenting) & then to shoot a Fox (solid) with the same bullet.

They are light for their caliber range (46 grains in .224") so velocity is icnreased for the normal range of bullets (easily 3000fps with a 126 grain bullet in the 7x57R). They work great despite their cost and make delightful loads for those who don't want alot of recoil with increased voloctiy. I also use the .224" bullets in the .223 Remington which makes it an effective Roe Deer caliber.

Like other smaller producers they are fairly expensive (E35,- for 50 .224" bullets).

Cheers,

Gerry

N E 450 No2,

I'm sure you've a great light, handy rifle in your Stutzen K95 in .308 Winchester and I've seen more K95's in .308 Win. than any other caliber, this combination must not only be successful but popular for Blaser.

I agree, it offers great killing power in a light, handy, short rifle. Also the bullet weight spectrum in .30 caliber is better IMO than in 7mm. The selection for my 7x57R was simply that my wife uses the rifle occaisionally and I wanted the lightest recoil possible in a "big-game" cartidge for both of us.

I will take exception with you on the rimless cartidge though, I'm sure they all work great but I'll take the rim in a classic single shot every time. I know Ruger #1's, Blaser K95, TC Contender's & Encore's, Comination Guns, Drillings, etc. are all chambered for modern rimless cartidges with their little extractors. If I bought one it would fail me at a critical moment, this has nothing to do with anyone else - simply cause that's the way life's card get delt to me! I guess I COULD get one reamed to fit the .307 Wincheter?

Color me with a rim!,

Cheers,

Gerry

Gerry
If I lived in Europe my K-95 would be in a rimmed cartridge. I chose the 308 as it is the best calibre in the K-95 for me because I have several other rifles in that calibre and I use one at work and for competition.
Over here in the US the classic rimmed cartridges are very difficult to find, which is a pity, however in my wifes drilling [30-06] and with my 308 K 95 I have not had any extraction problems and would not hesitate to recommend that a US shooter get one in a rimless calibre.
Over here most of the Stutzens I have seen have been in 308,243 and 7x57. Most of the regular K 95's have been in 270, but I have seen one in 7MM Mag.
I have been very, very impressed with the accurcy of my K 95. Seven different factory loads from 150 grain to 180 grain bullets have been shot along with one handload that was loaded for another rifle, no 3 shot group hads been over 1 inch at 100 yards. These loads were shot prone off of my hunting pack at several different range sessions. This is no doubt one of the most accurate hunting rifles I have ever fired. For a short, light full stocked, break open rifle these results are hard for me to believe. I need to shoot this rifle at 200 and 300 yards. As I have said before this K 95 is becomming one of my favorite hunting rifles.

N E 450 No2,

You definately have a point about obtaining European rimmed catridges and cases in the US, that could be a show-stopper.

The K95's are accurate, that's for sure.

As for becoming your favorite rifle? A no-brainer - accurate, light, handy, short, you hardly know it's hanging on your shoulder and when it's time to go boom - they deliver.

I travel alot over here and this is one rifle that stowes away so compactly that most folks have no idea I'm traveling with GUN (oh horrors!) I have a Blaser case but try a Boyt's take-down shotgun case, they also work great.

Cheers,

Gerry

Gerry
I have been using Boyts takedown shotgun cases for my doubles for 7 years.I have also discovered they fit not only the K 95, but the Blaser R 93 as well. When I go to Alaska I put 2 rifles in the Boyt cases inside an aluminium case. When I get on the Bush plane I leave the hard case at the airport and put the boyt cased rifles in my duffle bag.
I used a TuffPak when I went to Africa, both doubles were broken down however.

N E 450 No2,

Cool! Great minds think alike!

I haven't tried the R93 Offroad in the Boyt yet but I will and see if it fits - looking at the case right next to me it certainly ought to.

Like yourself I do the train/plane travel with a hard case and then use the softies once the Rhino gets all out of proportion for traveling. Our rental cars in RSA wouldn't even take the Rhino monster.

We were just in France on Monday for a Wild Boar drive and those neat short R93's Blaser cases pack real ggod in the back of the station wagon so no one would even think there would be anything untowards in the car. Can't do that with too many other hard cases. Of course the three guys in the car were wearing RealTree so that wasn't much of a clue!


Bush plane.....? You're definately out of my league, all my Africa trips have simply been civilized Farm Hunting.

I trust the moniker N E 450 No2 has to do with at least one of your doubles?

Cheers,

Gerry

Not knowing how the K95 extractor is configured, is it possible that a K95 chambered for the 7x57R could fire and extract a 7x57 (not rimmed)?

The extractor for a rimmed cartridge is completely static - made in one piece - catching on the rim of the cartridge and pushing/pulling it out from the chamber. The extractor must follow, but not touch the curvature of the case body.Typically, the rim allows about 0.03" - 0.05" of room for the extractor to catch the rim.

On a rimless case, the rim diameter is by and large the same (or smaller - in case of a rebated rim) as that of the case body - actually often about 0.002" larger. The extactor for a rimless case therefore has a springloaded extension, that lodges itself into the extraction groove.

It is extremely unlikely (read: neigh impossible) that the extractor made for a rimmed cartridge on a breaktop gun would work on a rimless cartridge.

- mike

quote:

Originally posted by b.martins:
I do reload and, almost as a rule, I usually buy the reloading dies first than the rifle itself!
At the moment I have a set of .45/70 dies waiting on my making up my mind between a Marlin and a Winchester lever gun.

B.Martins

LOL!!! I like your approach. I may have to adopt it!

Oh, buy a Marlin Model 1895. It's a much nicer rifle, in my opinion, than the Winchester Model 1894.

Saludos desde los Estados Unidos.....

Gerry,
Yes one of my doubles is a British 450 No2.
You will need the medium sized Boyt takedown shotgun case so it will be long enough to hold the stock of the Blaser R 93. In a pinch you could probably shoot the rimless counterpart in a rimmed rifle. I would check the headspace of the cartridge in the chamber, as you will be headspacing on the shoulder instead if the rim.You can probably extract the fired case with you fingernail, but I would have a takedown cleaning rod with me in the field just in case. I would want to test this theory at the range before using it in the field.

N E 450 No2!

Cool! Double rifles, oh how I yearn - I'm still dreaming.....almost bought a Merkel 9.3x74R double once, actually glad I didn't cause if I ever buy a double I would imagine sorta insisting on it being a real British double!

I've got two of Boyt's take-down lengths and I tried it after I got off the computer, you're right the OffRoad stock fits the medium size real good.

Please note the thread about the 7x57 rimless versus the 7x57R was by akriet, not me. I may consider such foolishness and experiment a little but certainly don't talk about it in public places regardless of how harmless it sounds! And yes, I can relate a great hunting story about one of the world's greatest duck hunts (for my other two hunting partners, not me) that I spent standing on the sidelines with a Remington 870 receiver in one hand and the barrel with a stuck 12 gauge shotgun case in the chamber in the other hand! There's never a straight, long stick to be found when you really need one!

HP Shooter & b.martins!

I already conveyed the exact same sentiments about the Marlin vs. the Winchester earlier on.......my problem is the last set of dies I purchased because I couldn't pass them up due to opportunity & price was a set of Lyman .416 Rigby dies......if I use b.martins approach this could get expensive real quick, especially since I'm a lefty and L/H Mauser magmum actions are real pricey even without a barrel and stock attached to it!

Cheers,

Gerry

Something else I like about the K 95 and the R 93 Is the ability to carry a round in the chamber with the rifle uncocked. Very safe.

HP shooter,

Can you think of a better excuse (in case you need one ) to buy a new rifle, than to have a set of dies just laying there on a shelf that “must†be put to some use?

Hunting with your own reloads enhances the satisfaction of bagging any quarry. From the moment I started reloading I stopped using factory loads when hunting.

Regarding the lever action: I have already decided on the Marlin! Will pick it up next week!


B.Martins

quote:

Originally posted by b.martins:
HP shooter,

Can you think of a better excuse (in case you need one ) to buy a new rifle, than to have a set of dies just laying there on a shelf that “must†be put to some use?

No, as a matter of fact, I cannot.......

quote:

Originally posted by Gerry:
b.martins,


You could also easily get by with either the 140 grain Nosler Partition, or the 126 grain 7mm RS Allzweckgeschoss for most general 7x57R use which would offer premium bullet performance with somewhat increased velocity.


Cheers,

Gerry

Do not use that waste of RS-Allzweckgeschosse!

It can not work with that metal-pin.

Take the partition or if you want to use solids, use triple x Shocks, naturalis or KJG.

Have fun with your new K95, i have one in 8x68S but with a big Riflescope and Magnaport...