Thoughts on the various modern straight pull rifles from Blaser, Merkel, Sauer etc?
- Thread starter Northern Shooter
- Start date
sixgunner357
Member
I also have been very interested in the unique features of a straight pull so have recently purchased a Heym SR30 in 300 Win. Hopefully I’ll be able to report back on it! I like the roller ball lock-up and the way you can have the action closed but the mainspring decocked.
We borrowed three Strasser RS700 for display in our stocks at the Hohe Jagd in Austria last month. In the 4 days we had plenty time to play around with them. If straight pull then the Strasser, Rem 700 footprint, M5 Floorplate, Rem 700 type Trigger / Timney Elite Hunter fitted. These actions are ultra smooth. I have a R8 at home but never fired it, as I don't like it, they don't even have a safety.
edi
Congrats to those hunters who have never needed a follow-up shot
Me, I've witnessed too many golf shots and prefer to have a second round ready to go asap, so the straight pull has some appeal, very easy to reload and make ready while at the shoulder with a good sight picture
Me, I've witnessed too many golf shots and prefer to have a second round ready to go asap, so the straight pull has some appeal, very easy to reload and make ready while at the shoulder with a good sight picture
I'm kind of obsessed with the Strasser rs-700's
I like how you can get their other rifles with the straight bolt knob like a ross. I wonder if that's an option for the rs 700
Wolverine has them for reasonable prices for straight pulls.
I like how you can get their other rifles with the straight bolt knob like a ross. I wonder if that's an option for the rs 700
Wolverine has them for reasonable prices for straight pulls.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I handled a blaser 93 that I should have bought. Nosebleed money for blaser of course, but you get the switch barrel capacity. I know in some euro countries, there is a limit to how many firearms one can own, think that was the source for Tradex guns. Not sure if a switch barrel would count as one firearm.
Dufalteinde
New member
personally, I do not see the appeal of them in Canada, where semiauto like the bar (not the ww2 one) is legal to use, with a custom mag well you can run box mags. but the blazer sure is lighter and easier to carry, I assume with a straight pull you want to shoot fast. What I don't like is the bolt still require a bit of force to unlock and cycle and that throws me off with high magnification. can't say its better than a well polished bolt action.
I want to like the savage because of the modern features like swappable bolt handle, but blazer action is so much nicer, lot less force required to cycle, 4x the price however. with this turdope pos gone I think we will be safe for a few years... NZ is rolling back the gun bans. AU is still fked though.
I want to like the savage because of the modern features like swappable bolt handle, but blazer action is so much nicer, lot less force required to cycle, 4x the price however. with this turdope pos gone I think we will be safe for a few years... NZ is rolling back the gun bans. AU is still fked though.
I never really thought of them as an alternative to the semiautos for hunting but that makes sense for the countries with those prohibitions.
I just thought of them as a slicker bolt actions in a lightweight, shorter OAL package that was ideal for quick follow ups.
I think I'm going to go with a Merkel Helix in either 338WM or 9.3X62.
Looks like I'l have to order through Wolverine Supplies.
Last edited:
I've been a Blaser fan since I got my first R93 about 17 or 18 years ago; have two receiver/stock units now and a handful of barrels. I was attracted to it because of its unique design and speed. Hunted with it in several provinces and states and took it to Africa. An R93 would probably be the last rifle I'd hang onto if forced to sell all the others. Multiple barrels all still count as one gun.
Funny, but that superfast action that initially attracted me has turned out to be pretty meaningless to me in terms of being advantageous for hunting. There have been a couple of occasions when I wanted a fast second shot, but in each case I could have cycled a traditional turnbolt in the time I had available to me. The single glaring exception has been coyote hunting; multiple dogs coming in together is not uncommon and there have been a couple occasions when the speed of the Blaser was a help in getting a double and on one memorable occasion, a triple.
So the speed is a bit overhyped for most hunting IMHO, but all the other features of the system are what keep me hooked. I think the decocking safety is wonderful; the factory trigger is pretty much perfect; the QD scope mounting system has the best return-to-zero of any I have tried; and of course the barrel interchange ability alone is worth the price of admission. Accuracy is uniformly outstanding. Take the barrel off the frame using an Allen key, remove the scope using the QD mount, pack into a nice compact case, re-assemble upon arrival at the range...or across the ocean...and find no perceptible change in POI. It's impossible not to smile when you do that.
Cons? The R93 is essentially a top loading blind magazine system, which I like but I know many don't. You need to go into the newer R8 to get a removable magazine. The QD mounts need to be individually adjusted to the individual barrels; sometimes a mount taken off one barrel will tension perfectly onto another but that's just luck; the adjustment takes a few minutes and requires a weird ultra-thin-bladed but fairly wide screwdriver which is so hard to find that it may as well be considered proprietary. And frankly, the nicest Blaser bolt gun made is still, IMHO, not particularly attractive. Some of their latest cosmetic design choices are utterly ridiculous to my eye. But functionally, it suits me to a T. It's no longer as unique as it was when it first came out, and others offer many or maybe all of those same benefits; I would never switch, but if just entering the world of straight-pull modular systems it behooves you to do a lot of research before making a choice.
I know if mine were stolen or lost today, I'd find a lightly used or NOS R93 and do it the same way again, just for different reasons than the first time around.
Funny, but that superfast action that initially attracted me has turned out to be pretty meaningless to me in terms of being advantageous for hunting. There have been a couple of occasions when I wanted a fast second shot, but in each case I could have cycled a traditional turnbolt in the time I had available to me. The single glaring exception has been coyote hunting; multiple dogs coming in together is not uncommon and there have been a couple occasions when the speed of the Blaser was a help in getting a double and on one memorable occasion, a triple.
So the speed is a bit overhyped for most hunting IMHO, but all the other features of the system are what keep me hooked. I think the decocking safety is wonderful; the factory trigger is pretty much perfect; the QD scope mounting system has the best return-to-zero of any I have tried; and of course the barrel interchange ability alone is worth the price of admission. Accuracy is uniformly outstanding. Take the barrel off the frame using an Allen key, remove the scope using the QD mount, pack into a nice compact case, re-assemble upon arrival at the range...or across the ocean...and find no perceptible change in POI. It's impossible not to smile when you do that.
Cons? The R93 is essentially a top loading blind magazine system, which I like but I know many don't. You need to go into the newer R8 to get a removable magazine. The QD mounts need to be individually adjusted to the individual barrels; sometimes a mount taken off one barrel will tension perfectly onto another but that's just luck; the adjustment takes a few minutes and requires a weird ultra-thin-bladed but fairly wide screwdriver which is so hard to find that it may as well be considered proprietary. And frankly, the nicest Blaser bolt gun made is still, IMHO, not particularly attractive. Some of their latest cosmetic design choices are utterly ridiculous to my eye. But functionally, it suits me to a T. It's no longer as unique as it was when it first came out, and others offer many or maybe all of those same benefits; I would never switch, but if just entering the world of straight-pull modular systems it behooves you to do a lot of research before making a choice.
I know if mine were stolen or lost today, I'd find a lightly used or NOS R93 and do it the same way again, just for different reasons than the first time around.
Last edited:
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
Not all straight pull actions are, but the Blaser just has a shorter OAL due to the action configuration.
Wow...I wanna read about that one!
Not speaking for other rifles, but the R93 has no detachable magazine, and the internal magazine is located directly above the trigger rather than longitudinally in front of it. That saves you probably a couple inches.
The newer and slightly larger R8...which, if you are going with a Blaser, is the only one that can accept a .500 barrel...is similar, except the magazine-box/trigger-guard/trigger-assembly removes as a unit. You still get the advantage of the shorter overall length.
Edited to add: bearkilr beat me to it. The green box on the two diagrams indicates the magazine box.
Around 10 years ago I worked in a gun store with an r93 and r8 no one seemed to be much interested in and I would play with them every day. The desire has disapated a bit but I still think they are very cool guns.
The only straight pulls I've owned are sporterized military Ross rifles. I still Harbour fantasies of a VG condition 303 Ross sporter and or 280 Ross converted to shoot 338 wm.
Maybe for my 2028 safari
The only straight pulls I've owned are sporterized military Ross rifles. I still Harbour fantasies of a VG condition 303 Ross sporter and or 280 Ross converted to shoot 338 wm.
Maybe for my 2028 safari
1 and 4 are booked for 2024/2025 with 5 and 6 in the works for 2026.
Sheep hunts are too rich for my blood, as is the 500 Jeffery.
I'll be using my 338WM on the elk and caribou and the 416 Rigby on Bison and Brown Bear (not grizzly).
browning525
Member
- Location
- Brooks, AB
I have been using straight-pull rifles for a number of years. Totally enamored with them.
The R8 sets the bar in my opinion. Almost boringly accurate, quick change of barrels, and a trigger to die for! Some dislike the safety mechanism, I have used it enough to overcome that dislike. It has functioned great for me from Alaska to Africa.
I have the merkel Helix. Very quick, cammed action but the bolt sticks out way too obtrusively to pack around in normal cases. I also get way too worried about the cases getting stuck in the action due to lower camming power.
Recently aquired a Heym sr30. Loved all the sales hype and the unique lock-up system. Downside is that I find the pistol grip (to acccomodate the action) way too bulky. The bolt is too oversized for the non-magnum action I aquired.
In a nutshell: the Blaser R8 is better accuracy, better balanced, best in class trigger. You should start and stop here, in your search for the ultimate straight-pull.
Life is way too dull to hunt with just one gun, but if I had to, it would definitely be an R8.
The R8 sets the bar in my opinion. Almost boringly accurate, quick change of barrels, and a trigger to die for! Some dislike the safety mechanism, I have used it enough to overcome that dislike. It has functioned great for me from Alaska to Africa.
I have the merkel Helix. Very quick, cammed action but the bolt sticks out way too obtrusively to pack around in normal cases. I also get way too worried about the cases getting stuck in the action due to lower camming power.
Recently aquired a Heym sr30. Loved all the sales hype and the unique lock-up system. Downside is that I find the pistol grip (to acccomodate the action) way too bulky. The bolt is too oversized for the non-magnum action I aquired.
In a nutshell: the Blaser R8 is better accuracy, better balanced, best in class trigger. You should start and stop here, in your search for the ultimate straight-pull.
Life is way too dull to hunt with just one gun, but if I had to, it would definitely be an R8.
I have a Mauser Orberndorf model 1996 straight pull in 6.5x55. I bought it because of the unique feature of being a straight pull rifle and also my favorite caliber. I always full length size for this particular rifle as one would do for a lever or pump. Very slick bolt camming with zero problems ejecting empty brass hand loaded or factory. It's not in the same catagory as most of the other straight pull rifles as it doesn't have the barrel change feature or external magazine but the price is also quite a bit south of the Blaser, Heym, or Merkel. It works for me and I like it because it is unusual and different. A delight to shoot but don't think it is any better than any of my bolt guns.
