Those rams look pretty comfortable to me. Compare their relaxed demeanor to the hunters attempting to bag them. What’s the bet that the bipeds looking for big-horned ballistic bounty are breathless? Not with anticipation; from the exertion required to hump themselves and their gear over hill and dale. Which is why a lighter gun is always good thing, assuming . . .

It can still shoot a significant cartridge with enough ergonomic excellence to keep the recoil manageable. Blaser thinks they’ve got it sussed (as the Brits are wont to say). Their forthcoming carbon fiber R8 Carbon Success rifle lightens the load while maintaining the R8’s strength. In theory. We shall see . . .

Meanwhile, click here to download Blaser’s 2017 catalogue. And here’s the presser for the R8 Carbon Success . . .

The R8 has again raised the level of performance you should expect from your hunting rifle: Introducing the R8 Carbon Success! This elegant lightweight will be available from your authorized Blaser dealer starting in autumn 2017.

The exceptional qualities of Carbon fiber have made a lasting impact on our daily lives. Bicycles, automobiles, and even the airplanes above us rely on the strength and light weight properties of this dynamic material.

So why not blend the ergonomic perfection found in the R8 Success stock with a material strong enough for space travel?

Devised by the team in the Blaser Custom Shop, it is 300 grams lighter than the R8 Professional Success. What might not look like so much on paper can make all difference when you are hunting in difficult terrain.

“Made in Germany”, the one-piece stock is manufactured by hand and offers the ideal thermal stability due to the end-to-end orientation of the fibers. The surface of the carbon stock is also protected by a UV layer for protection against the harshest environmental conditions.

Weather-proof leather is added in the grip, forearm and cheek piece to blend a natural element to this modern marvel. The R8 Carbon Success will surely separate you from the crowd and it is always better to lead than follow. The R8 Carbon Success comes standard with Cocoa colored leather inlays. Other leather color options are available.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

26 COMMENTS

  1. I’ll take that for a couple of test spins up in the high country…
    in training now to prep. Drew my tag for the snake river wilderness again, so it’s putting in miles every day at 6-7 thousand feet in elevation.

  2. Looks like a Beretta CX4 stock.

    Do they make one without the thumb-hole pistol grip?

  3. There comes a point when weightlessness is detrimental. To point, astronauts in space suffer severe effects over prolonged periods of time causing muscle loss. Nobody wants a reduction in stamina due to a light weight rifle, such things have caused the reduction in testosterone in today’s males. Besides, carbon is deleterious to the atmosphere (at least that’s what Captain Planet says). Man up, think of the planet and carry a gun that has some heft to it.

  4. “The R8 Carbon Success will surely separate you from the crowd…” and your paycheck…. Just sayin’. I’ve always been a fan of Blaser’s straight pull action and 360 degree lockup, but not a fan of their two piece stock, preferring a single piece for rigidity. But I am also a great fan of their gorgeous woods, which of course this does not have. Finally, do they really think that 2/3 of a pound is going to make a large difference in carrying this rifle?

  5. I’ve got to look at getting one of these. I’ve got 49 other ways to hunt exotics. An even 50 would do the trick.

  6. Bring your checkbook! These are pricey guns. The woods stocks are gorgeous, but I haven’t seen the carbon version up close. I carry heavy guns over hill and dale, but I could see getting one of these someday.

  7. 6 lbs Savage light weight Hunter 3006 wood glass bed wood stock w Accu trigger $800, weight and priced Right USA

  9. Thanks for the pic and article. I’m fortunate to have made multiple trips to Alaska. Although I’m not a hunter, several of my family have records in Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young. My Grandad bagged a B&C record Dall Ram in 1958 and then had cufflinks made to commemorate the hunt. I proudly display them in my home. My cousin displays the full shoulder mount ram in his living room /trophy room in Homer, AK. 1 1/8 curl with no brooming. 🙂

    (tried to share Facebook links without success)

  10. But is that enough rifle to kill a coyote?

    Say, there is an interesting question of the day: what is the minimum firearm/caliber to reliably and quickly kill coyotes?

    Don’t forget to consider those coywolf brutes that are popping up in the Midwest/Northeast and tip the scales at 50+ pounds!

      • I inquire because I just met a new neighbor who has never owned nor fired any firearms before … and wants a firearm for protection in case a pack of coyotes (or even stray dogs for that matter) attacks their toddler. They come across as being somewhat anti-guns … and yet the BIG coyote that walked across their yard the other day has convinced them that it is time to purchase a firearm. Given that they appear to be somewhat anti, I was hoping for something other than the “scary” .223 Reminton “military” round.

        Is there a “lesser” caliber that can reliably and quickly kill coyotes at closer ranges … say out to 40 yards? Is .22 LR out of a rifle not enough?

        I have heard that .17 HMR is quite good for taking out 25 pound coyotes … but what about those 50 pound coywolves? Is .17 HMR enough when we are talking about 40 yards and closer?

        • At close ranges and with good shot placement a .22 LR hollow point from a rifle will do the trick easily enough. .17 HMR and the newer .17 WSM should be adequate for most yotes out to around 100 yards (WSM a tad further, but of course, shot placement). .22 WMR is another candidate for closer ranges.

          For more classic varmint rounds that aren’t .223, try .221 Remington Fireball (Shortened .222 Remington) or the triple-deuce (.222 Remington). .17 Remington, a necked down .223 to .172 diameter is another decent choice, but often requires thorough cleaning due to the high powder volume and small bore diameter. .204 Ruger, which has supplanted the .17 Rem for most users, is yet another excellent coyote caliber.

          There are also many adequate common pistol calibers that will do the trick.

          Coyotes are sneaky little bastards, but rarely can stand up to a well placed shot. Even the bigger hybrids (Dog-Coyote cross or Wolf-Coyote), while having that hybrid vigor and being a tad sturdier, are nothing supernatural and quite vulnerable to hot lead. Granted this one doesn’t have any experience with the Wolf progeny, but there are plenty of feral Coydogs that pop up from time to time around these parts.

        • I wouldn’t count on a new shooter with a 17hmr. But that would probably be enough. The old school .22 Magnum has certainly killed it’s fair share of coyotes, although both of those rounds are harder to find than 2.23Rem.
          I would point out to them, if there is an objection, that the .223Rem isn’t actually a military round, the similar, but not identical 5.56NATO is.

        • Thanks for the suggestions Esoteric Inanity and Mr. Taylor.

          I might try and move them toward .22 WMR. Even though the ammunition is about 5 times the cost of .22 LR, I am thinking that extra 700 fps (with .22 WMR versus .22 LR) is significant when we are talking about 50+ pound coyote-wolf hybrids. Plus, the ammunition doesn’t look as “scary” as centerfire .223 Remington.

          The other possibility: I might help them look into a pistol caliber carbine. I figure a semi-auto carbine in 9mm would be ideal, and a lever-action carbine in .38 Special / .357 Magnum is a good choice as well. The only downside: both would be about twice the price of a semi-auto rifle in .22 WMR.

        • At that range, a .410 shotgun makes sense. Rossi & Henry off hand have repeaters that would fit your neighbor’s skill level and taste in guns. A 45 colt combo judge model like Rossi had would push that range out a bit more.

        • Careful with that pistol caliber carbine – 9 mm Luger is another example of evil military round.

    • With the right bullet, a .223 should be plenty adequate for any yote out to around 600 yards, provided that the shooter does their part.

      • The ‘recently anti-gun neighbor’ doesn’t strike me as a candidate for reliable shot placement, especially in a moment of sudden defensive stress.

        I’m hoping that any ‘sonic boom’ within ten feet of the giant ‘yote will make them scram, and the bullet that caused the boom doesn’t hit any human.

        • FedUp,

          All fair comments and I will do my best to encourage and even offer to provide as much training as possible.

  11. 22 250 is a great gun for coyotes. Used them in Missouri back in the 70’s. 1 shot kills out past 300 yards.

  12. Personally I wouldn’t pay for carbon fiber to only save a little more than .6 of a pound in weight.

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