New member and Blaser owner. Recently picked up an R8 Pro Success in green with a .308 barrel. Have topped it off with a Schmidt and Bender Summit in Talley rings and bases. My new deer rifle - see attached in the shed after strip and clean.
Been dreaming about owning a Blaser for the past 4 or 5 years. Its a funny story, almost fate and a heck of a lotta luck, that I even had the opportunity to own one. Mid last year I took a couple of hundred dollars (around $230 i think) I had left over as allowances from a work trip and put it into Bitcoin in a wallet named Dream -> Blaser, not expecting it to do much, but figuring it was worth a shot and that one day I might be able to get the rifle of my dreams... I wasn't about to save that kind of money anytime soon... I kind of forgot about it until about October this year when the media started going bannas about bitcoins. Anyway, a few weeks back I checked my account balance and after converting to AUD I realised I had enough to buy the rifle. Not enough to buy a scope too but I was prepared to trade a couple of old rifles and do a lot of haggling to make that happen. There was lots of guilt thinking about spending that sort of money on a rifle, especially when my others were doing an acceptable job (albeit without the same flair). Expecting a 6 month wait I called Gunco and was surprised to find they had a new one in stock in 308 ready to go. That was all I needed to get me across the line. I sold my part of a bitcoin, still half expecting the money to not turn up in my account and that it was all a stupid scam. To my surprise it did and I promptly went out and paid in cash for my R8. I'm still justifying the cost to myself, however, the money never really existed in my eyes so I am coming to terms with it
Haven't had a chance to shoot her yet but I've stripped and cleaned her and torqued all the screws to spec. Maybe tomorrow if the range is open otherwise in the new year. Already thinking about the next barrell. Reckon I'll go with either a 300 win mag or 7mm rem mag for reaching out and very much looking forward to the wriggle sticks going away and Sambar season firing up again.
My first DIY project is a tool roll style storage for the rifle. I prefer to be inconspicuous when hiking into hunting country so I'm looking for a way to carry it in my backpack taken down and not bumping it to bits. I have some suede deer hides that I'm sewing into cylinders to hold the barrel and scope, stock and action. Will post pics when its done.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year!
to BlaserBuds mate. 
