Blaser Cocking "Safety"

[jtamark]

I just picked up a vintage Blaser combination shotgun, 12 ga and 22 mag, made about 50 yrs ago (an ES70). Am I right, that the safety is actually a cocking lever?

The lever isn't nearly as easy to use as a traditional safety, but I can see that for a German driven hunt it has advantages. If you're on a stand, switching it when the drivers approach isn't a problem, but hunting in America, without a dog, you have to be ready more quickly.

Am I understanding the "safety" correctly?

Joe

[9.3x64]

I am no expert on this model, but I think the “ES” is for Einschloss or single lock.
I suspect the safety is a cocking lever.
Not sure if that helps.

[jtamark]

9.3x64,
Thanks for the information. Why does this gun have two triggers, and a barrel selector (switch above the triggers), and a cocker/de-cocker (safety)?

All three are not needed.

Danke für die Informationen. Warum hat diese Waffe zwei Abzüge, einen Laufwähler (Schalter über den Abzügen) und eine Spann-/Entspannsicherung?

Alle drei sind nicht erforderlich.

Joe

[Gamsjagd]

Nice rifle!

If that scope ever dies on you, contact Kaps Optik in Germany for a replacement that should fit those old bases.

Yes even of that era it should be a de-cocker.

A 22 magnum 12 gauge would be mostly used for rabbits, hares, fox, badger, martins, marmots, trapping, and if you lived in the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) 50 years ago maybe there was a quota on black grouse (spielhahn or birkhahn) and capercaillie (auerhahn).

Tomorrow is the opening day of Roe deer season in much of Germany (except those ares that opened 2 weeks ago). I do not have a Bochbuchsflinte (BBF) type rifle, and even though roe, badger, fox, Marten, and raccoon, and marderhund (tanuki or raccoon dog) happens tomorrow I am using a non-Blaser rifle in 243, because every Blaser I have is kind of a canon 8x68 S, 10,3x68.

[Gamsjagd]

I thought you might like a few resources for information.

Here is the German version of Gunbroker called Egun.https://www.egun.de/market/list_items.php?cat=474. This list will take you to the combination guns similar to yours.

Norbert wrote quite a few books on combination guns in German.https://www.heel-verlag.de/waffeneditio ... usgabe.htm

This is another German gun site like Guns America or Guns International.
https://www.vdb-waffen.de/de/waffenmark ... aser&o=neu

I did not know Blaser or anyone else made a 22 Magnum combination gun. So that is interesting. There is also a couple of books on Blaser rifles.

[9.3x64]

9.3x64,
Thanks for the information. Why does this gun have two triggers, and a barrel selector (switch above the triggers), and a cocker/de-cocker (safety)?

All three are not needed.

Danke für die Informationen. Warum hat diese Waffe zwei Abzüge, einen Laufwähler (Schalter über den Abzügen) und eine Spann-/Entspannsicherung?

Alle drei sind nicht erforderlich.

Joe

Does it have “two” triggers, or are they double set triggers?

[jtamark]

Gamsjade,
Thanks for the links. I'll look for a book. I hunt mainly birds and small game, so a combination arm is great. I've also seen Heym combo shotguns in 22mag, but Blaser seems to be of higher quality. There is an American company that made them, Savage, but they are not as well finished as the German guns. When I was younger, I had a Savage in 22LR / 20 ga.

Danke für die Links. Ich werde nach einem Buch suchen. Ich jage hauptsächlich Vögel und Kleinwild, daher ist eine Kombiwaffe ideal. Ich habe auch Heym-Kombiflinten im Kaliber .22 Mag gesehen, aber Blaser scheint hochwertiger zu sein. Es gibt eine amerikanische Firma, Savage, die sie herstellt, aber sie sind nicht so gut verarbeitet wie die deutschen Waffen. Als ich jünger war, hatte ich eine Savage im Kaliber .22 L/20.

Joe

[jtamark]

[/quote]

Does it have “two” triggers, or are they double set triggers?
[/quote]

9.3x64,

I thought, traditionally, the rear trigger was to cock the arm, but double set triggers are a possibility. The front trigger appears adjustable. I'll find out tomorrow, when I go to the range.

While I have two Germans "on the line," is there a place to get aftermarket parts (parts, not from Blaser)? The triggerguard appears plastic, and I want to replace it with a metal one.

Ich dachte, traditionell dient der hintere Abzug zum Spannen des Waffenarms, aber auch ein Stecher ist möglich. Der vordere Abzug scheint verstellbar zu sein. Das werde ich morgen auf dem Schießstand herausfinden.

Ich habe zwar zwei deutsche Waffen im Visier, aber gibt es irgendwo Ersatzteile (nicht von Blaser)? Der Abzugsbügel scheint aus Kunststoff zu sein, und ich möchte ihn durch einen aus Metall ersetzen.

Joe

SDC14088.JPG

[Gamsjagd]

Joe,

English is the lingua franca of the website.

I am an American living in Germany, so it is also my native language.

Yeah those old Heym small caliber guns are homely.

A Blaser like yours is about a 500-750 dollar gun here, one in perfect shape might bring $1200. New Blaser, Krieghoff, Heym, Merkel combination gun in 22 hornet, 222, or something similar is about a $5000 gun. Same system on a double rifle is about the same to $7500.

These are CNC made guns.

hand made guns are different.

There are some top end guns here in Germany in the $20-50,000 range used. Peter Hofer, Schierring, Furtschegger and a bunch of other guys like that. Not sure who they are making guns for now that Russia is closed.

[9.3x64]

Hi Joe,
Just be really careful handling your gun if it has a double set triggers. Usually you pull the front trigger first, that “sets” the rear trigger to an extremely light weight. I mean really light!
So please just take care until you are familiar with it.
They can be great if used correctly under the right circumstances.
I had a Heym 7x57 stalking rifle that had double set triggers, and it didn’t suit my needs. However in a hide or stand may be different story.
Others here who own them may be able to comment.

I would say your trigger guard is Bakelite, quite common of that era. I would leave it original as is, if it were me.
It’s a beautiful original gun of that era.

[SPEEDY]

If it's got a barrel selector I'd almost bet an eyebrow it's got set triggers, there's no reason to have both.
Beautiful gun BTW, look really well cared for.

[9.3x64]

If it's got a barrel selector I'd almost bet an eyebrow it's got set triggers, there's no reason to have both.
Beautiful gun BTW, look really well cared for.

Yes it does look like it has been well looked after, considering its age.
And it hasn’t been modified by the look of it. I love the 70’s white line spacers, and period Scope.

[SPEEDY]

If it's got a barrel selector I'd almost bet an eyebrow it's got set triggers, there's no reason to have both.
Beautiful gun BTW, look really well cared for.

Yes it does look like it has been well looked after, considering its age.
And it hasn’t been modified by the look of it. I love the 70’s white line spacers, and period Scope.

It's funny in a way, a modern scope is so much better, but back then aesthetics really mattered. There's something so classy about them that modern scopes just can't compete with.

[jtamark]

Thank you all for the kind words. The photos hide the marks and bumps, it's in well used condition. I think the ES70 was made in the 1970's. Is there a date code, and where might I find it? I was going to remove the recoil pad and white spacers, for a simpler steel plate, but perhaps I'll keep the period look.

I set the scope aside, and am adapting a folding peep to fit the rear claw mount. A small folding peep will work w the .22, and not get in the way of the shotgun.

Thanks for thinking of a double set trigger, it's the answer that explains the package. Today I'll go to the range and let you know.

Joe

P.S. I bought off Gunbroker, for just over a grand. I paid more than I wanted, because it's hard to find a quality combination gun with a .22 for the rifle. My jurisdiction doesn't allow carrying larger calibers when hunting small game, as they think you're illegally seeking deer, which has a short season here.

It also came with a German insert for the shotgun barrel in 5.6x50mmR.

[jtamark]

Took the gun to the range. The safety is a cocking lever, not a safety. The triggers are not a cocking lever, and are not set triggers. They are regular triggers.

The selector button on the side of the stock, selects which barrel is fired from the front trigger; shotgun or rifle. The front trigger is adjustable, and normally you might want the better trigger for the .22mag barrel, but if you are using the 5.6mmx50R insert in the shotgun barrel (for roe deer?), you might want the shotgun barrel to work off the front trigger.

However...the selector might not be working correctly. Here are my results.

Selector Button Down - front trigger fires rifle, rear trigger fires shotgun. After firing the selector button stays down.

Selector Button Up - both triggers fire shotgun. None for rifle. After firing, the selector button moves to the mid-way position, between up and down.

So...the button on the stock is a barrel selector switch, but it's not working correctly, is it?