Assuming I had a time machine that could only fit one sniper rifle to take back 10 years to the past during my service as a Navy SEAL sniper then the rifle I would choose would be…. wait for it!
The Blaser R8 Ultimate Silence.
Why Go With Blaser and not HK?
I struggled with choosing between Blaser and the HK MR762A1 because I love what HK builds. (After all, their rifle killed Osama bin Laden, and what’s not to like about that!?) However, out-of-the-box, the Blaser sniper rifle is built as a lightweight hunting machine.
On the other hand, HK has gone a little tactical-retard these days with miles of heavy rail and metal that is not conducive to hunting men. Their weapons are just too heavy. And if you’ve seen the movie Tropic Thunder you know that never — I mean never — go full retard.
(In case you haven’t watched, here’s a clip to explain the importance of never going full retard. Yes, sorry, not sorry, I said retard. I believe in equally inclusive insults regardless of sex, race, gender, or mental make-up.)
Common Sniper Rifle Questions I Get
I’ll try to answer the two most common questions I get about sniper rifles. One, I had to ponder. The other two are more straightforward.
Which Is the Deadliest Sniper Rifle?
Which Is the Most Powerful Sniper Rifle?
Which Rifle Scope Would You Choose?
I’d choose the 3-12×50 Zenith Scope with FD3P reticle. (Alternatively, something in this neck of the woods by S&B will also work).
When I say that Schmidt & Bender (S&B) is my choice for optics people are shocked at the price. You get what you pay for, folks. If you want to hunt man or animal with a cheap Chinese knock off suit yourself. You can drink COSTCO whisky and I’ll drink Blue label German glass thanks.
For those interested in the nitty-gritty of my FD3P choice, the scope’s data sheet is provided by S&B.
A Closer Look at the Blaser R8 Ultimate Silence
The weapon is light, silent, accurate, and its straight-pull bolt-action is lighting fast.
The rifle features an ergonomically designed thumbhole stock, adjustable recoil pad, recoil absorption system, or adjustable comb. Besides that, the R8 Ultimate features a number of modular and adjustable stock options. These actively support accurate shooting while allowing you to set up the rifle depending on the specific situation at hand.
Additionally, it offers multiple calibers to choose from, further increasing its adaptability. The Blaser R8 Ultimate Silence’s available calibers are:
- Cal. .308 Win., 8×57 IS and 9.3×62 with barrel lengths 42 or 47cm
- Cal. .30-06 with barrel length 47cm
- Cal. .300 Win. Mag. and .300 Blaser Mag. with barrel length 52cm
- Cal. 8,5 x 55 Blaser with barrel length 47 cm
In summary, it’s pure badassery.
The Troubled World of Sniper Rifle Development
To illustrate just how good the R8 rifle is you have to understand the current state of the sniper rifle industry.
The problem with most sniper rifles post 9/11 is that they are being built by non-snipers who’ve apparently played too much Call of Duty or think that more is better when, in most cases, it’s the opposite.
These guys have never had to carry a back-breaking load into the mountains on a sniper recon mission where every ounce of weight saved is important. For example, I’d cut down my Meals Ready to Eat (MRE), literally trim the excess packaging away, to save weight.
In Conclusion
I would have loved to have this lightweight set up in the SEAL sniper program. Both the Blaser R8 Ultimate Silence sniper rifle and the 3-12×50 Zenith Scope scope are incredibly reliable and pair very well together. Perhaps, the only thing I’d add is a red dot for close-up work. Nevertheless, it’s an amazing combo that would be deadly on the battlefield.
I hope you enjoyed this article. Please share it with your friends and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the comments section below.
Webb out.
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