Thread: Aftermarket R93 and R8 Barrels – Major Safety Concerns

Stager Sport Press Release – 4th November 2013

Aftermarket R93 and R8 Barrels – Major Safety Concerns

We have recently inspected an aftermarket barrel that has been made here in New Zealand that showed massive chamber expansion after just one shot had been fired. The experienced purchaser immediately realised the potential dangers that may have occurred if he continued shooting.

Stager Sport is concerned about the danger aftermarket Blaser R93 and R8 barrels may present to shooters and would like to inform the public of the processes that Blaser complete to insure their products are safe for use.

The critical bolt lock up in most bolt action rifles is in the action; this means the strength of the gun to withstand the pressures generated by the cartridge is in the action.

Most European manufactured bolt action rifles are sent for Independent Government Proof Testing to insure that the actions are safe to withstand the enormous pressures that are generated when a gun is fired.

A barrel is normally screwed into the action and it is quite normal for aftermarket barrels to be fitted into this type of action as the strength of critical lock up is in the action, and not in the barrel.

However with Blaser R93 and R8 Rifles the critical bolt lock up is not in the action, it is in the barrel and because of this it is the barrel that has to be dimension and proof tested by an Independent Government Proof Testing agency to insure safety.

Blaser barrels are manufactured from special steel that is supplied only to Blaser; this steel goes through constant laboratory testing to insure its consistent quality.

The barrel and chamber tolerances are then machined extremely precisely to insure uniformity for modular compatibility. The critical lock up region of the barrel is then heat treated to achieve a hardness level that offers the exact requirements for both strength and resilience. The barrels are then Plasma nitrided to offer a high surface hardness to stop imprinting/wear. The barrels are then laboratory tested and measured again before going to DEVA the German Proof testing authority for chamber dimension, breach lock up and overload testing.

The specific quality of steel used in Blaser barrels is not available in New Zealand, the independent proof testing of the barrels is not available in New Zealand and it is these things that ensure the product complies with international safety standards. Therefore any NZ made product cannot meet the International Safety Standards.

How an aftermarket barrel made for a R93 or R8 may perform from a safety perspective is a complete gamble.


Stager Sport NZ Ltd

Sole Authorised Importers and Distributors of Blaser and Mauser

Stager Sport | 03 448 8844 | info@stagersport.co.nz