Blaser F16

[oldfashioned11]

Can anyone give me an honest opinion of the Blaser F16 for sporting and a bit of skeet? I like a fairly light gun that isn’t too barrel heavy. I’ve heard the F16 might fit the bill?

 

[Lloyd]

I’d back those claims up for sure.

The  F16 Sporting comes with 30” or 32” barrels, with sock balance weights as standard and optional barrel weight.

The F16 Game comes with 28” or 30” barrels, optional stock balanced and no facility to accept barrel weights.

The Game is suppose is perhaps more suited to skeet in the 28” barrel, though I have read that many skeet shooters are trending towards longer barrels.

32” barrels are probably most common for sporting. The 30” set a reasonable compromise. 

I have shot the game and sporting in all three barrel lengths and personally felt little difference between them. I own a 30” barrelled Sporting.

What impresses next most is the low profile action. For me it just feels right in the hands and with the balance adjustment can be set up to be overly lively to sluggish and anything in between. 

Robust and reliable, very well made and finished ( I particularly like the ejectors), the trigger pulls are to me not something I particularly notice but is often quoted in marketing material as being of a very good standard. 

My once criticism is very personal to me and I would make the same observation probably about any gun is the comb is too low (mine is set to 32mm / 36mm but I do see a fair amount of rib)

The palm swell is something I especially like and I actually had mine made larger and the grip made longer, but I’m sure most would get along with the standard stock just fine. 

The stock is easily adjusted for length of pull by +10mm -5mm using various butt pad / extension options readily available from Mulliner’s 

 

[oldfashioned11]

Thanks, this is very much appreciated. I’m going to look for a used model as there seems to be a fair discount over new.

 

[Lloyd]

Thanks, this is very much appreciated. I’m going to look for a used model as there seems to be a fair discount over new.

Just for reference, I paid £2,500 for a 1 year old F16 from Simpson’s of Newmarket which I was told had fired just a few hundred shells. 

The oldest being 3 ¾  years old, they tend to bottom out around £2,000

 

[oldfashioned11]

Thanks, that’s useful to know. Just out of interest, is it common for the balancing system to come with the gun, or are most people not bothering to option it when buying new?

 

[Doctor Lecter]

Can anyone give me an honest opinion of the Blaser F16 for sporting and a bit of skeet? I like a fairly light gun that isn’t too barrel heavy. I’ve heard the F16 might fit the bill?

don't know where your based     but orston gun shop has a big selection    and many demo guns to try  !!     

 

[Mike]

Pssssssssst,

The Browning Ultra XS PRO is a much better gun to shoot 

 

[Lloyd]

Thanks, that’s useful to know. Just out of interest, is it common for the balancing system to come with the gun, or are most people not bothering to option it when buying new?

The Sporting has the stock balanced as standard. The barrel balance weights are optional and available from Ian Mulliner. £200 for four  of 1 ½ oz weights or £240 for four 1 ½  and a pair of 2 ½ oz. 

The  stock balancer is optional on the Game model. £90 from Ian Mulliner for the entire assembly of rod, 2x 2 ½ weights, nut, washer etc and additional weights £17.50 (up to three can be fitted) allowing the F16 Sporting to take on an additional 10 ½ oz.

Even fully loaded the F16 isn’t particularly heavy and remains a lively gun, so long as the center of gravity is kept between the hands.

Pssssssssst,

The Browning Ultra XS PRO is a much better gun to shoot 

Of course if I was looking for a reasonably priced gun whose balance could be easily set up to my preference and was looking for something with a tall clumsy action, the XS Ultra Pro fits the bill perfectly

 

[Mike]

Honestly Lloyd,

Compared to a well balanced XS PRO, any Blaser is numb, a bit like a fence post to be honest and I've owned a few F3's so I do have some idea what they are like, the tall clumsy action is what makes the Browning/Miroku handle well.

 

[Doctor Lecter]

personal preference     but browning are bomb proof , and reasonably  priced !!! 

 

[Lloyd]

Honestly Lloyd,

Compared to a well balanced XS PRO, any Blaser is numb, a bit like a fence post to be honest and I've owned a few F3's so I do have some idea what they are like, the tall clumsy action is what makes the Browning/Miroku handle well.

I hear what you’re saying. 
I don’t have a lot of experience but have briefly owned a 525 which I liked a lot. 

I would concur with your comment that they handle like a fence post in comparison, but inversely so. 

My guess is it’s a very personal and very subjective thing.

I’ve shot other guns which are neither especially tall or especially low and to be honest I’d rather it be one or the other than some middle ground

 

[El Spavo]

Strange thing ain't it? I've got a 525, it's the only gun I've ever had... and I simply can't picture another gun making me shoot any better so can't imagine me changing. It feels comfortable enough to me, and when my limited experienced self picks up other stuff, they all just feel... strange, not better, even without having shot anything through them.

 

[Lloyd]

Of the guns I’ve shot, I’d say not a single one made me feel I could shoot any better or worse. Just a different feel. You likes it or you doesn’t. Cartridges and chokes too. But again, I’ve developed a preference.

I’d say the only thing that I’ve changed about equipment which has given me more confidence is gun fit. Not saying it’s right or wrong, just confidence.

As for instruction, Ed Solomon’s again provides a confidence boost and great tips in general and for specific types of bird. All feeding the confidence.

Do I now shoot any better? Honestly I don’t know. I don’t keep an accurate account. I’d say I probably kill about the same percentage of clays, but of those they’re farther away, trickier angles, faster, close up, in a window, mini and midi etc.

I feel a lot of shooting is honest hyperbole. In that I mean it’s hyperbole but it’s sincerely said and that faith we have makes a difference to the confidence and in turn to the kill rate. 

Just my opinion and worth Jack $h1t to be honest 

 

[Will Hewland]

After lots of guns, I would say you know when you’ve got the right one. You will find yourself thinking about the clays, never the gun when you shoot. Its like a cartridge you trust, another thing to forget effectively.

 

[El Spavo]

Think that might be at either end of the spectrum then mate, cos my gun never crosses my mind when I'm shooting. Perhaps if you become harder on yourself as you progress, you put more pressure on why you're not doing certain things, and then that stops when you get to the peak and you're finally a fantastic shot. At the mo, I'm only 2 years in, so I never think the gun is the issue, and my 525 feels perfectly comfortable for me. then again, I've only ever shot this, a Miroku 6 or 7000, and about half dozen cartridges through a 725 and a DT10.

 

[Will Hewland]

Think that might be at either end of the spectrum then mate, cos my gun never crosses my mind when I'm shooting. Perhaps if you become harder on yourself as you progress, you put more pressure on why you're not doing certain things, and then that stops when you get to the peak and you're finally a fantastic shot. At the mo, I'm only 2 years in, so I never think the gun is the issue, and my 525 feels perfectly comfortable for me. then again, I've only ever shot this, a Miroku 6 or 7000, and about half dozen cartridges through a 725 and a DT10.

You’re a bit unusual for a new shooter. The gun trade loves new shooters, who usually swap guns fiercely for a few years while they figure out the gun isn’t the biggest factor in moving forward. Well done you!

 

[Westward]

Can anyone give me an honest opinion of the Blaser F16 for sporting and a bit of skeet? I like a fairly light gun that isn’t too barrel heavy. I’ve heard the F16 might fit the bill?

First things first, what is your idea of fairly light? The brother of one of our regular posters on here @GlawsterCodger has an F16 sporter which I've shot a couple of times. His one weighs 8lb 3oz which is exactly the same as my CG and also the same as an Ultra XS Titanium that I tried around the same time. The game model F16 is noticeably lighter though and IMO probably too light for a big day on the clays.

Opinion wise I liked the F16, it felt good in my hands and shot just as well for me as my own gun. But then I also quite liked the Ultra XS, easily the nicest handling Browning I've ever tried and if I absolutely had to have a Browning it would be one I'd choose.

 

[El Spavo]

You’re a bit unusual for a new shooter. The gun trade loves new shooters, who usually swap guns fiercely for a few years while they figure out the gun isn’t the biggest factor in moving forward. Well done you!

Thought you were gonna stop after the first four words! 

 

[Will Hewland]

Thought you were gonna stop after the first four words! 

They do stand up in their own right.