Blaser F16

[@cohland]

Very solid review, Lloyd, thanks for the effort. Having owned an F16 for about a month, I'd like to offer a couple of comments in support. Mine came with the admittedly less attractive Fusion stock, which may account for its somewhat lower weight, about 7.6 pounds. In the USA it seems that the adjustable comb is only done by aftermarket or third-party suppliers, so although mine came to my dealer from Blaser USA, they had the comb work "farmed out", as we say. My gun balances perfectly on the pivot, with all three supplied weights in the stock and none on the barrel. Because of some shoulder surgery in my past, I think I might be over-sensitive to recoil, but in spite of my F16's somewhat lower weight I have had no fatigue or discomfort of any kind with this shotgun. I think that this probably just reinforces my belief that fit is everything with a shotgun. Compared with my Browning Citori 725 high rib adjustable comb gun (weighing a bit over 8 pounds), the Blaser swings very quickly indeed. Shooting skeet, I've found that I have to move my gun point in about a foot for both high and low 8, just because I'm able to move the Blaser so quickly. With only initial setup on the adjustable comb, my first outing resulted in immediate "personal best" at a local clays course. I am delighted with it!

[@lloydyp]

still got it?

[@cohland]

@@lloydyp Yes, I still have the F16, but I have moved on to the F3 Super Sport. The higher rib and comb on the Super Sport are a much better fit for me, and it weighs nearly 9 pounds. The F16 is for sale, has been for months. My backup gun is now a Browning Citori 725 High Rib.

[@lloydyp]

@@cohland Nice, I trust you are enjoying the SS, I used to love mine.

[@tvman803]

I have been waiting for this one for ages! Imagine my surprise at seeing in my subscription feed this morning. Nice one Lloyd!

[@lloydyp]

Thanks Jared, sorry it's taken so long man ;)

[@shaunveasey1703]

As always like the honesty. I've shot an F16 and I'm the same as you I found it too light and it did kick me. However I have an F3 and love it! Best gun I have brought. Even though it 32 inch and weighs in at about 8lb 9 it's extremely fast fast handling. Krieghoff is an excellent gun also, just can't warrant the hefty price tag of them. Keep up the good work mate.

[@lloydyp]

Cheers Shaun. Agreed, the F3 has perfect balance and weight.

[@tajzikria5307]

I don't think there is a better performance gun than the Blaser!!

[@davidjohansson2282]

The F16 is a nice looking gun, and its good to see they make them in the higher grades now. I believe its a good choice if you want a Blaser but don't won't to spend the kind of money that the F3 costs. I think its the same with Blaser as it is with Krieghoff you either like em or you not, for me I like em both because they stand out from the rest in many ways.

[@lloydyp]

Agreed Thanks David.

[@granputon01]

Great review mate....I ordered mine today here in Colorado USA. Cheers !

[@lloydyp]

and how are you getting on with it?

[@mikedupree832]

Thanks for pointing me to this review. Glad you mentioned about the gun having a tendency to be a bit too fast. As the only person I know that owns one is pretty small build so a heavier gun may not suit them. Will try to shoot both a F16 and F3 before choosing

[@lloydyp]

No worries man, good luck ;)

[@magnificumimperium8392]

What is the warranty on the F16 Sporting..? I have a Caesar Guerini Summit Ascent and now would like to try a German gun.

[@uplandknight5782]

I HAVE AN f16 GRADE Vl.....luv it...fits like a glove, soft shooting, fast handling. You may need some weight for barrels, depending your style and strength

[@lloydyp]

I think it's a 10 year warranty on mechanical parts.

[@lavoltare6307]

Great review Lloyd, i have purchased one, pick it up in 2 weeks :)

[@lloydyp]

Awesome, send a pic when you get it :)

[@ryanlynch2628]

Hi Lloyd, id like to pick your brains on this gun if possible? i shoot game mostly and have a very pretty fixed choke 30in B Rizzini however I'm looking for a gun for high pheasants and the odd trip out after ducks and for my club clay shoots with 32in tubes (I have dedicated fowling guns for serious duck and goose shooting) ive picked one of these up in 32 and was surprised how it felt, i ordinarily don't like sporting guns as they feel big and heavy but felt this gun could be a bit of a jack of all without being over heavy. Whats your opinion on it for a game gun? (i appreciate they do a dedicated game model but have my B Rizzini for this) Regards Ryan

[@Liljerehn]

Do you still own an Blaser F16 as your game gun Lloyd? Thank you for the great reviews!

[@lloydyp]

@@Liljerehn I’m afraid I don’t. I’ve had 2 now, but my current game gun is a beretta 486 parallelo.

[@Liljerehn]

@@lloydyp Any particular reason you got rid of it? Ah, the Beretta is nice!

[@lloydyp]

@Liljerehn the first one had mechanical issues, and the second I swapped for a rifle. 🤷‍♂️

[@Liljerehn]

@@lloydyp ok, yes I’ve heard that at least the early ones hade some issues, but I’m hoping Blaser have fixed them by now. I’m asking because I’m thinking about it as a game gun for myself. Thank you for the response, have a nice day!

[@MegaFrank1960]

Good review Lloyd. I would definitely take an F16 over a 692 or a 725 Pro Sport. CS is far superior also when compared to Beretta or Browning, at least here in the States.

[@breadcrumb4231]

MegaFrank1960 692 is way better I have a 692 trap and my brother has the f16 and we both agreed that the 692 is better.

[@ethanpham5624]

Dry_Weet_Bix Allen Did you shoot trap with it or sporting?

[@breadcrumb4231]

MegaFrank1960 we mainly shoot trap but we also shoot sporting ducks and pukes and we agreed that the 692 is better

[@MegaFrank1960]

Dry_Weet........I'm not saying the 692 or the Pro Sport are sub par guns. Not at all. Just saying I would choose the Blaser over these two options. I personally own a F3 and a DT11, sort of the "big brothers" of the F16 and the 692. I can tell you when it comes down to a serious competition situation, not just messing around at at clays range with my buds............I'll reach for the F3 every time. The balance is better, the trigger is better, swing dynamics better. If I need service on my Blaser, I call and speak directly to the head gunsmith Norbert (formerly head GS for Krieghoff USA)........send my gun in, and within 2 weeks I'm shooting it once again. Try that with Beretta on this side of the pond. When they get to it......they get to it. Don't hold your breath. Don't get me wrong, the Beretta is a fine gun, the Blaser is just one step ahead. Of course this is my personal experience, others may vary.

[@dannyhalligan5830]

I have one trigger problems ejector problems I thing gun was rushed out to quick to compete against 692 it has back to dealer 3 times less than 2500 cartridges put through it.

[@lloydyp]

For sure Blaser had a lot of issues with the early guns.

[@Hightex-lz5ky]

Me being a hunter absolutely love this gun

[@219garry]

Have you ever shot the (game or field) model for clays? Just wondering how the field model would work on clays as far as recoil and longevity. 12 gauge.

[@lloydyp]

The f16 game is more or less identical to the sporter, it has a brass bead and no mounting points for the weight system. No reason you couldn't use one for clays.

[@harr6w]

Mr. Pattison, I recall hearing or seeing you mention somewhere that the 725 Pro European version is different than the one sold in the States. Is my recollection correct and, if so, can you kindly tell me the differences? Many thanks.

[@lloydyp]

Engraving and forend I think are the main differences IIRC. I would need to go look it up, as I haven't looked in a while.

[@harr6w]

Lloyd Pattison Thank you for your prompt reply!

[@uilleachan]

Cheers for this, next time I'm in Fife I'm going to try one out.

[@lloydyp]

:)

[@uilleachan]

@@lloydyp Decided against it. Bought something from the polar opposite end of the spectrum, a 2nd hand G5 Mk 38 fixed choke trap gun.

[@lloydyp]

@@uilleachan can't really fall off with a miroku.

[@gavingaming123]

Hi Lloyd do the Blasers have steel actions or are they alloy with a steel breech face ? Thanks. Garry

[@lloydyp]

All steel. However F3 has a breech face that can be removed which might be why you might think that.

[@gavingaming123]

Lloyd Pattison thank you, hope you are well👍

[@Timo-cn5kv]

Lloyd, Thanks for a great review. How is the balance between the 30” and 32” on f16? I think you mentioned previously that your own gun is 32”, but in this review the gun had 30” tubes, hence the question. Keep up the good work👍

[@lloydyp]

30” gun is very very fast. Hence I went for 32.

[@Timo-cn5kv]

@@lloydyp Excellent & Thank You for a very prompt answer!

[@SPC234]

I bought one and never shot better , berettas are up for sale now

[@lloydyp]

👍

[@derekwolohan5606]

Hi Lloyd just wondering how would you rate the blaser f16 to the old model blaser f3 with the grey action

[@lloydyp]

The F16 is a lovely gun, but it's not an F3, even the old ones are lovely.

[@derekwolohan5606]

Lloyd Pattison yeah the f16 is lovely I got to shoot a demo model a few months ago I couldn't believe how we'll balanced it was it felt lovely but a couple of lads recommended going for a second hand f3 but all I can find in that price rang is the old grey action f3 but it's a lovely gun aswell

[@bigdaddyww1]

It is better than the 692 in the fact the whole gun doesn’t break into 2 pieces cause of a tang screw

[@lloydyp]

Never seen that happen, or hear of it personally. Lots of ejector problems but never a gun falling to bits.

[@timeverett7828]

Tried one shooting Olympic skeet it wasn't bad but just not my thing

[@lloydyp]

fair comment

[@konstantinosdm4391]

Great review brother. I'm in a dilemma and i would like your opinion. I own a Browning ultra xs prestige 30" for compaq-sporting clays which i love to bits.it feels like an extension of my arm but i want to buy a newer gun. I am between b525 ultra xs pro , 725 pro sport and blaser f16. I already own a b525 30" a miroku mk 10 30" a 725 sporter II 30" and a couple of old winchesters. Between the three what would you recommend?

[@lloydyp]

725 Pro Sport. I think they are amazing value for money in that price bracket. I recently bought another F16 as a game gun and I love it, but the standard gun fits me pretty well perfectly, if you want any degree of adjustability the Browning is tough to beat. Also the fact that you own a bunch of Browning's mean you will get in with it instantly. You will probably find you won't use the other 725 any more however :)

[@konstantinosdm4391]

@@lloydyp thank you for your reply i really appreciate it. I think i will check out 725 pro sport. Of all the above it feels more of a pure competition gun

[@uplandknight5782]

The f16 IS a great gun. I too was a Browning 725 owner (great gun, no issues whatsoever) but you will need to get used to the f16 if you purchase one. Its alot faster than the 725. I added 3 oz to the front with barrel weights and added another stock weight in the back for a total of 4. Also switched to 2 Pure Gold ss extended chokes for a little for weight. Gun feels sooooo much better between the hands now.

[@uplandknight5782]

BTW, I have a Gr Vl 32" sporting F16

[@cohland]

(I'm repeating myself a bit...) Nicely done, Lloyd, it was worth the wait. We agree about the Fusion wood, but that's what mine came with and it just doesn't matter to me because the rest of the shotgun is so well done, so functional. My Left-Handed F16 now has fired just over 1,000 rounds, and we're getting along famously. I've never had a shotgun fit this well, thanks mostly to the adjustable comb. Although I thought it was going to be too light at 7.6 pounds, with the three stock weights in place the balance is perfect, I can shoot it without any fatigue. The included Briley chokes seem fine, so much so that I've left a set of Müller chokes in the box for the time being. Today we discovered an interesting feature, when I noticed that the screw that's used for fore-and-aft adjustment of the trigger shoe had apparently fallen out. Panic ensued, how was I going to find that particular tiny metric part quickly in the middle of Oregon? As it turns out, the part had not fallen out, it just came loose. Blaser has apparently inserted the screw from the top of the trigger so that it rests against a ridge on the bottom of the screw hole: it can't fall out. That is thoughtful, clever design work.

[@lloydyp]

Chris Ohland well said Chris, thoughtful design very much sums up Blaser ethos.

[@georgekarakasis5637]

B725 prosport, agree is the one !

[@lloydyp]

Thank you.

[@psobecke]

You ever do SxS reviews?

[@lloydyp]

Not very often, I have reviewed a Beretta silver hawk in the past.

[@brianmiles5191]

Lloyd, waiting patiently for the F16 De Luxe review!

[@lloydyp]

Same review, nicer engraving. I doubt I will be able to get a try gun but I can ask Robert if he has one.

[@brianmiles5191]

Lloyd Pattison 👍

[@buckdownscanada9946]

You’ve got the life pal 🔥🔥🔥 shooting 12g keeps me sane 😜

[@lloydyp]

Thanks man.

[@arshadiqbalkhan6949]

Very nice and beautiful gun how many price this gun

[@lloydyp]

round about £3250

[@slickwillie97]

Just buy the F3, have a F-16 and the finish is meh, the logos will come off, the recoil pads suck and fall apart almost right away.

[@trent3443]

😊

[@uplandknight5782]

Just soo very "GERMANIC"!!!!!!!

[@lloydyp]

;)