Now, I like Blasers. They have some very appealing features such as good build quality, short overall length, light weight, fast reloading and convenient take-down. Of less interest to me is the ASM feature, or Ammunition Saving Mode.
I stumbled across the video posted below while watching some driven hunting on YouTube. I've added it to a playlist I have on my Mauser M03 Blog channel, showing Blasers failing to fire. Mauser M03s can fail to fire too I'm told, if primers are not seated properly in handloads. I've never seen it happen though, for real or in a video. And I think I've watched every M03 video on the internet. Hmmm.
Update in Jan 2016. Here's another one! Embedded below. This time a Blaser being used by a shooter who really knows his stuff and isn't shy about closing the action. From his nonchalant reaction, I'm guessing this is not the first time it's happened. I want to be fair about this so do please send in a comment if your Mauser has failed to fire. Personally, I've never had a cartridge fail to fire, whether it be a factory load or a hand load, in any rifle I've ever used. Hmmm indeed. :-|
Update in Jun 2016. Found another one! Watch this poor chap save a round of ammunition and a couple of dollars when the second shot with his Blaser fails to fire. He reloads with a 'chock-chuck' and then 'click', followed by another 'chock-chuck'. He shows us the ejected cartridge and asks why the primer hasn't got a mark on it. He's lucky it was a boar running away and not a buffalo coming at him!
Update in Aug 2016. Here's another one! Click! Believe me, I'm not looking for these. I'm simply stumbling over them while watching other hunter's videos. How often is this failure to fire problem happening with Blasers? It's never happened with my Mauser M03s. If it has with yours, please let us know, in the interests of even-handed reporting.
Update in March 2024. And another one! This time on a hunt in Africa, when a rifle that goes bang and not click is often important. Just after 20:06 you'll hear the French hunter say, 'And the first?'. He's asking his companions, what happened with my first shot? They tell him the bolt might not have been pushed forward properly. So it didn't fire. Luckily he was shooting an impala and not a charging Cape Buffalo. Here's the link - https://youtu.be/B6PUSMYzgoY?si=euQb6eSQkTPfnUdW&t=1206
