Blaser has been turning heads with the F3 for years, but they just raised the bar with something new — the FBX, or Fat Body. We went to San Antonio to meet up with Nick from Woolley Shooting to get hands-on with the Blaser FBX, and let's just say it didn't disappoint. Let's get into it.

If you have experience with the Blaser FBX, let us know your thoughts on the TFL COMMUNITY!

Blaser FBX

The FBX is Blaser's next step forward from the F3 — same proven mechanics, similar modular platform, but with a wider receiver, redesigned barrels, and a completely rethought weight distribution system. It's built for serious sporting clays shooters who want the F3 DNA with noticeably softer recoil and better balance between the hands, which is saying a lot, because the F3 is a fantastic shotgun.

• MSRP: Starting at $14,000
• Available Gauges: 12 Gauge
• Barrel Length Options: 30", 32"
• Chamber Size: 3"
• Weight:  8lbs 9oz
• Length of Pull: 14 1/2"
• Stock: Adjustable comb standard
• Trigger: Striker fire, removable trigger group — 3 lbs. 9 oz. (first pull), 3 lbs. 15 oz. (second pull)
• Chokes: Briley S2 thin-wall chokes (multi-choke) or fixed choke options
• Extras: Integrated fore-end and stock weight balancer system, DLC coating on all steel components, tapered flat rib with mid bead and fiber optic front bead

Ergonomics

The first thing you notice with the FBX is how it fills the hand. Blaser increased the grip size by about 4mm over the F3, and it makes a real difference — it feels natural and secure without feeling too bulky.

The trigger reach is adjustable forward and back, so if it feels a touch short out of the box, that's an easy fix. The fore-end got a full redesign too — it's more of a semi-beavertail profile, not a full beavertail, but it gives you a consistent feel no matter where you position your hand.

The adjustable comb comes standard, and the stock features Blaser's integrated balancer system — up to four tungsten cylinder weights that thread in from the rear. Prefer a little more weight up front? There's now a weight channel built into the fore-end as well, with room for up to five weights. The whole system is designed to lower the center of gravity and let you dial in the balance exactly where you want it.

The tapered rib runs from 10mm down to 8mm with a recessed channel, paired with a mid bead and fiber optic front bead. Flat rib is the only option currently available, but it sounds like more options will be coming.

Recoil and Reliability

Recoil is one of the main reason the FBX exists. One of the most consistent pieces of feedback on the F3 over the years was higher felt recoil — and Blaser took that seriously. The FBX addresses it by increasing the overall size of the action and stock, adding more surface area at the shoulder, and redistributing the weight strategically between the hands rather than just throwing mass at the problem.

Out on the range, the difference is real. The gun moves naturally, tracks smoothly, and the recoil is genuinely manageable — and that's without any weights added or the balance system dialed in at all. Once you tune it to your preference, it's only going to get better.

Reliability is anchored by the same striker fire system that's been running in the F3 since 2003. No light strikes, no inertia block issues, no worrying about sub-gauge conversions down the road. It's a proven design and there's no good reason to change it.

Want even less recoil? We love the FalconStrike recoil reduction systems.

Breakdown / Quality of Build

The FBX wears a Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating on all visible steel — receiver, barrels, trigger guard, all of it. It's a step well above Cerakote in terms of durability, and it's becoming more common in the high-end shotgun world for good reason.

The receiver is a monocoque design with a removable faceplate for easy cleaning and access to the firing pin. The trigger group is removable with basic tooling — one set screw on top and one larger screw. Simple and clean.

The barrels are where a lot of the engineering work shows. Blaser lightened them up by going with thin wall chokes (Briley S2 threading), making the center rib ventilated, and removing the bulge that was present on previous models. The forcing cones are roughly double the length of the F3's. The result is less barrel weight with the mass redistributed back between the hands — which feeds directly into the recoil reduction story.

The receiver profile is slightly more angular than the F3's rounded lines. Worth noting: because the inletting is different, FBX wood is not interchangeable with F3 wood.

Shooting Experience

We didn't add weights. We didn't adjust the balance system. We just picked it up and shot it — and the FBX was immediately impressive. First target? Dust. The gun moves naturally, swings through without fighting you.

The recoil is soft and very manageable.

The trigger is a highlight. No pre-travel, no creep, clean break right around 3 lbs. 9 oz. on the first pull and 3 lbs. 15 oz. on the second. At the end of the day, the FBX gives you everything great about the F3 — same trigger, same modularity, same proven mechanics — and adds a fit and feel that's genuinely in a class of its own.

Final Thoughts

The Blaser FBX isn't a reinvention — it's a refinement. If you've been running an F3 and wishing it sat a little softer and felt a little more planted, this is what Blaser built for you. The Fat Body concept is more than a marketing name — the wider receiver, redesigned barrels, and dual weight systems add up to a gun that genuinely shoots differently than its predecessors.

Configurations are limited right now as it's a newer release, but Blaser has more options on the way. What's available today is the plain black DLC FBX with a couple of wood upgrade options — and honestly, it's a strong starting point. We think it's worth getting your hands on one.

What do you think about the Blaser FBX? Share your thoughts in the TFL COMMUNITY!

Whether our targets in the field or our targets in life, we'll only hit what we're focused on — live the #targetfocusedlife