Has anyone had these in their hands, checked out the quality balance, etc.?

Just from the website they seem to have a lot of promise, tamg safety, 2 lb. crisp trigger, not very heavy German made rifle.

How do they compare to the FN Winchesters?

I'm curious to hear any comments about the 101; I think one in 7x64 would be fun to play with.

This link will give a peek, a great looking rifle, probably real handy.
http://www.sauer-101.com/

Maybe someone handled them at a gunshow

I have one in the safe right now, a .270 Winchester waiting to be evaluated for an article or two. Haven't shot it yet, and probably won't until it's closer to the deadline this fall, but so far am impressed: Nice and light, but very well-balanced, with a very fine trigger pull.

The biggest thing that's impressed me so far is it used the same scope bases as for commercial 98 Mausers. This made mounting a scope VERY easy, unlike the trials gone through with other Euro-rifles I've dealt with.

I'm looking forward to your evaluation. I was surprised how much I like the looks of it, I'm usually seeing ugly rifles from Europe such as a Styer Pro Hunter,but this one is appealing to me.

I'm impressed, in that the Sauer 101 costs over 2x as much as an FN M70 - $2500 or so, depending upon model.



.

Real-world price is more like $1500 for the least expensive models.

Right here I'll admit a little bias in favor or European rifles, especially German rifles. I've own a bunch of 'em, and in general the overall quality is superior to American-made rifles, especially the barrels and the mechanics. Yeah, some American-made rifles will shoot exceptionally well, but you'll often find others of the same make that don't, sometimes due to basic mechanical defects.

There are exceptions, but they usually cost more than most other American rifles. For instance, all the Weatherby Mark V's I've shot in the past few years have been VERY accurate.

The reasons for this are pretty simple. First, American hunters come from all economic levels, so we have rifles for all economic levels, with the average American rifle pretty much designed and made to sell to the average. Most hunting in Europe is fairly costly, especially big game hunting, so hunters tend to come from higher income brackets. As a result most big game rifles are pricier, because the average hunter has more money.

Part of the reason is also cultural. Germans simply do not accept some of the manufacturing flaws Americans take in stride, and many other European countries have a similar attitude. Thus a lot of European rifles have high-quality barrels, triggers and other features only found on what we consider custom rifles. The average European rifle retailing for $2500 over there is as good or better than custom rifles costing twice as much over here.

Ranger, you may have just healed my new rifle fever! I have not seen any of these for sale, where did you get the price?

I am a Sauer fan and have two sauer 202s,so I was really looking forward to the 101.

I saw one at a local gun shop and almost bought it,it was priced less than 1500 dollars.

It was nice and light,well balanced and had a dandy trigger,but the safety was a pain to operate for me.You have to depress a button on the safety to get it to move,and I could not do it without fiddling with it for several seconds.

Maybe it was just stiff on this particular rifle,or maybe I was in idiot mode but it was a stuggle for me to get the dern safety to work.

Since I can operate the safety with ease on every other rifle I've ever tried,this was a deal killer for me.

I am looking forward to the new Mauser 12,it is supposed to be a similar design with a 3 position Model 70 style safety,maybe I can manage to operate it.

The most accurate unmodified factory rifle I've ever owned is a Colt Sauer. And the quality and attention to detail is obvious. But it is on the heavy side for a sporter.

Am I correct in that Mauser M12 and Sauer 101 are VERY similar and differ only in some details of the action?

Mule Deer, is yours a Sauer or Mauser?

I am really tempted by the M12 in a 270.

I have one of each on hand. There are some similarities to the actions.

Will you be doing write-ups on both? A head-to-head comparison would be a very interesting article.

Yeah, one of the articles will be reviews of both rifles.

The pressed on barrels are a deal breaker for me. Other than that I think they are great rifles.



http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2013/03/new-sauer-101-hunting-rifle-from-j-p-sauer-sohn/

There are plenty of Rifles that you can change barrels with.Most rifles will never get their barrels shot out in a lifetime of use for the average shooter-hunter.

My guess is that you could end it back to the factory for a replacement barrel. Most likely it would only be in the same chambering, but I doubt it would cost anymore than an American rebarrel job with all the frills.

I'm going to be talking to one of the Sauer/Mauser reps personally here in Montana in 10 days or so, about many of the details on the rifle. Should be able to get the details of rebarreling then.

John there web site says it uses 700 mounts, is the one you have different from the production guns?

I'm really curious about the Mauser as I personally like the looks a bit better than the Sauer. Mauser's website is somewhat disappointing, though, at least as far as technical data is concerned. Sauer's site talks about the bedding system, bolt lock-up, etc.; but Mauser's shows a video of a Scandinavian moose hunt. I'd rather have a bit more technical information (i.e., bedding system, floated barrel(?), etc.). I'm looking forward to John's review.

The press in barrel was really a bummer for me. What is the point? Are there any advantages to that system?

I don't know if there are advantages, my first thought was they're saving money. But it must be more expensive to have developed machining set-ups for the lug locks into the barrel.

I'm only guessing they are trying to eliminate vibrations from traveling through threads? Maybe some engineers would know if this is better, or maybe some firing tests.

Not JB, but the Mauser website says they use the same bases as a M98, and the Sauer website says they use M700 bases.

I wish more companies would start "Tenifer-ing" or Melaniting their rifles, inside and out. Better corrosion resistance than stainless steel, better wear properties than chrome lining - what more could a guy ask for? And since it's a surface conversion not a coating, one doesn't have to make a bore undersize to allow for the process.

Blaser uses a similar process on the outside of their rifles, but not in the bore as per one of their reps I spoke to.

S.O.G.

http://stateofguns.com/sauer-101-1087/

While what John explained about European's & cost's is true, what's in YOUR wallet ?

YMMV, but there's not that much in mine.............




.

I use a Blaser R-93. Barrels are quick change and the lugs lock directly to the barrel. ( Mounts are on the barrel on these.). Sub inch groups are normal with both the .22-250 and .270, and I am old and shakey. A younger person with skill could likely do even better. IMHO, when the lugs engage the barrel directly, lack of screwed in barrels is a non issue provided the barrel is well fitted. The Blaser doesn't even have a front receiver ring. The barrel bolts to an action extension.

I really do not think the lack of barrel threads will be of concern as to accuracy and durability. I like what I see on the 101. Jack

I shoot a Blaser R-93 myself, and if I was in the market for a rifle and didn't have the Blaser, I could see myself with a Sauer 101 or the Mauser M-12. The way they do the barrel on the Sauer would not be a deal breaker for me. Contrary to what most think, barrels last a long long time. And these are hunting rifles, so if you shoot one out ok, buy another. 1500 dollars while is not cheap its in line with Sako's and some of the other guns that are out there.

Haven't done the touchy/feely thing with one of these yet, but gotta say, while I'm not immediately in the market for a new rifle due to economic circumstances, when the day comes this puppy is going to be very high on my short list.

Only issue for me that stands out would be the mounting for a Harris bipod.

I agree with JB's observation that standards of quality we accept here the European market simply wouldn't put up with.

Same opinion here. What in the world was wrong with the clamped barrel? Why change a good thing? 202 Light weight is the best rifle I've ever owned.

Jordan