Sauer 202 30-06- your thoughts please.

[Stringer]

I have a spare slot for a 30-06 and have decided that it's time to fill it.

I've seen a Sauer 202 which looks like it will fit the bill. Would anyone like to give me their views on this rifle?

Please - no calibre discussion, just opinions on this rifle, or if you have anything else in 30-06 -sell it to me.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Colonel]

I have a Sauer 202 elegance in 30-06 with grade 4 wood and thumb hole stock and I love it, very accurate. The safety catch is very good but I do miss a 3 position safety

 

[topscots1]

I used a friends in Europe, great rifle.

 

[deerpath]

Talk to Callum Ferguson AKA PRS sericesc about my 202 . Sick of seeing them sell it they are a heap of junk he said. Sold mine. hate Sauer for denigrating their reputation.

 

[deerpath]

Clearly a design fault if PRS couldn't sort it. To do with floating barrel or lack of it.

 

[Colonel]

I don’t know what problems he had with Sauers, but I have two and can’t fault them

 

[awmc]

I use a Sauer 202 and 404 in .308
I like them.
The 202 safety catch requires more caution in that unloading a chambered round with the safety catch on means pushing up the safety catch button with your finger in front of the trigger (within the trigger guard), leaving the firearm fireable until you can open the bolt.
I think the standard barrel length is 23 inches, they’re modular so you can have both long and short calibre bolts / magazines and different calibre barrels. Changing barrels is reasonably easy but not as simple as a Blaser.
The stock and fore grip are separate and changeable for others. The studs for a rifle sling are fairly bombproof but I’ve found I need to check they’re fully seated as if they’re not fully clicked in they can pop out.
I’ve found the 202 also retains zero after barrel changes and I’ve been able to adjust the trigger to a light pull and retain the set trigger.
It’s also quite light with sight and moderator- 7.5 lbs? Hope this helps

 

[rutland]

I was going to have a 202 in 3006 but couldn’t find one so compared the 404 side by side with a blaser. Needless to say I now own a blaser and love it. Very accurate and an all round goof rifle
Come to the dark side

 

[rutland]

Just need glasses now. Let myself in for that saying it’s a rifle for goofs lol. Good rifle I meant.

 

[reiver]

I have a xt in left handed in 30-06
And love it.Had mine 4 yrs now from new . It is my main Boar rifle now as it breaks down for travelling.Is quick to reload points well and 5 and 8 shot magazine are readily available .

 

[splash]

I have a 202 lovely accurate rifle

 

[enfieldspares]

The 'Ought Six is a good calibre and indeed that and a .270 WCF are the only two stalking rifles I now own. Both Mauser types one a Czech 1950s .270 WCF with iron sights and the loading "hump" and the .30-00 a Parker Hale M81 Classic.

I've handled the Sauer 101, 202 and 404 and shot the 101 and 404 in (both) 7x64mm. As someone who cut their teeth on my late Mother's .22LR Martini and the Enfield No4 I don't like the partly closed action of any of the three. I want an open boltway as much as possible not one that has it reduced to a mere ejection slot.

But when I was considering a modern rifle for my son it was either the Sauer 101 or 202 that I looked at. They have an elegance. But another prejudice I don't like "shotgun type" tang style (wherever mounted on receiver or on back of bolt) safety catches on rifles. I want a "proper" safety whatever that word might mean!

Here's anyway a video by Pete Moore doing a review on a Sauer 202. My own advice would be to consider a Remington 700 or Winchester Model 70.

 

[Howzat]

Had a 202 for twenty years, bought new in 97, never got on with the safety, just bought a S x L in 30-06, wish I had done it years ago.

 

[Dave881]

I have two 202s and they are both great, can't see me changing to a different rifle, I want to get a barrel in a different calibre. I think they are great rifles, well built, comfortable and accurate, I can't recommend them enough.
Dave

 

[Stringer]

Thanks for the replies. They are good looking rifles. Lots to consider.

 

[Koenig]

Really well made old school style German engineered hunting rifle. I borrow one now and again and love it. With the right ammo they are very accurate. The safety, whilst slick and silent, has never been to my liking, but that’s just personal preference.

 

[Mick9abf]

Thanks for the replies. They are good looking rifles. Lots to consider.

Best thing to do is find someone with one and go out with them and have a few shots and do a couple of stalks with it if you can This is what I did as was after one just after they first came out and I wasn’t sure about the safety and luckily a friend had just bought one.

Personally, like some have already alluded to, I didn’t like the safety. They are lovely rifles other than that, personally having shot a lot of different rifles of various calibre’s over the years I’m of the opinion that the 202’s safety configuration is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Max]

Clearly a design fault if PRS couldn't sort it. To do with floating barrel or lack of it.

Life time guarantee on Sauer’s, why didn’t you send it back just out of interest?

 

[windygun]

The 'Ought Six is a good calibre and indeed that and a .270 WCF are the only two stalking rifles I now own. Both Mauser types one a Czech 1950s .270 WCF with iron sights and the loading "hump" and the .30-00 a Parker Hale M81 Classic.

I've handled the Sauer 101, 202 and 404 and shot the 101 and 404 in (both) 7x64mm. As someone who cut their teeth on my late Mother's .22LR Martini and the Enfield No4 I don't like the partly closed action of any of the three. I want an open boltway as much as possible not one that has it reduced to a mere ejection slot.

But when I was considering a modern rifle for my son it was either the Sauer 101 or 202 that I looked at. They have an elegance. But another prejudice I don't like "shotgun type" tang style (wherever mounted on receiver or on back of bolt) safety catches on rifles. I want a "proper" safety whatever that word might mean!

Here's anyway a video by Pete Moore doing a review on a Sauer 202. My own advice would be to consider a Remington 700 or Winchester Model 70.

Makes me wince every time I see Chubby ham fistedly rip that action apart...Also have 2 202s one of which is a T/D in 30.06. As mentioned, fore ends warping affecting accuracy. Safety catch is a love or hate one. The only thing I dislike is the method of deactivating the ‘Set’ by resetting the safety, watching the trigger click back to unset is something I never got used to, and now no longer use it. I much prefer the older blued steel models with the butter knife bolt. Don’t be suspicious if the colour of the action and the barrel doesn’t match (more apparent in strong daylight) The barrels are polished and are more brown than blue/black.

 

[Ben rodge]

I owned a sauer 202 in 30_06 and it was brilliant using 150 hornady sst ammo .
Super accurate and comfy to shoot
Regret selling mine