What happens when an over 225-year-old firearms manufacturer builds a rifle using what has become one of the hottest modern cartridges? The Sauer S100 Fieldshoot, that’s what. This is a match-meets-target-meets-hunting rifle.  It’s fully customizable, eye-catching, and chambered in the 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge (PRC). It’s fast, flat, and accurate – What’s not to like? Guns.com gets the details.

THE SAUER S100 FIELDSHOOT

 

The J.P. Sauer & Sohn Model 100 series of bolt-action rifles is not new. But several of its variants are, and what really reaches out and grabs shooters shopping for a new rifle is the appearance of the Fieldshoot. That laminated beechwood stock, finished with dark oil, features major-league adjustability on a non-synthetic stock. Partner that with its availability in not only .223 Remington, .243 Winchester, .308 Winchester, 6.5×55, but also 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC, and all eyes are peeled.

The Fieldshoot, based on its weighty build, is considered a target, competition, and varmint rifle. Although, some of the available calibers are more than capable on larger game. There’s a 24-inch match-grade, hammer-forged barrel with a 0.87-inch taper built for precision shooting. The double-stack magazine holds either four or five rounds, depending on caliber.

The single-stage trigger is adjustable from 2.2 to 4.2 pounds and breaks with exceptional regularity on our Lyman digital pull gauge at just under 3 pounds. Of special interest, the S100 Fieldshoot is fitted with twin ejectors that are intended to expel spent casings low (away from the scope) and with authority. The Fieldshoot carries a $1500 MSRP. But the crazy thing is that real-world prices have seen these fine rifles selling online just over a grand before the pandemic pandemonium. That’s a heckuva lot of rifle for the price.

6.5 PRC CHAMBERING

To fully appreciate our test rifle, we must delve into the cartridge as well as the firearm. German gunmaker Sauer worked with ammunition specialist Hornady to chamber a rifle in Hornady’s proprietary 6.5 PRC, and our test rifle is our first time working at length with the round.

The 6.5 PRC was developed for competition match shooting but works well for longer-range hunting. It functions in short and medium-length actions. Current options from Hornady include both Match and Precision Hunter. Per Hornady’s Communications Manager Neal Emery, shooters should “think of it as the big brother to your 6.5 Creedmoor. You’re looking at 200+ FPS velocity advantage … built from the ground up for those long, heavy, high-performance bullets.” We know the 6.5 PRC chambering was built to perform, and the Sauer S100 Fieldshoot gave it the perfect platform to excel – and that it does.

FIELD WORK

While the Sauer Fieldshoot wears one of the most unique-looking stocks, that wild design makes it one of the most adjustable on a bolt-action hunting rifle. There’s a synthetic cheekpiece and customizable buttpad system, built for customization and comfort. The curved rubberized recoil pad hugs the shoulder.

Sauer uses what they call EverRest action bedding paired with a free-float barrel to drive accuracy. If this rifle weren’t so heavy, I’d carry it on just about every hunt. The Fieldshoot proved to be the perfect companion for the ½ miles walk to our luxury Whitetail hunting stand, where the rifle could rest on a sill. At 9.6 pounds bare and almost 12-pounds decked out, this is no backcountry rifle – though there are other Sauer models that could fit that need.

The Fieldshoot is fitted with a pair of forward sling swivel mounts, allowing easy attachment of a bipod. That wide and flat forend makes for steady resting on bags or even a backpack, which proved plenty useful in the field. The oversized tactical bolt knob allows for quick cycling, and there’s also a clear cocking indicator. The three-position safety is becoming an expected addition to quality rifles. While all the features are sweet, the real beauty of the rifle lies in its performance.

ACCURACY

To the accuracy end, we grabbed the only 6.5 PRC ammo we could find in mid-2020, and that was Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELDx and Hornady Match 147-grain ELD-Match bullets. The Fieldshoot comes drilled and tapped. In a nice move, it also accepts standard Remington 700 scope bases, which means a wide selection of available mounts. We used two-piece Rem 700 Long Action bases, and with a dandy Meopta Optika6 scope in place, we set out to dominate the range first and the deer woods second.

The Fieldshoot carries not simply a three-shot, but a five-shot MOA guarantee. The 60-degree bolt throw on the three-lug bolt is slick and keeps shooters in the action. Our 6.5 PRC barrel has a 1:8 twist rate and did a bang-up job punching small holes with the Hornady ammunition we used.

We fired both three-shot and five-shot groups at 100 yards, and the results were nothing short of amazing. This rifle was barely getting warmed up at that range. Measuring a three-shot group most often meant measuring a single enlarged and ragged hole. Even out to 300 yards, the Fieldshoot was holding stellar accuracy with both types of ammunition.

THE ONLY NEGATIVE, MINOR FOR MOST

There’s only one fly in the ointment when we discuss the Sauer Fieldshoot, and that gripe only applies to serious shooters who may wish to rebarrel after a high round count. The S100 is built using the company’s Heat Lock mating system, which permanently affixes the barrel to the receiver. This creates an incredibly strong connection for excellent accuracy, but it also makes the barrel impossible to replace. That carbon steel receiver and bolt, however, are built for longevity. It’s no surprise that the vast majority of Fieldshoot rifles will never come close to a round count that would require rebarreling.

DIGGING INTO SAUER

Not all American hunters and shooters are familiar with the Sauer brand, but they should be. In fact, Sauer is part of the Blaser group along with Mauser. Sauer-USA has headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, and the group does quality work, period. Even those not overly acquainted with the European Sauer name may recall that Sauer produced early Weatherby Mark V rifles and Colt-Sauer bolt actions, both famous here in the States for looks and quality. For those not wild about the adjustable stock and heavyweight barrel on the Fieldshoot, check out the related Sauer 100 Pantera or Cherokee, with black or camouflage synthetic, respectively.

BOTTOM LINE

The heavy Sauer S100 Fieldshoot may not be the rifle hunters want to carry around all day. But it is, hands down, a highly adjustable, incredibly accurate rifle with unique looks and top-notch features. Throw in the 6.5 PRC chambering alongside classic options like the 6.5×55, and we consider this rifle a big win for hunters and long-range shooters alike.