The Sauer 404 is a lightweight

bolt-action rifle Bolt-action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle, which is most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon (as most users are right-handed). Most bolt-action ...

manufactured by Sauer & Sohn. The rifle was launched in 2015, and is a direct successor of the

Sauer 202 The Sauer 202 is a lightweight bolt-action rifle manufactured by Sauer & Sohn in Germany between 1993 and 2015. The rifle was imported to the US by SIG Arms. This rifle has a modular construction which allowed easy replacement of components and ca ...

. It has a modular construction allowing for easy replacement of components and changing between barrels with different chamberings. This 404 is currently made in a large selection of chamberings and a modular barrel-change system allows changing between chamberings. While the 404 has a similar appearance to the 202 on the outside, it has several upgrades and updates, and parts are not necessarily compatible. Some differences are that the 404 has a manual cocking lever instead of a push button safety like on the 202. Unlike the 202, the 404 uses the same receiver for magnum and non-magnum cartridges.

Universal tool

With the rifle, Sauer introduced the Sauer Universal Tool, also known as the Sauer Universal Key (SUK) or Sauer Universal-Schlüssel (SUS) in German. This is essentially a 5 mm

hex key Hex keys of various sizes Socket head screws of various sizes A hex key (also, hex wrench, Allen key and Allen wrench) is a simple driver for bolts or screws that have heads with ''internal'' hexagonal recesses (sockets). Hex keys are form ...

integrated into the front

sling swivel stud In the context of firearms, a sling is a type of strap or harness designed to allow a shooter to conveniently carry a firearm (usually a long gun such as a rifle, carbine, shotgun, or submachine gun) on their body, and/or to aid in greater hit ...

, and can be used to disassemble the forend, buttstock, switch barrels or adjust the trigger.

Receiver

The receiver has no holes for a scope mount, but instead features a new proprietary integrated quick-detach scope mounting system called Sauer Universal Mount, which resembles two NATO rail slots, however the two standards are not compatible. Original and aftermarket scope mounts are available for either scope rail mounts (like the Zeiss inner rail) or traditional ring mounts. The magazine release button can be locked to avoid losing the magazine while hunting.

Trigger

The trigger weight can be adjusted by the user after the forend has been removed using the included Sauer universal tool or a 5 mm hex key. Pull weight can then be switched between the four different settings of either 550, 750, 1000 or 1250 grams (±50 g), or about 1.2, 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 pounds respectively. To suit shooters with large or small hands, the end user can also adjust the position of the trigger about 5 millimeters forward or rearward, as well as canting the trigger left or right.

Barrels

The barrel change system has been renewed, and 404 barrels are not interchangeable with the older 202 barrels. As opposed to the 202, where the whole bolt had to be changed when changing to another cartridge group, only the bolt head is replaced on the Sauer 404.Sauer 404 Review , Blog
/ref> To disassemble the barrel, the forend must first be removed by unscrewing one screw with either a 5 mm hex key or the Sauer universal tool. To disassemble the barrel, three more screws need to be loosened, also using a 5 mm hex key. Finally, a lever needs to be pulled down 90 degrees to release the barrel, allowing change of chambering or a worn out barrel. The new barrel can be hand tightened, although SIG Sauer recommends tightening the three screws with torque of 5 Newtonmeters (about 45 inch pounds). Some available factory chamberings are: ;Medium (Standard) *

.243 Win The .243 Winchester (6×52mm) is a popular sporting rifle cartridge. Developed as a versatile short action cartridge to hunt both medium game and small game alike, it "took whitetail hunting by storm"Ron Spomer.Whitetail Deer Cartridge Shoot-Out ...

6.5mm Creedmoor The 6.5mm Creedmoor (6.5×48 mm), designated 6.5 Creedmoor by SAAMI, 6.5 Creedmoor by the C.I.P. or 6.5 CM or 6.5 CRDMR for short, is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced by Hornady in 2007. It was developed by Hornady senior ballistics ...

, 6.5×55mm, .270 Win, 7×64mm,

.308 Win The .308 Winchester is a smokeless powder rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge widely used for hunting, target shooting, police, military, and personal protection applications globally. It is similar but not identical to the 7.62×51mm NATO ...

.30-06 Springfield The .30-06 Springfield cartridge (pronounced "thirty- aught-six" ), 7.62×63mm in metric notation, and called the .30 Gov't '06 by Winchester, was introduced to the United States Army in 1906 and later standardized; it remained in military use ...

, 8x57 IS, 9.3×62mm ;Magnum * 7mm Rem Mag,

.300 Win Mag The .300 Winchester Magnum (also known as .300 Win Mag or .300 WM) (7.62×67mmB, 7.62x66BR) is a belted, bottlenecked magnum rifle cartridge that was introduced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1963. The .300 Winchester Magnum is a m ...

, 8×68mm S, .338 Win Mag, .375 H&H Magnum,

.404 Jeffery The .404 Jeffery is a rifle cartridge designed for hunting large, dangerous game animals, such as the " Big Five" (elephant, rhino, cape buffalo, lion and leopard) of Africa. The cartridge is standardized by the C.I.P. and is also known as .404 ...

, 10.3x60 mmR Swiss

References

External links

Official Sauer 404 Operating Instructions (English)
Bolt-action rifles Rifles of Germany