Sauer 100 start to finish

Chet707

FNG
Joined
Jul 22, 2025
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48
I wanted to start this as a sauer 100 setup thread to see if im missing anything and gather ideas. Anybody with the same rifle please chime in, I'd love to hear about it. I will try and cover everything from rings to dies.

I got in on the $429 deal on the sauer 100 6.5 cm from @EuroOptic. I didn't necessarily need a new rifle but from what I've gathered on here it seems like a pretty great rifle for less than a new ruger American costs. I have several other rifles and they are constantly in the tinker phase. I have a tikka already that is waiting for a 6cm barrel and s2h scope that will be my primary rifle. I want this one to be set and forget reliable as a backup or loaner or maybe primary if i want to once all the parts are ordered and arrive. I have my "plan" but if anyone sees any major flaws or improvements feel free to let me know.

Use case of the rifle will be hunting and target shooting. I shoot steel often to 500-800 yards but will not be shooting at game beyond about 450 yards.
Primarily white tails because thats the most available tags in my neck of the woods but I will also have black bear and elk tags every year.

Total budget is approx $2000

Rifle - sauer 100 classic xt chambered in 6.5cm. Gonna be leaving it bone stock to start with, partly because not alot of after market support but I also can't think of any major flaws to begin with. The only thing that may come down the road is getting it cut down to 18".

Suppressor - heavily thinking and currently planning on the OG 6.5. If someone has a better can I would consider it but the og fits the budget and will keep length and weight down/balanced being otb.

Bases and rings - ordered a set of the Burris xtreme two piece pic bases and will be ordering a set of warne mountain tech low rings. If anyone has had issues with low not being tall enough for clearance with a 42mm objective please let me know.

Optic - planning on a swfa ss 10x. Fits the budget and I like the idea of fixed magnification for simplicity. I would consider a 6x or 3-9 but rarely in stock. Dont feel like chasing classifieds. Although I do hunt timber there is also plenty of clear cuts and logging blocks where 10x won't be too much and this isn't my only rifle.

Ammo - this is where I could use some suggestions. I previously had a ruger American predator in 6.5 cm. Shot a couple mule deer with it using factory 140 eldm and 143 eldx. No issues using match bullets and would prefer them.
I live at 2600' most of my hunting is between 1K and 4K DA. I will most likely only load for this rifle from start to finish but I might also grab a box of eldms just to see how it likes them. Has anyone had stability issues with any of 140+ hornady bullets? I would prefer to stay in the 130 tmk range or 140+ eldm range but if anyone has a sauer that prefers something much different let me know.

I have about 150+ pieces of hornady brass left over from the other rifle, cci lr primers, h4350 and a one hundred 147 eldms. Still need to pick up a set of dies, I use rcbs fl dies for everything else and am planning on the same for the 6.5.

Load dev will be done starting with what i have first, if it doesnt come out then i will be switching bullets. I will be using @Formidilosus painless method, thanks Form.

Rifle setup will be a complete degrease of action screws, bases, rings, scope etc... torqued appropriately, nail polish amd witness marked.

Hopefully this isn't just a bunch of long winded gibberish. I know tikkas have been covered from here to there but I didn't find anything as comprehensive on the sauer.

Thanks in advance for any input.
I will update with pictures once parts start showing up as not everything has been ordered yet.
 
The only thing I have to add is that I prefer the Nightforce one-piece base to the Burris two-piece base. I started with the Burris two-piece bases, which were recommended on here, but I found that it didn’t have quite enough room to mount a SWFA fixed power or 3-9x on it where I wanted it.

Standard Duty Base
A294
Rifle: Rem 700 LA 1913 Mil-Std, Taper: 0 MOA

I have been using SWFA low rings.

For ammo, the Hornady 140-grain ELDM has given me my best group to date. And I have fired an absolute ton of factory ammo through it.

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The Nosler 140-grain Ballistic Tip load also shot very well.

For reloading, I have a pile of 140-grain ELDMs, Nosler Partitions, and Sierra 142-grain MKs. I’m also going to try the 130-grain TMK.
 
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