New Sauer 101 Highland XTC rifle
J.P. Sauer & Sohn announced their lightest rifle to date the Sauer 101 Highland XTC. Germany’s oldest gun maker goes high tech with this new offering.
Ultralight Hunting Rifle
The S 101 Highland XTC features a hand-laid carbon fiber stock made in Germany. This stock not only helps to make the rifle lightweight but also absorb more recoil than a traditional stock. The stocks are made in cooperation with a “high tech company” in Germany.
The barrel is factory fluted and threaded to make the rifle lighter and add to the balance of the rifle. The barrel is cold hammer-forged and features Sauer’s Diamond-Like Carbon “DLC” surface. Sauer says, “This high-tech surface is 40 times thinner than a human hair, but in practice, it offers four big advantages: maximum rust protection, maximum wear resistance, impressive surface hardness, and an extremely valuable surface feel.”
The bolt is also fluted and has the Sauer DURA SAFE safety. This direct firing pin safety is built into the bolt shroud and can be silently disengaged before a shot.
The goal weight of the rifle was 2500 grams or 5 lbs 8 oz. The .308 version of the S 101 Highlander XTC is 5 lbs 6 oz with an 18″ barrel. Sauer could have made the rifle lighter, but that would have affected the overall performance of the rifle.
The CNC receiver combined with the cold-hammer-forged barrel lets Sauer guarantee an MOA of less than 1 inch.
Expect the Sauer 101 Highlander XTC to go on sale around March 2020 in multiple calibers. Price is set for 3995 euros or around $4,495 US.
Key Features: SAUER 101 HIGHLAND XTC
Calibers: .243 Win., 6,5×55 SE, .270 Win., 7×64, .308 Win., .30-06 Spr., 8x57IS, 9,3×62, 7 mm Rem. Mag., .300 Win. Mag.
Stock: Carbon Fiber
Finish: DLC coating
Barrel Length: 20” standard calibers, 22” magnum calibers, also available 18” and 24”
Overall Length: 39.9-41.9 in
Weight: 5.5 – 5.7 lb
Price: 3995 euro – $4,495 US
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.
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