doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Questions about a JP Sauer 9x57 sporter

I am looking at a JP Sauer M98 sporter, it has a half round half octagon,ribbed barrel with a two leaf express sight and it has the lever type magazine release. It is stocked in the older German style with raised panels on each side of the stock,it has the wedge type barrel retainer, and it has a single set trigger.

The rifle is in great shape, barrel excellent, but there are a couple of things that bother me. The serial # on the bolt does not match the # on the receiver. Also the barrel is a nice rust blue, and the receiver looks almost like the Carbonia blue found on early Winchester Model 12s, and like the old Model 12 it is flaking a little bit. The floor plate has a lever release, but lacks a hinge.

I suspect these sporters were made from military receivers - so is that the reason for the mismatching bolt ? Or should they match ?

Is a thousand dollars too much to pay ?

Pictures ;-).

The Sauer number on the receiver (right side) will not match the Mauser number which is on the bolt and the bottom of the receiver.

Is the writing on the barrel next to the receiver in English?

Pictures ;-).

Michael I wish I could have taken photos - but the seller refused. The writing on the barrel is "Auf Deutsch".

Good to know about the mismatch on the bolt !

It looks like this rifle on Guns International - only the wood is nicer.

Postoak,
I wouldn't worry too much about the mismatched bolt.It was likely made from an old military action, and it would have been headspaced at the time. Even that wouldn't make that much difference, since you will likely have to handload for it. I have ammo and still handload for mine(I'm too cheap to shoot much factory ammo). My rifle, and the others I have "slugged" have .358" groove dia. It is worth your while to check yours before you get tangled up in trying to find .355/.356" bullets because someone says you need them.If the rifle was made before WW1, it may have a "MAUSER" action and may not have been marked as such. If you can't take it apart(serial# on back of mag box=mauser) you might be able to tell from the double set triggers.If it is a military action, the DST will be a seperate unit,let into the triggerguard assy.If it is Mauser, the triggers would be in the assy.itself.
Mike

I just one in 8x57.....really nice guns, great proportions and feel, and I sold mine to dealer for quite a bit more than a grand.

Mike - see my above on the photos of a similar rifle - I have not purchased it - but I am sorely tempted to.

A good caliber, nice wood, set trigger, I would be tempted as well although I sold my 06 Sauer a while back.

Contrary to what I might have published I think all the Sauers that I have handled were made using a commercial action.

Postoak,
I edited my post,I didn't see the photo at first.
Michael Petrov
If pre-WW1, I would agree it would have commercial action,Mauser controled this pretty closely.After the war,military actions were every where.In the second war,Sauer made M98s and I guess then they could have used their own actions,but wouldn't be making many hunting rifles. The style of stock changed before then anyway and the photo wouldn't fit.This is only my opinion, based on much less experience than you have.
Mike

My JP Sauer 98 sporter has the same finish,,bright blue receiver,,rust blue bbl. I've seen others with the bright blued receiver.

Same 1/2oct bbl, lever release floor plate and w/o a hinge. DSTriggers in 8x57. I paid $500 recently. But the expert selling it said the bbl was cut off as there was no ramp for the front sight.

I'll have to check mine to see if the DST is part of the guard or a separate unit fitted into the guard.
Thanks for that info.

Kutter,
Check the muzzle of your rifle for a tiny SS. If one is present,the barrel hasn't been cut. Just a suggestion.
Mike