Sabatti Saphire

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The History of Sabatti

Sabatti’s history can be traced back to the early 18th century’s Val Trompia, a region in northern Italy that is historically well known for metalworking and arms manufacturing. We know of one Lodovico Sabatti working there as a gunsmith in the early 1700s, in the city of Gardone Val Trompia. He was regarded as an excellent barrel maker and a flintlock pistol maker, skills that later became somewhat of a trademark for the Sabatti family.

In the first half 1800s, a man by the name of Giuseppe Sabatti gained considerable fame as one of the best Damascus steel barrel manufacturers ever, thus further contributing to Sabatti’s rising influence in the craft. In fact, it was throughout the 19th century when several members of the Sabatti family became respected practitioners of the trade, some of whom opened their own workshops, while others joined forces with other gunsmiths to open companies, many of which are still in operation today. Sabatti members also played an important role as gunsmiths in the turbulent years of Italian unification.

After a seeming decline of the Sabatti family in the first half of the 20th century, Antonio Sabatti entered a partnership with Giuseppe Tanfoglio to form a new company almost immediately after World War II (in 1946). Their joint company was named SATA (Sabatti and Tanfoglio), and it reinvigorated the Italian gun manufacturing business. They first put all their efforts into manufacturing high-quality hunting shotguns and rifles, but in 1956 they also introduced their first pistols for personal defense.

The partnership ended in 1960 with Giuseppe founding Tanfoglio while Antonio’s sons set up their own company, which until 1990 operated under the name FIAS (Fabbrica Italiana Armi Sabatti). They seemingly split SATA down the middle – Tanfoglio specialized in hand pistols only while Sabatti to this day remains a well-respected manufacturer of hunting shotguns and rifles. And just like in the past, the quality of the barrels and actions are still Sabatti’s main strengths. They even patented a new Multi-Radial Rifling (MRR) system which extends the life cycle of the rifle’s barrel, and due to the lack of traditional sharp corners, it prevents excessive bore fouling. MRR system thus increases the overall quality of barrels, making Sabatti rifles, such as Sabatti Urban Sniper, Saphire, Saphire E.R., or ST-18, a great pick.

Sabatti Saphire Rifle Review

Sabatti Saphire (short for Sabatti All Purpose Hunting Italian Rifle) is an innovative bolt-action rifle primarily intended for hunting. It was first introduced in early 2017 and has since gained a considerable reputation among hunters and sport shooters alike. Its two most distinctive features are the Sabatti’s patented Multi-Radial Rifling system and the new and improved Saphire’s action, which represents a departure from the traditional Rover action design. That being said, the overall rifle design still reminds us of the older models, specifically the Rover 870 model. If it weren’t for the built-in Picatinny rail on the Saphire, an inattentive eye could easily mistake the two guns for one another.

Sabatti Saphire in .308 Win.

Figure 1: Sabatti Saphire in .308 Win. (Source: https://sportingclassicsdaily.com/sabattis-saphire-rifle/)

The Sabatti Saphire’s action is of a push feed style and the smooth-running bolt with three locking lugs is hosted inside a 7075-T6 alloy receiver that is both lightweight and extremely resistant. The bolt itself is made of steel, and both the head and the handle of the bolt are replaceable. The rifle comes with the standard 1,2 kg (2.6 lbs) pull-weight trigger, except for the Sabatti Saphire E.R. variant, which comes with a 600 g (1.3 lbs) pull-weight Match trigger. If requested, the trigger can also be replaced with a different one, with options depending on the rifle’s variant. On the inside of the trigger guard, there is a catch that allows the user to easily remove the rifle’s magazine. The latter is made of steel and has a capacity for 3 cartridges. As mentioned above, the Saphire also has another new and distinctive feature in the form of an integrated Picatinny rail built-in on the receiver – a welcome add-on that ensures easy optics installation. On the right side of the receiver behind the bolt handle, a two-position safety catch can be found that locks the trigger and the bolt, while a three-position safety is available as optional.

But perhaps even more important, albeit less visually noticeable innovations, manifest themselves in the Saphire’s cold-hammer-forged barrel. On top of the Sabatti’s patented Multi-Radial Rifling system which premiered with the Saphire’s introduction to the market, Saphire also features easy barrel interchangeability. The barrels can be bought separately and can be easily changed to suit different calibers. It’s worth noting, though, that replacing the magazine and bolt head might be necessary when shifting from one caliber to another. On top of all the versatility, the barrel’s muzzle is threaded, which allows the installation of the shooter’s choice of muzzle devices.

Sabatti Saphire Calibers

All Sabatti Saphire variants can be chambered for the same calibers, with the exception of Saphire E.R. which can’t be chambered for calibers marked with “*” below:

.243 Winchester *
.270 Winchester *
6.5x55 SE
6.5 Creedmoor
6.5 PRC *
7x57
7x64
7 mm Rem. Mag.
.30-06 Springfield
.308 Winchester
.300 Win. Mag.
8x57 JS

Sabatti Rover Saphire Variants

There are several different variants available for the Sabatti Rover Saphire:

Sabatti Saphire Syn
Sabatti Saphire Thumbhole
Sabatti Saphire Tactical Carbon
Sabatti Saphire Varmint Carbon
Sabatti Saphire E.R. (Extended Range)

Sabatti Saphire’s receiver comes with an integrated Picatinny rail which offers a high number of mounting possibilities.

The receiver and bolt of Sabatti Saphire with a visible mounting surface.

Figure 2: The receiver and bolt of Sabatti Saphire with a visible mounting surface. (Source: https://www.sabatti.it/en/product/saphire)

Scope Mounts Interchangeable with Sabatti Saphire

The necessary condition for rifles to have one-piece scope mounts interchangeable is that the mounting surfaces of these rifles match in every dimension. Since Sabatti Saphire has an integrated Picatinny rail, most one-piece scope mounts suitable for Picatinny will fit on the Saphire, too, with the only condition being that the mount isn’t shorter than 105 mm (4.1-inch).

There’s even less dilemma around the interchangeability of two-piece mounts since they don’t have to meet any of the length requirements. Therefore, any two-piece scope mount that fits on a Picatinny rail will also fit on the Sabatti Saphire.

Should you have any additional information regarding possible mount matches, please contact us. We will gladly accept your help and expand our database accordingly.

Best Scope Mounts for Sabatti Saphire

Fixed Scope Mounts for Sabatti Saphire

If you’re looking for an affordable and reliable fixed scope mounting solution for your Sabatti Saphire, then look no further than these 30 mm Rusan Weaver rings. They are made of steel, and they come with a 10-year warranty.

Detachable Repeatable Mounts for Sabatti Saphire

Detachable repeatable scope mounts are a great choice when you want to be able to easily attach or detach an optic without any tools while also retaining zero. Some may view this flexibility as an advantage that is worth paying for a little bit more, since, in contrast to the fixed scope mounts, detachable repeatable mounts can sometimes come at a bit pricier cost. We believe this aluminum INNOMOUNT scope mounting solution of German quality offers a great price-to-quality ratio and is a perfect fit for your Sabatti Saphire.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu

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The History of Sabatti