J. P. Sauer und Sohn GmbH (Sauer & Sohn) is a German manufacturer of firearms. Founded in 1751 in Suhl, Thuringia, Sauer & Sohn is the oldest firearms manufacturer still active in Germany. The company’s production remained there for two centuries, before relocating to Eckernförde in 1951. The move was precipitated by the fall of Nazi Germany, as the German military was responsible for the majority of the company’s sales, and by the fact that the partition of Germany left Suhl in Communist East Germany.

Sauer & Sohn has manufactured both handguns and long arms, including pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Of particular note is the company’s Sauer 38H, the first mass-produced semiautomatic pistol to feature a cocking/decocking lever.

Sauer & Sohn often collaborates with Swiss Arms AG (formerly SIG Arms AG) since the mid-1970s in the design and manufacture of semi-automatic pistols branded as “SIG-Sauer”. Prior to this, a previous collaboration with Weatherby (1958 – early 1970s) was the mass production of their Mark V hunting rifles. They are also well known for their hunting rifles.

SIG SAUER FIREARMS – see SIG SAUER GmbH – SWISS ARMS