A little TRG-42 and AI-AWSM (Lapua) porn

General Firearms Precision Rifle - Bolt Gun
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I recently finished an article for the 2007 Combat Annual comparing two military 338 Lapuas-- the AWSM and the TRG-42. Here are some extra pictures from the last two months. Enjoy.
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At one point, we were shooting steel at 940 yards. The AWSM shot 5 rounds into 4 inches (bottom), and the TRG shot 3 into 3 inches (top) before its base came loose and threw the other two shots off the side of the target (you could wiggle it side to side).
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-z

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Thanks for the pics, those are great! :cool:

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The picture of the AI by itself on the hill was taken in the “slant sniper” training area at Camp Guernsey.

We found pre-placed targets at 1130, 1300-something, 1400-something, and 1600 yards. I couldn’t connect with the 1600 on that day due to a switching tailwind.

I love living in the West. :smiley:

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Greetings Zak,

Off track from your post - but I wanted to thank you for being an excellent resource for 6.8spc info. I shoot a PRI 6.8 over a Colt lower and have thoroughly enjoyed the set-up. Your articles/post etc… have been a huge help.

BTW - Cool pics of the long range guns.

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Well Zak, spill the beans, which did you like better? Which was a better deal overall for the price paid and the abilities of each rifle? Are you reloading for the .338 LM - how much does that cost per round? Where is Camp Guernsey?

Spooky

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Hey, I’ve got to leave some mystery so you buy the magazine!!

The rifles shoot equivalently well. Both sub-half MOA at 1000, if the shooter can manage the wind.

The AI is the tougher rifle, but the SAKO is cheaper… however, not as much cheaper as most people think. When you add the same accessories to both, the SAKO is about 25% less. The biggest advantage the SAKO has is bioid stability, but it is more awkward to deploy and stow for movement. The SAKO has more recoil when shooting brakes and substantially more recoil when shooting suppressed.

Yes. Around $0.80/rd reloaded.

Camp Guernsey ARNG base is 90 miles North of Wyoming’s Southern border on I-25. There is a web site at http://www.wy.ngb.army.mil/guernsey/ but it seems to be currently down.

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A friend told me once that he shot a 4.4 inch group at 1000M while demonstrating AI rifles to the 10th SFG(A). He has a thank you certificate on the wall.

Pretty damn impressive. He said all the Army snipers were concentrating on making sub- 36 inch groups with their Remingtons. He thought the only difference was the equipment.

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Unless there was something seriously wrong with the rifles or ammo, it wasn’t the rifles. You can take most box stock PSS’s and make 1-2 MOA hits at 1000 yards.

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Zak,

I can’t wait to read the article when it comes out. I enjoyed reading your pages on precision shooting and have researched the AI some more because of it. If I had the cash I would buy one - maybe I’ll sell my Chinese NDM-86 SVD style rifle to fund the AI!

I also found a Shotgun News article by Dave Fortier that covered the AI AE and TRG-22. From that article I took away that the Sako was more comfortable with more expensive accessories.

Do you know if the Sako TRG22/42 action is based off the Sako M995/TRG-S action that they sold a few years back? I bought one to hunt with in Alaska and snapped the handle right off the bolt. If it is the same action I would be a little worried about the durability of the system.

Spooky

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I think the action is similar, but I am not a SAKO action expert.

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This was 10 years ago. Were they using the 173 grain stuff back then?

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I dug through a bunch of your pictures and found a pretty good one of where the handle is attached to the bolt - looks to be the same.

Here’s the story… I was working up loads with my rifle for hunting. I was letting my Dad shoot it and he’s a big ol’ brute. He started to chamber a round and it wouldn’t go - so I took it back from him. I made sure the bolt was open and started to pull on the handle and it wouldn’t budge. I then started to lightly tap the bolt handle on a cable spool that we used as a shooting bench. The handle snapped off right where it attached to the bolt. It was a great shooting rifle and I was told when I bought it that there was a sniper rifle based on the same action. I was always a little suspicious when it came to that rifle after that experience. Lessons learned in reloading (shouldn’t listen to my uncle who said just to fill the case up and cram a bullet in!) and how to remove a stuck round.

Anyhow, when is your magazine article coming out?

Spooky

PS - the MRP you sold me a few years back is running great - and the 6.8 barrel rocks!

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Should be out in April. I might have an article on the 260 Rem in SGN that month too.

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We are in the process of buying two AI’s for our SRT.

Zach,

I saw a show on TV last week about a two gun (precision rifle/carbine) match in Colorado. Do you know who runs theses?

Steve

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That was the 2006 Practical Rifle Team Challenge, run by my org, Colorado Multigun. For a current schedule of 2007 events, follow the CMG link below…

regards

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I think you should send me those rifles with plenty of rounds for my own testing purposes.:smiley:

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G&A’s Combat Arms annual with this article is on the shelves now. Enjoy!

Hopefully I’ll get paid for it soon.

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You should! That was the best article in it!

Spooky

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I had an AICS 1.0 for a while. and currently have a .300Win TRG42. The AI stock is one Very Heavy dude, basically a stem to stern frame they hang the skin on. The Sako is much more adjustable and light weight. I like the design of the 1.0, but it is like a tank in the weight dept, w/0 the benefits.

The TRG action is, indeed, the TRG-S action except the dovetail scope mounts have different widths and the TRG has a solid topped receiver. The safety cut out on the TRG-S is not present on the TRG. You can use a TRG safety on a TRG-S, but not the reverse. Beretta sells bolt bodies. A TRG42 can be the ultimate switch-barrel gun, although to go from a magnum ctg to .308, you need another stock forend and magazine ($600) plus barrels, and bolt body *$185-$285).

The Sako stock design is definitely more adaptable, cheekpiece risers tailor your stockweld perfectly and allow lateral-horizontal shift that few other stocks enable. The buttpad is almost infinitely variable and can be used with an Anschutz butt hook.

The Sako trigger is really worth having. Extremely strong and ergonomically adjustable. This is the same TRG-S trigger, but with the housing the stock design requires. Did I mention the inside the trigger safety lever? Another REALLY BIG Plus for the Sako.

The Sako does not incorporate a recoil lug, the AI design won’t allow the lug to be bedded. It is supposed to be perfectly inletted not to require bedding. Such was not the case with the 1.0 I owned.

The Sako action is simply perfect. It is like working a jeweled mechanism, inspires confidence. The design allows a custom machined substitute if the operator requires it. Super nice to have the integral flange to screw the bolt handle to rather than relying on a tack weld or brazing job to the bolt body. I have heard of those failing also on Remingtons. If you need to clean the Sako in the field, takes 5 seconds to remove the pin. A Rem bolt with a Win70 safety would do that trick too, but those adaptations are a couple hundred more bux.

The Sako can actually improve once you need to rebarrel it. That would be fairly promptly if you choose a .338LM.

I bought my rifle to switch-barrel. I have an assortment of TRG-S sporter barrels and a .338/300 being profiled to match the heavy .300Win.

Beretta/USA is a substantial resource for parts resupply. They are in MD. Takes 72 hrs to get parts. Try that with Accuracy Intl.

If you don’t care for the TRG stock; McMillan, and Manners to name a few, can make you a more traditional design. But, I’m betting if you try the stock, invest the time to make it fit you and live with it for awhile, you won’t make a change. But maybe you will fork over the $1600 for that wicked looking folding butt stock?

Accessories? They are there for the TRG22/42. But so are aftermarket makers. If you want the best Picatinny rail (for either rifle) you’ll contact Richard Near. A Harris Bipod is a super choice and won’t scratch your barrel (get the optional rubber bipod foot covers if you go Sako for bipod). Iron sights are out there from many HighPower apperture/micrometer makers. Do you need the big-ass muzzle brake? Maybe? Do you need that 27" barrel (30" w/brake)? Maybe not. Anyway lots to choose from, and they are available.

I admittedly have not fired an AWCS AI gun.
I am not keeping the 8-32x NightForce NXS scope because this rifle cry’s out, “carry me!”. Put a 24" sporter bbl on the platform and a 1.5-6x Diavari and you really have somthing.

The Sako is The One, if you could only have one.

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recoil lug, the AI design won’t allow the lug to be bedded. It is supposed to be perfectly inletted not to require bedding.

Comparing the AICS stock to a SAKO rifle is apples to oranges.

The AICS is a patch so the American market can retrofit new stock/chassis technology to our sporterized commercial actions (Rem700) which stem from a 100-year-old design (Mauser copied into '03).

SAKO does not make a product comparable to the AICS.

A fair comparison is the AI-AW/AWM/AWSM to the TRG-22/42.

Takes 72 hrs to get parts. Try that with Accuracy Intl.

TACPRO. And mags aren’t $300.

If you want the best Picatinny rail (for either rifle) you’ll contact Richard Near.

Per the experience in the article (and in the first post), using the stock screw holes in the TRG receiver to mount a Pic rail may not provide the strength to persist with 338LM recoil.