I'm trying find someone..especially in Colorado that owns a Sako TRGS rifle. If you own one and are in Colorado please let me know. No dealers that I know of have them in Stock. I'm interested in buying one but I want to get my hands on one first. Any feedback from anyone that has one is greatly appriciated to. Thanks for any help
Posts: 156 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 18 June 2002
I have one in 338 Lapua, with a Leupold 2.5-8 on it. kicks like a mule, the stock doesn't fit me very well, and the ballistics are only about 50 fps better then my 340 Wby. Well built rifle though, I just think the cartridge needs more barrel then 26". - FWIW - Dan
Posts: 5285 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 05 October 2001
An acquaintance owns one in .308 and he let me try it on the range at 200 metres one day. Because I got cocky, I pulled the last shot, so it opened the group up to 1/2 an inch. Otherwise, it would have been in the .2s -- at 200 metres, no less.
Without a doubt, the most spectacularly accurate and ergonomically perfect rifles I've ever had the privilege of shooting. They sell for about $3,500 in Canada; I don't know what to go for in the U.S. All I know is if I won the lottery, that's the first firearm I'd buy.
Oops, scratch that. I mistook your question as relating to the Sako TRG-22 Sniper/Target rifle. I see now that you're talking about the hunting rifle with the "clubby" stock. I've never used one of those.
Dan, thanks for the input too. My concerns are just as you described. I want to get my hands on one so I can make sure the stock will fit me. Thanks again
Posts: 156 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 18 June 2002
The stock fits me just fine, in fact better than most sporters. It has two spacers under the recoil pad which can be adjusted for length of pull and pitch. All of my guns are reasonably accurate, especially the .375. The gun is light for a .375 and does kick. It's weight seems fine in 7 STW.
The bolt is extremely slick; just open the handle, tilt the barrel upwards about 20 degrees, and the bolt slides out on its own. I've never been a big fan of detachable magazines, but I have five for the three guns and they are interchangeable. Handy.
I still prefer traditional wood stocked rifles, but I find the TRG an excellent performer, especially considering that they go for several hundred dollars less than a more traditional Sako.
Posts: 13262 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
The guy I usually buy my rifles from got one in .300 WM when they first came out. Accuracy is decent and it is the slickest action I've ever come across. Operating the bolt seems as if its riding on ball bearings, it is that good. I don't think you'll be sorry if you get one.
Posts: 2092 | Location: Canada | Registered: 25 April 2003
I have 2, 375 H&H and a custom 450 Ackley. The 375 is tremendously accurate. I have sighted in 3 others for friends and each one is accurate. I want to buy another and set in up for a long range 300 win mag.
Mike
Posts: 1879 | Location: Prairieville,Louisiana, USA | Registered: 09 October 2001
You may have to get it bedded, since it doesn't have much for a recoil lug. At least mine has needed to be bedded for a while (there's movement fore and aft of the recoil lug, rubbing a shiny spot into the stock), and accuracy is lackluster at best right now. After the muzzle brake is installed, I'm going to glass bed it. In a few years, (when I get more cash for rifle projects) I'm going to get bottom metal for it, and a custom wood stock. But as for now, I really like the palm swell on this factory stock. Pulls up really well too.
Posts: 264 | Location: Big Sky Country, MT | Registered: 12 October 2001
WHen I spoke with SAKO and McMillan at SHOT, they informed me that the stock on this rifle is molded on. While you may be able to rebarrel, they said that removing the action from the stock would be major surgery and ruin the stock. Lazzeroni was offering rifles on this action, and they confirmed it.
Thus your glass bedding surprises me. Did SAKO at last hear the pleas from many and make a stock from which the action CAN be removed? That would be great. We are talking the TRG-S, not the TRG-22/41 ... right?
Posts: 327 | Location: Texas | Registered: 22 July 2003
That's interesting. I would be very hesitant to get one if you can't rebed or bed the action. Especially with the recoil lug issues.. I think the Sendero is looking better and better.
[ 08-06-2003, 03:48: Message edited by: Boman ]
Posts: 156 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 18 June 2002
quote:Originally posted by MartytW: WHen I spoke with SAKO and McMillan at SHOT, they informed me that the stock on this rifle is molded on. While you may be able to rebarrel, they said that removing the action from the stock would be major surgery and ruin the stock. Lazzeroni was offering rifles on this action, and they confirmed it.
Thus your glass bedding surprises me. Did SAKO at last hear the pleas from many and make a stock from which the action CAN be removed? That would be great. We are talking the TRG-S, not the TRG-22/41 ... right?
Have you Marty ever seen the TRG-S in the real life? Are you saying, that it is impossible to remove TRG-S's action from stock without breaking the stock? Or am I just too stupid, that I'm not understanding what you are meaning? You have to open three screws and lift the action up from the stock, that's so easy. Just as easy as with any other rifle...
Posts: 21 | Location: Finland | Registered: 19 November 2002
I believe you may have misheard those people at the show. The stock on this rifle removes just like any other stock. Perhaps they were talking about the molded in trigger guard and "floor metal". - Dan
Posts: 5285 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 05 October 2001
quote:Originally posted by Finnlight: ]Have you Marty ever seen the TRG-S in the real life? Are you saying, that it is impossible to remove TRG-S's action from stock without breaking the stock?[/QB]
At the 2002 SHOT show, after visiting the SAKO booth to take look at the TRG-S (and the TRG 42 that was tucked away), I visited with McMillan to ask about getting at different stock for this rifle. The folks at McMillan told us FLAT OUT "no", because "the stock is molded on to the action". Now, this is the information from McMillan. We then stopped by Lazzeroni and noticed that they were chambering the TRG-S in one of their calibers. So we decided to ask them. The guy there looked rather depressed when he told us that "all they could do was rebarrel the action because the stock is molded on".
So we decided to go take a look at the CZ 550s instead because we didn't like the factory stock on the TRG-S.
If we were given erroneous information, I am glad to hear that there are indeed aftermarket stocks available. If we misunderstood what they were telling us, mea culpa. We SHOULD have asked the folks at SAKO, but the booth was packed and we were low on time.
The last thing I would do is imply anyone is stupid ... I was just surprised to read that it was removable, after the lengthy discussion with McMillan. IIRC, the TRG-S was rather new at that time, and perhaps this is why McMillan was hesitant.
If at all feasible, could you post pictures for me, so I can print these for a fellow gunsmith who has been avoiding the TRG-S because of the information we got at the 2002 SHOT show?
AS I told Dan in the other post, thank you for correcting me! )
Edit to correct the year, it was the 2002 SHOT show ....
[ 08-07-2003, 08:36: Message edited by: MartytW ]
Posts: 327 | Location: Texas | Registered: 22 July 2003
I have had the TRG-S since 1995 and I'm very pleased with it. Stock fits fine for me, but, to be honest, it is slightly slippery because there is no chequerings on the stock.
Posts: 21 | Location: Finland | Registered: 19 November 2002
Thank you so much for the PDF ... now I see where the misunderstanding crept in. I also understand McMillan's reluctance at the time. This now opens some great doors. I must ask: Seeing this, the TRG-S becomes an option for a custom big bore once more. Question is, if I did want to restock, what are the options. I saw the Accra-bond statement, any others?
Posts: 327 | Location: Texas | Registered: 22 July 2003
The TRG-s uses a "reverse" recoil lug: The bottom of the receiver ring has a slot cut into it which fits a corresponding "lump" in the channel of the synthentic stock. This seems to work well enought, but if customizing a TRG-s, I would recommend using a Remington 700-type barrel washer recoil lug to replace the recoil dovetail arrangement. I have heard of some who have fitted a lug into the dovetail and then mortised the stock for a more conventional recoil lug. If your are going with a custom stock, then you have a number of choices.
Posts: 13262 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
Boman --- I own two, one in a .340 Wby that is a tack driver. I just bought one in a .338 Lapua from a buddy. I shot it for him for a short period, while I got small groups, never a one holer. I plan to work on it extensively after the fall hunting trips. My gunsmith is complimentary of the Sako, as long as it will shoot I will play with it. Good luck in your quest and good shooting.
I didn't mean to imply that they were bad rifles, yhey are not. Mine is quite accurate. The fit problem is simply because I have to buy my clothes at the "Mr. Short and Fat" store. I bought mine from a friend who saw it as a poor man's TRG-42. I was intrigued by the published ballistics of the 338 Lapua cartridge. I now know that those ballistics are either at substantially higher pressures and/or in substantially longer barrels. Marty, I apologise if I sounded curt, such was not my intention. As for the stock question, Accra-bond as mentioned, the custom makers, McMillan may have changed their tune by now, with bottom metal available. It would probably be worth checking. FWIW - Dan
Posts: 5285 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 05 October 2001
Boman --- I just bought the Lapua from a buddie. You know how it goes, I just couldn't pass up the buy. I really got a fantastic deal, if I told you, you would think I told you a teewatty. I haven't scoped it yet, plan to soon. I did not check out the other mans rifle, just shot it, now my smith will do his thing when I scope it. Good shooting.
I have two. One in 8mm Rem Mag that has been the most reliable rifle (ever since rebedding and dumping the factory recoil lug in 1998). It is topped with a Zeiss 3x9 and continues to anchor game anywhere (including the Tyrolian Alps).
The second is just being built. .458 Lott. Again the factory recoil lug is long gone, and a barrel mounted recoil lug added on.
As others have said, the action is slick. When working the bolt, you cannot tell by feel if it is stripping a round from the magazine or if the magazine is empty.
Great factory trigger - borrowed from the sniper version. I think the bolt handle is bit too small, but then, it is threaded into the bolt. Easy to fix, yes?
Nice palm swell, but the factory stock need checkering - like a greased pig otherwise.
We (at ACRAbond) created a bottom metal kit for restocking this rifle in wood or composite. A hundred units exist, but we have not completed our CNC programming on the TRG shape yet, so we have not actually installed a kit in a working rifle.
Posts: 108 | Location: Star Meadow, Montana | Registered: 30 April 2003
Phurley, Good for you then. You can never have enough guns right?! If you remember let me know how it shoots after you get it all scoped up and loaded for. Thanks again for your info. You've helped me (and I'm sure many others) so much along the way.
Ron@acrabond, Thanks for contributing to this post. that's great news on the bottom metal. I also didn't know the TRGS has a palm swell. I assume it's like the one on the model 75 synthetic? If so that is good news. I really love the palm swell for some reason.
I really am torn on what gun to buy. I feel like boilerroom on his post. I want a fast .30 caliber. right now it's between the Rum in a sendero SF, or the warbird in the TRGS rifle. There are pros and cons to both. If I could just get my hands on a TRGS I would be alot happier!
Does anyone know if the Lazz versions of the Sako TRGS rifles are different for better or worse than the factory direct Sako's? Thanks
Posts: 156 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 18 June 2002
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Good shooting.
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If you remember let me know how it shoots after you get it all scoped up and loaded for. Thanks again for your info. You've helped me (and I'm sure many others) so much along the way. 
