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

[Zak Smith]

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).
[ link to LARGER image ]
-z

[TOrrock]

Thanks for the pics, those are great!

[Zak Smith]

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.

[FlyingHunter]

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.

[Spooky130]

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

[Zak Smith]

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.

[SethB]

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.

[Zak Smith]

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.

[Spooky130]

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

[Zak Smith]

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