Sako M995 (TRG-S) .338 Lapua Mag

[pwrwgnwalt]

Hello;

I'm new to this site but find it full of great information!

Was wondering if anyone has experience with the Sako M995 rifle,
especially in .338 Lapua, and would like to share those experiences
briefly.

I am looking for a rifle chambered for this round, but am unfamiliar with
Sako (always owned Winchester M70 and Remington M700's). Want to keep the cost reasonable (no Armalite AR 30 or Sako TRG-42) - to save
cash for the ammo! (will be reloading).

Thank you!
- Walt

 

[WAMBO]

I have one, shoots pretty good which equates to sub moa most of the time out to 600yds but at 1K usually around 1-1.5 moa.
I think for a factory 338 LM it's really a pretty good rifle for the money.
It will be reworked into a carbon wrapped custom in the very near future.
Wayne aka WAMBO

 

[pwrwgnwalt]

Value?

Thanks for the info, WAMBO.

Any ideas on what a used Sako M995 (TRG-S) in .338 Lapua Magum should cost?
It's blue, synthetic... as far as I can tell, purely in 'as issued' condition (except for the 50 rounds being shot through it).
No scratches, marks, clean bore, etc.

Thanks!
-

 

[Parkerb14]

Might want to check this out its in the guns for sale section dont know if its sold or not though.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f25/sako-trg-s-30-378wby-w-new-338-lapua-barrel-29998/

 

[WAMBO]

I paid around $700 for mine quite a few years ago.
I've seen them go for up to $1000 but I think that's too high but they don't make them any more so I guess it would depend on how bad you want it.
If I could find one around $700 again I think I'd buy another.
Wayne aka WAMBO

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Wambo, did you do any bedding work with that action to get it to shoot well. I bought two of those rifles when they first came out and had a booger of a time trying to design and build a action lug and bedding platform to get them to shoot better. They sure shaved a lot of weight off that action and it is about bare minimum with what steel they left on it. I like them because they are very light compared to the power of the cartridge.

Make sure that rifle has a muzzle brake on it or just figure that into the cost. Also they have a 1-12 twist for shooting lighter bullets and will not shoot the 300 matchking very well. Somebody on here said not long ago that they changed the rifling to 1-10 later on but I wouldn't know. Mine are definitely 1-12 and shoot the 200 grain ballistic tip very well at 3350 fps. That rifle has some issues you may want to consider before you buy. Overall I like mine after I worked a bit on them. As far as sako rifles go they are top quality and a step above the winchesters and remingtons. Sako actions were premium actions to build on for many years and I currently own probably 60-70 rifles built on sako actions. The triggers are very good for hunting without the added expense of a custom trigger.

 

[WAMBO]

My rifle was factory stock with the exception of a small muzzle brake being installed, no bedding work done.
I also shot the 200gr BT and they were going around 3570 fps.
The 250 Scenars shot pretty good at just over 3000 fps.
The 300 gr SMK shot ok but the recoil was pretty fierce even with the wimpy little muzzle brake.
I can hardly wait for the custom work to be done by APS, Manners T4 with an ABS/Rock 30" carbon wrapped barrel wearing a custom SSG titanium muzzle brake.

Wayne aka WAMBO

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Thanks Wambo, I wish mine shot the 200 that fast. That is the velocity of my favorite 338-378. Some of the others I have will hit 3750 fps but not as accurate. Just out of curiosity what powder were you getting those velocities with?

 

[WAMBO]

Oops, 3570 is a typo, it should have been 3370 which is real close to your's.
I was using 97grs of old surplus 4831.

 

[guns_and_labs]

I've had three in that model, two in Lazzeroni cartridges (Warbird and Firebird), and one in .338 Lapua. All were quite reliable, quite sturdy, and had decent factory barrels that shot about 1 MOA with the "right" loads. All needed major bedding work, custom recoil lugs, and the best muzzle breaks I could find.

I don't recall the twist on the .338 Lapua, but I do recall that it shot the 300 gr pills well enough -- but still barely MOA.

I ended up selling them out of my safe as "not quite accurate enough" and "not quite worth customizing". Or, in the case of the Lazzeronis, "HOW much for one-use brass?!?" They all sold for $1000-1500, depending on how much brass went with them and the mood of the moment.

Frankly, I'd recommend saving up and waiting for a Blaser LRS2 or go straight to a custom barrel. The .338 Lapua is a great round and deserves a really good barrel.

 

[Rymart]

My Sako M995 (TRGs) in 338LM

I purchased my Sako TRGs used for $800 a few years ago. It did not have a muzzle brake. It was typically a 1" to 2" shooter, but would throw in the ocassional 1/2" group. At first, the recoil was brutal. I eventually got used to it. Switching to lighter bullets and slower burning powders also helped. I found out later that the Leupold VXIII scope on it was damaged (probably from recoil), not damaged so that it was completely non-functional, but to the extent that it likely shot lower recoil loads more accurately than the heavy (300 gr.) loads. After doing the Tubbs FF 'fire lapping' on the factory barrel, putting it in a McMillan A-5, adding an aftermarket recoil lug, and pillar bedding, it was shooting from 1/2" to 1 1/4", with an average of 3/4" (this with the scope issues that were discovered later).

Here's my summary of the Sako TRGs:

- I was not impressed with the skinny factory barrel. It fouled easily, heated up quickly, and I think limited the overall accuracy potential of the rifle. Hot lapping it with Tubbs FF bullets seemed to help.
- The factory stock was very stiff and brittle (good for accuracy, bad for recoil). My dad's factory stock (also a 338LM, Sako TRGs) cracked. I have heard reports of others also cracking. I went to a McMillan A-5, which was much better.
- The factory trigger is excellent (nearly perfect in my opinion).
- The factory detachable magazines are adequate.
- The factory recoil lug set-up is, in my opinion, is completely inadequate. It has the recoil lug in the stock (way too small for a cartridge like 338LM), and a recoil lug recess (groove) in the action. Bedding may help, but in my opinion the only way to go is to add an after-market recoil lug. GA Precision did a great job on this for me, at a reasonable price.
- The action is nice and smooth.
- The action has dovetails for mounting scope rings, but isn't drilled, or tapped for adding a 'screw-in' scope mount.