sako TRG 22 BARREL LENGTH

[hunter87]

Hi all I should have my .308 TRG in a few weeks fingers crossed.I just have a question that I'm hoping the more experienced shooters or rifle builders can help me with.

The TRG I have coming has a 26inch barrel add to that a muzzle mounted mod and I think it would look rather long.

 

If I was to have the barrel cut down and rethreaded to say 21-22 inches would that have a negative effect at hitting 1000 yard targets

P.s I'm not after anything mega short I just want the rifle barrel to look proportionate with a mod fitted.

 

Thanks

[TSG]

I have just measured my TRG barrel and it is 17 inches. It hits targets at 800 yards with 155 SMKs quite happily with the MV of 2300 which is quite slow. I suspect on very windy days this would be compromised a bit but I would have thought a minimum of 20 inches would be ok if you load it up a bit. Mine really likes 168 grain factory but my pocket does not!

[The Gun Pimp]

Keep it at 26 inches if you want to shoot 1000 yards with any level of success.

[oaken]

I have a 26" TRG and find it rather heavy up front so am planning either a chop or rebarrel with shorter, lighter profile as I need it to be more mobile and don't need it to shoot massive distances.

In your case, I would resist the urge to chop it for reasons of vanity if you plan to shoot 1000yds.

First, shoot it and see what the chamber allows you to shoot. If like mine, it generates a lot of pressure with a fairly mild load then I would not chop it.

There is good reason for people who say work up from a light load watching for signs of pressure.

Yesterday I was shooting with a fellow TRG owner who loads 155Scenars with 46.5gr varget which is warm but not unsafe in his rifle. My chamber produces ejector marks in the case head with as little as 43.8gr and the same bullet. I run it now at 43gr/2700fps which results in near transonic (i.e. unstable) velocities at 1000. If I chop it by 5" I could loose 25-30fps/inch which is most likely to reduce my transonic range by 150yds.

Despite this, my TRG is very accurate and I am content to run it as a 21" 800yd rifle.

Sure you can run it way beyond where the bullet becomes unstable but will you be content with the resulting long range accuracy especially if you shortened it for the way it looks?

[Brillo]

Hold on there. Don't spoil a lovely rifle by shorting the barrel. 26" is perfect and if you get a reflex mod the length will be ok.

Sako didn't make that rifle that length for no reason.

I suggest shooting it for a while (say 6 years or so) before deciding to chop the end off. Once cut down you cannot weld it back on.

[oaken]

No. Its a compromise at 26"

IMHO Its not quite long enough for 1000+ and too barrel heavy for shooting unsupported.

Its a tool. Make it do what you need from it.

 

Hold on there. Don't spoil a lovely rifle by shorting the barrel. 26" is perfect and if you get a reflex mod the length will be ok.

Sako didn't make that rifle that length for no reason.

I suggest shooting it for a while (say 6 years or so) before deciding to chop the end off. Once cut down you cannot weld it back on.

[hunter87]

No. Its a compromise at 26"

IMHO Its not quite long enough for 1000+ and too barrel heavy for shooting unsupported.

Its a tool. Make it do what you need from it.

Just had a look online and seen the effective range for the TRG 22 .308 listed as 875 yards so it seems I shouldn't get my hopes up too much and that's with the 26 inch barrel

[Brillo]

Just had a look online and seen the effective range for the TRG 22 .308 listed as 875 yards so it seems I shouldn't get my hopes up too much and that's with the 26 inch barrel

 

That's a useful bit of info. My TRG is fine up to 900 yards, but after that it struggles. I'm in the process of testing different heavier bullets than the 155 grainers that I've always used up to now, but even with Lapua 185 grain D46 bullets 100 yards was tricky.

We'll see what happens Berger 175 LRBTs next.

[hunter87]

Suposidley no sako trg rifle leaves the factory unless it can produce 0.5 moa accuracy weather that's true or not I don't know but I'd love to know what ammo they are using. I have heard on a few american forums alot trg users saying 168gr works well

[Brillo]

I can confirm the 0.5 moa accuracy up to 600 yards, but obviously the longer the range the greater the effect of wind on the projectile. At 1000 yards when the bullet velocity is less than1300 fps gusting wind at only 10 mph plays havoc with my accuracy.

As far as the 168 grain bullets is concerned, I remember Laurie mentioning on a similar post that the 168 SMKs were designed for 300 yard shooting. If he reads this perhaps he would confirm this or correct me.

[dannywayoflife]

The 168 smk is not designed for long range it's due to the steep boat tail. The 168 Berger hybrids might work well though!

[tackb]

I used the 175MK at 2750fps and that worked well at a 1000yds in my trg

 

i now run a 20" remmy based semi custom and it runs the 168 amax at 2650 but it's borderline at 1000yds however it is mustard out to 900 !

 

If i was you i'd cut it at 22" and get stuck in !

[hunter87]

[oaken]

Get the rifle and see what velocities you can get out of it. It may be fine. Anyway there are too many variables to simply say its an 875yd rifle.

As I have already said, work up from a light load and see where the limits lie.

Mine is very borderline at generating sufficient velocity for 1k others are fine.

[Brillo]

I used the 175MK at 2750fps and that worked well at a 1000yds in my trg

 

i now run a 20" remmy based semi custom and it runs the 168 amax at 2650 but it's borderline at 1000yds however it is mustard out to 900 !

 

If i was you i'd cut it at 22" and get stuck in !

I read somewhere that 2750 is the best mv for that bullet. What powder gives you this velocity?

[tackb]

it was H380 out of an old lyman manual , It was hot though !