Hi guys,
I finally did it. I've spent the last 2 months spending way too much of my money diving head first into precision shooting and I would like to share my first experience with shooting my new TRG-22. I hope sharing this first impression will help other beginners with their decisions. I also have some questions for you experienced guys at the end of my post. The gear I chose was all based on what I liked and based on all the information gathered from Sniper'shide over the last few years. It's overkill considering I haven't done this kind of shooting before, but I have always liked knowing that I'm the limitation, not the equipment.
Here's my kit:
TRG-22, 26in barrel (wanted the 20in, but was tired of waiting), Steiner 5-25 (MSR), Sphur mount (6mil), KRG folding stock Gen 4 (= smaller case for my small car), KRG spigot with Atlas bipod. Also, I purchased a MagnetoSpeed V2 chronograph for acquiring more accurate data and potentially reloading in the future (and perhaps re barreling to a 6.5). I decided to try a Windhawk 350 weather meter I found on Amazon for $179.
The TRG is definitely a great shooting rifle, not to mention I've always loved its European aesthetics. Mine is the current generation with the new safety and aluminum trigger guard. I was surprised that the safety is not a silent mechanism, although it can be manipulated slowly and quietly. Out of the box, the action is slightly rough from the phosphate finish, but quickly wore in after a single night of cycling. The initial upward bolt lift for cocking the firing pin remained stiff though, until the first actual 50 rounds were fired and now is dramatically smoother and lighter. I think the feeding smoothed out as well once the feed ramp got some wear. The trigger is just as good as man of you have reported, but mine may be set a bit heavy from the factory. I traded shots with someone at the range using a Savage 10 FR-SR and found that trigger to be much lighter, but not as predictable.
The KRG stock (gen4) is really a nice piece of CNC art. The gen 4 is cleaner and I believe has less parts and various improvements. The new standard "small" grips are way too thin for me and I prefer the original TRG grip diameter, because it puts my finger tip right on the trigger shoe. The small grips place the trigger at my second finger joint. I will be receiving the KRG large grip set soon (in green). The stock adjusts nicely and locks down solid. The butt pad is very comfortable. The cheek rest stays in place, but is very hard on your face after a couple hours of shooting. I will be upgrading this to a padded version, or I may try fitting the original Sako cheek rest to the KRG stock (it almost fits right over it). My only complaint about the KRG folder is that when folded it is not locked solid and can wiggle quite a bit. It's easy to see how the smaller independent lock mechanism for the folded position has this limitation, but perhaps it will be remedied in future designs. This in no way affects how rock solid the open position functions which is awesome.
After removing and installing the KRG folder I realized that simply removing the original modular Sako TRG stock is very quick and could be another alternative to packing the TRG in a small case. It would be similar to a "take down" rifle and allow me to keep the "furniture comfort" ergonomics of the Sako stock. You would loose the ability to quick adjust the stock (good for various shooting positions?, seasonal clothing, different shooters, etc.), like the KRG, but save $900. I'm hoping once I get the larger KRG grips and fix the "pressure point" cheek rest I won't be thinking about it anymore.
I won't talk about the Steiner scope since there are plenty of opinions posted already, and I'm very happy with it.
I'm really happy with the MagnetoSpeed chronograph. The night before shooting I fitted the correct spacer to align the sensor with the TRG's barrel, made sure it turned on and then packed it up. When it came time to chrono my three factory loads at the range I took out the magnetoSpeed, mounted it on my gun and plugged it in - this took less than 60 seconds! I shot about 20 rounds total with different loads, took my readings, removed the unit - all in about 5 to 10 minutes. And all of this was done during the "hot" session without setting up during the cease fire. A guy a few rows down was setting up his standard chrono during the cease fire, moving the tripod around, running back to the bench to check alignment, then back again….and so on. I finally walked out to help him move it around while he stayed at the bench viewing his target. Since the cease fire time is fixed, I could feel the time pressure for getting it set up. Expensive or not, the MagnetoSpeed is worth it. Remember, I'm just sharing my first hand experience as someone who has never used a chrono before. Side note: yes, there is definitely a change of impact with the MagnetoSpeed attached. For the loads I used, it was 2in low at 100yrds. There was no accuracy issues and my best groups happen to be with the MagnetoSpeed on. Personally, I think this was because I told myself these shots are just for velocity readings and not to concern myself with groupings. I guess it took the pressure off.
A quick opinion on the WindHawk 350 weather meter: It works well, but it's a pain. The buttons are really stiff to push and since there aren't may of them so the UI is tedious. At times, some buttons must be held for 3 seconds, or 7 seconds, depending on the function desired. Less buttons in this case mean more combinations to remember. If you use it regularly, then no problem. Yes, it saved me money, but I would now buy the Kestrel for the more direct interface. The Kestrel also has the rotating head I think, which means you could have the screen facing you while the wind meter is pointed into a crosswind. From the test report I read here on the hide I think the WindHawk will serve me just fine though. Feel free to correct me, again just my rookie's opinion.
OK, so here's my targets………Loads were FGMM 175gr, Federal XM118LR 175gr and Hornady 155gr OTM W/G. The range was limited to 100 and 200 yards due to fire hazard warnings. Perfect day 85 degrees, no wind. Best group was 5 shots into 0.4in ! On two others I managed 4 shots into 0.4in again with one flyer in each opening them up to around an inch.
What I learned:
1) My gun hated the Hornady 155's. The XM118LR are dirty looking, but shoot great and are equal to FGMM 175gr. - in this TRG anyway.
2) The TRG can shoot under 1/2moa with factory loads ! by an amateur.
3) Shooting 5 shot groups is hard ! Even though the rifle can easily do it (as my targets proved). I only achieved a single true 5 shot "bughole" after 100 rounds.
4) 10 shots groups are totally ridiculous to try and hold. Notice though that 5 out of 10 shots are in 0.3in - kind of cool. It's extremely difficult to concentrate that long (No, its not ADD). If you can do it then you are a master.
5) I generally shot better shooting faster, staying in the groove of things. Too much thinking, breathing and pausing just made it worse.
6) My TRG liked a few shots to warm up the barrel and then it sang. Every cease fire meant "wasting" a couple shots to warm it up again. Good time to note cold bore POI shifts - of course, I forgot to do this !
7) Ringing a 4in steel plate at 200 yards as fast as I can is way too easy for this gun - never misses.
8) Shooting off hand with this beast is not fun.
9) Shooting 100 rounds through a bolt gun your first day is a lot of pounding.
Problems:
Scope mounting: I have some experience and feel confident, but here's my issue: My Sphur base is a 6 mil tilt, but my 100 yrd sight in required close to 7 mils of upward adjustment. I expected this to be the opposite - maybe 4 mils down, and I now have only 21 mils of vertical adjustment instead of 26mils. This doesn't matter for my .308, but it just does't seam right. Is my TRG factory rail not aligned well from the factory? Should I removed everything and start over? I was even concerned for a moment that the mount was on backwards!
TRG: 1) The safety works very smooth when dry firing, but is binding and rough when a live round is chambered. Is this normal with the new TRG's? WIll it ware in or is there an problem. The trigger group was removed to install the KRG stock, but there doesn't seam to be any wiggle room for miss alignment on reinstalling.
2) The bolt lever is digging a small notch into the extruded chassis (see photo). Is this normal ?
Thanks to all the fantastic vendors that handled my gear purchases - often with great discounts: EuroOptics, MileHighShooting, Rifles Only, MidWay, Camera Land.
I finally did it. I've spent the last 2 months spending way too much of my money diving head first into precision shooting and I would like to share my first experience with shooting my new TRG-22. I hope sharing this first impression will help other beginners with their decisions. I also have some questions for you experienced guys at the end of my post. The gear I chose was all based on what I liked and based on all the information gathered from Sniper'shide over the last few years. It's overkill considering I haven't done this kind of shooting before, but I have always liked knowing that I'm the limitation, not the equipment.
Here's my kit:
TRG-22, 26in barrel (wanted the 20in, but was tired of waiting), Steiner 5-25 (MSR), Sphur mount (6mil), KRG folding stock Gen 4 (= smaller case for my small car), KRG spigot with Atlas bipod. Also, I purchased a MagnetoSpeed V2 chronograph for acquiring more accurate data and potentially reloading in the future (and perhaps re barreling to a 6.5). I decided to try a Windhawk 350 weather meter I found on Amazon for $179.
The TRG is definitely a great shooting rifle, not to mention I've always loved its European aesthetics. Mine is the current generation with the new safety and aluminum trigger guard. I was surprised that the safety is not a silent mechanism, although it can be manipulated slowly and quietly. Out of the box, the action is slightly rough from the phosphate finish, but quickly wore in after a single night of cycling. The initial upward bolt lift for cocking the firing pin remained stiff though, until the first actual 50 rounds were fired and now is dramatically smoother and lighter. I think the feeding smoothed out as well once the feed ramp got some wear. The trigger is just as good as man of you have reported, but mine may be set a bit heavy from the factory. I traded shots with someone at the range using a Savage 10 FR-SR and found that trigger to be much lighter, but not as predictable.
The KRG stock (gen4) is really a nice piece of CNC art. The gen 4 is cleaner and I believe has less parts and various improvements. The new standard "small" grips are way too thin for me and I prefer the original TRG grip diameter, because it puts my finger tip right on the trigger shoe. The small grips place the trigger at my second finger joint. I will be receiving the KRG large grip set soon (in green). The stock adjusts nicely and locks down solid. The butt pad is very comfortable. The cheek rest stays in place, but is very hard on your face after a couple hours of shooting. I will be upgrading this to a padded version, or I may try fitting the original Sako cheek rest to the KRG stock (it almost fits right over it). My only complaint about the KRG folder is that when folded it is not locked solid and can wiggle quite a bit. It's easy to see how the smaller independent lock mechanism for the folded position has this limitation, but perhaps it will be remedied in future designs. This in no way affects how rock solid the open position functions which is awesome.
After removing and installing the KRG folder I realized that simply removing the original modular Sako TRG stock is very quick and could be another alternative to packing the TRG in a small case. It would be similar to a "take down" rifle and allow me to keep the "furniture comfort" ergonomics of the Sako stock. You would loose the ability to quick adjust the stock (good for various shooting positions?, seasonal clothing, different shooters, etc.), like the KRG, but save $900. I'm hoping once I get the larger KRG grips and fix the "pressure point" cheek rest I won't be thinking about it anymore.
I won't talk about the Steiner scope since there are plenty of opinions posted already, and I'm very happy with it.
I'm really happy with the MagnetoSpeed chronograph. The night before shooting I fitted the correct spacer to align the sensor with the TRG's barrel, made sure it turned on and then packed it up. When it came time to chrono my three factory loads at the range I took out the magnetoSpeed, mounted it on my gun and plugged it in - this took less than 60 seconds! I shot about 20 rounds total with different loads, took my readings, removed the unit - all in about 5 to 10 minutes. And all of this was done during the "hot" session without setting up during the cease fire. A guy a few rows down was setting up his standard chrono during the cease fire, moving the tripod around, running back to the bench to check alignment, then back again….and so on. I finally walked out to help him move it around while he stayed at the bench viewing his target. Since the cease fire time is fixed, I could feel the time pressure for getting it set up. Expensive or not, the MagnetoSpeed is worth it. Remember, I'm just sharing my first hand experience as someone who has never used a chrono before. Side note: yes, there is definitely a change of impact with the MagnetoSpeed attached. For the loads I used, it was 2in low at 100yrds. There was no accuracy issues and my best groups happen to be with the MagnetoSpeed on. Personally, I think this was because I told myself these shots are just for velocity readings and not to concern myself with groupings. I guess it took the pressure off.
A quick opinion on the WindHawk 350 weather meter: It works well, but it's a pain. The buttons are really stiff to push and since there aren't may of them so the UI is tedious. At times, some buttons must be held for 3 seconds, or 7 seconds, depending on the function desired. Less buttons in this case mean more combinations to remember. If you use it regularly, then no problem. Yes, it saved me money, but I would now buy the Kestrel for the more direct interface. The Kestrel also has the rotating head I think, which means you could have the screen facing you while the wind meter is pointed into a crosswind. From the test report I read here on the hide I think the WindHawk will serve me just fine though. Feel free to correct me, again just my rookie's opinion.
OK, so here's my targets………Loads were FGMM 175gr, Federal XM118LR 175gr and Hornady 155gr OTM W/G. The range was limited to 100 and 200 yards due to fire hazard warnings. Perfect day 85 degrees, no wind. Best group was 5 shots into 0.4in ! On two others I managed 4 shots into 0.4in again with one flyer in each opening them up to around an inch.
What I learned:
1) My gun hated the Hornady 155's. The XM118LR are dirty looking, but shoot great and are equal to FGMM 175gr. - in this TRG anyway.
2) The TRG can shoot under 1/2moa with factory loads ! by an amateur.
3) Shooting 5 shot groups is hard ! Even though the rifle can easily do it (as my targets proved). I only achieved a single true 5 shot "bughole" after 100 rounds.
4) 10 shots groups are totally ridiculous to try and hold. Notice though that 5 out of 10 shots are in 0.3in - kind of cool. It's extremely difficult to concentrate that long (No, its not ADD). If you can do it then you are a master.
5) I generally shot better shooting faster, staying in the groove of things. Too much thinking, breathing and pausing just made it worse.
6) My TRG liked a few shots to warm up the barrel and then it sang. Every cease fire meant "wasting" a couple shots to warm it up again. Good time to note cold bore POI shifts - of course, I forgot to do this !
7) Ringing a 4in steel plate at 200 yards as fast as I can is way too easy for this gun - never misses.
8) Shooting off hand with this beast is not fun.
9) Shooting 100 rounds through a bolt gun your first day is a lot of pounding.
Problems:
Scope mounting: I have some experience and feel confident, but here's my issue: My Sphur base is a 6 mil tilt, but my 100 yrd sight in required close to 7 mils of upward adjustment. I expected this to be the opposite - maybe 4 mils down, and I now have only 21 mils of vertical adjustment instead of 26mils. This doesn't matter for my .308, but it just does't seam right. Is my TRG factory rail not aligned well from the factory? Should I removed everything and start over? I was even concerned for a moment that the mount was on backwards!
TRG: 1) The safety works very smooth when dry firing, but is binding and rough when a live round is chambered. Is this normal with the new TRG's? WIll it ware in or is there an problem. The trigger group was removed to install the KRG stock, but there doesn't seam to be any wiggle room for miss alignment on reinstalling.
2) The bolt lever is digging a small notch into the extruded chassis (see photo). Is this normal ?
Thanks to all the fantastic vendors that handled my gear purchases - often with great discounts: EuroOptics, MileHighShooting, Rifles Only, MidWay, Camera Land.
I wasted years with other crap chronos, your lucky you got a good product first time.
