My new Sako 995 7mm Rem Mag with 32" Benchmark Barrel

[beardedboar]

Well I was able to get out this past Friday and try out my new Sako 995 with an Abrams Tank 32" Benchmark Barrel.

First the negative,

• My scope rings are less than idea, so Mark at Chesebro Rifles is going to be ordering me a new set. Ones with the Sako locking tab on them. The ones he had on had were just temporary.
• Next the recoil obviously on a gun like that jumps you off target big time, so back into the shop for a muzzle break.
• All I had was factory Remington ammo, still waiting on my 7mm RM dies and 180gr Berger bullets

The Good stuff

• Having the guy who built the rifle help spot and sight you in was awesome, Mark definitely helped the process and explained everything to me.
• Even though I was only able to shoot out to 300yrds (hardly long range) I was able to get my gun doing some decent groups and at least got a feel for the gun.
• I was able to see what the gun needed and even though I only picked it up that morning I gave it back to him to tinker with a little more. We were able to see how the gun jumped and will install a muzzle break accordingly.

I am beside myself with the new gun and I can not wait to finally get it back again and put some real ammo in it and shoot some real distances. But that is in a week or two.

Here is a pic of mark shooting his BSA .22 K Hornet at 300yrds

Shoot Straight and long,

Tony aka The Bearded Boar

 

[Pyscodog]

I feel the need for a break on my 7 mag. What type are you planning for yours?

 

[M700]

Interesting. She jumps a lot even with a 32" heavy barrel?

Might be a case of the dreaded bipod hop too. If you can get them to slide across the surface instead of bouncing on shooting, it helps. I prefer to rest my hunting rifles across a backpack or something soft. Seems to reduce the "jump" from them.

With the 32" barrel - I take it this is going to be your long-range rifle, likely shooting from a blind, rather than hiking the hills all day?

Interesting barrel choice - I'll bet you get some serious velocity from the good ol' 7mm Rem mag. Did you chronograph any of the factory ammo you shot?

Guy

 

[hogan]

Think you have built yourself a moneypit....

Could have paid $2500 something for a TRG-42 in .300win and had all your issues solved.


A TRG-s will never be a bench performer, unless you choose to drop $900 on custom stock, do another $500 for a palma contour barrel and then buy quality picatinny rail and tactical scope rings. The 42 has the accessories, barrels are factory brake-threaded and are built to perform.

TRG-s is a superb hunting rifle, or donor action for a custom build.

Find it amusing that your gunsmith couldn't or didn't know to counsel you against a 32" barrel when chambering for 7mm rem mag and that he was "surprised at the amount of jump". Jump... never heard that one? Are you shooting free recoil? How much powder you stuffing into that case???

If you bought the rifle with a factory barrel, try shooting the S with that barrel and see if it isn't more pleasing...

Am afraid you're going to have to spend a lot more $$$ on a stock to get your project viable. McMillan or Tom Manners were doing things with the TRG-s when I thought about converting one of my S rifles back in 2007...

Put that 32" barrel on a TRG-42 and cut it back to 25" and you will find your holy grail...

 

[ebb]

I made mine into a bench preformer buy buying a mcmillan uninletted stock (A4) from brunos for $230 and cutting the sako magwell and insert out of the sako stock and marine texing into the Mcmillan stock. A rock creek 338 barrel and GAP chamber and crown job and all is good. The 995 trigger is more than adaquate, I did buy a Near rail to go over the sako dove tails and some IOR rings. If i had gone the TG42 route I would still have the wrong twist to shoot 300 smks. I just wish when i bought the TRGS from CDNN for $600 I had bought a bunch more. I havent won the nationals with it but I tied for first and came in second at the Manatee 1000yd shoots. Bearded bore I have a set of opti lock rings and bases I didnt use if you are interested. I love the gun!!!

 

[hogan]

Warne made a set of Maxima rings that were TRG-S specific. Problem with the Leupold rings is they are sized for standard Sako dovetail and the S dovetail is a bit larger dimension.

The S trigger is the same as the TRG-22/42, but does not have internal safety lever or adjustments through triggerguard. Other than the safety lever cut-out on the S, and the dovetail base, the receivers of 42 and S are the same. Bolts also the same, except handle knob.

Hard to see that the lightweight hunter stock on the S rifle would be expected to work well with a heavier contour barrel 8" longer than factory spec. Muzzle whip is causing the jump with the leverage of the long barrel exaggerating the situation. Add some fill weight to the butt of the stock on that S and likely end that problem, maybe forend as well. Lead fill etc...

Really gonna need a new stock. At least pillar bed it front & rear. Still can't understand the gunsmith not giving better counsel... OP though, are you in OZ or NZ? Any decent smith here would know the customer was setting up situation to fail. Better not to do the work than help customer to fail. Really need heavier barrel contour and stock to get longrange precision, not to mention the best scope mount options...

Since 2007, the .338 Lapua TRG-42s have come with 1:10 twist barrels. Older rifles and 41s were 1:12

Near Mfg pic rail is a real jewel of machine shop excellence, but still think way to go is buy a used TRG-42 for $2k and get a new barrel. That way you get the best stock option, more versatile trigger and scope mount capability along with the better magazine system; not to mention all the factory options. Pac-Nor did a pre-fit palma contour match barel for me 26" oal in .338/300win mag. I even have a few TRG-s barrels to switch to for hunting when light weight matters.

For $600 the S was a superb value. If spending another $1k though, the 42 just makes lots more sense...

 

[GLZ]

+1 on the Near rail and rings. I bought a Manners T1 inletted for the S. Removed the factory recoil key and fit a 0.500 Rem style recoil lug. 338 Edge.

 

[sendero72]

The 7 mag is a great choice. I think once you get your reloading dies and switch to sandbags things will be fine. My 7 mag has a 26" barrel and weights 12.5 lbs. With no muzzle break, I can still see the hits at 600 yds and beyond. Looks like you have a nice rig. Break it correctly and you'll do fine.

 

[Rtheurer]

Tony

Wonderful choice in cartridges. Nothing fancy but very effective. I have also had some Hopping issues with the Harris bipod off a bench. Seems like that lil rubber legs and angle makes them hop off a hard surface like a bench or concrete floor. Once I switched to a rest to test ammo things went alot better. Once I got down in the grass the hopping didnt seem to affect the recoil...either went away or it was less obvious on target. It also let me preload the legs when shooting off the ground.

That 32" Benchmark will treat you well.

Love those 995's

Best reguards
RT