Horus Vision News

Cover article from "Guns & Weapons" February 2005 issue. Reviews third-party rifle performance with Horus Vision Talon scope mounted.

SAKO TRG-22 308

Finnish precision tactical rifle is a sub-MOA SURESHOT!

By Charlie Cutshaw

Photos by Chris Rohling

ONE DOESN'T OFTEN ASSOCIATE the Finnish firm Sako with precision tactical rifles, but the fact is that the company has been in the business for many years and Sako TRG-22 and 42 rifles are in widespread use throughout the world because of their ruggedness, accuracy, reliability and quality that's hard to beat. Sako TRG-22 rifles are all .308 caliber, while the larger TRG-42s come in either .300 Winchester Magnum or .338 Lapua Magnum. Our test rifle was a TRG-22 with the optional green furniture. We should note that we recently have been receiving more and more firearms in colors other than black. The US military has flatly stated, incidentally, that there will be no more "black rifles", and the latest candidates for military service, the XM-8 rifle and Mark16 Special Operations Carbine are green or tan. Most tactical marksmen also camouflage their rifles with either paint or netting. So if a rifle is green to begin with, camouflage is that much easier. Sako has been manufacturing firearms just before World War II, when a group of gunsmiths joined to improve the many Mosin-Nagant rifles that were coming into Finland from the Soviet Union. These rifles were accurized and issued to Finnish militia marksmen who turned them against the invading Soviet forces and to the surprise of just about everyone, especially the Soviets, who were soundly beaten by the Finnish forces, one-thousandth the size of the huge Soviet military, which shows what an armed and determined citizenry can do against large conventional military forces. Sako-produced rifles gained a well-deserved reputation in combat for accuracy and reliability. After the war, Sako was established as a firearms design and manufacturing company and later merged with Tikka, another Finnish gunmaker. In 2000, the firms were purchased by Beretta, and marketing and importation of both brands of rifles are conducted by the Italian company.

Although Sako manufactures a full line of sporting rifles, the tactical line bears little resemblance to the sporters, as opposed to manufacturers that simply modify sporting rifles into tactical rifles. The entire TRG line is designed with a single purpose, delivering bullets on target with the greatest accuracy possible. We won't go so far as to say that the test TRG-22 is the most accurate "out of the box" rifle we've ever tested, but it is the equal of any precision rifle we have ever fired, delivering sub-half minute of angle accuracy right from the first 5-shot group.

To accomplish this remarkable accuracy, Sako incorporates several unique features into their TRG series rifles. All TRG rifles have a cold hammer forged receiver that completely surrounds the bolt, save for an ejection port. This minimizes the possibility of debris entering the operating mechanism. The receiver is mated to the stock via an aluminum bedding block and three bolts that rigidly lock the two components into what essentially is a single unit that runs almost the entire length of the stock. The barrel is also cold hammer forged, a process that involves inserting a "mirror image" mandrel into the barrel blank and then concentrically hammering it uniformly on external surfaces, thus forming the barrel around the mandrel and impressing the rifling pattern from the mandrel into the barrel steel. This results in an extremely uniform and smooth surface that enhances accuracy. The TRG-22's barrel is fully free-floated for its entire length and threaded at the muzzle to accept muzzle brakes or sound suppressors. A removable cap protects the threads, and the match type muzzle crown is recessed to protect it from damage. The threads are metric pattern, so the law enforcement or military user who wishes to mount a suppressor will have to find a manufacturer that makes suppressors with the proper thread pitch.

Several manufacturers offer suppressors for the TRG-22, but we were unable to obtain one in time for this article. The TRG bolt has three locking lugs with a throw of only 60 degrees, enhancing bolt manipulation and allowing low mounting optics. The bolt handle itself is oversize, again to facilitate manipulation, even with heavy winter gloves or "trigger finger" mittens.

Sako's stock consists of an aluminum frame covered by a two-piece polyurethane stock in either black or green. The stock is not really a structural component of the rifle; the aluminum frame holds the action, fire controls and all other components. The stock attaches to the frame at the rear and front and can be removed for maintaining the rifle. In fact, Sako's instruction manual recommends that the metal frame, with the barrel and receiver assembly attached, be removed from the stock on an annual basis and cleaned. Again, this ensures extreme rigidity, a key to consistency and accuracy. The polyurethane stock is waterproof and does not swell or contract when exposed to heat or cold. The stock is fully adjustable for length of pull, cheek rest height, pitch and side-to-side movement. Length of pull and cheek rest height are adjusted via spacers. The butt pad is also adjustable for height, angle and pitch. The fire control mechanism is user removable and is fully adjustable for pull weight from 2 to 5 pounds. A metric Allen wrench from 2 to 5 pounds. A metric Allen wrench is included with the TRG-22 to carry out adjustments and attach or detach accessories. Our test rifle came with the trigger set to break at just 3.1 pounds. The trigger is the two-stage type with effortless take-up and a "glass rod" break with zero creep or over-travel, just what we'd expect in a rifle of this class. The safety is inside the trigger-guard, which some shooters may not like, but that's a matter of personal choice. The Sako safety is almost completely silent for tactical purposes, but has a positive detent so that the shooter can determine its status both by observation and tactile feel. There is only one "safe" position that locks the trigger and bolt and physically blocks the striker from forward movement.

When the rifle is cocked, the red marked rear portion of the striker protrudes from the bolt sleeve, giving a visible and tactile indication of status.

The detachable box magazine is one of the best such designs we have seen. The magazine is made of heavy gauge steel and holds 10 rounds. The higher capacity is accomplished by the traditional double stack, although the Sako design is the "double stack - single feed" type, which is much more reliable than standard double stack magazines that have 2 rounds visible at the top, one above the other. The Sako design precludes simply pressing cartridges down into the magazine between the feed lips; each cartridge must be inserted with the case head ahead of the feed lips, then pressed down and back to get it loaded into the magazine. This may sound a bit cumbersome, but it is quickly learned and the utter reliability of this magazine more than makes up for any minor inconvenience. Once the magazine is loaded, the only way the cartridges are going to come out is when the bolt pushes them forward into the chamber. Although the magazine drops free when the release is pressed, Sako has thoughtfully provided studs on either side so the magazine can be pulled out of the well if necessary. Needless to say, feeding is butter smooth and almost effortless.

The TRG-22 came with mounting points for Sako's proprietary quick detach scope mount or MIL-STD-1913 rails. Surprisingly, these two necessities are extra cost options. This is one of the few complaints we have about the TRG-22. Since most users will be mounting their optics via rings that clamp onto a MIL-STD-1913 rail, we believe that a MIL-STD-1913 mount should be standard for law enforcement and military markets, particularly since this is the NATO standard optic and accessory mount. We'd also like to see the MIL-STD-1913 mount extended about twice the standard length of approximately nine inches so that the latest night vision optics such as Optical System Technology's AN/PVS-22 Universal Night Sight can be mounted forward of the day optic. Rear mounted night vision optics with their concomitant eye relief and shooting position issues are being replaced with more modern night vision devices like the AN/PVS-22 that mount forward of the optical sight, eliminating the necessity for illuminated reticles, but necessitating longer MIL-STD-1913 rails. Since MIL-STD-1913 mounts were on backorder at Beretta, we used the Sako QD unit, which is, by the way, excellent, but it just isn't US Military or NATO standard. The mount attaches via a throw lever with adjustable tension, so if it every wears, the slack can be taken up. As long as we are carping, we might as well bring up our only real complaint about this otherwise superb rifle: Sako incorporates a proprietary dovetail rail on the bottom of the forend, requiring that the shooter use Sako's proprietary accessory interfaces. We'd like either to see mounting studs for swivels and bipods included or the system modified. Sling swivels with adapters are standard, but the front is Sako proprietary and mounts to an adapter above and at the front of the forend, while the rear is an Uncle Mike's quick detach type.

The front sling swivel interferes with folding the bipod to the rear, so we'd like to have a different type of front swivel that allows the bipod to be folded back. Other options include an anti-mirage strap, muzzle brake (really not necessary on the TRG-22), backup iron sights and folding stock.

Since we couldn't use an aftermarket bipod, we ordered one of Sako's proprietary ones that mates perfectly with the Sako's bipod mount, actually the front end bedding rail that's flush with the nose of the forend. The male adapter on the bipod is simply inserted into the female adapter on the rail and pressed home until it locks into place via a spring-loaded detent. To remove the bipod, all that's necessary is to press down on the detent and slide the bipod out of the forend. The bipod is unusual in appearance in that the leg hinges are actually above the stock in line with the barrel. This essentially lowers the rifle on the bipod, allowing the shooter to achieve a lower prone position, highly desirable for a tactical marksman. Once the bipod is in position for use, it pivots and the legs can be adjusted to accommodate uneven terrain. The bipod can be folded either with the legs toward the front of the rifle or towards the rear. Since the bipod legs are above the stock when they are folded, this is really a matter of user taste, although when folded to the rear, the bipod legs are less likely to catch on brush.

Using Sako's scope mount, we installed a Horus Vision scope with H25 tactical reticle.

Shooting Impressions

Shooting the TRG-22 brought no real surprises. After our initial zero revealed that the rifle was capable of sub-half MOA groups, we expected no less when we formally tested the rifle and weren't surprised. The Sako shot sub-MOA with all ammo tested, but the rest five-round group of the day came using Remington 168-grain match. The groups using Black Hills and Hornady were only marginally larger. Any of the ammo tested would be suitable for law enforcement precision tactical marksmen.

In sum, the Sako TRG-22 is an excellent shooting machine! As Sako's catalog description states, the rifle is designed for a single pupose, to deliver bullets on target as accurately as possible. To that end, the TRG-22 delivers the goods. It is one of the most accurate "out of the box" rifles we have ever tested and it has features that are to be found in no other precision tactical rifles. Not only is the accuracy superb, the fit and finish of the metal polymer components is likewise outstanding. For the shooter who is seeking one of the most accurate precision tactical rifles in existence, Sako's TRG-22 is a definite candidate.