LRHWAL
Well-Known Member
I'm a new member and have, in a few days of digging around the forums (not lurking, but searching!) , already found quite a bit of useful information.
I'm not really experienced in long range – particularly in the terms that seem to qualify as long range here, but I'm confident that I'm in the right place to develop one of my (many) shooting interests and I hope you can help me in the right direction here.
Unfortunately it looks like the changes to the forum have made some of the old links that the search function dishes up inactive and I get transferred to the "Main Index" page. So if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to get into something here that I can see has been dealt with before, but which I can't fully access through (diligent) use of the search function.
So with my apologies for taking you down a well trodden path, here goes….
I'm in South Africa and it kind of limits me regarding choices of who to do my work, although I'm busy getting references from some of the BR guys for the work that I intend to have done next.
I have a .300 Win Mag rifle which is a rebarrelled Sako M995/TRG-S. The stock is well, stock standard /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif and the barrel is a 26" Shilen (I was told #5 Magnum contour, but I don't think that contour exists and I'll do some measuring and comparing to Shilen's specs to determine what it really is) 1 in 10 twist.
I'm not certain what the rifle started out as, but the 'smith said that the bolt face needed to be slightly altered for the magnum case head. The magazine is adequate in length for heavy .300 WM loaded pretty long.
Anyhow, I've been really disappointed with the limited testing done so far and I figured that I would restock it. I'd like to do / have it done right (it'll be a combination of my work and the 'smith's work).
I agree that the recoil lug (what Sako calls a "recoil block") is a POJ.
Here are the questions:
• What laminated stocks would you recommend and is there anyone who inlets for the Sako M995? I quite like what I've seen at Richard's Custom Rifles (http://www.richardscustomrifles.com). Any experience with them? I figure alternatively I can get partially inletted and take it from there. Some of the US suppliers are difficult to work with because they require import permits, others only ship in the US etc., but I'll work that out as I go along.
• I'm concerned that the laminate will look ghastly with the current "bottom plastic", assuming that I can even get it to work for the restock job. Has anyone out there used the existing set-up when re-stocking. Alternatively, where can I get bottom metal for the M995? I've seen references to badger Ordnance, but it seems they no longer make for the Sako's (assuming that they ever did).
• Has anyone successfully used a "slip-in" type lug along the lines of the factory part, or is the general consensus that all that works is screwing one between barrel and receiver? I'm tending to think that's the only way myself.
• Assuming that is the case, is there any reason why I wouldn't have one machined here, rather than importing one from the US (e.g. Holland's one)? Any other recommendations assuming I have a recoil lug made up?
• In your opinion, should it be pretty simple for my 'smith to turn a "shoulder" on the barrel to slip the lug over and put everything back together without messing up anything else?
• My standard scope bases and mounts work okay for the ranges that I'm currently shooting, but any thoughts on what you in the know like on the M995 wrt bases and mounts. I don't need "extreme range" – nothing past 1000 yards is ever likely.
As you can tell, a lot to learn. Thanks for any input and replies.
I'm not really experienced in long range – particularly in the terms that seem to qualify as long range here, but I'm confident that I'm in the right place to develop one of my (many) shooting interests and I hope you can help me in the right direction here.
Unfortunately it looks like the changes to the forum have made some of the old links that the search function dishes up inactive and I get transferred to the "Main Index" page. So if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to get into something here that I can see has been dealt with before, but which I can't fully access through (diligent) use of the search function.
So with my apologies for taking you down a well trodden path, here goes….
I'm in South Africa and it kind of limits me regarding choices of who to do my work, although I'm busy getting references from some of the BR guys for the work that I intend to have done next.
I have a .300 Win Mag rifle which is a rebarrelled Sako M995/TRG-S. The stock is well, stock standard /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif and the barrel is a 26" Shilen (I was told #5 Magnum contour, but I don't think that contour exists and I'll do some measuring and comparing to Shilen's specs to determine what it really is) 1 in 10 twist.
I'm not certain what the rifle started out as, but the 'smith said that the bolt face needed to be slightly altered for the magnum case head. The magazine is adequate in length for heavy .300 WM loaded pretty long.
Anyhow, I've been really disappointed with the limited testing done so far and I figured that I would restock it. I'd like to do / have it done right (it'll be a combination of my work and the 'smith's work).
I agree that the recoil lug (what Sako calls a "recoil block") is a POJ.
Here are the questions:
• What laminated stocks would you recommend and is there anyone who inlets for the Sako M995? I quite like what I've seen at Richard's Custom Rifles (http://www.richardscustomrifles.com). Any experience with them? I figure alternatively I can get partially inletted and take it from there. Some of the US suppliers are difficult to work with because they require import permits, others only ship in the US etc., but I'll work that out as I go along.
• I'm concerned that the laminate will look ghastly with the current "bottom plastic", assuming that I can even get it to work for the restock job. Has anyone out there used the existing set-up when re-stocking. Alternatively, where can I get bottom metal for the M995? I've seen references to badger Ordnance, but it seems they no longer make for the Sako's (assuming that they ever did).
• Has anyone successfully used a "slip-in" type lug along the lines of the factory part, or is the general consensus that all that works is screwing one between barrel and receiver? I'm tending to think that's the only way myself.
• Assuming that is the case, is there any reason why I wouldn't have one machined here, rather than importing one from the US (e.g. Holland's one)? Any other recommendations assuming I have a recoil lug made up?
• In your opinion, should it be pretty simple for my 'smith to turn a "shoulder" on the barrel to slip the lug over and put everything back together without messing up anything else?
• My standard scope bases and mounts work okay for the ranges that I'm currently shooting, but any thoughts on what you in the know like on the M995 wrt bases and mounts. I don't need "extreme range" – nothing past 1000 yards is ever likely.
As you can tell, a lot to learn. Thanks for any input and replies.
