TRG M10 multi calibre design evolution
The Sako TRG M10 Sniper Weapon System was unveiled by Sako in October 2011.[34] It was designed as a user configurable modular system and does not share its receiver and other technical features with the preceding models in the Sako TRG line. It can switch between .308 Winchester (7.62×51mm NATO), .300 Winchester Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum chamberings by changing the bolts, magazines, forends and barrels, to adapt to various requirements in the field. When it was first introduced, it was marketed for "military and law enforcement only".[35][34][36]
It was entered as a contender for the Precision Sniper Rifle program by the United States Special Operations Command to replace all current bolt-action sniper rifles in use by U.S. special operations snipers with a single bolt-action rifle chambered for a large calibre magnum chambering. The contract was awarded to Remington Arms for their Modular Sniper Rifle winning against the TRG M10 in 2013.[37]
The TRG M10 is a manually operated bolt action sniper rifle that uses a rotary bolt with three radial locking lugs at the front. It features a steel receiver, a Picatinny rail on top of its receiver for mounting various optical sights and on the stock bottom for bipod mounting. The barrel is a free floating barrel that can be equipped with special muzzle brakes that have a mounting interface for quick detachable suppressors. It is offered in various barrel lengths of 16-, 20- and 26-inch for the .308 Winchester (7.62×51mm NATO), 23.5- and 27-inch for the .300 Winchester Magnum, and 20- and 27-inch for the .338 Lapua Magnum.[38] Ammunition feeding is by a double-stack detachable box magazine which is marked with appropriate number of large dots that are embossed into the sides of the polymer baseplate and that holds 11 rounds of .308 Winchester (7.62×51mm NATO), 7 rounds of .300 Winchester Magnum, or 8 rounds of .338 Lapua Magnum.[39] Alternatively, cartridges can be singly loaded directly into the chamber.
The TRG M10 has a side-folding and fully adjustable buttstock, featuring an aluminium middle chassis frame, side-folding buttstock, and a fore-end with the M-LOK rail interface system that allows for direct accessory attachment onto "negative space" (hollow slot) mounting points, ambidextrous controls, a manual safety that is located inside the trigger guard which is in front of the trigger, and uniquely designed tactical indicators which helps identify different modular components for different calibres, where every calibre-depending component is specially marked so users can recognise the calibre of each part visually or by touch. For example, for the .308 Winchester barrel and bolt are marked with single annual grove, whereas for the .300 Winchester Magnum are marked with two groves and three for the .338 Lapua Magnum. Another unique feature of the rifle is that all of the tools that are necessary to change the calibre are built into each of the bolt handle; the small torx key is built into the centre of the bolt knob and the barrel wrench is integrated into the base of the bolt handle. An additional set of Torx keys are stored inside a small detachable polymer forend, which are necessary for full disassembly of the gun.[34][40]
Sako states that the TRG M10 factory acceptance tests with high quality match ammunition has an accuracy of 1 MOA (0.291 mil) for .338 Lapua Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum chambered models and two-thirds MOA (0.194 mil) for .308 Winchester chambered models.[41]
A 2019 TRG M10 spare parts catalologue offered accessories in black or coyote brown coloured surface finishes and accessories for using the 6.5mm Creedmoor and .300 Norma Magnum chamberings.[42]
The available 2024 TRG M10 chambering palette is:[43]
- 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Remington,.308 Winchester / 7.62×51mm NATO
- .300 Winchester Magnum
- .300 Norma Magnum,.338 Norma Magnum, .338 Lapua Magnum
