roflmao @ Roskoe, he's only looking out for you lapp.

I have had a TRG-S in Lazzeroni's Warbird since 99 and it quickly became my FAVORITE rifle. Sure its got recoil, the blast is deafening and its like using a hammer for a flyswatter... but whats wrong with that? I have yet to kill anything to dead with it! If you won the thing then it didn't cost you anything so you are already ahead of the game. Also, they aren't available anymore as Sako quit building the TRG-S. They only build hopped up tactical rifles now in the TRG series that retail for over $3k [:@]

Ammo wise I would strongly recommend you reload them or seek help from one of the various custom loaders available on the net. To maximize a rifle like this you need tweaked ammo anyway. You have the Formula 1 of big game rifles so you can't expect it to show you all it has if you only put regular unleaded into it.

I don't shoot my Sako from stands deep inside the woods where I know I will have close shots (under 250yds). But I don't like the notion of hunting strictly with one gun in the first place. I think technology is a wonderful thing so why not use some of it with your new long range piece? With the proper setup and some practice you now have an EXTREMELY easy deer rifle to use out too 600yds. Powerwise its much more capable, but I'm talking "real world and ease of use" terms. Sure you can shoot a 300Win that far, but you are gonna have MUCH more wind drift and bullet drop to dope out before you shoot. If you really get the itch and the bug bites you you know have a 1k+ yard toy to take too the range.

As for care for the new thunderstick. Be patient, clean it properly and DONT heat it up, you can expect the rifles accuracy to improve after appx 2-3 boxes of ammo is run through it. Shoot it very slowly at the range to allow for proper barrel cooling and you will be surprised how long the barrel will last. You can get 1500 rounds out of that gun EASILY if you take the right precautions. Now be honest, how long will it take the average deer hunter to go through that many shots? You possibly could hand it down too your son. And so what, lets say you went crazy and shot the barrel out within the next decade or two. A new barrel is only a few hundred dollars and what other type of toy do you have that will give you that much enjoyment for a decade or more and only cost you a couple hundred for the use?

Enjoy,
RA