The Sako TRG M10 Sniper Weapon Systems come with a reported €10,000-€11,000 price tag and will be used by both the regular Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) and the volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit) have

Ramil Lipp of the State Defense Investment Center (RKIK), which held the procurement, said: "The Sako TRG M10 is a globally recognized and widely used sniper rifle, also used by our neighboring countries."

"For instance, Sweden has acquired Sako in addition to other weapons, and in a similar configuration to ours," Lipp went on, via a press release.

"It is gratifying to see that a matured system, actively produced by our northern neighbors, has now reached Estonia, so enhancing our elite firing capabilities," Lipp added.

Capt. Ahti Habanen, the EDF's chief armorer, said: "The new rifle replaces the systems formerly used by EDF snipers, boosting their firing accuracy, speed, and impact."

Habanen added that this rifle allows the user to choose between two barrels, depending on conditions. A shorter barrel has a range of about one kilometer, while the long barreled version can hit targets up to one and a half kilometers away.

The EDF noted that the Sako TRG M10, at 8.6 millimeter caliber using the wider barrel, is longer-range and more accurate than the Soviet-developed 7.62-millimeter SVD standard in Russian army today.

It also provides improved ergonomics, stability and accuracy, compared with older models such as the .6-millimeter TRG 42, also in the Sako family.

Juha Alhonoja, CEO of Sako Oy, said he was "grateful to the RKIK for their trust and invaluable cooperation," following the order.

Snipers with both the EDF and Defense League have already tired out the new weapon at the Sirgala training ground in Ida-Viru County, exercises which included calibrating sights.

Sako Oy is based in Riihimäki in southern Finland, and was founded over a century ago.

The Sako TRG M10 Sniper Weapon System was unveiled in October 2011 and can be adapted to switch between .308 Winchester (7.62×51mm NATO), .300 Winchester Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum chamberings, by changing the bolts, magazines, forends and barrels.

Snipers are relatively elite soldiers, and in addition to top marksmanship must master the particularly arduous tasks of moving into a hide site position and remaining effectively concealed.

Current doctrine has married up the EDF and Defense League even more closely than before, as EDF reservists to that end can now report to their local Defense League district (Malev), to contribute territorial formations with a light infantry role, units whose value has been observed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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