Re: TRG vs. AI
I also agree that for a long range beginner 338 is a little bit too far away. The only possible way for ordinary shooter to afford it is handload, which will reduced the cost per round to around $2, if you truly know how to use the brass wisely and have a deal on some component, then maybe $1.5
While you can easily get 2 or 3 decent 308win handload at this price. Although we all know 338 is extremely powerful, in a distance less than 1000yd you can find too much cheap substitutes for plinking paper and steel gongs, and at this 'short' distance there is truly no point to use 338 unless you want to take out a watermelon hide behind thick steel plate, or zombie grizzly bear wearing level III bulletproof vest.
Back to the TRG vs. AI issue. So far, I think TRG works better for me. Yes AIAWs are built like tank, clamp on a NF scope and you can even go to Mars to do some secret mission. But as a tea drinking amateur in range and some light use in field. I truly can't see the need of such a ultimate robust design. TRGs are much lighter, while also have the similar concept of AW such as metal chassis in the rifle stock. TRG's bolt operates like a dream. The fully adjustable trigger is so sweet and crisp. And now you have the choice to update the stock (like Ashbury FORSST) to make it truly tacti-cool.
The only 2 true weak points that TRG42 can not match AW, IMHO, are the twist rate and not-so-strong extractor. the 1:12 twist rate make TRG prefer light bullets, which might not be a good news for long range shooting. While the second one bring a potential weakness to the bolt, limit the use of hot loads.
Other than that, TRGs are great, you pay much less, and get a piece of art. TRG accessories are expensivem, but get a whole system of TRG including a wonderful scope might be cheaper than a bare AW. And in weekend tea drinking time at range, TRGs I've tried so far all shoot as good as, if not say better than AWs.
Just my 0.02 cents.