OP,
MY 1988 vintage 700 PSS was purchased new by me (11 year veteran officer at the time) and subsequently put into service on my agency’s (Municipal Police) Special Operations Team (SOT). It has a 24” barrel.
It was the first year that Remington used the HS Precision PSS (Police Sharp Shooter) synthetic stock, painted flat black. Previous years were the wood stocked version as seen in Post #1 and the first picture in Post #7.
I attended the FBI/Sniper-Observer course (taught by USMC former snipers from Quantico, VA [Ray Sweet?] I need to check my notes from the course) in the fall of 1988 and used that rifle until retiring from the Team in 1995.
I mounted a Bausch & Lomb 10x Mil-Dot reticle Police Tactical scope with MOA adjustments on it. It was a brand new scope to the market (mine is #25. White box/no markings). Very bright and clear. In 2002 or so I ran into some East Coast SEALS who were training at Camp Guernsey in WY who invited me to their barracks (I knew one of their uncles in OK) and I observed their gear. Included was the very same model B&L 10x Mil/MOA scope on an M-21 that would be headed to Afghanistan with those guys when they deployed. I don’t recall the optics mount.
Yes, Mil reticle/MOA adjustments. It was the hot-shit at the time. We shot police sniper competitions at various military installations in OK. We usually competed on the M-60 ranges with air-operated knock-down targets. My rifle grouped FEDERAL GOLD MEDAL .308 Match 168 grain ammunition into .4” ctc for five round groups @ 100yards.
Later agency-purchased guns also shot into .4”. Plenty adequate for the intended purpose.
Technology and knowledge of sniping has really advanced since those days. MUCH better gear, rifles and optics than we had (Laser rangefinders? That is Dick Tracy stuff!).
We all owe Frank
@Lowlight and lots of other unnamed men here a debt of gratitude for his/their efforts in advancing the craft.
I hope this helps you pin down the DOB for the rifle you’re looking at.
Edited to add 12/7/1989 photo from the range during the FBI Sniper/Observer School.
Day 4 was freezing rain. Rifle and gear were encased in a light coat of ice.
Aaaaand, I may be wrong on the purchase year of the rifle.
Looking at the certificate for the school, I now believe it was purchased during summer of 1989.
Hey, it was a long time ago…..