700 SPS Varmint

sandwarrior

sandwarrior

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Minuteman
Apr 21, 2007
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in yooperland
#1
I've been looking at these and have kind of come to the conclusion this might fill my ticket for the caliber I want without having to take an action I have and customize it for a bit more money.

Anybody want to give a little feed back as to how well these REM 700 SPS varminters shoot? Any caliber, I'm just looking for a general quality indicator of the production line.
 
#2
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

Ive got one that I bought used here off of the hide with about 500rds down range. The first 5 shot group I shot with it was .102" CTC at 100 yds with 168 FGMM. I have since started working up loads with a lot of them going under .5 MOA at 100yds. Maybe I got lucky, but I think that you cant beat them for the money. Oh yeah, the factory stock is a POS, it will need to be changed ASAP when you get it. That is the only thing that has been done to mine.
 
#5
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

I think as a general rule most will shoot between .5 and .75 moa in a decent stock with match ammo. Certainly a great starter rifle which you can customize as your budget allows. I have gotten mine shooting pretty good but it does seem to prefer the 168 SMK's to the 175's, at least under 300 yds.
 
#6
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

mine is a .223 sps varmint, it shoots very well. i have gotten lucky and put a few groups under .75 at 200, but like i said, i got lucky. most of the time it will do right around .5-.75 at 100. first thing i did was replace the stock on it. put an hs-precision on her. shoots well enough for me.
 
#7
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

Mine was my first rifle, I decided to go cheap and buy what I felt was the most economical; the most bang or my buck if you will.

A lot of people may suggest you get a SPS-Tactical with the 20 inch barrel. Frankly, I didn't mind the longer barrel, and I enjoy it. It may weigh a little more, but it doesn't bother me.

It shoots great out of the box, well under an inch with factory ammo (including crappy Remington UMC 150gr ammo).

My only real gripes on this rifle were (as before mentioned) the stock, the finish, and mine came with a horrible problem of scraping up brass on loading them from the internal magazine.

The finish problems can be avoided by either duracoating, or just keeping the metal well oiled and clean.

The stock, hell there are so many options avaiable, I'm not going to list them. I went with a B&C Tactical Medalist and am looking forward to a Manners in the future.

Overall would have wished the loading issue wasn't a problem, but it doesnt take away from the appeal of a cheap accurate rifle.

P1010070.jpg

P1010047.jpg

 
#9
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

Yea, mine shoots great, I have added a B&C Medalist. Next year I'm cutting it down to 16.5" and add a Mcree stock with flip-up irons.

It's gona be my "poor man's battle rifle"!!
 
#10
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

i like mine!! i bought it because i knew i wanted a b&c a5 stock. why should i give extra for a gun that i was going to replace parts on anyways. mine is a .308 shoots 3/4" at 120yds. i enjoy it.
 
#11
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

I see a lot of you guys are getting in the .5" to .75" range. Are most of you getting that with factory, (premium or match) or reloads? That may not be in the ballpark of what I'm looking for. But, if factory I can see why. However, those kind of groups are pretty apt to win or score high in competitions if you keep them centered.

FWIW, I reload extensively and plan to if I get one of these.
 
#12
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

at 100 yards i shoot .5-.75 pretty consistently with factory hornady 150gr sst ammo. mines the 26'' barrel and i just slapped it in a b&c medalist with a bushnell 10x40 mil dot. im super happy with how it shoots and i havent even used match ammo in it yet. get one, you wont regret it.
 
#14
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

I've got a 223 in a bedded HS stock and it will do .3"-.5" 5 shot groups with handloads. I also have a buddy with the same rifle. He cut his back to 18" and he has similar results.

Another friend of mine just purchased one in 22-250 and in a few weeks we are going to start working on loads for it. Hopefully it will do the same if he gets it out of the factory stock.
 
#16
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

im picking one up in .308 tomorrow. whats there not to like? tried and true action, excellent aftermarket support, pretty accurate right out of the box...

its one of those things where you can pay twice as much for a gun that you will keep about the same forever or you can buy this and add to it as you please and as funds allow over time. spend more on the glass than the gun.
 
#18
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

I am thinking about getting one for a truck gun/beater/behind-the-seater. You can spend 3x's as much and only get a bit in return.

SPS + $200 replacement stock = GTG
 
#19
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

I've been learning to shoot/handload with an SPS-V .243 with a Bushnell 6500 4-16x40 on it for about a year (so it may be a little better than my groups would show) but I have got between 1.5" and 3" groups with the factory hunting ammo I've tried (too many types to list). With my current batch of handloads I'm getting ~.75" at 90 yards which is my best so far. It's still in it's factory stock. Mine would chew the brass up pretty bad too if you chambered rounds from the magazine but it smoothed out ok with a little TLC.
 
#20
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Newbie Xcellence</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've been learning to shoot/handload with an SPS-V .243 with a Bushnell 6500 4-16x40 on it for about a year (so it may be a little better than my groups would show) but <span style="font-weight: bold">I have got between 1.5" and 3" groups with the factory hunting ammo I've tried </span>(too many types to list). With my current batch of handloads I'm getting ~.75" at 90 yards which is my best so far. It's still in it's factory stock. Mine would chew the brass up pretty bad too if you chambered rounds from the magazine but it smoothed out ok with a little TLC.</div></div>

Ouch!...that's about the worst vote of confidence yet. Seriously, it sounds like most of you are happy with the accuracy you are getting. Sounds like a deal I'm going to pursue.
 
#21
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

I've had a couple SPSs. All have shot better than they should, although none were fired while still in the factory stock.

Here was my most recent - a SPS Varmint .243 in a McMillan A5. This was some early load development, and I sold the rifle prior to going any further. To say the least, things were looking promising ( I know it's a 3 shot group, but that's all I was loading for the ladder test)

24387TSX100309.jpg
 
#22
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

The first 60 rounds through mine were cheapo Win 150gr PP hunting rounds. All groups were under .75 @ 100 that was with the ugly cheapo plastic stock to top it off. Handloads can obviously get better but that doesn't suck. Mine doesn't like FGMM 168's @ 100.

I like the Nosler CC 155's, 155 Amax and will try the 178 Amax at some point.
 
#24
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jackh</div><div class="ubbcode-body">how do you free float the shitty tuperware stock? i dont have money for a mcm right now so it will have to do this deer season.</div></div>

I can't say that particular stock, but I had a Hogue with the rubber overmolding. I just took a razor, set it in a guide and cut. The big mistake I made, and anyone else doing this is as soon as you stop the rubber springs back and it's hard to figure out how to start the cut again without leaving a glob (or taking one). The channel itself was deep enough to leave the barrel free floated once the upper edges were cut back.
 
#25
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

DON'T just go grinding on it. If you do you will end up with more of the stock touching the barrel.

If you want to free-float it you need to stiffen it first. Add some epoxy and filler. Some guys have used carbon fiber arrow shafts and other neat stuff.

Me? I just said "screw it" and spend the $200+ on a B&C stock and tossed the plastic-fantastic in the corner.

If you go this way you may find you don't really need a McMillan (unless you just want the "bling")

http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/the-304/bell-carlson-tactical-remington/Detail
 
#26
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">DON'T just go grinding on it. If you do you will end up with more of the stock touching the barrel.

If you want to free-float it you need to stiffen it first. Add some epoxy and filler. Some guys have used carbon fiber arrow shafts and other neat stuff.

Me? I just said "screw it" and spend the $200+ on a B&C stock and tossed the plastic-fantastic in the corner.

If you go this way you may find you don't really need a McMillan (unless you just want the "bling")

http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/the-304/bell-carlson-tactical-remington/Detail</div></div>

Well, I looked at the stocks today and they are not rubberized in any way. They are more like the Savage 12FV stocks in composition. Right now, I could take it outside in this sub zero weather we're having and sand it right out with a dowel.
 
#27
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

Heed what I posed above.

Once you remove the pads at the front of the channel you will just have more and more to grind away as the stock warps. At some point you will eventually get it floated, but I have no idea how much you are going to have to grind away.

Then when you put a bipod on it you are back to square one.
 
#28
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

What LW is getting at is due to the flexibility of these stocks, even if you sand down the barrel channel to float it, when you put a bipod on it you will likely have the barrel touch the stock. That's why guys have to stiffen them with either epoxy in the barrel channel or arrow shafts or whatever other contraptions they think up. If you fill the voids under the front portion of the action with bedding compound and the first couple inches under the barrel a decent free float can be achieved.
 
#30
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

Something to consider if you are down on funds is if you have or know someone with a wood, or laminate stock these are very stiff and can be routed out to float the barrel. A good temporary fix to your problem. I put my SPS tactical in a wood stock off of a BDL varmint that I had laying around and it shot great--10 rounds under an inch at 100 yards with lituanian surplus. Much better with match rounds, the only down side was the hard butt pad was very abusive to shoot the big pile of rounds I put through it in two days, lol.
 
#31
Re: 700 SPS Varmint

LoneWolf,

I know what you are saying, don't just grind because that could be what's holding the barrel above the channel and keeping it free floated.

It truth the best thing to do would be to bed it so it sits above the channel. Add a good amount of bedding material down in the recoil lug area and right behind it. When setting the action in make sure it stays up just a smidge by putting a wedge or something under the barrel.
 
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