Gunsmithing Remington 700 SPS free floating and mods?

zanderfever

Private
Minuteman
Oct 27, 2018
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4
I have a Remington 700 SPS in 6.5 Creedmoor and I took the barrel out to check out what my bedding situation was and it seems... bad to my untrained eye? The barrel isn’t free floating either so I was wondering - should I carve out the stock a little? Reinforce it with some kind of epoxy? I also have been looking around and saw that I should secure the recoil lug too. Using more epoxy and some blue painters tape to get the lug secure but still able to come out.

Do you have any suggestions on the best way to do this? Am I off base? Should there be anything else I should do? Here’s a picture of the inside of the stock -

image.jpg
 
The factory Remington synthetic (plastic) stock is so flexible, I wouldn't spend any time trying to make it something it'll never be - rigid. If you are satisfied with it's performance for the purpose you are using it - then just shoot and enjoy it. If you want to increase accuracy and repeatability, start looking at aftermarket stocks or chassis. There is an abundance of high quality, bolt on stocks that will immediately improve upon the factory stock.
 
Replacing it isn’t an option. It sounds as if the best thing to do in order to make it better would be to go beyond just bedding and do the trick with a carbon fiber arrow shaft. Use that as a way to meld the stock and barrel to each other? I just don’t know the protocols on doing it. Any suggestions about that?
 
Replacing it isn’t an option. It sounds as if the best thing to do in order to make it better would be to go beyond just bedding and do the trick with a carbon fiber arrow shaft. Use that as a way to meld the stock and barrel to each other? I just don’t know the protocols on doing it. Any suggestions about that?

I would even try to find a used wooden stock on eBay and go from there. I know how flimsy that forend is. The cost of materials to try to make it rigid enough would cover a nice wood stock. Then just do a good pillar and action bed.
 
There are plenty of videos of people installing stainless steel rods or carbon fiber rods into the stocks- then filling with epoxy or fiberglass of choices...

What I don't get is you have a nice set up... with expensive ammo


I really don't see/ understand why it is OK to spend $50 to make a bad stock better... vs. buying a used take off stock that is better than your home improved version?
 
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There are plenty of videos of people installing stainless steel rods or carbon fiber rods into the stocks- then filling with epoxy or fiberglass of choices...

What I don't get is you have a nice set up... with expensive ammo


I really don't see/ understand why it is OK to spend $50 to make a bad stock better... vs. buying a used take off stock that is better than your home improved version?

50 is still less than 150. That 100 can then be spent on ammo and range time. The ammo isn’t all that expensive considering. I also work at a gun store/indoor range so I get discounts on ammo and some equipment. And a good portion of this is fun and challenging. I like tinkering. It’ll save me a few bucks, I’ll have fun and learn a lot more than just throwing money at something that I may be able to get the same/similar improvements on the fun way.
 
I have an SPS Varmint in 308 that actually shot fairly well with the original stock, when I replaced it with a B&C medalist style 2 it really came to life both in accuracy and repeatability.
If you like to tinker have at it and have fun, but I would be willing to bet in the end you will be looking for a replacemnt.
The main reason I say that is even if you do manage to get the forend rigid enough to be happy with it the rest of the stock just isn't properly proportioned from the tang of the receiver back. It has the same grip, cheek and comb dimensions as the sporter SPS models that are a good shape for shooting offhand in a light hunting rifle but leaves much to be desired in a heavier precision geared rifle setup.
That leaves adding a stock pack or saddle to adjust for cheek height and just living with the grip dimensions also means throwing more money at the stock trying to make it something it was never meant to be.
 
I have an SPS Varmint in 308 that actually shot fairly well with the original stock, when I replaced it with a B&C medalist style 2 it really came to life both in accuracy and repeatability.
If you like to tinker have at it and have fun, but I would be willing to bet in the end you will be looking for a replacemnt.
The main reason I say that is even if you do manage to get the forend rigid enough to be happy with it the rest of the stock just isn't properly proportioned from the tang of the receiver back. It has the same grip, cheek and comb dimensions as the sporter SPS models that are a good shape for shooting offhand in a light hunting rifle but leaves much to be desired in a heavier precision geared rifle setup.
That leaves adding a stock pack or saddle to adjust for cheek height and just living with the grip dimensions also means throwing more money at the stock trying to make it something it was never meant to be.

I already solved the comb issue. Some foam from a yoga mat, self adhering ace bandage and an ammo sleeve. Fits pretty nicely now.
 
SPS does stand for "Shiity Plastic Stock" I have replaced them on all my 3 M700s, actually between the stock and primary extractions issues I am almost over them entirely..
 
I have done quite a few epoxy jobs on sps and similar stocks. Waste of time. Rather use the time to find a second hand wood stock, at least epoxy adheres better. Over time if you like tinkering you can also change the outside shape on a wooden stock and paint it.
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