My Remington 700 SPS Experience

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Shasta
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My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by Shasta »

A thread here reporting the possible downfall of the makers of Remington firearms partly due to lack of quality made me decide to take the time to tell my own recent experience with a Remington. I’ll start my long and windy story at the very beginning, and try to make it interesting:

Our rifle range is overrun with ground squirrels that dig into the berms and cause a lot of damage. I decided that I needed an accurate long range .22 caliber centerfire varmint rifle capable of making four or five hundred yard shots. I decided on .22-250 caliber as it has a long history of excellence for varmints. I’m a lefty, so wanted a left hand bolt action rifle with a 26” bull barrel. I narrowed my choices to either a Savage or a Remington 700 SPS as they were the most affordable. The local Sportsman’s Warehouse had right handed versions of both rifles, so I was able to handle them and try the fit. The Remington at $575 was not only less money but fit me better. I have never owned a Remington 700, so I went ahead and ordered one. While waiting for it to arrive I bought the dies, brass, etc. for reloading, as well as a bullet mould so I could try cast lead bullets to lower ammunition cost. That was another $300 or so.

Here is a picture of the Remington SPS:

Image



The rifle arrived and I installed a $350 Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50mm scope on it with two-piece Weaver mounts. Hmmm…., this project is starting to get expensive! With completed rifle and ammo in hand, off to the range I go. The first firing showed a very heavy trigger pull and mediocre accuracy. The rifle was equipped with an adjustable X-Mark Pro trigger said to reduce pull by 40%. My Lyman electronic trigger pull gauge showed a 5 ½ lb. pull. That is way too much for a bench/varmint gun. I backed out the adjustment screw until it was finally completely out of the trigger and the pull would not go below 5 lbs. OK, maybe it just needs some use to wear in properly.

Over time I experimented with different loads, and after several hundred rounds the trigger was just as bad if not worse, so I spent another $125 for a Timney trigger. It worked perfectly and would adjust as light as I wanted. Problem was the rifle was still shooting +2” groups at 100 yards when it should do half that. The cast lead bullets were a lot of fun to shoot but were less accurate than jacketed. Researching my problem on the internet showed I was not alone, and the consensus was that the plastic factory stock lacked proper bedding and was not ridged enough. There is a series of videos on YouTube showing how to glass bed the Remington stock, but it did nothing to stiffen the stock and I came to the conclusion that you can’t polish a turd. I really liked the feel of that stock, but it had to go. I found Stocky’s Gun Stocks on the web and they had a beautiful left-handed aluminum bedded laminated wood thumbhole stock for $325, so I ordered it. It is a beautiful thing and bolted right up to my rifle. The length of pull proved slightly too long for me as I had to crawl the stock to see clearly through the scope, which was mounted as far back as the Weaver bases would allow. I tried reversing the base, but it interfered with the bolt lift. I finally resolved the problem by spending another $40 on a Picatinny rail that set the scope where I needed it. I have yet to find out if all this has improved accuracy as it has been raining and I have not made it back to the range. After all this, I certainly hope things have improved.

Here is a picture of my rifle as it is today:

Image

Now, if you have been keeping track, I have spent upwards of $1,700 on this rifle and accessories. I am very disappointed in its performance so far. The legendary accuracy of the Remington 700 bolt action rifle is no more, judging by my experience. I should have gone with the Savage and none of the modifications would have been necessary. My Savage Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor has been a real tack driver right out of the box, and was only $100 more than what I originally paid for the troublesome Remington. This is what I get for going with the cheaper rifle. It certainly was not cheaper in the end. I would have been much better off to just use the Creedmoor on those squirrels, but I wanted another new rifle. Now, if any of you get the itch for a new rifle, I would recommend you stay shy of Remington!

My late father-in-law was fond of telling me “Sometimes you ain’t too bright”. I guess this was another one of those times.

Shasta
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fordwannabe
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by fordwannabe »

My own experiences prove you out. I am also a lefty I have a lefty Remington 700 In 06. I got it to shoot, finally.
It will only shoot 165 SGK"s and only certain loads, and it had to be bedded blah blah blah. On the other hand I have Six Savage bolt guns and a couple extra barrels in other calibers or contours. Every one of them with proper break in will outshoot the Remington with little to no "fiddlin". Throw whatever junk rings and mounts are on the Savage in a box put a EGW base on them with a set of Warne steel rings, a decent scope, torque the front action screw to 30 inch pounds, just snug the rear action screw and after about 80 rounds the rifle will shoot amazing groups. I have talked five friends and my son into a Savage and they are all happy. Remington owners seem split as to how happy they are.
a Pennsylvanian who has been accused of clinging to my religion and my guns......Good assessment skills.
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AJMD429
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by AJMD429 »

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Pisgah
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by Pisgah »

I don't want to pile on, but honesty compels me to report that your sorry experience of the 700 SPS mirrors mine. I finally sold mine off at a loss to a friend who knew of its sad history, and he spent a year and $$ to no avail trying to improve the accuracy before trading it off. The crazy thing is, there seemed no obvious reason why it shouldn't be an excellent shooter, other than the less-than-stellar, but useable, trigger -- but the accuracy just was not there.
Nath
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by Nath »

Yep, I had the short barreled sps and the trigger was awful and accuracy mediocre.

It took me six hours to stone the trigger sears. I got 1&1/2 lb in the end and accuracy was brilliant once I noticed the bolt handle was touching the stock and cured it!

Never again unless it's a 1990 mint bdl.

N.
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piller
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by piller »

PillHer's Remington 700 SPS youth model in 30-06 is a tack driver. 165 grain bullets usually give 1/2 minute of angle or less, and 180 grain bullets about 1 minute of angle. My Remington 700 ADL 30-06 with synthetic stock is doing good at 1&1/2 minute of angle at its best. My wood stock Remington 700 ADL in .270 was worse than that until I fiberglass bedded it. After that, it was a 1 ragged hole group rifle at 100 yards. My 2 were made in the 90s. PillHer's was made in about 2005.
This Winter, my project is to get a new stock for the 30-06, and the kit to turn it into a BDL. I plan on trying a free floating stock first. I can always try to fiberglass bed it later if it is not any more accurate.
My Stevens model 200, a very inexpensive rifle, in 7mm-08 is amazingly accurate. I had first used Leupold rings with poor results. Once I changed to Weaver bases and rings, it suddenly became more accurate than I can ever possibly shoot. I should have taken a picture of the 100 yard 5 shot group of .30 inches. It was the best I have ever done. That Savage is much more accurate than my Remingtons.
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GunnyMack
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by GunnyMack »

Always check the crown, if a rifle won't shoot after bedding it's usually the crown.
I have an old 700, in 17 Remington, other then fouling that tiny bore it's a bug hole group shooter after a crown touch up. Brownells has recrown tools and fairly cheap if no access to a lathe.
I am not fond of plastic stocks, tend to be, we'll just CHEAP! Any of the laminated stocks will/should add accuracy, reduce recoil with the added weight and they just feel better.
Just remember to use the RELEASE agent if you bed yourself! Can also use PAM cooking spray!
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octagon
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by octagon »

I have an old m700 in 22-250 that will shoot in one inch all day.
piller
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by piller »

GunnyMack wrote: Mon Nov 27, 2017 4:52 am Always check the crown, if a rifle won't shoot after bedding it's usually the crown.
I have an old 700, in 17 Remington, other then fouling that tiny bore it's a bug hole group shooter after a crown touch up. Brownells has recrown tools and fairly cheap if no access to a lathe.
I am not fond of plastic stocks, tend to be, we'll just CHEAP! Any of the laminated stocks will/should add accuracy, reduce recoil with the added weight and they just feel better.
Just remember to use the RELEASE agent if you bed yourself! Can also use PAM cooking spray!
I used Turtle Wax car wax for the release agent. It worked well for me. I didn't think about the Pam cooking spray.

Thanks for the tip on re-crowning. I may try that on the 30-06 if a new stock, and maybe glass bedding, doesn't help. If a new stock and free floating doesn't get it down below consistent 2 inch groups at 100 yard, then I will try re-crowning it. I am realistic enough to be looking for consistent 1 inch groups when it finally finds out what loads it likes. It really should be capable of that just based on what year it was made and the materials and manufacturing processes from that time.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
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marlinman93
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by marlinman93 »

I know nothing about the very latest Remington 700 versions, other than to see that the 700VSF has been degraded to a plastic stock, vs. the HS Precision Kevlar stock with aluminum bed it used to have standard!
I bought my Remington 700 ADL varmint rifle back in 1980. It was a base model with lightweight barrel, but shot very well.....when cool. Because of the light barrel, when varmint hunting got hot and heavy, the point of impact would string vertically, causing some misses at small varmints and 300 yd. distances. I tried various fixes over the years, but finally figured after 20+ years it would simply be too expensive to do a major rework of heavier barrel, and the HS Precision stock. So about 12-14 years ago I went off to Sportsman's Warehouse to look at what the new Rem. 700 had to offer.
After telling the gun guy what I was doing, and what I wanted, he turned around and grabbed a new 700VSF in .22-250 off the rack. I was a bit shocked by the sheer size of the gun, the very long/heavy barrel, and the weight of the package! But I shouldered it and immediately fell in love with the feel! The large forearm, palm swells on the wrist, and that heavy fluted bull barrel were just what I wanted! The price at Sportsman's was $800, and although I thought it was a good discount, it was also a big step up from a standard Rem. 700 at under $400! But I bit the bullet and bought it.
I took my old 6-24x target scope off my old Remington, along with the mounts, and swapped it all on my new 700VSF. I adjusted the trigger down to 2 lbs. with my trigger scale, and headed to the range with my loads from the old gun. First 5 shot group at 100 yds. I could cover with a nickel. Over time the groups got slightly smaller as the barrel seasoned, and it's still the most accurate CF I own. Never had a single problem with it, and I'm glad I bought it when it seems Remington still made great guns!
I use the new 700 VSF for not just varmints, but also deer. It's taken mule deer out to 400 yds. with ease, and almost feels like cheating to be able to do so with such confidence. Too bad the newest 700's aren't the same as mine.
This is the older version I own:
Image
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Blaine
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by Blaine »

I traded into a 700 in 35 Whelen....It would drop the fireing pin if you let it drop on the butt.
An early 80s Remington 53(?) tube magazine bolter .22 I bought new started falling apart the first week I had it.
I still like Green Box centerfire, especially the 170 gr 30wcf, but no more Remington thing guns.
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GunnyMack
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by GunnyMack »

Back in 91 or 92 while I was at TSJC in the gummsmiff program I stopped at local hardware store, in the glass case was a Remington 600 Mohawk action. If memory serves I coughed up $175 and walked out with the action.
I turned a Douglas barrel for it, heavy taper in 22-250. Did up a Bastogne walnut thumbhole ( flat bottom forend) and proceeded to gathering brass, bullets etc.

WC846 powder, 55 gr Hornady SX or Nosler BT's would shoot honest to almighty 1/4" 5 shot groups at 100! That gun shot a whole bunch of pasture poodles and yotes!

22-250 is one of those cartridges that is just as close to perfect in my eyes.
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marlinman93
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Re: My Remington 700 SPS Experience

Post by marlinman93 »

GunnyMack wrote: Mon Nov 27, 2017 4:36 pm

22-250 is one of those cartridges that is just as close to perfect in my eyes.
Ditto! And so was it's parent cartridge the .250 Savage!
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