.308 Rifles

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Matt63

Member
Hi guys,

I’m new to the forum and shooting centrefire but really keen to get more time on the range and upgrade my equipment. I am not stalking, and will only use this for range use.

At the moment I’m shooting my Rem 700 SPS and it does the job. I am happy with it but looking for something a bit nicer at the same time. I have my eyes on a Ruger Precision, quite a few owned by others in the club and I like the look of them.

My question is if I were to change my Remington for the Ruger would I lose anything due to the change of barrel length. I’d go from 26’ to 20’. I’d ask others in the club but they all have theirs in 6.5 (I realise the 6.5 is a better choice for target but the majority of my experience is 22LR and I enjoy the recoil of the .308).

Thanks for any advice.
 
Ironically I am considering exactly the same move....Rem700 SPS to Ruger Precision Gen 4 in .308.
Be interesting to see what people think!
 
From a target point to of view you would see the difference. You would be loosing a good bit of velocity so your drop would be greater and sooner. Depends what ranges you would want to be shooting at.

From a hunting point of view the range doesn't matter but you would gain somthing lighter and more pointable.
 
Steve Q said:
Ironically I am considering exactly the same move....Rem700 SPS to Ruger Precision Gen 4 in .308.
Be interesting to see what people think!
Click to expand...
Perhaps great minds think alike…

All the guys with the 6.5 really like there’s and I have used one but will stick with .308

Given that most of my shooting will be done 100-400 I don’t think I’ll lose to much MV too worry about. I’m guessing I’d just have to dial in much more for shoots at 600.
 
Stalker-of-the-deer said:
From a target point to of view you would see the difference. You would be loosing a good bit of velocity so your drop would be greater and sooner. Depends what ranges you would want to be shooting at.

From a hunting point of view the range doesn't matter but you would gain somthing lighter and more pointable.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply.

Most shoots will be done no further than 400 but will do the some at 5 and 600 in the future.

I don’t mind losing some MV as long as accuracy isn’t effected.

Would I be right in thinking that a shorter barrel would prefer a lighter round? The Rem with is 26’ shoots much better with 175gr or greater
 
Mine seems to prefer 168gn.
Accuracy drops significantly with lighter projectiles.
I shoot out to 600yds fairly regularly but get stomped by the Accuracy International appreciation society!
My pockets are not that deep, hence the more cost effective Ruger Precision.
 
When I changed from a 26in barrel to a 20in barrel in 308 I only lost between 100 and 130 fps with most loads.
It won't matter with the distances your planing on shooting.
Barrel length won't affect accuracy.
 
Barrel length doesn't effect accuracy, really I'd be wanting to shoot the heaviest bullet I could paired a decent velocity to help me down range.

Bullet weight doesn't effect accuracy either, what a light bullet does is bleed velocity faster and is effected more by wind so they are not as effective at longer range in basic terms.

Bit like throwing a ping-pong ball and a cricket ball at the same velocity, the cricket ball goes further because it has more retained energy.
 
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My 20" 308 is very competitive to 600yds fisn a load it likes and you'll be fine. Yes you will feel the wind influences the round more but nitnemough to impact stalking
 
Matt63 said:
At the moment I’m shooting my Rem 700 SPS and it does the job. I am happy with it but looking for something a bit nicer at the same time.
Click to expand...

The SPS hollow plastic stock is its biggest weakness - bendy and boomy. For years, Roger at South Yorkshire Shooting Supplies produced upgraded 700SPS rifles on new Remy jobs that users liked and shot very well as there's nothing wrong with the basic rifle. If you've got a decent barrel on yours, I'd stick with it rather than go to the RPR which although they usually perform well enough are IMO plastic kit guns, fake military lookalikes. There are lots of really good bolt-on improved stocks (the heart of Roger's old conversions) available off the shelf for 700s these days that improve the SPS no end, make it feel like a far higher grade and more ergonomic product, and make it much easier to be comfortable and shoot well. Although Roger at SYSS has semi-retired, his website still has a number of restocking options on it.

Remington Archives - Rimfire Magic

The other big let-down on factory 700s is the trigger assembly. That can be replaced by a Timney or Rifle Basix target pull weight job that will transform the rifle's feel and make it much easier to shoot, as well as as also making it much more pleasant generally.

long_range_rob said:
I’d definitely recommend the T3 TAC A1 over the Ruger. Build quality is sooooo much better.
Click to expand...

100% just so - but Matt would be spending a great deal of money (same for the RPR even if it's cheaper) to get something not vastly better than a 700 that comes with a decent factory barrel. Well, at least a great deal of money if buying a new one, but both models command high s/h prices too.

If you feel you must fork out a couple of grand to replace the SPS, very good little used F/TR long-range 308 Win custom builds appear quite regularly on the secondhand market for that sort of money and they will (vastly) outshoot any of the factory options. If not a member already, join the UKV forum which sees quite a few such on its for sale members' classified, for example

DOLPHIN SINGLE SHOT FT/R RIFLE & Tikka T3 223 Sporter

Although L-R rifles, builds like these can shoot near one-hole groups at 300 yards with good handloads. But, of course it depends on what ticks your boxes, looks-wise and so on.
 
I installed a Timney trigger some years ago, and it made a massive difference.
I had no thought about the stock making much difference to accuracy as it is free floating already.
Would putting the existing action and varmint barrel into.an AICS stock bring much improvement? Has anyone in SD actually done this?

Matt63 - have you installed an improved trigger? If not I have a spare Timney that I took out of another Rem700 (.243) before I sold it. Probably only fired 50 rounds with that trigger.
 
Stock will make a big difference AICS are quite good but heavy, depends on what shooting your doing.

A rifle is a system of components the better they all work together the more accurate the rifle is. Some big changes offer small improvements some little changes big improvements the issue is know which will give which on your rifle.
 
If the remington is shooting good you could make a few changes to make it better.
There are loads of stocks and chassis systems available so I would start with that and then get a good trigger and you could have a custom bolt knob fitted.
You also have the option of having a custom barrel fitted if you feel you need to.
 
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