Rem SPS 16.5 Tactical .308
- Thread starter DPris
- Start date
heavybarrel
Inactive
I've been pondering this one, I had a PSS a few years back that was very good when I bought it used and even better after I had it tuned. I wish I knew where it was now. Failing that the SPS is one I'm looking at very hard.
HB
HB
Well in it's heart the 700 is a very respected action. Factory barrels from Remmington are usually solid. I think your main areas of concern will be:
Clean and treat barrel asap. Remmington has suffered a small hit in their name on the finance sh of thier rifles or lighter finish which can lead to slightly faster oxidation showing up quicker then one would expect.
Barrel length is going to prevent reaching of published velocities on factory and hand loads. So if you decide to go longer ranges you will have to deal with larger drops then with similar caliber rifles with longer barrels. Accuracy will be more then adequate if Remmington reputation holds up.
With that said if you handload be careful when trying to get the speeds. Powder selection with that caliber and shorter barrel will normally push you to faster burning powders. But that is a question and topic for the reloading forum. I am excited for you and can't wait to hear your range report and how it feels after you put it in your McMillan stock.
Clean and treat barrel asap. Remmington has suffered a small hit in their name on the finance sh of thier rifles or lighter finish which can lead to slightly faster oxidation showing up quicker then one would expect.
Barrel length is going to prevent reaching of published velocities on factory and hand loads. So if you decide to go longer ranges you will have to deal with larger drops then with similar caliber rifles with longer barrels. Accuracy will be more then adequate if Remmington reputation holds up.
With that said if you handload be careful when trying to get the speeds. Powder selection with that caliber and shorter barrel will normally push you to faster burning powders. But that is a question and topic for the reloading forum. I am excited for you and can't wait to hear your range report and how it feels after you put it in your McMillan stock.
Thanks.
Waiting on the Trijicon scope, then I'll decide on the Warne heights.
Goal is a short & handy quality package to engage from 50-400 yards, if needed.
The .308 is fairly forgiving of a shorter barrel.
I'm assured the barrel will be good.
The Hogue that comes on it's a little too flexible, so needs replacing.
Kinda looking forward to getting it all together.
Denis
Waiting on the Trijicon scope, then I'll decide on the Warne heights.
Goal is a short & handy quality package to engage from 50-400 yards, if needed.
The .308 is fairly forgiving of a shorter barrel.
I'm assured the barrel will be good.
The Hogue that comes on it's a little too flexible, so needs replacing.
Kinda looking forward to getting it all together.
Denis
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Lotta velocity loss with a 16.5" barrel, but not exactly useless for 50 to 100 yards. Velocity out of a 16.5" barrel runs around 2600 FPS. Muzzle blast and flash will be astounding though.
Actual tests were done and reported on here.
https://rifleshooter.com/2014/12/30...ato-barrel-length-versus-velocity-28-to-16-5/
Actual tests were done and reported on here.
https://rifleshooter.com/2014/12/30...ato-barrel-length-versus-velocity-28-to-16-5/
For 400 your gonna be just fine. Accuracy is much much less effected( affected...stupid English) by barrel length then velocity. Correct the 308 is more forgiving mainly due to the powders it employs ( lots of recipes with Varget, H335 etc) which are faster burning and can compensate for the short barrel. I would be interested in seeing how hot the load will be to get 2600 FPS with that barrel. What weight bullet are you going to use primarily?
I believe that is a 12 twist. If so 165/168's won't be a problem and I'd think up to 180's would be fine. Hornady says their 178 ELD-X is fine with a 12 twist and I've had good luck with that bullet in an 12 twist Winchester. Even from a 16" barrel 400 yards shouldn't be a problem. And FWIW I've not found many negatives to using heavier 178/180 gr bullets in 308.
I'm getting 2620ish from my 22" barrels with the 178's and 2575 from my 18" Ruger Predator. Even if you only get 2500 fps at the muzzle with that bullet you're still over 1000 fps past 1300 yards. At 400 yards you're at 1900 fps and 1300 ft lbs energy.
I'm getting 2620ish from my 22" barrels with the 178's and 2575 from my 18" Ruger Predator. Even if you only get 2500 fps at the muzzle with that bullet you're still over 1000 fps past 1300 yards. At 400 yards you're at 1900 fps and 1300 ft lbs energy.
Yup, that model comes with a 1:10 twist barrel which should work for almost any weight pill. I have a Rem 700 SPS Tac which comes with the same Hogue stock, and it needs to be replaced. It can flex enough (especially with a bipod) to touch the barrel and interfere with harmonics. The finish on the barrel isn't great, but isn't horrible either. I've had mine for a few years now, and it looks the same as when I purchased it. Mine happens to be a .223, and although a sample size of one is anecdotal, it shoots really well with favored bullets. Can do 1/2 MOA all day long. Post some pic's when you get yours set up.
I know a man in Pavilion Wyoming who has one. So far, no problems, but to be very honest, I prefer the Mossberg MVP over it. Accuracy of the 2 is about the same.
The Mossberg has a laminated wood stock (Some have plastic) and those that are laminated can be shaped and re-worked to suit the owner. That's what I don't like about plastic...... you don't get to customize them much.
Both triggers feel about the same, but the Mossberg trigger has not gotten them successfully sued.
Neither has a safety the locks down the bolt handle when on. (A criticism of both from me)
The Mossberg uses BOTH M14 and AR10 magazines and is very smooth with both.
The Mossberg has a floating bolt head and a "Savage style" barrel nut system so the barrel nut is not as attractive as the Remington system, but for making an accurate rifle quickly is is quite a good system.
The action on the MVP seems less "finished" then the Remington, but the 5 that I know of around here (4 other owners, and myself) are all quite smooth to operate. The bolt of the Remington has far less "slop" when it's to the rear, so it seems to be held to tighter tolerances in it's bolt to receiver fit.
The Mossberg Extractor is the "T-Head" type so it can be easily and cheaply replaces if ever you need to. Works just like the push feed M70 Winchester, the Savage, the T/C and many others. The Remington extractor is the standard Remington cer-clip type.
The Mossberg is made in a way that the bolt handle cannot pop off, and that's something the Remington is known for occasionally.
When I look at the web I see both rifles are about the same price.
The Remington is definitely "nicer" in it's metal finish. But I believe the MVP is of a better design. As a gunsmith I have to fix the broken and "sick" guns and there are a LOT more M700s in the USA then there are Mossberg MVPs So it follows that I would have to repair M700, M721s M722s and so on...more then a rifles that has only been in existence for a few years.
But so far I have yet to have anything needing repair on a 308 Mossberg MVP and as I said, the bolt handle cannot become a problem like the Remington, so that alone tells me that the Mossberg scores that point over the Remington.
The extractor on the MVP is probably better and even if it's not, (time will tell) it's easier and far cheaper to fix. Point #2 scored for the Mossberg.
Use of the 2 detachable Box mags ...... well, that can be a point in favor of the MVP in the minds of some, but not others. Many have no use or desire for a 10 or 20 round mag, and I believe many others would buy a MVP if they could buy a shorter 5 round mag. That's a detail I think Mossberg should address.
And BOTH companies should make the safety lock the bolt handle closed !!!!!!
Just my opinion.
Others may vary.
The Mossberg has a laminated wood stock (Some have plastic) and those that are laminated can be shaped and re-worked to suit the owner. That's what I don't like about plastic...... you don't get to customize them much.
Both triggers feel about the same, but the Mossberg trigger has not gotten them successfully sued.
Neither has a safety the locks down the bolt handle when on. (A criticism of both from me)
The Mossberg uses BOTH M14 and AR10 magazines and is very smooth with both.
The Mossberg has a floating bolt head and a "Savage style" barrel nut system so the barrel nut is not as attractive as the Remington system, but for making an accurate rifle quickly is is quite a good system.
The action on the MVP seems less "finished" then the Remington, but the 5 that I know of around here (4 other owners, and myself) are all quite smooth to operate. The bolt of the Remington has far less "slop" when it's to the rear, so it seems to be held to tighter tolerances in it's bolt to receiver fit.
The Mossberg Extractor is the "T-Head" type so it can be easily and cheaply replaces if ever you need to. Works just like the push feed M70 Winchester, the Savage, the T/C and many others. The Remington extractor is the standard Remington cer-clip type.
The Mossberg is made in a way that the bolt handle cannot pop off, and that's something the Remington is known for occasionally.
When I look at the web I see both rifles are about the same price.
The Remington is definitely "nicer" in it's metal finish. But I believe the MVP is of a better design. As a gunsmith I have to fix the broken and "sick" guns and there are a LOT more M700s in the USA then there are Mossberg MVPs So it follows that I would have to repair M700, M721s M722s and so on...more then a rifles that has only been in existence for a few years.
But so far I have yet to have anything needing repair on a 308 Mossberg MVP and as I said, the bolt handle cannot become a problem like the Remington, so that alone tells me that the Mossberg scores that point over the Remington.
The extractor on the MVP is probably better and even if it's not, (time will tell) it's easier and far cheaper to fix. Point #2 scored for the Mossberg.
Use of the 2 detachable Box mags ...... well, that can be a point in favor of the MVP in the minds of some, but not others. Many have no use or desire for a 10 or 20 round mag, and I believe many others would buy a MVP if they could buy a shorter 5 round mag. That's a detail I think Mossberg should address.
And BOTH companies should make the safety lock the bolt handle closed !!!!!!
Just my opinion.
Others may vary.
The one Mossberg .308 I worked with didn't have a smooth bolt run, and I do NOT want a damned detachable mag in the way. 
Otherwise, it shot well.
Thanks for the suggestion.
I'm aware of the flex in the Hogue stock, that's one reason there's a McMillan sitting 6 feet from me in the office waiting on the gun to arrive.
The Timney trigger with 2.5-pound break sitting with it removes Remington triggers entirely.
Wyo,
Thanks for the offer, but I'm already committed to the Remington.
And I'm looking to go short & portable, I wouldn't be able to do anything with a heavy 26-inch barrel.
Besides the gun itself being in the works (my Remington guy says a couple more weeks), I've also got a Trijicon scope on the way.
In setting this project up, I wanted significant upgrades to a standard factory unit, a short barrel in a quality package that could shoot decently without going full-on custom with something like a Krieger barrel & a blueprinted action.
Basically, assembly with drop-in components.
Compromise between quality & cost.
Denis
Otherwise, it shot well.
Thanks for the suggestion.
I'm aware of the flex in the Hogue stock, that's one reason there's a McMillan sitting 6 feet from me in the office waiting on the gun to arrive.
The Timney trigger with 2.5-pound break sitting with it removes Remington triggers entirely.
Wyo,
Thanks for the offer, but I'm already committed to the Remington.
And I'm looking to go short & portable, I wouldn't be able to do anything with a heavy 26-inch barrel.
Besides the gun itself being in the works (my Remington guy says a couple more weeks), I've also got a Trijicon scope on the way.
In setting this project up, I wanted significant upgrades to a standard factory unit, a short barrel in a quality package that could shoot decently without going full-on custom with something like a Krieger barrel & a blueprinted action.
Basically, assembly with drop-in components.
Compromise between quality & cost.
Denis
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