Remington 700 SPS Tactical vs 700 Police

Skip the Tactical, and get the SPS Varmint for the longer barrel. My understanding is the Remington LE rifles are built with the same actions, and barrels, but are in a different section of the factory with the best assemblers doing the work. This is info I read on line, so take it for what its worth I'd restock the SPS in a HS Precision or B&C Medalist stock, get some good glass, and call it good.

The short barreled Tacticals, and LTRs are just as accurate as the long barreled Police and Varmint rifles, but will be down on velocity. The short barrels are for portability, and ease of carry, things target shooters really dont care about.

Oh yeah.....Welcome to THR!

I'll put my money on the tactical over the police at the distances you mention (500-800). If the shooter is up to the task. Where did you hear that sps tactical 20" barrels aren't accurate? My experience is the opposite.

The SPS Tactical w/ 20" barrel is very accurate for a factory rifle.

My SPS Tactical is the best shooting Remington 700 I've owned. I had a 26" 700 VLS a few years ago that was also really nice, but that LONG barrel was cumbersome everywhere but on the shooting bench. If you'll be going into the field at all, you may appreciate the handiness of the 20" barrel on the SPS Tactical. For what it's worth, I also like the Hogue stock. I know there are better options out there, but the Hogue fits me well and I've already enjoyed incredible accuracy without having to upgrade the stock. In short, I'm very happy with my SPS Tactical.

I had an SPS Tactical and it is what it is. An inexpensive rifle. Getting an off the shelf rifle that is capable of MOA or better really isn't that big of a deal these days.

What I liked about the SPS Tactical was that it was a very accurate rifle and since it was a 700, getting aftermarket parts for it was easy.

Now, what I didn't like about it:

1. The barrel was misthreaded from the factory so it was actually slightly crooked.

2. The finish sucked pretty badly and rust was a constant battle. The "better" models come with a better finish.

3. The chamber and throat were wide and long. What this meant to me was that I was getting velocities that were significantly lower than they should have been.

So, if you ask me the bottom line question of whether I regret having bought the Tactical, my answer is still no. I say this because, even if I had bought a "better" model, I would still have had a stock barrel.

How much more would the police cost you? Is it a stainless model?

While trying to make your decision, keep in mind that Police stocks can be had for around $200. You should also keep in mind that the police model may still have the relatively sloppy chamber. Although you will get more velocity, it still may not be up to snuff.

Just as an example, I had a 700 with a 22" Kriger barrel that had a tight chamber cut and I usually got velocities equal to that of stock Remingtons with 26" barrels.

If I had to choose between the Tactical and another model, I'd look at the differences in price and see if the differences between the models justifies the price difference. If you are looking at a Tactical that you can get for around $600, but could get into a stainless Police model with an HSP stock for an extra few hundred that would be worth it to me. If they wanted more than a few hundred, I'd have to think more about it.

The 20" is much handier than the longer models too. If you got the Tactical, you could just work with it and later on, you can have it rebarreled.

Unless Remington has changed them in the past few years, the Police rifle is chrome-moly.

First off, are we talking about the 700P with the 26" barrel, or the 700P LTR with the 20" barrel?
If money is tight, I would recommend going with the SPS and build it as you go along and money becomes available. The start-up costs are lower, but you will get a rifle with sufficient capability for what you are looking for. The 700P rifles are more expensive from the start, but they are worth the money, IMO.

submin said:

I'll put my money on the tactical over the police at the distances you mention (500-800). If the shooter is up to the task. Where did you hear that sps tactical 20" barrels aren't accurate? My experience is the opposite.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't be discounting the 700P. Our snipers are punching ragged holes at extended ranges with them. Sub-MOA groups beyond 800yds is not difficult with the 700P LTR.

The SPS comes threaded and can shoot suppressed and/or subsonic.
Both are awesome. Here is some actual field tests....

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=586536

Cheers.
E.

This might be helpful


article | Practical Long-Range Rifle Shooting, Part I - Rifle & Equipment