308: Savage Precision Carbine vs. Remington 700 SPS Tactical

[readyme]

These are two rifles that I am seriously considering. They seem to compare pretty well, but I have no experience with either.
Can those of you with experience give me your opinions?

The rifle will be used for paper, and the occasional deer. It will be my first rifle, and after going through the "one pistol" phase (4 pistols later), I am not naive enough to think this will be my one rifle.

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/10%20PRECISION%20CARBINE

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-tactical.aspx

 

[Txhillbilly]

Both are great shooting rifles.
I prefer the Savage Accutrigger over the Remington trigger.

 

[WNTFW]

It would take a coin flip for me. When I faced the same choice I ended up with a Rem700 because I came upon a great deal on a used one. Truth is I would love to have a Savage as well and have both.

If you can find a good deal on either one used it could be worth going that route.

 

[TScott]

I actually went through the same problem with the same rifles, and I ended up with the SPS Tactical. A few things I appreciated about the Remington were all of the aftermarket options, the trigger (I couldn't handle the accutrigger's little tang you have to depress), and the Savage accustock felt hollow, no doubt it is accurate, but I was trying the lose a flinch, so I wanted to reduce the recoil until I got over it, which the Hogue stocked helped with.
In my experience the 700 shoots just under a minute, which would shrink with an aftermarket stock.

And as WNTFW said, you will be happy with either

 

[TonyAngel]

I went with the SPS too. Many tout the Savage's floating bolt head as the best thing since sliced bread, but I've always felt that one solid piece of steel is stronger than two. I also don't care for the Savage trigger. Lastly, I feel that the Savage action is way longer than it needs to be for a .308. It may have just been my imagination, but that was the feeling that I got. The SPS feels like a compact precision rig. The Savage felt to me like a small, big rifle.

I also don't think that the SPS gives anything up to the Savage in terms of accuracy. My SPS was a solid sub MOA shooter.

 

[readyme]

I was able to shoulder basic models of the Remington 700 and Savage Model 10. Of course nobody seems to have any "tactical" rifles in stock, so it is hard to judge what the 20" heavy barrel feels like.
I was supprised how much heavier the Savage felt, but other than that they felt pretty much the same (I'm rifle ignorant).

On paper they both look like pretty equal rifles, but the new price tag is a bit hard to swallow ($700 or so). I guess it comes down to what I can find used...and I would guess it will be a Remington since there are probably more of them out there.

 

[TCU]

I have the SPS Tactical. I put a bushnell elite 3200 scope on it and a harris bipod; Also had my stock cut down to put a detachable 10rd magazine conversion on it. With the bipod it will put the stock against your barrel, which in turn will throw off your harmonics. So if you decide to get one of those make sure you float the barrel. That gun shoots amazing though, i love shooting it and would never give it up.

 

[TonyAngel]

I do have to make a couple of comments regarding my above post. Although the Savage and Remington models being compared are similar in terms of intended use, I don't think that both occupy the same position within each manufacturers product lines.

The SPS Tactical is a bottom of the line rifle. Cheap stock. Cheap finish. So-so trigger. On the upside, mine was a tack driver, even off of a bipod. it appears that the barrels doesn't mind the stock touching it.

I believe the Savage is an upper model, as compared to the SPS. It has a nicer stock, nicer trigger and a higher price tag.

I grabbed my SPS for the reasons that I stated above and the fact that it was cheap. Since my SPS was sort of my dipping my toe in the pool of precision shooting, I didn't want to spend a lot of money. After I decided that I loved shooting bolt guns, it didn't take much to turn the SPS into a fly killer.

 

[readyme]

TonyAngel,
So what you are saying is that the "cheap" 700 SPS Tactical is a good start into precision shooting.
After looking, the 700 goes for about $550 and the Savage is about $700. Now the price difference makes sense. But then, what does is cost to make the 700 as nice as the Savage Precision Carbine if I want to?

 

[txgolfer45]

I went with the Savage 10 Precision Carbine. The Accustock is a decent stock and thus I wasn't compelled to immediately go and buy an aftermarket stock. As a result, the Precision carbine actually costs less than the SPS Tactical since you will feel the need to get a new stock with the SPS Tactical.

 

[Whiskey11]

All things being equal performance wise, 700 all day every day for one reason: aftermarket. Like the mustang vs camaro debate, there is no doubt both are excellent entry level performance vehicles, but the aftermarket on the mustang is at least twice the size of the entire LS motor lineup (probably because it doesn't take much to turn an LS into a monster motor!) The 700 is similar. If you don't like the way it looks, feels, performs, you can change it on a whim without extensive modifications. The savage aftermarket exists but does not have the massive aftermarket the 700 has.

As for the accutrigger vs x-mark debate, I have shot a savage mark II youth rifle for nearing 60,000 rounds as a range instructor at a boy scout range, it is a great trigger, easy to adjust and crisp, but I much prefer my x-mark that I have cycled 500 times or so on my 700. It is absolutely miles more crisp than the accutrigger ever was.

 

[ISO1600]

i am in a similar boat right now. Looking to make my first real centerfire rifle purchase, want to get into target/range shooting.

SPS Tac is an obvious contender, and i figure it would be a perfectly safe buy.
I'm also considering the Precision Carbine but mostly the new and improved 10 FCP-K. Little bit different; 24", box mag, fluted barrel, threaded muzzle with brake. runs about $750-$800.

I have shot a remington, i know i like the trigger and action. I have not shot a Savage. I have little to no hands-on with the accutrigger.

 

[readyme]

Interesting analogy with the Camero and Mustang. I guess I did this a little bit when I bought my 22. I went with the Marlin 60 because I wanted a descent gun to shoot, not a descent gun to buy extra stuff for and modify.
So, with that sort of history, I think the Savage Precision Carbine is probably the "right" choice simply because it basically has everything I want right out of the box.
I agree with another member that the 700 SPS Tactical is a "safe" purchase. But in the end it may cost more than the Precision Carbine if I end up getting a good stock, plus the Precision Carbine has the added feature of a detachable magazine.
Damn, I guess I just talked my self into the Savage Precision Carbine...now I have to find one at a good price.

 

[Whiskey11]

Readyme I think you missed my point (more like I failed to explain it). Both are great starting points, very capable in factory configuration but if you want more out of it, or wish to change something over stock, there is a bigger aftermarket for the 700 than the savage. That is, not to say those mods are necessary for a great shooter. There is obviously a better choice for long range accurate shooting rifles out there but being budgeted you are choosing between two "lesser" rifles than those. Having said that, having a better aftermarket means that when you decide to upgrade, more options are better than fewer.

 

[RWMC]

readyme,
Savage offers a package gun, the Model 10FCPXP Tactical, ( not the high dollar rig ) in .308. It has a 20" flueted heavy barrel, Accutrigger, detatchable box magazine, a Tasco 3x9x40 World Class scope, and a black synthetic stock that has widened tactical forend. My dealer cost on this is $470, plus just a $20 fee; you pay the tax and shipping. More than glad to help you with this if you are intrested.

 

[readyme]

I was unable to find any info on the Savage website regarding the Savage 10 FCPXP...do you have a link, or can you provide more info?
Thanks

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I was a Remington 700 man for years. Loved them but then I tried a Savage at the range. Nothing like going from the heavy Remington trigger to the accutrigger.

My last rifle was a Savage 12BDVS. My next one will be a Savage also.

 

[RWMC]

Readyme - The Savage package was made up for one of the sporting good chain stores, but I am not for sure which on. The Savage item number is 18825. I have not called Savage to find out the scoop on them. I do know that it is not a current production item, simply new/old stock that hasn't been sold out yet, and then bought up buy a distributor for sale at a reduced price. I am seriously thinking about one for myself. I only own mil/surp rifles, and a Savage 308 with a heavy barrel sounds pretty tempting to me. I don't think we could go wrong on that deal. Gotta go or I'll be late for church.

 

[jerkface11]

A few things I appreciated about the Remington were all of the aftermarket options

People always say that but what aftermarket options does a Remington have that a Savage doesn't?