anyone modify/bed/whatever their factory SPS Varmint stock

[Detritus]

few months back i Bought a Rem. SPS-Varmint in .308, i did not know at the time that the stock used on this model has neither a Bedding block Nor pillars. After several range sessions My rifle is exhibiting, what is in my oppinion very poor accuracy (the average group size over the course of aprox. 124rds is over 3" at 100yrds). I am in the process now of trying to eliminate as many of the variables as possible to try and determine and if posible remedy what ever factor(s) are causing this.

what i am wanting to know from you kind folks is have any other SPS-V Owners modified, bedded, etc their factory stocks to get better/more consistent groups? and if so what exactly did you do? Pictures would be most welcome if anyone documented what they did.


basically I'm looking for ways to avoid for as long as possible forking over $150-200 for an after market stock, because i'm not entirely sure that it IS the stock that is to blame. And i'm not exactly in a position where i can afford to lay out the cash for a new stock, only to find out the barrel is trash or similar.

as always when i ask for help/info here. thank you for your time and any info you care to share.

 

[LTR shooter]

Have you tried a few different types of ammo? Are you firing reloads? What kind of bullets? snipercentral.com tested a SPS Varmint in .308 , using Fed match ammo it was pretty accurate with the factory plastic stock. A switch to the HS stock improved things a bit more.

I have a SPS Varmint in .223 but never fired the rifle in the factory plastic stock.

http://http://www.snipercentral.com/remspsv.htm

 

[gotime242]

Sounds like you need to try diff ammo.

I have a SPS-V .308 and I can shoot .7/.8 pretty consistantly with Fed Match ammo as well. Thats with the original stock, harris bipod and bushnell 3200.

 

[Detritus]

Have you tried a few different types of ammo? Are you firing reloads? What kind of bullets?

Three different loads/types of ammo have been fired through it, 20rds of near 20yr old Winchester 150gr hunting fodder (used mainly to get generallysighted in), 50 rounds of circa '95 or so (my father bought it in NC and then never fired any) Georgia Arms 168gr "Match" that frankly was Garbage (groups like shotgun patterns and about 30% of the cases split, including one that split just above the head for about 3/4 of the circumfrence)
last 74rds were Prvi Partizan "match", 175gr FMJ BT. this ammo was/is marginally better than the other two, but the average group is still just under 3" and inconsistent, last range visit i had groups ranging from .802" to just short of 5"

haven't run any reloads through it yet, building my first batch of those today, using 175gr SMKs and IMR-4895 (what i had on hand) hopefully i'll test them today as well.

 

[Detritus]

Sounds like you need to try diff ammo.

I have a SPS-V .308 and I can shoot .7/.8 pretty consistantly with Fed Match ammo as well. Thats with the original stock, harris bipod and bushnell 3200.

this is what i was actually hoping to hear, it's a heck of alot easier for me to try and work up a load it likes than to have to change anyting else about it.

so yeah i'm kind of hoping that it's an ammo issue that can be solved through handloads.
But of course I'd still like to know if anyone has modded their stock etc. Because the more that i can do to milk more accuracy/consistency out of this rifle, without resorting to $200 stocks etc, the better.

 

[dakotasin]

you aren't going to get great accuracy from the ammo you've been using...

get some decent ammo, and try again. putting pillars in is inexpensive and easy, as is bedding, both of which should help you quite a bit. on the pillars, either 'pour' your pillars during the bedding process, or get some aluminum tube from the hardware store, file to fit, and run those in.

if it were me, i would start by free floating the barrel, then bed the action from where the shoulder of the cartridge would be on a chambered case, all the way back to the tang. make sure you get after the stock w/ the dremel to get some good mechanical locks because injection molded stocks don't take to bedding real well.

 

[jpwilly]

That PRVI Match should be shot at much longer ranges I'm not sure if those loads will make good groups at only 100yrds or not. The Federal Gold Metal Match, Black Hills Match, and some good handloads will blow any of that cannon fodder you've been shooting out of the water in terms of accuracy.

 

[gotime242]

Prvi Match in 308 has proven to be horrible, in some peoples guns (specifically my sps-v). Here are a couple threads about it:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=451213

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=447603

 

[P.B.Walsh]

Well, I've used Remington Core-Lokt and have done better, but I'm buying an HS stock.

Hope it works out for you.

 

[dubbleA]

I recently purchased a .308 win 700 SPS V for a future donor action. I have been shooting it in it's stock form, btw the X mark trigger at least on this rifle is a joke, it's not adjusting below 4 lbs.With that said, using handloads, it 's been shooting great for a sub $400 rifle.



Rattled off this 5 shot group with it the other day , the range was 410 yards and measured 2 5/8"

 

[Detritus]

well in a few hours i'll be heading out to use up the last of this craptastic Prvi Partizan, and to try my first batch of handloads for this rifle. If the handloads show better than the PPU i won't worry as much.


Thing turning my stomach at the moment is that, after following the link LTR shooter gave i did a little browsing around Sniper Central, since i'd not been there in a few years. If the prices listed for their "Sniper Central Entry Level Tactical Rifle Package-Rem 700" are still current, I could've bought THAT and had a rifle equipped pretty much as i want and ready to go, for the same amount of money that i've put into this SPS-V that still needs around $600 in upgrades (Bipod $70-100 , better scope $300, new B&C stock $200) to meet the same standard!! :banghead:

 

[Detritus]

the X mark trigger at least on this rifle is a joke, it's not adjusting below 4 lbs.

I have no idea what mine is set at at the moment, i just adjusted it down till it was livable and i didn't feel like i needed a mule team to make it go bang (i.e. making it go bang no longer caused reticle movement). maybe over the winter i'll get the guts to adjust it down as light as it'll safely go and borrow a pull meter.

I still liked the Accu-trigger on the savage i had much better.