Remington 700 SPS Stainless - Need Advice for MOA Shooting

[147 Grain]

Just purchased a new Remington 700 SPS Stainless 30-06 as a gift for my son's earning the Eagle Scout Award.

Rifle was $469.00 from Sportsman's Warehouse and included a 24" stainless / parkerized barrel and Limbsaver Recoil Pad. Blued version is $398.00. (The 2005 Stainless version has replaced the BDL's Stainless and the SPS in blue has replaced the 2004 ADL.)

Plan on Piller Bedding the action / Free Floating the Barrel, and adjusting the trigger to 2 1/2 lbs - beginning this week.

http://www.remington.com/firearms/centerfire/700sps_ss.htm

Your expertise is welcome and needed.

Steve

P.S. Will be shooting this rifle at the range twice a month and hunting 8 - 10 times per year. Don't reload, but have plenty of factory premium and target ammo in stock.

 

[nico]

I'm no expert, but 2.5lbs sounds awfully light for a hunting rifle, especially for a kid. The trigger on my rifle is at about 5lbs and it feels extremely light when you have the pressure of a deer in the crosshairs. I wouldn't want to go much lighter than that.

 

[Fumbler]

Sell it and get a Tikka, you'll have 1MOA or better in a nicer built gun out of the box

Just kidding. Have you shot the rifle yet?
It is possible that it will already shoot 1MOA.

If you want to go beyond bedding and a trigger job then here's a list of stuff to get done on it.
-true the action
-square the barrel shoulder, recrown the barrel, or get a new barrel
-lap the lugs

2.5 is the minimum I would have on a hunting gun. I personally don't like the idea of a really light trigger next to my trembling finger.

 

[mete]

Shoot it first to see what you have.I agree that 2 1/2 lbs is light.Mine are about 4 lbs.If you hunt wearing gloves either modify the gloves or use heavier trigger.Pillar bedding ? I would glass bed receiver and maybe 2" of barrel and float the rest.

 

[Bwana John]

Quantify your method of determining "MOA".
You may be chasing a gunwriters dream.
If my hunting rifles will put 3 rounds from a cold barrel into the same 1.5 inches @ 100 yards everytime, I am very happy.
I dont concider a rifle to shoot 1 MOA untill I can average 5, 5 shot groups into the same 1 MOA every time.
I dont have many "MOA" rifles, and I have found the deer dont notice the differance.

 

[halvey]

Shoot it first and see how it shoots. I was all ready to have my rifle worked on, but besides the trigger, left it alone after it consistantly shot sub MOA.