Remington 700 SPS Tactical barrel length decision

[11B3XCIB]

I've got a Remington 700 like the title says. It's an SPS Tactical (AAC Model) with a 20" threaded heavy barrel. I got it to use as a suppressor host and to shoot accurately at moderate distances. I don't plan on ever shooting it past 600 yards (300 will probably be my limit 99% of the time) and shooting at 100 and 200yds I am pulling sub-MOA groups with 168gr pills.

Surfing the web as I frequently do, I saw that Remington offers this same gun with a 16" barrel!!!! Even saw a picture with a suppressor and thought it was right up my alley:

After seeing this, it is making me want to spend the $70 and get my barrel cut and re threaded. I know I will lose some velocity but I plan on loading subsonic rounds to shoot suppressed for quiet awesomeness and can bump my supersonic loads up half a grain or so (not close to max) to get some speed back.

I'd like to do this to drop a little weight off the rifle... As it stands you wouldn't want to hump this around for endless hours and it doesn't even have the 20oz silencer and brake on the end of it yet. I was hoping knocking 4" off the end would trim a few ounces, make it more manageable with the can, etc. I have til June/July ( anticipated approval date) to decide. The can is a quick attach requiring the muzzle device to be firmly attached...so I need to have the barrel length where I want it prior to attaching the brake or FH.

Any thoughts??

 

[FunkyMonkey]

I have that in 18" heavy barrel, no can (yet ). It is indeed a sub MOA out of the box. I've only taken it out to 300 yards.

IIRC, 308 is about optimal at 18", equal to a 30-06 out of 24" I probably wouldn't cut it all the way back to 16". 18" would get you some length and weight reduction without compromising ballistics.

Get a good bolt knob, too. The original Remington sucks, and there are lots better out there for about $100.

Which suppressor did you go with, BTW?

 

[11B3XCIB]

I've been watching some videos and reading posts all over...shooters are doing some serious work with a 16" barrel out to 5-600 yards. Obviously not BR competition, but you can definitely drop a 200lb critter at that range. I'm not looking to put three rounds in one hole but knowing I could hit an 8"-10" plate repetitively is all I need.

The decision is definitely between 16-18". I will talk with my smith about it but honestly, a 16" barrel with only have it 2" longer than it is right now WITH the suppressor (Innovative Arms Deception 7.62 quick attach) is very very appealing. I may start looking for a super-light stock so I can upgrade once the new scope (probably a 2.5-10x) and whole package is together. If it turns into a brush gun or something I can keep it a stubby quiet gun and build a longer range/longer barreled rig... But if I decide to go longer ranges I would consider a 300WM.... all that's a long way off. Pun intended?

 

[PCShogun]

I've been looking at the 700 as a base for a distance rifle as well.

Since you guys are also interested. I'd like your opinion.

30-06 or .308 Win? I like both, but the .308 Win is preferred in a short action bolt rifle. Since I want to be able to shoot a lot, which is actually easier to obtain? I would also like to hunt with this on occasion, so ballistics and terminal effect are important.

Does length matter? I see this configuration is supported in barrel lengths of 22", 24" and 26". If shooting to say 600 - 800 yards, is the longer barrel actually better? I was planning on the fluted barrel to reduce weight a bit. I would love to take this out to a 1000 yard range but doubt if I will ever get many opportunities to do this, assuming I could afford the glass that allows me to actually see a target that far.

Internal or detachable mag? I am preferring an detachable mag for this rifle and thus, have been looking at the 700 SPS DM model. Squeezing rounds thru the open top seems too slow for me if speed were ever an issue. Even with a detachable mag, I can squeeze them in from the top if needed. That said, does it make the rifle any less stable when firing?

Silent, but deadly? I doubt I will ever put a suppressor on this, but was considering a muzzle break. Do these affect accuracy?

 

[Tigerstripe]

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[Tigerstripe]

just my opinion on your questions.

i decieded to use 2 rifles to cover all the bases you mentioned except what i would call super long range.

i call 300 yds long range. i would never try to hit anything but a target that far away. cant see it now but i never did like shooting that far. didnt have a place to.

i love my model 7 rem stainless synthetic. its 308 with a 20 inch skinny bbl. its about 5.5 lbs. its bolt action, top feed with an openning mag well. i have been up in a tree 30 ft and shot a deer straight down. thats what i like. most of my kills have been less than 50 yds. plenty of them too. great light weight when hunting.

as for the other bases i got an AR-10. 308 mag fed. soon to be suppressed.

thats just me. there are a million choises.

 

[11B3XCIB]

I've been looking at the 700 as a base for a distance rifle as well.

Since you guys are also interested. I'd like your opinion.

1.30-06 or .308 Win? I like both, but the .308 Win is preferred in a short action bolt rifle. Since I want to be able to shoot a lot, which is actually easier to obtain? I would also like to hunt with this on occasion, so ballistics and terminal effect are important.

2.Does length matter? I see this configuration is supported in barrel lengths of 22", 24" and 26". If shooting to say 600 - 800 yards, is the longer barrel actually better? I was planning on the fluted barrel to reduce weight a bit. I would love to take this out to a 1000 yard range but doubt if I will ever get many opportunities to do this, assuming I could afford the glass that allows me to actually see a target that far.

3.Internal or detachable mag? I am preferring an detachable mag for this rifle and thus, have been looking at the 700 SPS DM model. Squeezing rounds thru the open top seems too slow for me if speed were ever an issue. Even with a detachable mag, I can squeeze them in from the top if needed. That said, does it make the rifle any less stable when firing?

4.Silent, but deadly? I doubt I will ever put a suppressor on this, but was considering a muzzle break. Do these affect accuracy?

1 & 2 It comes down to a lot of personal preference. You can easily target shoot AND hunt with either the .308 or '06. I pull sub minute ofang I liked the throw length of the short action Remington 700 in .308. I got an SPS Tactical (like the thread says) in 20" with 1:10 rifling. I generally use 168gr Nosler Custom Comp. BTHPs which should take me out to 600yards easily (provided the powder charge is adequate). For 1000 yards, I would work up a load with the Nosler CC 175gr BTHPs or Sierra Matchking 175/180gr (again...preference). To sum up this paragraph, if you're rarely going to see quadruple digit ranges, I'd go with a more practical barrel length like 20-22". You'll be able to do ANYTHING you need with it.

3. If you can afford it off the bat, get a version with a detachable magazine. Like you said, it's so much more easy and convenient for reloading. With an internal box magazine type like my R700 SPS, a scope rail base covers the loading/ejection port slightly so it makes it a little tougher for large hands or gloved hands to pack more rounds in. A detachable magazine rifle will have a higher resale and be more desirable should you need to sell it. As far as stability, as long as your rest or bipod is high enough that the DBM isn't touching the ground or bench, you'll be perfectly fine.

4. Threaded barrel for muzzle brake and possibly a suppressor down the line can't hurt! A muzzle brake will have some weight to it (steel) and will slightly effect barrel harmonics more so than noticeably increasing the weight for the shooter, but the only real change you may notice is a slight shift in bullet point of impact. Unless the brake is trash or it wasn't mounted properly, your accuracy shouldn't change at all. If you decide to get a suppressor down the road, your group sizes might actually improve as the suppressor acts as an increased length of barrel. I am all for getting one but I know the cost and wait aren't doable for everyone.

 

[Stan in SC]

Just because it LOOKS great in your opinion to have a short barrel doesn't mean it will be that much more accurate .
You are missing the major thing that makes it shoot good and that is the twist rate of the barrel. It may optimize your bullets at the present rate of twist and barrel length but it MAY NOT do so at a shorter length. Four inches of barrel don't weigh all that much. Looks don't mean crap when you are after accuracy.

Stan in SC

 

[PCShogun]

3. If you can afford it off the bat, get a version with a detachable magazine. Like you said, it's so much more easy and convenient for reloading. With an internal box magazine type like my R700 SPS, a scope rail base covers the loading/ejection port slightly so it makes it a little tougher for large hands or gloved hands to pack more rounds in. A detachable magazine rifle will have a higher resale and be more desirable should you need to sell it. As far as stability, as long as your rest or bipod is high enough that the DBM isn't touching the ground or bench, you'll be perfectly fine.

My concern was the mag well would be essentially a weak point back near the wrist. I was concerned about 'flex' with high powered loads. The internal mag design appears stronger in that regard. With a detached mag, I was wondering if this would be a problem? The mag hitting the dirt was not an immediate concern as I do not see loading 20 round mags into this weapon.

 

[11B3XCIB]

Just because it LOOKS great in your opinion to have a short barrel doesn't mean it will be that much more accurate .
You are missing the major thing that makes it shoot good and that is the twist rate of the barrel. It may optimize your bullets at the present rate of twist and barrel length but it MAY NOT do so at a shorter length. Four inches of barrel don't weigh all that much. Looks don't mean crap when you are after accuracy.

Stan in SC

The manufacturer offers the same rifle in 16.5" that I have in 20", with the same twist rate. I doubt it'd sell like hotcakes ( the shorter ones are more desirable among suppressor crowd and are really sought after) if you can't hit a man at 100 yards.

I get what you're saying but I would essentially just be converting my rifle to a different factory spec rather than selling this one and buying one with the shorter barrel. And it's not for LOOKS. It'd be for weight (20% reduction which is substantial) and maneuverability with a suppressor (7.5") which act like a barrel extension; proven in many cases that suppressors tighten up shot groups.

 

[Stan in SC]

I fail to see how 3-1/2" of barrel is 20% of the weight of the rifle.
Excuse me for seeming argumentative. Not meant to be that way just trying to understand.


Stan in SC

 

[11B3XCIB]

Didn't mean to sound snappy

I don't mean 20% Of the weight of the rifle, but the weight of the barrel itself. The stock weighs next to nothing when separated from the barreled action. Some plastic and rubber. If it's a 20" heavy barrel, nearly an inch in diameter at the muzzle (excluding the 1/2" threaded portion). If I knock 4" off of 20"...(4/20)...that's where the percentage came from. The barrel does taper some from the action to the muzzle but it's very slight...it won't be a perfect 20% because of the taper but very close

The big advantage of the shorter barrel will be the weight of the suppressor on the end; less leverage for the weight to work against the shooter.

 

[Chili]

Didn't mean to sound snappy

I don't mean 20% Of the weight of the rifle, but the weight of the barrel itself. The stock weighs next to nothing when separated from the barreled action. Some plastic and rubber. If it's a 20" heavy barrel, nearly an inch in diameter at the muzzle (excluding the 1/2" threaded portion). If I knock 4" off of 20"...(4/20)...that's where the percentage came from. The barrel does taper some from the action to the muzzle but it's very slight...it won't be a perfect 20% because of the taper but very close

The big advantage of the shorter barrel will be the weight of the suppressor on the end; less leverage for the weight to work against the shooter.

I think your project makes sense and understand your desire for the shorter barrel. I have one of those rifles and I really like it only if I could shoot it more.