Remington 700 model differences?

[houstonch73]

researching my next purchase, a Remington Model 700 in 308.  I'm seeing some wide differences in prices though.  Generally you can use Buds guns as a good baseline for prices.  Sometimes they're cheapest, sometimes not.  But in my research I talked to a neighbor who bought his from Academy Sports (of all places). 

From what I can tell the SPS replaced the ADL as the next generation. Found that here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_700)

Well Buds has the "baseline" model 700 SPS for $555 (http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/3/products_id/97359)

Academy has the model 700 ADL for $379 (http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_298217_-1?N=39632024+4294965700)

I can't find anywhere on Remington that tells the difference in the SPS and ADL. (http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps.aspx)

We're talking almost $200 difference for "just" a newer model?  Surely there has to be more to it than that. 

I like the 2" longer barrel on the varmiter as longer is better but not necessarily for an additional $200 (right???). (http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/3/products_id/41046)


In summary, does anyone have any information that defines the differences between these two rifles?

[Cav Cop]

SPS, ADL, BDL, CDL, XYZ at one time I think the letters ment more.  Today I think the ADL is like a value line with cheaper stocks and basic barrels. Might even have a fixed, non floor plate openable magazine or a safety lock on the trigger  The barrels, stocks, and triggers seem to be all over the place with Remington now.

A longer barrel can be good, but barrel whip can be bad on thin barrels.  From my dealings a 20" to 24" bull barrel is good on .308's.  16-18" can be to short and 26" can be to long.

Might try a call to Remington.  Sometimes you find a person that knows a lot, some times they just work there.  Years ago I called as the 700P fluted barrel was reported to be better than the bull barrel for a few reasons I questioned.  Ended up the fluting was done well and worked better.  I have thought about calling about the triangle barrels they have vs bull.  Some stuff is marketing hype.

[Jeb_66]

I just typed my answer and Cav posted pretty much the same thing, lol.  Sooooooooo  WHAT HE SAID. 

[Domineaux]

Check out the Remington 700 SPS Tactical 308win as it has the 20" bull barrel.

[houstonch73]

SPS, ADL, BDL, CDL, XYZ at one time I think the letters ment more.  Today I think the ADL is like a value line with cheaper stocks and basic barrels. Might even have a fixed, non floor plate openable magazine or a safety lock on the trigger  The barrels, stocks, and triggers seem to be all over the place with Remington now.

A longer barrel can be good, but barrel whip can be bad on thin barrels.  From my dealings a 20" to 24" bull barrel is good on .308's.  16-18" can be to short and 26" can be to long.

Might try a call to Remington.  Sometimes you find a person that knows a lot, some times they just work there.  Years ago I called as the 700P fluted barrel was reported to be better than the bull barrel for a few reasons I questioned.  Ended up the fluting was done well and worked better.  I have thought about calling about the triangle barrels they have vs bull.  Some stuff is marketing hype.

yes apparently a call is in order.  I don't mind carrying the extra weight so bull barrels don't bother me.  But then I've known quite a few "old timers" who says bull barrels are just bull and they shot fine with "normal" barrels for years.   I'm just amazed with the difference in price when you can consistently hit center target with the value rifle as well. Also Remington's marketing materials suck.  I guess some people might just look at the price but if I don't know the reason then I won't buy either way.




thanks for all the responses guys.  I wondered if I'd get any as there's only a few ppl that seem to post on this forum at all.  Lots of members, very few posters.  Kinda weird.

[michaele]

I have a BDL,  but in left handed the options are not much.  So it was easy,  I wanted a .270 and left handed.   My options at the time was exactly 1 company,  if I wanted to wait a couple of months they could have ordered a savage and one other brand.  But when I was 18 when I wanted something I wanted it then.       Remington used to send you a free catalog if you requested one online,  not sure if they still do, but has all the info in one place.

[Jeb_66]

SPS, ADL, BDL, CDL, XYZ at one time I think the letters ment more.  Today I think the ADL is like a value line with cheaper stocks and basic barrels. Might even have a fixed, non floor plate openable magazine or a safety lock on the trigger  The barrels, stocks, and triggers seem to be all over the place with Remington now.

A longer barrel can be good, but barrel whip can be bad on thin barrels.  From my dealings a 20" to 24" bull barrel is good on .308's.  16-18" can be to short and 26" can be to long.

Might try a call to Remington.  Sometimes you find a person that knows a lot, some times they just work there.  Years ago I called as the 700P fluted barrel was reported to be better than the bull barrel for a few reasons I questioned.  Ended up the fluting was done well and worked better.  I have thought about calling about the triangle barrels they have vs bull.  Some stuff is marketing hype.

yes apparently a call is in order.  I don't mind carrying the extra weight so bull barrels don't bother me.  But then I've known quite a few "old timers" who says bull barrels are just bull and they shot fine with "normal" barrels for years.   I'm just amazed with the difference in price when you can consistently hit center target with the value rifle as well. Also Remington's marketing materials suck.  I guess some people might just look at the price but if I don't know the reason then I won't buy either way.




thanks for all the responses guys.  I wondered if I'd get any as there's only a few ppl that seem to post on this forum at all.  Lots of members, very few posters.  Kinda weird.

Yeah, it's real hit or miss around here.  You have the same group that will comment on almost everything, and others that only comment on particular things.  (Some few and far between)

Short version of differences in most of their models of the 700,  material and finish of stock and barrel, and if I'm not mistaken the triggers.  I know there was a big push to replace ALL models with their new trigger design quite a while back due to some bs lawsuits.  (IMHO).  But I remember seeing where you could get them with either trigger for a while and it changed the price as well. 

But like he said, they've kind of been all over the place lately.  I was looking into getting another 700 since I love mine (hand down from my old man) a while back.  I picked up models that ranged in price by 300 either way.  Some as cheap as 3s, and as high as 1k.  At one point I picked up two that I thought were the exact same, I couldn't tell them apart at all, and discovered that one was marked for 250 more than the other.  I don't know if it's Remington that's crazy or if some of the local yahoos can't tell them apart when they unbox them.  Maybe some of both.      Just look REAL close at what you're getting if you're paying for one of the better ones.   

[Cav Cop]

yes apparently a call is in order.  I don't mind carrying the extra weight so bull barrels don't bother me.  But then I've known quite a few "old timers" who says bull barrels are just bull and they shot fine with "normal" barrels for years.   I'm just amazed with the difference in price when you can consistently hit center target with the value rifle as well. Also Remington's marketing materials suck.  I guess some people might just look at the price but if I don't know the reason then I won't buy either way.

Remington 700's are great.  But the use/need will vary and they make a gun for just about every shooter. 

The actions are all about the same. So lets look at the rest of the rifle;

Stocks; might not mean that much to a basic shooter.  Wood can change with the weather, and that can affect a zero, free floated stock, or other things. At 100M on paper it might not mean much, at 200M at a live target might mean a little more to some. Many stocks can be bedded.  Aluminum blocks work well. Plastic stocks are fine, Kevlar is cool.

Triggers; Better the trigger, the better the shot.  You can adjust some Rem factory tiggers better than others.  Many just buy an after market tigger.

Barrels; Heat can be an issue, as well as barrel whip.  A thin barrel might not flex the same every shot, where a bull might flex less and give a tighter group.  The length can change velocity/powder burn/movement.  Some think a 14" to 18" 22LR and 5.56 will shoot better than going longer or shorter.  The .308 seems to like 18" to 22/24" to get the most out of the ammo.  Barrel twist rates mean a bit if you know what ammo gr and range you plan to shoot at.

Sights/Mounts/Rings all come into play as well.  The Remington has lot of mods.

Decided what means the most to you or what parts you just might replace.  That might let you know where you can save.

Barrels mean more to me than stocks, but I dont use wood stocks if I can help it.  Tiggers are tiggers to me, I mess with most of mine to be lighter or smoother, but if I had the money I would drop a Jewell tigger in every long gun I have (I never bought a gun because of the tigger it came with).

I have no doubt a person could buy the cheapest Rem 700 model and a gunsmith could make it shoot like any other custom Rem 700.  But most of us dont shoot .25 MOA, even if given a gun that could.  Many buy more scope than they will ever need.

Be real about your goals/needs and budget.

 

[Jeb_66]

All on the money.  I'd also pay more for the better barrel first, better stock second, skip the trigger until last, get a good scope and see where the bullets land. 

[houstonch73]

VERY informative post.  Thanks CAV COP

[ghostrider07]

ADL is the lowest trim version, usually blind magazine and perfunctory polish before blue. The SPS is a matte blue with a synthetic stock.
It was Remington corporate philosophy for years that a bull barrel .308 would be a varmint gun, so it was given a 1-12 twist barrel.

Like cav said, be real about your goals, and what you really need.

[houstonch73]

ADL is the lowest trim version, usually blind magazine and perfunctory polish before blue. The SPS is a matte blue with a synthetic stock.
It was Remington corporate philosophy for years that a bull barrel .308 would be a varmint gun, so it was given a 1-12 twist barrel.

Like cav said, be real about your goals, and what you really need.

so is a 1-12 twist more or less than "normal".  Also I assume that aids in lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng distances which is the purpose of a varmit rifle?