Remington 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD Review
Part 1 - Introduction, Specifications and Summary
January 2, 2012

Remington 700 SPS Tactical Review

Ever since the Remington Model 700 was introduced in 1962, most would agree on the positive reputation Remington has gained over the years with their bolt action rifles and this reputation spans throughout the globe.  Another indication of their reputation and success of the Model 700 is that this platform is the basis for the Army's M24 Sniper Weapon System and I think this speaks volumes about the reliability and accuracy of the Model 700 platform.  Additionally, I like to look at another item when evaluating the success of a rifle platform and that is the number of variants offered for the basic model.  Currently (as of 10/28/11), Remington offers 26 different variations of the Model 700 rifles based on their website.  When you consider the calibers each of these variations come in, you find that 144 different Remington Model 700 Rifles are in production today.  I believe this number of variation and calibers in production is a true testament to the popularity of the Remington Model 700 Bolt Action Rifles.

So with all these Model 700s to choose from, how did I select the Remington 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD for this review?  Actually the decision was pretty straight forward.  The key features I was looking for in my next rifle were reliability, accuracy, suppressor capability and affordability.  There is no doubt that the Model 700 action is reliable.  For accuracy, the combination of a heavy barrel, adjustable trigger and bedded stock should help to satisfy that criteria.  There were other Model 700 rifles that met these criteria, but the Model 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD version is the only one that comes suppressor ready.  The AAC-SD in the model name actually stands for Advanced Armament Corp. - Suppression Device.  For affordability, the Remington SPS Tactical AAC-SD rifle has a MSRP of $780, but you can find this rifle for as low as $608 online and I feel this is a fair price to pay for the features packed in this rifle.

 

During my reviews I like to compare my results to the manufacturer's claims where possible so the following text in colored italics was taken directly from the Remington website on 10/28/11 and gives an Overview, Key Features, and Specifications for the Model 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD Rifle.  The , and are my way to keep up with details that I have covered in this review with either photos, commentary or both.  I may also add commentary after these marks as necessary to explain some items if needed.

Overview

  • The Model 700 SPS puts legendary Model 700 accuracy and reliability within reach of most avid enthusiasts.
  • It's a no-frills, tack-driving game-dropping machine built with everything you love about the Model 700, including a hammer-forged barrel, externally adjustable X-Mark Pro® trigger and, of course, hair-splitting precision, straight out of the box.
  • It features an ultra-rugged, ergonomically designed synthetic stock for superior weather resistance and handling.

Key Features

  • 308 Win with 20” Heavy Barrel with 5/8-24 Threaded Muzzle
  • Shipped with Thread Protector Installed
  • Accepts AAC® and other 5/8-24 Threaded Flash Hiders, Muzzle Brake and Suppressors
  • 1 in 10” Rate of Twist for increased bullet stability
  • Hogue® Overmolded Ghillie Green™ Pillar Bedded Stock
  • X-Mark Pro® Externally Adjustable Trigger Set at 3 ½ Pounds The rifle I tested was not capable of adjusting to this trigger pull weight.

Specifications

  • Model: Model 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD
  • Item Number: 84203
  • Caliber: .308 WIN
  • Average Weight: 7.3 pounds The review rifle weighed in at 8.23 pounds which is significantly different than the specification weight so I believe the specification weight is in error.
  • Barrel Length: 20" with threaded muzzle
  • Overall Length: 39 5/8" The review rifle measured 39.75" in length.  The current Remington 2011 Catalogue states 39.75"  so I believe the 39 5/8" is in error.
  • Twist: 1:10"
  • Magazine Capacity: 4 rounds

This review is broken down into multiple parts with this page providing links to each part along with an overall summary of the specifications, pros and cons, and my final "bottom line" comments.  Make sure you take time to checkout the other parts of the review because they contain many photos and lots of commentary.  Also, there is an extreme amount of detail in those parts which is not covered on this page.

As you read these Pros and Cons below, keep in mind that it is hard to keep my particular preferences from creeping in the equation.  Therefore, it is important that you take the time to look at the other parts of this review so you can decide yourself on items which may be more of a personal preference.

Pros:

  • Remington 700 platform that has been proven throughout the years
  • Aluminum pillar bedded stock
  • Threaded muzzle ready for installation of a suppressor or flash hider
  • Soft recoil pad which does really help with felt recoil
  • Attractive OverMolded stock
  • Heavy 20" barrel
  • Easily less than 1 MOA capable with match ammo and most likely less than 1/2 MOA. 

Pro/Con/Comment? You Decide:

  • The forearm on this rifle deflects and touched the lower side of the barrel when on a tripod.  I believe that a light sanding on the front of the forearm where it touches the barrel will easily alleviate this issue.  If I felt this was not easily correctible, this would have been a Con.
  • The baseline rifle starts out at 8.23 pounds due to the heavy barrel profile.  With mounts and a scope, the total rifle weight for my range test was about 10 pounds.  Depending on your desired use for this rifle (bench versus carry), this could be positive or negative feature.  Since anyone purchasing this rifle is probably looking for accuracy, the extra pound of weight is most likely worth the effort.

Cons:

  • Unfortunately the X-Mark Pro adjustable trigger did not come set at 3.5 pounds nor was it possible to adjust the trigger pull down to this level on this rifle.   The lowest trigger pull that I was able to set on this rifle was 5.8 pounds which was no where near what was advertised for the X-Mark Pro Trigger.  For a trigger which should have come from the factory set at 3.5 pounds and adjustable ±1 pound, this was a little disappointing.  On the positive side, the trigger was crisp and I was able to show the rifle to be better than 1 MOA capable while shooting a 6 pound trigger pull.

 

Bottom Line:

I was extremely pleased with the "out-of-the-box" accuracy of this rifle shooting ammunition available on the market.  I believe the rifle is capable of  well under 1 MOA accuracy.  I was disappointed with the X-Mark Pro Trigger and will either send the rifle back to Remington for them to correct the issue or will replace the trigger with an aftermarket.  Even with the 6 pound trigger pull, accuracy was great and I'm looking forward to what can be achieved with a 3 pound trigger pull.  If this trigger system is a big selling point to you, make sure you check out the trigger pull carefully in the store.  If you already have the rifle and are just now discovering this, always give the manufacturer the opportunity to make things right.  I liked the texture of the Hogue Overmolded stock and found the rubbery surface to be very quiet when seeking rest positions while hunting.  The 1 in 10" twist on the barrel handled 150 grain value hunting ammunition without an issue and provides the capability to send some real mass (much heavier bullets) down range.  Last, this accurate rifle comes suppressor ready and has a street price of just over $600 and many shooters may consider this as an affordable platform to build their own custom rig.  For those just wanting an accurate "out-of-the-box" tactical rifle, I think you would be pleased with accuracy and features Remington Model 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD Rifle.


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