I was fortunate that my new 700 SPS TAC in 308 shot well from the beginning, but I never shot it straight out of the box. Before the first shot was fired, I installed a Timney 510, bedded a one-piece Leupold steel base to the receiver and placed the action in a B&C 2958 aluminum block stock. The only load I have shot with it is Federal .308 168 GMM and once I had a few boxes through it, it has remained a .6 MOA or better rifle.
On another note, unless done with the right tools (coated one piece rod, proper fitting jag, bore guide, etc.) and with extreme care, cleaning a bore can do more harm than good. After range sessions I only run wet patches of #9 through the bore (gently and carefully) until they come clean. I will occasionally run a few patches bore paste through, but I never crank away up and down the barrel like I'm sawing a piece of wood. I have less than 80 rounds through the rifle now and it has settled into the .6 MOA or better range quite nicely.
In terms of "accuracy declarations" I base such determinations on what the rifle will consistently produce at different distances on different days. Since mine is not intended as a bench rest competition rifle, I'm not sure if shooting 20+ rounds in succession is a realistic measure (though that is certainly a demanding test). If I shoot a handful of 5-shot groups during a range session and if the worst group is no larger than the worst groups from previous sessions, then that will be what I consider the "every day accuracy" to be. Over my last three sessions with the rifle spanning over a year, .6 MOA has been about as bad as I have seen with the pricey factory Federal GM load. Though I have seen more than a few groups well under .5 MOA, I can only go by what the worst I can expect.
In the end, what a rifle is capable of is the culmination of many factors, many of which you have control over. The results I have gotten with my sample might be quite different than someone who took the same rifle out of the box, slapped a scope on it (not saying that is the case here) and headed to the range with some surplus 150 grain FMJ ammo.
Due to the huge array of accessories and extensive knowledge base of how to set up a 700 and get it to shoot well, it should be no surprise that many can get excellent results without having to rely on a custom gunsmith. As with all things in life, YMMV.