After hanging around this site for a few months, I decided I wanted to try my hand at some long distance shooting. I have hunted all my life and have several non tactical rifles in various calibers. I don't consider myself a crack shot, but I don't feel I am lousy either. Anyway, I decided to start fairly cheap and purchased a Remington SPS Varmint in .308. I replaced the stock right away with a McMillan A-5 from Third Generation Shooting Supply. Tonight was my first chance to shoot the rifle and I only took along cheap Remington and Winchester 150 grain lead nose bullets to break-in the barrel. I don't know what I was expecting with these bullets, but I couldn't get them to group any tighter than about 1.5"-2". I realize this could be shooter error but has anyone had similar results? I am waiting on the rest of my handload supplies to get in so I can try some 175 grain MatchKings. Should I expect the groups to tighten up that much or should I look into other issues? Thanks in advance for the help.
- Thread starter jpistolero02
- Start date
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
Handloads should be much better. Every rifle is different, but my SPS-Varmint shot the Win 150 PSPs into about .5" at 100 pretty consistently.
Did you bed the stock? Is your barrel free floated? That can make a difference as well.
Also, after you get about 150-200 the Remy factory tubes tend to start shooting even better. Without a free floated barrel generally you can run into more flyers as the barrel vibrates off of the stock.
One practically free test option is to let someone else who is a very consistent shooter try your rifle.
Handloads should be much better. Every rifle is different, but my SPS-Varmint shot the Win 150 PSPs into about .5" at 100 pretty consistently.
Did you bed the stock? Is your barrel free floated? That can make a difference as well.
Also, after you get about 150-200 the Remy factory tubes tend to start shooting even better. Without a free floated barrel generally you can run into more flyers as the barrel vibrates off of the stock.
One practically free test option is to let someone else who is a very consistent shooter try your rifle.
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
It gets much much better with quality ammo, mine shot night and day better with my hand loads mostly 168gr smk's and a-max's, than it did with the cheap gray box winchester ammo i started out with.
It gets much much better with quality ammo, mine shot night and day better with my hand loads mostly 168gr smk's and a-max's, than it did with the cheap gray box winchester ammo i started out with.
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
I guess I did fail to mention I was shooting at 100 yards. I was flying solo tonight so I didn't have anyone else to try it out. The barrel is free floating although it favors the left side of the barrel channel. I was thinking about getting the barrel cut down and the action bedded. I guess we will see what happens with so handloads.
I guess I did fail to mention I was shooting at 100 yards. I was flying solo tonight so I didn't have anyone else to try it out. The barrel is free floating although it favors the left side of the barrel channel. I was thinking about getting the barrel cut down and the action bedded. I guess we will see what happens with so handloads.
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
Same here. 168 SMK's with BLC2 shot in a competition and came in 4th place. I had the only factory rifle there. I would have placed higher but my pistol shooting is not that great.
Same here. 168 SMK's with BLC2 shot in a competition and came in 4th place. I had the only factory rifle there. I would have placed higher but my pistol shooting is not that great.
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
if u cant hand load right now find some hornady tap 168 they seem to shoot good in every thing ive had in 308...Jgillam is right about the quality ammo.. dont get down about it just find out what it likes and shoot the mess out of it chaz
if u cant hand load right now find some hornady tap 168 they seem to shoot good in every thing ive had in 308...Jgillam is right about the quality ammo.. dont get down about it just find out what it likes and shoot the mess out of it chaz
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
my sps-v shot half moa groups w/ 168 TAP, just shot a one inch group w/ 175smk yesterday @ 300y
my sps-v shot half moa groups w/ 168 TAP, just shot a one inch group w/ 175smk yesterday @ 300y
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
It should do better with handloads.
These are literally shots 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 ever fired from my spsv. Three different loads and bullet weights. It has continued to shoot very well though I did cut the 26" bbl back to 20"
168,175 and 155 3 shot groups 1/2" or under
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It should do better with handloads.
These are literally shots 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 ever fired from my spsv. Three different loads and bullet weights. It has continued to shoot very well though I did cut the 26" bbl back to 20"
168,175 and 155 3 shot groups 1/2" or under
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Re: Remington SPS Varmint
Very nice shooting el Gordo. That is what I am looking for. What is your load for the 175? I have a bunch of Varget that I use for a couple of .223's so I was hoping I could find a load that could utilize it.
Very nice shooting el Gordo. That is what I am looking for. What is your load for the 175? I have a bunch of Varget that I use for a couple of .223's so I was hoping I could find a load that could utilize it.
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
my load for varget is 44.5 behind a 169 amax , oal is set a max mag length its my go to load for the 308 chaz
my load for varget is 44.5 behind a 169 amax , oal is set a max mag length its my go to load for the 308 chaz
Re: Remington SPS Varmint
I run 43gr of RE15 through mine for the 175 SMK. It's pretty dang accurate.
I run 43gr of RE15 through mine for the 175 SMK. It's pretty dang accurate.
