Currently looking at the Rem 700 SPS Tactical, have the budget for great glass, & a Mcmillian stock. Anyone else have any suggestions? My requirements are simple, solid action, 20" or shorter barrel, & .308 minimum.
The only advice I would offer would be a timmney or jewel trigger.
That is exactly what I am talking about! Gorgeous! I am familiar with AICS, haven't used them though. I need to put my hands on someone's custom gun so I can see how different stocks fit me.Jewell Triggers are way expensive for their fragile-nature (IMHO). I bought a used Timney that wasn't correct for my particular rifle and the President of Timney joined OKShooters.com and responded to my post (I called the company's number from their website to verify that it was him - to my amazement, it was). He had me send in my trigger and sent me a new one that was made for my rifle. I'm a Timney fan for life as a result (absolutely outstanding customer service). It doesn't hurt that their triggers are a bargain for what you get either.
If it were me, I'd buy the cheapest Remington you can find and take it to Steve Baldwin in Jones (Mechanical Accuracy) and have him blueprint it and put a Hart barrel on it. If you're going to spend McMillan money on a stock, then check out a J. Allen Enterprise stock or an AICS. If you want to save money on the stock, then pick up a B&C with the full aluminum bedding block and upgrade later (I've got an HS Precision on my rig and a B&C on my son's rifle and I can't see where the extra $100 went on the HS).
Look at Vortex Optics for glass on a budget, but don't skimp there or on a base/rings. The real killer with Bolt guns is ammo - so either start reloading or buy all of the decent-quality .308 target rounds you can when they're priced right (I got a ton right before all this panic-buying mess).
I did it the hard way for my first build (bought an SPS Varmint and ended up getting rid of about 3/4 of the parts in favor of after-market upgrades) but for my son's build, I just got a cheap SPS skinny-barrel and ended up with a lot less money in a rifle that shot as well or better than mine.
Here's mine:
My son's:
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