The Performance of a Remington 700 SPS Varmint
The Model 700 Remington is the precision rifle of choice for the U.S. Army, the Marine Corps, and the majority of police tactical units in the United States. It is also a long-standing hunter's favorite.
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SPS
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The Remington 700 SPS is a "varmint" version of the rifle. Varmint rifles are precision rifles, usually bolt-action for enhanced accuracy, that fire lightweight, high-speed ammunition. They are often used to kill woodchucks, prairie dogs and unwanted birds. The SPS comes in various calibers, but the standard is a .223, much lighter than the standard Remington 700 ammunition, the .308.
Accuracy
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The ultimate performance test for any rifle is accuracy. The Remington 700 SPS has proven accurate to 1,000 yards. A factory 700 SPS has been tested to ensure a minimum .3/4-Minutes of Angle. That is, if the gun is fired from a mechanical bench rest, with no human error and perfectly consistent ammunition, all rounds fired at a target 100 yards away will concentrate within a 3/4-inch circle. This is a very high standard of accuracy.
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Crisp Trigger
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Ease of operation is another key performance criterion for any rifle. Rifles may be accurate, but they cannot shoot themselves. The key to accuracy is aligning the sights correctly and using the trigger without disrupting that sight alignment. Tight or inconsistent triggers make doing this difficult. The Remington 700 SPS has a "light, crisp" trigger that precision shooters value. The 700 SPS comes with varying stocks, and when properly fitted to the shooter is known as a comfortable gun.
Kick
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Remington 700 series guns are high-powered, bolt action rifles. There is no spring buffer for recoil, and the 700 kicks. Tight shooting positions can compensate for the recoil, but this rifle is not appropriate for children or enfeebled adults.
Lethality
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For hunters and military uses, the lethality of the rifle is also a performance consideration. The Remington 700 SPS comes in various calibers, all designed to fire lightweight, supersonic projectiles for very long distances. These are "hot" rounds. The energy embodied in the sheer speed of the round is transferred with devastating impact ballistics. Rounds create massive tissue cavitation outside the actual wound track, making them particularly lethal.
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