It seems that short-barrelled precision/tactical or, if you prefer, 'sniper' rifles are becoming increasingly popular so I thought I would write about a couple of them. I have written a number of similar reviews here on CGN comparing Black Rifles, M14-type rifles and handguns - interested readers can easily find these earlier articles in their respective forums - but this review is really a follow up, or Part II, to a review I did in January of a PGW Coyote, Sako TRG 22, Kimber Tactical and a Remington with AICS and which can be found in this forum at http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=561101.
I like to write about at least three rifles but I only have two shorty bolt guns in the safe so I added into the mix a new custom rifle which, while not a shorty, is included on the basis that this is really a Part II review.
Like I always say I am far from an expert and I am not even an "amateur" gunsmith. I am just a keen shooter who likes my grown-up toys.
Most of us understand that 'professional' gun writers - beholden as they are to advertisers - would have us believe that all they review are perfect pieces of gear and on-line reviews are sometimes not much better - they are often written by those who either have a love affair with one brand over another or the writers are people who only own one type but feel compelled to criticize other types. Obviously we all have likes and dislikes, but at least I own all the rifles I comment on and am responsible for all the purchasing decisions - good and bad.
In what follows, I offer up my comments on the three particular Precision/Tactical/Sniper rifles being reviewed at this time. I subdivide my observations into categories:
Price and Standard Equipment;
Stocks, Actions, Triggers and Barrels;
Looks, Fit and Finish;
Handling, Ergonomics and Aftermarket Accessories;
Accuracy and, lastly,
Concluding Remarks.
Naturally all the opinions I express are exactly that - opinions- and therefore 100% subjective. All technical data is sourced from manufacturers websites.
Introducing the Rifles
The three rifles being compared are:
Remington SPS Tactical - 20" barrel with AICS 2.0:
I bought this rifle brand new after observing the quality of some similar rifles that friends had acquired. This is pretty much an entry-level offering from Big Green and the metal work is all black as is the stock. Chambered in .223 calibre it is made in the United States. I added the AICS as I am a fan of their system and went with 2.0 primarily for the 'cool factor' and because I already have version 1.5.
Sako TRG 22 - 20" barrel:
This rifle was also purchased new and, partly because I have a standard 26" TRG 22 already, it is the rifle most familiar to me. Black (Sako calls it 'Stealth') metal work and the relatively new desert tan coloured standard Sako stock. Chambered in .308 and made by Sako in Finland.
Remington 700 Custom:
Purchased new and unfired from a fellow CGN member this rifle while registered as a Remington is a Remy in name only. Built on a SPS receiver it has a 25" MacLennan barrel with 1/12 ROT and is housed in a McMillan A5. It has V-Bull bottom metal and takes AI mags. Trigger is from Jewel and the optics are attached by way of a Richard Near rail and Near Alpha Mount. Finished in the same desert camo colours as the PGW Coyote - to which is bears a striking resemblance sans helical fluting on the barrel.
Coyote:
Custom:
Since the assembly and all gunsmithing of this rifle was performed by the very well respected Casey at Tactical Ordnance in Ontario I shall, for the remainder of this article, refer to this rifle simply as the 'Tac Ord'. Chambered in .308 (Obermeyer chamber) the receiver was made in the USA and components were made in the USA and Canada.
Prices and Standard Equipment - You can relax as the price of at least one of the rifles is moderate but, as is the nature of this hobby, they do move up.
Remington SPS Tactical: This rifle can be purchased for about $700 or less. For that you get the rifle - action, barrel, stock and trigger and it comes in a cardboard box and has the standard tort-lawyer written instruction manual. Since there are no sights you have to purchase something to which you attach a scope as without a scope this (and the others ) are as much use as an ashtray on a motor bike. I recommend the purchase of a 1913 Mil-Spec Picatinny scope rail and decent rings but other mounting solutions are available.
Sako : Retailing at approx $3,200 the rifle comes with one detachable staggered 2-row ten-round magazine. Threaded for a brake, it doesn't come with one but you do get a thread protector for your money. A pretty comprehensive ( multilingual ) owner's manual, bolt tool, various sling attachments and a set of Allen keys round out your purchase. TRG's now come in a nice hard case and have a scope rail attached to the receiver - only complaint about this nice bonus is that it isn't a canted or sloped rail but that is a relatively minor moan.
Tac-Ord: I can't put a price on a build I didn't commission, but a quality custom rifle can be built for about the same money as one would pay for a higher end factory rifle and sometimes a bit less. The price will rise depending upon who does the work and what components are used in the build. Depending upon these factors it is not unreasonable to expect to pay between $2500 and $6000. Those on a tight budget can also do the custom work in stages as it doesn't all have to be done at once.
Stocks, Actions, Triggers and Barrels
Remington SPS Tactical: The action is pure Remington 700 - the same action commonly used as the base for a custom rifle. The Remington 700 action is designed for mass production but it has been around since 1962 and is considered to be very strong and reliable. It has two forward dual-opposed lugs and a rear safety lug formed by the bolt handle lug sitting in a receiver recess. The bolt face is recessed, fully enclosing the base of the cartridge and the extractor is a C-clip sitting within the bolt face - I've read that some people like to swap out the extractor but most authorities say there is no need and may in fact be unwise. The ejector is a plunger on the bolt face actuated by a coil spring. The bolt is of 3-piece construction, brazed together (head, body and bolt handle). The receiver is milled from round cross-section 416 steel.
All current SPS' have the X-Mark Pro trigger which is user adjustable and I think it's an improvement over the old style Remington trigger. Don't kid yourself though because - while I think it works just fine - I am not any kind of trigger guru and even I can see (or, more correctly, feel) that the X-Mark Pro ain't a Jewel, Timney Shilen etc. - some would argue it isn't as nice as Savage's Accutrigger.
Now to the stock - if this rifle has a weakness it is probably that the stock is thought to be a bit flimsy but much of the criticism is, in my view, grossly overstated: seriously, anyone reading some of the statements online (including on CGN) about this stock would be forgiven for believing it had no more substance than that of a wet noodle. The fact is that the stock could be better but the SPS is built to a price point and, given the entry-level status of this rifle, the stock is adequate and actually has a very good feel - it is kind of rubberised - which is better than many competitor stocks. However stock replacement is usually the first upgrade someone is likely to consider particularly in a rifle chambered in .308 ( in .223 the stock seems to do the job just fine).
Notwithstanding my comments about the stock, it was always my intention to re-house this rifle and for me it was a choice between the MDT Tac 21 and the AICS 2.0 and it was the latter with which I went. An excellent stock, the 2.0 is every bit as solid as the 1.5 (non folding) version and when locked in place there is zero movement at all. Blindfolded, I cannot tell the difference. In my view the MDT would have also been a very good pick and I have heard nothing but excellent reports about them and Laslo is a real good guy (and CGN'er) to boot ! The AICS has plenty of anchor points for slings, adjustable for LOP and cheek weld etc. the AICS mechanics are similar to the Sako's - a bedding block with polymer skins or shell. AICS does not make a Remington rifle an Accuracy International rifle but it does, in my view, improve the rifle.
Factory barrels are thought to be a bit of a crap shoot and it wasn't that long ago that people were bemoaning the lack of quality control at Remington and their barrel quality was no exception to criticism. Whether it is as simple as getting new machinery in the plant or something more complicated I am not to know, but the QC issues seem improved. I know the sample size is too small to be of any statistical significance but two friends of mine bought this rifle in .308 and they both shot excellent out of the factory tubes and mine, in .223, is no different. Once a suitable handload was found this rifle is a consistent and accurate shooter (more on that later).
Sako : The stock is an aluminum base to which a polyurethane clamshell forestock is attached. Adjustable for length of pull and with an adjustable cheekpiece (including a cool lateral adjustment).
I find it disappointing that some additional spacers (not cheap) are required to take full advantage of all the adjustment capabilities. Designed to use Sako's proprietary bipod, the stock does nevertheless accommodate a Harris or similar. Sling swivels and attachment points allow for you to carry this rifle slung pretty much anyway possible. A push feed system - with an oversize bolt knob that is, annoyingly to me, made of some polymer/hard plastic - with a 60 degree bolt throw which is nice for fast operation. The trigger guard is (like the Sako, Coyote and Accuracy International or AICS) large enough to allow for gloved operation. The trigger is a military-style two-stage and is easily adjustable without stripping down the rifle. Trigger can be adjusted for pull (as low as 2 lbs), length, vertical and horizontal pitch. The standard TRG has a 26" barrel which is cold hammer forged and is free floating with a 1:11 rate of twist and this 20" version has the same ROT.
Tac-Ord: Stocked in a McMillan A5 with spacers (supplied) for LOP adjustment, an adjustable saddle, one sling swivel and four flush swivel cups. Built on a Remington receiver which has been trued and is very smooth - with a very nice Badger Ordnance oversize bolt knob. As mentioned earlier the barrel is a free-floating 25" MacLennan - Rob MacLennan maybe isn't as well known a barrel maker as Krieger, Hart, Rock or Shilen but he has sold lots of barrels both sides of the border to benchresters and others and his reputation is excellent. The rifle has a Jewel trigger which lets off at just under 1 lb.
Looks, Fit and Finish
In my previous review I said "Rifles in this price range ought to be pretty much flawless and so I have been picky here - much more so than if I was looking at an SPS or Stevens". Well, in this case a SPS is, of course, in the mix but I decided to subject it to the same standard as the other rifles - bear that in mind when reading onwards as the SPS is really punching above its' weight class here.
Remington SPS Tactical: Of course housed in an AICS folder the rifle gets more looks than it would do so otherwise but even in its' factory clothes this is a neat looking and business-like rifle. The matt finish and short bull barrel looks very "tacti-cool" though of course we know that the matt finish happens to be much cheaper than any kind of blueing so it is a nice coincidence for Remington's bottom line that such a look is currently in vogue. Well fitted with no blemishes this rifle out of the box looks just like a shorter, beefier all-weather hunting rifle and I could find nothing that screamed 'entry level' let alone 'shoddy' about its manufacture.
Sako : This rifle has a look that people either love or hate - I'm a fan of the look as well as being appreciative of its functionality. More commonplace now than they were a few years ago, these rifles still get some attention at the range. Mine was perfect in every regard when I picked it up from Reliable Gun and Tackle here in Vancouver. Consistent with my other TRG, there wasn't anything that could be nit-picked about it with respect to either the metalwork or the stock finish.
Remington 'Tac Ord': This rifle, as said, looks a lot like the Coyote and so has lots of eye appeal at the range. One of the things that sets it off is that is has a SEI 'Vortex' flashider - now I thought this was an odd thing to have installed but, hey, to each his own and, anyway, I planned to take it off but when the rifle arrived I thought "mmm, kinda cool" and, for sure, this feature has grown on me so on it stays.
So much for the looks - how about the finish ? Well Tac Ord really did a nice job - all metal is finished in dark earth baked-on KG Guncote and there isn't a flaw to be found. Everything is fitted together beautifully, mags don't rattle about like a whores drawers on a Saturday night, the bolt is smooth, no tooling marks anywhere - all said this is a really nice piece of work and if my custom rifle (on a Stiller action) which is on order from ATRS is finished as nicely I will be very happy.
Handling, Ergonomics and Aftermarket Accessories
Remington SPS Tactical: Outfitted with a 20 MOA base, rings, scope and bipod and with an empty mag inserted this rifle as tested weighs 13 lbs. With an short barrel and folding stock this rifle is the epitome of manageablity. As I said with respect to my Remington XCR the AICS somehow allows for easier carriage. The Remington bolt is smooth but, like all standard bolts the rifle benefits from the addition of the (BC Tactical) oversized bolt handle I had installed. As said earlier, while the X-Mark Pro trigger isn't as nice as the 40X or a custom it does have a crisp break and works just fine for me. AICS is what makes this rifle shine though and being a heavy .223 there is almost zero recoil - you could shoot this rifle all day. Magazine fed or single loaded, ammunition feeds perfectly from the AICS magazine (which is a 10 rounder plastic mag for .223 calibre) and which is included with AICS (extra mags cost about $100) Being a Remington, this rifle has a plethora of aftermarket bits and pieces that can add to or replace factory originals - check out Brownells website or catalogue to see what I mean - only 1911's and AR's take up more pages.
Sako: Listed as weighing 10.3 lbs the rifle as tested weighed just a bit under 14 lbs because added to the rifle's book weight is a scope, rings, Harris bipod, Blackhawk cheekpiece and empty magazine. Even though it isn't a lightweight this is a carry-able rifle - the balance point is much better than its' big brother with the 26" tube. As with big brother, I have shot hundreds of rounds through this rifle both at the range and in competition and I am impressed with its smoothness, and the overall 'feel' of the rifle. Sako's trigger is a joy to use - I like military-type triggers - and I have adjusted this one to be a perfect fit for me and it lets off at an even two pounds in a totally consistent, repeatable manner. Sako's bolt is super slick and the 60 degree throw allows for fast rapid-fire drills but the Sako ejectors need watching as anything less than a smart pull back on the bolt will leave a spent casing sitting on top of the magazine follower which requires a quick 'mag release and clear' movement. Sako's mag inserts, feeds and releases perfectly and I like the double stack as it keeps lines smooth and allows for a mag change without moving the rifle off target. As I said in my previous article that featured a TRG the cost of accessories is my biggest complaint about our Finnish friends -spare mags cost $300+ and the Sako bipod cost nearly $700. Regarding bipods, a #6 Harris adapter costs $11 and a Harris costs just over $100 - need I really say that both my TRG's wear Harris'
Tac-Ord: The rifle, as tested, with scope, rings, Harris bipod, Blackhawk cheekpiece and (empty) magazine tips my bathroom scales at just under 18 lbs. The Coyote for comparison tipped the same scales at just over 16Lbs - I guess the metal from the Coyote's fluting that ended up on the machine shop floor weighed about 2Lbs eh ? Now eighteen pounds isn't a big problem at the range but I really wouldn't want to carry this rifle too far. Of course, the weight sucks up recoil so that even the most recoil-sensitive can shoot this rifle with ease _ I sot 85 rounds this morning in just a T shirt and felt nothing ! Bolt operation was smooth from the first shot - but not as smooth as a Coyote or Sako - and the Jewel trigger is fantastic though I need to get used to the sub-pound let off ! Feeding from both of my two AI ( not AICS but AI - there is a difference ) magazines and via the ejection port was easy and smooth and the ejection was trouble free with spent casings being ejected far away as per Big Green's style ( switching from Sako to Remmy and back again is annoying as the Remmy ejects too far away when pulling the bolt back in the way you have to do in order to get a clean ejection with the Sako ! ). Magazines were my biggest criticism of the Coyote and I wrote that I would prefer PGW to use AI mags. Well the CGN'er who commissioned this build was obviously reading my stuff or thought similar as this set up is, IMO, an improvement - military users may disagree of course as the PGW allows for a mag change without moving the rifle whereas the Tac Ord needs a rifle movement for the AI mags to clear from prone. With an overall length of some 46" and a hefty weight the Tac Ord ain't no carbine but the balance point is in the right place and so it isn't too hard to handle but, I say again, I ain't carrying this rifle far that's for sure. Not that it needs anything else but, if it did, the Tac Ord - being a Remington - has an abundance of aftermarket stuff available.
Accuracy
Pretty much most of the people on this board will appreciate that in order to obtain a viable data-set for accuracy evaluation thousands of rounds would have to be fired over a period of weeks at varying distances and in various conditions. That, of course, I have not done. What I have done is fired a series of 5 shot groups out of each rifle, prone (bipod and rear bag) at a target 100m distant ( 200m for the Tac Ord as testing was done on a different day ). Most will also appreciate that there are at least four elements to accuracy - rifle, ammunition, glass and shooter. While I have perfected a handload for both the Sako and the SPS I have not yet done so for the Tac Ord so putting it at a disadvantage. The rifles were glassed as follows:
Remington SPS/AICS: Elite 6500 4.5-30x56 with TPS (Aluminum) HRT Rings
Sako : Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x50 MLR Reticle Mil/Mil turrets. TPS (steel) HRT rings
Tac Ord: Nightforce NXS 8-32x56 Near Alphamount
Shooting was done at Gabriola Rod Gun and Conservation Club and at Port Coquitlam and District Hunting and Fishing Club over the summer for SPS and Sako and in the last two weeks for the Tac Ord.
I consider a benchmark of a superior rifle is its ability to put "Five Inside A Dime" at 100m as, when measured, that will usually yield a group that measures under a half-minute. When I can do that, I know that my marksmanship, the ammo and the rifle are working well. The Sako can consistently achieve this as can its big brother the 26" barrelled version; The SPS certainly cannot do this with any factory ammo I've tried - in fact it is an ammo-sensitive beast and produced very pedestrian results with both the AE and S+B ammo that I have on hand for my AR - but with handloads the story is very different. Using a handload originally developed for a Savage 10FP of a 69g SMK over 25.8 Varget the results were acceptable. Dropping down over a full grain really hit a sweet spot and has postponed indefinitely my idea to put a new barrel on this rifle. The Tac-Ord is still in load development stage but running some 175g SMK's though it produced some promising results - I have every expectation this rifle will prove to be a superior shooter.
So best 5 shot groups out of 3 such attempts with each rifle:
Remington SPS " .330" (no appreciable spread - all groups inside a dime) Great result for a factory rifle - this rifle has also produced a best-ever 0.268" back in May ! Who says you have to spend big bucks ??
Sako: 0.372" (no appreciable spread, biggest group 0.505" - all groups inside a dime.) For the reference of readers the 26" version produced a 0.176" best group when it was tested for Part I of this review.
Tac-Ord: Using 44.0g of Varget pushing a 175g SMK out of a Lapua case and fired by Federal match primers the best 5 shot group was about an inch at 200m (225 yards). A number of good four shot groups were turned in but, sadly, they don't really count. I suspect that moving up in 2g increments towards 45g will hit a sweet spot and therefore testing will continue. Below 43g of powder produced very poor results. Load development will continue with 175g SMK and with 168g bullets (when I get some ).
Concluding Remarks
All are clearly very good rifles but of the seven rifles I've owned, tested and written about in Part I and this review there a 'winner' ? In my opinion the top spot probably has to go to the shorty TRG - though I haven't got quite the same results from it as I have from the long barrelled version the manoeuvrability gives it the nod over big brother which picks up second place.
Eye appeal and pure accuracy would, to most, ensure the Coyote first place but the rifle wasn't quite for me and now lives very happily in the safe of my good buddy and shooting pard'ner 'c3ppo' who, sadly, uses it to kick my ass in matches and therefore "Yes, there is some 'seller's remorse" lol ! The Tac Ord addresses the criticisms I had of the Coyote and if it proves to be on a par with the 'Yote in the accuracy department we may have a new winner. I think you'd agree that the "Value" winner has to be the SPS with the caveat that as tested it is housed in the really excellent AICS which is worth more -a lot more - than the rifle itself.
Overall 'winner' and 'runner up'
'value winner'
With respect to barrel length, I've not noticed any difference (other than weight and manoeuvrability) between the shorties and their long barrelled brethren; I've used the Sako 20" out to 600m on cold bore shots, pop-ups and movers and it worked just fine but maybe out past that distance the longer tube would come into its' own.
I think there is a sense with bolt rifles that you do get what you pay for though the marginal improvements the more you spend are exactly that - marginal. As I wrote last time "Is the Coyote worth $2K more than the Sako and is the Sako worth well over 1K more than the Kimber" - well the same applies today with respect to these rifles. Much depends on your income and willingness ( or spouse's willingness !! ) to spend money on stuff like this.
One of the points that I would make is that while I have thousands of dollars 'invested' you don't have to go to such lengths to enjoy very, very good accuracy - take the SPS for example: leave it bone stock and put on a $600 scope, perfect a handload and you can shoot cheaply and as accurately ( or nearly so ) as the guy down the line with a $5 -10K set-up. Want to spend the big bucks - go for it - ya only live and play once
Hope you liked the review and found it of some interest.
I like to write about at least three rifles but I only have two shorty bolt guns in the safe so I added into the mix a new custom rifle which, while not a shorty, is included on the basis that this is really a Part II review.
Like I always say I am far from an expert and I am not even an "amateur" gunsmith. I am just a keen shooter who likes my grown-up toys.
Most of us understand that 'professional' gun writers - beholden as they are to advertisers - would have us believe that all they review are perfect pieces of gear and on-line reviews are sometimes not much better - they are often written by those who either have a love affair with one brand over another or the writers are people who only own one type but feel compelled to criticize other types. Obviously we all have likes and dislikes, but at least I own all the rifles I comment on and am responsible for all the purchasing decisions - good and bad.
In what follows, I offer up my comments on the three particular Precision/Tactical/Sniper rifles being reviewed at this time. I subdivide my observations into categories:
Price and Standard Equipment;
Stocks, Actions, Triggers and Barrels;
Looks, Fit and Finish;
Handling, Ergonomics and Aftermarket Accessories;
Accuracy and, lastly,
Concluding Remarks.
Naturally all the opinions I express are exactly that - opinions- and therefore 100% subjective. All technical data is sourced from manufacturers websites.
Introducing the Rifles
The three rifles being compared are:
Remington SPS Tactical - 20" barrel with AICS 2.0:
I bought this rifle brand new after observing the quality of some similar rifles that friends had acquired. This is pretty much an entry-level offering from Big Green and the metal work is all black as is the stock. Chambered in .223 calibre it is made in the United States. I added the AICS as I am a fan of their system and went with 2.0 primarily for the 'cool factor' and because I already have version 1.5.
Sako TRG 22 - 20" barrel:
This rifle was also purchased new and, partly because I have a standard 26" TRG 22 already, it is the rifle most familiar to me. Black (Sako calls it 'Stealth') metal work and the relatively new desert tan coloured standard Sako stock. Chambered in .308 and made by Sako in Finland.
Remington 700 Custom:
Purchased new and unfired from a fellow CGN member this rifle while registered as a Remington is a Remy in name only. Built on a SPS receiver it has a 25" MacLennan barrel with 1/12 ROT and is housed in a McMillan A5. It has V-Bull bottom metal and takes AI mags. Trigger is from Jewel and the optics are attached by way of a Richard Near rail and Near Alpha Mount. Finished in the same desert camo colours as the PGW Coyote - to which is bears a striking resemblance sans helical fluting on the barrel.
Coyote:
Custom:
Since the assembly and all gunsmithing of this rifle was performed by the very well respected Casey at Tactical Ordnance in Ontario I shall, for the remainder of this article, refer to this rifle simply as the 'Tac Ord'. Chambered in .308 (Obermeyer chamber) the receiver was made in the USA and components were made in the USA and Canada.
Prices and Standard Equipment - You can relax as the price of at least one of the rifles is moderate but, as is the nature of this hobby, they do move up.
Remington SPS Tactical: This rifle can be purchased for about $700 or less. For that you get the rifle - action, barrel, stock and trigger and it comes in a cardboard box and has the standard tort-lawyer written instruction manual. Since there are no sights you have to purchase something to which you attach a scope as without a scope this (and the others ) are as much use as an ashtray on a motor bike. I recommend the purchase of a 1913 Mil-Spec Picatinny scope rail and decent rings but other mounting solutions are available.
Sako : Retailing at approx $3,200 the rifle comes with one detachable staggered 2-row ten-round magazine. Threaded for a brake, it doesn't come with one but you do get a thread protector for your money. A pretty comprehensive ( multilingual ) owner's manual, bolt tool, various sling attachments and a set of Allen keys round out your purchase. TRG's now come in a nice hard case and have a scope rail attached to the receiver - only complaint about this nice bonus is that it isn't a canted or sloped rail but that is a relatively minor moan.
Tac-Ord: I can't put a price on a build I didn't commission, but a quality custom rifle can be built for about the same money as one would pay for a higher end factory rifle and sometimes a bit less. The price will rise depending upon who does the work and what components are used in the build. Depending upon these factors it is not unreasonable to expect to pay between $2500 and $6000. Those on a tight budget can also do the custom work in stages as it doesn't all have to be done at once.
Stocks, Actions, Triggers and Barrels
Remington SPS Tactical: The action is pure Remington 700 - the same action commonly used as the base for a custom rifle. The Remington 700 action is designed for mass production but it has been around since 1962 and is considered to be very strong and reliable. It has two forward dual-opposed lugs and a rear safety lug formed by the bolt handle lug sitting in a receiver recess. The bolt face is recessed, fully enclosing the base of the cartridge and the extractor is a C-clip sitting within the bolt face - I've read that some people like to swap out the extractor but most authorities say there is no need and may in fact be unwise. The ejector is a plunger on the bolt face actuated by a coil spring. The bolt is of 3-piece construction, brazed together (head, body and bolt handle). The receiver is milled from round cross-section 416 steel.
All current SPS' have the X-Mark Pro trigger which is user adjustable and I think it's an improvement over the old style Remington trigger. Don't kid yourself though because - while I think it works just fine - I am not any kind of trigger guru and even I can see (or, more correctly, feel) that the X-Mark Pro ain't a Jewel, Timney Shilen etc. - some would argue it isn't as nice as Savage's Accutrigger.
Now to the stock - if this rifle has a weakness it is probably that the stock is thought to be a bit flimsy but much of the criticism is, in my view, grossly overstated: seriously, anyone reading some of the statements online (including on CGN) about this stock would be forgiven for believing it had no more substance than that of a wet noodle. The fact is that the stock could be better but the SPS is built to a price point and, given the entry-level status of this rifle, the stock is adequate and actually has a very good feel - it is kind of rubberised - which is better than many competitor stocks. However stock replacement is usually the first upgrade someone is likely to consider particularly in a rifle chambered in .308 ( in .223 the stock seems to do the job just fine).
Notwithstanding my comments about the stock, it was always my intention to re-house this rifle and for me it was a choice between the MDT Tac 21 and the AICS 2.0 and it was the latter with which I went. An excellent stock, the 2.0 is every bit as solid as the 1.5 (non folding) version and when locked in place there is zero movement at all. Blindfolded, I cannot tell the difference. In my view the MDT would have also been a very good pick and I have heard nothing but excellent reports about them and Laslo is a real good guy (and CGN'er) to boot ! The AICS has plenty of anchor points for slings, adjustable for LOP and cheek weld etc. the AICS mechanics are similar to the Sako's - a bedding block with polymer skins or shell. AICS does not make a Remington rifle an Accuracy International rifle but it does, in my view, improve the rifle.
Factory barrels are thought to be a bit of a crap shoot and it wasn't that long ago that people were bemoaning the lack of quality control at Remington and their barrel quality was no exception to criticism. Whether it is as simple as getting new machinery in the plant or something more complicated I am not to know, but the QC issues seem improved. I know the sample size is too small to be of any statistical significance but two friends of mine bought this rifle in .308 and they both shot excellent out of the factory tubes and mine, in .223, is no different. Once a suitable handload was found this rifle is a consistent and accurate shooter (more on that later).
Sako : The stock is an aluminum base to which a polyurethane clamshell forestock is attached. Adjustable for length of pull and with an adjustable cheekpiece (including a cool lateral adjustment).
I find it disappointing that some additional spacers (not cheap) are required to take full advantage of all the adjustment capabilities. Designed to use Sako's proprietary bipod, the stock does nevertheless accommodate a Harris or similar. Sling swivels and attachment points allow for you to carry this rifle slung pretty much anyway possible. A push feed system - with an oversize bolt knob that is, annoyingly to me, made of some polymer/hard plastic - with a 60 degree bolt throw which is nice for fast operation. The trigger guard is (like the Sako, Coyote and Accuracy International or AICS) large enough to allow for gloved operation. The trigger is a military-style two-stage and is easily adjustable without stripping down the rifle. Trigger can be adjusted for pull (as low as 2 lbs), length, vertical and horizontal pitch. The standard TRG has a 26" barrel which is cold hammer forged and is free floating with a 1:11 rate of twist and this 20" version has the same ROT.
Tac-Ord: Stocked in a McMillan A5 with spacers (supplied) for LOP adjustment, an adjustable saddle, one sling swivel and four flush swivel cups. Built on a Remington receiver which has been trued and is very smooth - with a very nice Badger Ordnance oversize bolt knob. As mentioned earlier the barrel is a free-floating 25" MacLennan - Rob MacLennan maybe isn't as well known a barrel maker as Krieger, Hart, Rock or Shilen but he has sold lots of barrels both sides of the border to benchresters and others and his reputation is excellent. The rifle has a Jewel trigger which lets off at just under 1 lb.
Looks, Fit and Finish
In my previous review I said "Rifles in this price range ought to be pretty much flawless and so I have been picky here - much more so than if I was looking at an SPS or Stevens". Well, in this case a SPS is, of course, in the mix but I decided to subject it to the same standard as the other rifles - bear that in mind when reading onwards as the SPS is really punching above its' weight class here.
Remington SPS Tactical: Of course housed in an AICS folder the rifle gets more looks than it would do so otherwise but even in its' factory clothes this is a neat looking and business-like rifle. The matt finish and short bull barrel looks very "tacti-cool" though of course we know that the matt finish happens to be much cheaper than any kind of blueing so it is a nice coincidence for Remington's bottom line that such a look is currently in vogue. Well fitted with no blemishes this rifle out of the box looks just like a shorter, beefier all-weather hunting rifle and I could find nothing that screamed 'entry level' let alone 'shoddy' about its manufacture.
Sako : This rifle has a look that people either love or hate - I'm a fan of the look as well as being appreciative of its functionality. More commonplace now than they were a few years ago, these rifles still get some attention at the range. Mine was perfect in every regard when I picked it up from Reliable Gun and Tackle here in Vancouver. Consistent with my other TRG, there wasn't anything that could be nit-picked about it with respect to either the metalwork or the stock finish.
Remington 'Tac Ord': This rifle, as said, looks a lot like the Coyote and so has lots of eye appeal at the range. One of the things that sets it off is that is has a SEI 'Vortex' flashider - now I thought this was an odd thing to have installed but, hey, to each his own and, anyway, I planned to take it off but when the rifle arrived I thought "mmm, kinda cool" and, for sure, this feature has grown on me so on it stays.
So much for the looks - how about the finish ? Well Tac Ord really did a nice job - all metal is finished in dark earth baked-on KG Guncote and there isn't a flaw to be found. Everything is fitted together beautifully, mags don't rattle about like a whores drawers on a Saturday night, the bolt is smooth, no tooling marks anywhere - all said this is a really nice piece of work and if my custom rifle (on a Stiller action) which is on order from ATRS is finished as nicely I will be very happy.
Handling, Ergonomics and Aftermarket Accessories
Remington SPS Tactical: Outfitted with a 20 MOA base, rings, scope and bipod and with an empty mag inserted this rifle as tested weighs 13 lbs. With an short barrel and folding stock this rifle is the epitome of manageablity. As I said with respect to my Remington XCR the AICS somehow allows for easier carriage. The Remington bolt is smooth but, like all standard bolts the rifle benefits from the addition of the (BC Tactical) oversized bolt handle I had installed. As said earlier, while the X-Mark Pro trigger isn't as nice as the 40X or a custom it does have a crisp break and works just fine for me. AICS is what makes this rifle shine though and being a heavy .223 there is almost zero recoil - you could shoot this rifle all day. Magazine fed or single loaded, ammunition feeds perfectly from the AICS magazine (which is a 10 rounder plastic mag for .223 calibre) and which is included with AICS (extra mags cost about $100) Being a Remington, this rifle has a plethora of aftermarket bits and pieces that can add to or replace factory originals - check out Brownells website or catalogue to see what I mean - only 1911's and AR's take up more pages.
Sako: Listed as weighing 10.3 lbs the rifle as tested weighed just a bit under 14 lbs because added to the rifle's book weight is a scope, rings, Harris bipod, Blackhawk cheekpiece and empty magazine. Even though it isn't a lightweight this is a carry-able rifle - the balance point is much better than its' big brother with the 26" tube. As with big brother, I have shot hundreds of rounds through this rifle both at the range and in competition and I am impressed with its smoothness, and the overall 'feel' of the rifle. Sako's trigger is a joy to use - I like military-type triggers - and I have adjusted this one to be a perfect fit for me and it lets off at an even two pounds in a totally consistent, repeatable manner. Sako's bolt is super slick and the 60 degree throw allows for fast rapid-fire drills but the Sako ejectors need watching as anything less than a smart pull back on the bolt will leave a spent casing sitting on top of the magazine follower which requires a quick 'mag release and clear' movement. Sako's mag inserts, feeds and releases perfectly and I like the double stack as it keeps lines smooth and allows for a mag change without moving the rifle off target. As I said in my previous article that featured a TRG the cost of accessories is my biggest complaint about our Finnish friends -spare mags cost $300+ and the Sako bipod cost nearly $700. Regarding bipods, a #6 Harris adapter costs $11 and a Harris costs just over $100 - need I really say that both my TRG's wear Harris'
Tac-Ord: The rifle, as tested, with scope, rings, Harris bipod, Blackhawk cheekpiece and (empty) magazine tips my bathroom scales at just under 18 lbs. The Coyote for comparison tipped the same scales at just over 16Lbs - I guess the metal from the Coyote's fluting that ended up on the machine shop floor weighed about 2Lbs eh ? Now eighteen pounds isn't a big problem at the range but I really wouldn't want to carry this rifle too far. Of course, the weight sucks up recoil so that even the most recoil-sensitive can shoot this rifle with ease _ I sot 85 rounds this morning in just a T shirt and felt nothing ! Bolt operation was smooth from the first shot - but not as smooth as a Coyote or Sako - and the Jewel trigger is fantastic though I need to get used to the sub-pound let off ! Feeding from both of my two AI ( not AICS but AI - there is a difference ) magazines and via the ejection port was easy and smooth and the ejection was trouble free with spent casings being ejected far away as per Big Green's style ( switching from Sako to Remmy and back again is annoying as the Remmy ejects too far away when pulling the bolt back in the way you have to do in order to get a clean ejection with the Sako ! ). Magazines were my biggest criticism of the Coyote and I wrote that I would prefer PGW to use AI mags. Well the CGN'er who commissioned this build was obviously reading my stuff or thought similar as this set up is, IMO, an improvement - military users may disagree of course as the PGW allows for a mag change without moving the rifle whereas the Tac Ord needs a rifle movement for the AI mags to clear from prone. With an overall length of some 46" and a hefty weight the Tac Ord ain't no carbine but the balance point is in the right place and so it isn't too hard to handle but, I say again, I ain't carrying this rifle far that's for sure. Not that it needs anything else but, if it did, the Tac Ord - being a Remington - has an abundance of aftermarket stuff available.
Accuracy
Pretty much most of the people on this board will appreciate that in order to obtain a viable data-set for accuracy evaluation thousands of rounds would have to be fired over a period of weeks at varying distances and in various conditions. That, of course, I have not done. What I have done is fired a series of 5 shot groups out of each rifle, prone (bipod and rear bag) at a target 100m distant ( 200m for the Tac Ord as testing was done on a different day ). Most will also appreciate that there are at least four elements to accuracy - rifle, ammunition, glass and shooter. While I have perfected a handload for both the Sako and the SPS I have not yet done so for the Tac Ord so putting it at a disadvantage. The rifles were glassed as follows:
Remington SPS/AICS: Elite 6500 4.5-30x56 with TPS (Aluminum) HRT Rings
Sako : Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x50 MLR Reticle Mil/Mil turrets. TPS (steel) HRT rings
Tac Ord: Nightforce NXS 8-32x56 Near Alphamount
Shooting was done at Gabriola Rod Gun and Conservation Club and at Port Coquitlam and District Hunting and Fishing Club over the summer for SPS and Sako and in the last two weeks for the Tac Ord.
I consider a benchmark of a superior rifle is its ability to put "Five Inside A Dime" at 100m as, when measured, that will usually yield a group that measures under a half-minute. When I can do that, I know that my marksmanship, the ammo and the rifle are working well. The Sako can consistently achieve this as can its big brother the 26" barrelled version; The SPS certainly cannot do this with any factory ammo I've tried - in fact it is an ammo-sensitive beast and produced very pedestrian results with both the AE and S+B ammo that I have on hand for my AR - but with handloads the story is very different. Using a handload originally developed for a Savage 10FP of a 69g SMK over 25.8 Varget the results were acceptable. Dropping down over a full grain really hit a sweet spot and has postponed indefinitely my idea to put a new barrel on this rifle. The Tac-Ord is still in load development stage but running some 175g SMK's though it produced some promising results - I have every expectation this rifle will prove to be a superior shooter.
So best 5 shot groups out of 3 such attempts with each rifle:
Remington SPS " .330" (no appreciable spread - all groups inside a dime) Great result for a factory rifle - this rifle has also produced a best-ever 0.268" back in May ! Who says you have to spend big bucks ??
Sako: 0.372" (no appreciable spread, biggest group 0.505" - all groups inside a dime.) For the reference of readers the 26" version produced a 0.176" best group when it was tested for Part I of this review.
Tac-Ord: Using 44.0g of Varget pushing a 175g SMK out of a Lapua case and fired by Federal match primers the best 5 shot group was about an inch at 200m (225 yards). A number of good four shot groups were turned in but, sadly, they don't really count. I suspect that moving up in 2g increments towards 45g will hit a sweet spot and therefore testing will continue. Below 43g of powder produced very poor results. Load development will continue with 175g SMK and with 168g bullets (when I get some ).
Concluding Remarks
All are clearly very good rifles but of the seven rifles I've owned, tested and written about in Part I and this review there a 'winner' ? In my opinion the top spot probably has to go to the shorty TRG - though I haven't got quite the same results from it as I have from the long barrelled version the manoeuvrability gives it the nod over big brother which picks up second place.
Eye appeal and pure accuracy would, to most, ensure the Coyote first place but the rifle wasn't quite for me and now lives very happily in the safe of my good buddy and shooting pard'ner 'c3ppo' who, sadly, uses it to kick my ass in matches and therefore "Yes, there is some 'seller's remorse" lol ! The Tac Ord addresses the criticisms I had of the Coyote and if it proves to be on a par with the 'Yote in the accuracy department we may have a new winner. I think you'd agree that the "Value" winner has to be the SPS with the caveat that as tested it is housed in the really excellent AICS which is worth more -a lot more - than the rifle itself.
Overall 'winner' and 'runner up'
'value winner'
With respect to barrel length, I've not noticed any difference (other than weight and manoeuvrability) between the shorties and their long barrelled brethren; I've used the Sako 20" out to 600m on cold bore shots, pop-ups and movers and it worked just fine but maybe out past that distance the longer tube would come into its' own.
I think there is a sense with bolt rifles that you do get what you pay for though the marginal improvements the more you spend are exactly that - marginal. As I wrote last time "Is the Coyote worth $2K more than the Sako and is the Sako worth well over 1K more than the Kimber" - well the same applies today with respect to these rifles. Much depends on your income and willingness ( or spouse's willingness !! ) to spend money on stuff like this.
One of the points that I would make is that while I have thousands of dollars 'invested' you don't have to go to such lengths to enjoy very, very good accuracy - take the SPS for example: leave it bone stock and put on a $600 scope, perfect a handload and you can shoot cheaply and as accurately ( or nearly so ) as the guy down the line with a $5 -10K set-up. Want to spend the big bucks - go for it - ya only live and play once
Hope you liked the review and found it of some interest.
