Ok, finally I've got some good news about the SPS. I think it will be a keeper. After removing at least 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch of plastic off the right side of the fore end to get the barrel off the cheezy plastic stock, :mad: trying 2 different scopes :confused: and bedding the action :( I got a group worthy of showing to people.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h191/recoil_junky/IMG_0827.jpg

This rifle has been by far the hardest gun I've ever had to get to shoot. Nearly 100 rounds later (114 to be exact) and much cleaning and fiddle farting around I got a group I can take to the field. It's about time too. With the grass growing at an alarming rate the ground squirrels will be coming right for us and I won't be able to see them.:eek:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h191/recoil_junky/IMG_0824.jpg

The 300RUM wasn't this hard, just took more powder.

The cheezy plastic stock has to go. I want to put a nice laminated one likes on the .243VLS. AND try to get the trigger adjusted. I can't get the adjustment screws busted loose. They must be loctited really well or something, because the sear engagement and overtravel screws are not budging and I don't want to strip the heads out. At least now they are allen heads instead of slotted.

RJ

RJ if this is the new Remington trigger then only the trigger adjustment screw needs adjusted. At least that's what I'm reading. Getting the stuff off the adjusting screws is a pita an worse is you need to put at least some clear fingernail polish on them after adjusting so they will stay locked. Acetone worked in taking it off for me on the old triggers.

I'm shooting a VLS and really like it. Cabela's sells a very simular stock in standard or thumbhole configuration for a pretty reasonable price. I believe it's a Boyds product.

Have you thought about installing a nice aftermarket trigger like a Timney? I've read some very good reviews on those triggers by some folks who swear that the trigger all by itself can improve accuracy and consistency quite a bit.

As for stocks, most of the reviews I see on the Bell & Carlson Medalist stocks with the aluminum bedding block seem to be pretty good, and they don't cost nearly as much as some of the other well known synthetics like McMillan or Hogue.

RJ, Congrats on getting it to come around. My buddy has the same rifle in the same caliber and still working on his. So far it's not showing as much promise. The smith that worked his trigger used heat to break the bond on the screws.

Does your rifle have excessively dented or burned through primers? Jim has been fighting that issue since the rifle was new. Not only reloads but does it with factory ammo too.

Monty, yes I'm getting a bit of "primer flow". My 243 in VLS and the 300RUM Sendero are doing the same thing. So far it hasn't been an issue, but then I'm not running that hot of loads either. I did glass bed the action and that seemed to have cured the wandering groups. I may try some heat but I'm OK with the trigger for now.

Bob, I am looking at a Bell and Carlson or an H-S Presision stock like the on on the 300RUM. I just can't bring myself to get a thumbhole stock. . . . yet. I've got some acetone but I might look at a Jard trigger in the 4-16 ounce range. I've got it shooting for the ground squirrel and pdog season this year, then work on it some more this winter after I get a few hundred rounds through it.

The matte black finish is a real bear to keep clean. It seems like the tiniest bit of dust collects on it and makes it look unkept. It seems to dissipate heat pretty well, as the barrel is barely warm after 10-15 rounds.

I'm hoping to get it out this weekend and harvest a few sagerats.

RJ

RJ I've not installed a Jard, but I hear good things about them. I've put a bunch of Timney's on. The new Timney to replace the new 700 trigger comes with the safety at a hefty price increase over the old Timney that you re-used the stock Rem safety on sad to say.

I have yet to get out ground squirrel hunting, but did whack a coyote with the 243 VLS on Sunday at just over 300 yards. Didn't get a shot at the second one as I was out of ammo, just clicked the firing pin on an empty chamber. Both were on the run and the first one was on the third shot. Boy can those little buggers go when your shooting at them. First shot was trotting at a hundred yards.

I'm hoping to get out before the grass gets any higher.

My vote is for a Jewel. Let my range master get a hold of mine and he had 2 before the week was out for a couple of rifle builds he had going in 223 on the Remington action. I had to grind out about 1/16" of the bed on my HS stock for the bolt release to work but one twist and I had a beautiful 8 oz trigger that all you have to do is think fire when you're ready and it fires with no safety issues.;)If it has the 40X I just talked to a guy yesterday that had to take the trigger apart and completely clean because it had lock tite in the trigger also. When he was done had a beautiful 1 1/2 trigger.