Remington 700 SPS vs XCR - please help!

GreenhornGal · 06-20-2007, 03:45 PM

My husbandhas beendrawn for his first elk tagin Arizona. He has a 30-06, but found out while hunting whitetail for the first timelast year that he prefers a 270. He likes the XCR, butwe're newlyweds building our first home and can't afford one. The specs for the stainless SPS and the XCR are nearly identical and they lookthe same aside from the rubber grips, but the SPS is half the price. I'd like to surprise him with one, butI don't know anyone who has used both. Has anyone out there used both rifles? Is their performance similar?

bigbulls · 06-20-2007, 03:53 PM

The 30-06 is just fine for elk hunting as is the .270. Provided you use proper bullets but you should do this regardless of what cartridge you shoot.

Honestly, the XCR isn't going to make him shoot any better. It's still a Remington 700.The XCR is simply about as rust and corrosion proof as a gun can get. The price comes from it being stainless steel then nickle plated, then has another corrosion chemical applied to the nickle all in an effort to make the gun as rust proof as possible.

However a stainless SPS will last a lifetime with simple care and unless he is hunting in the North West to Alaska regularly he will likely nefer see the benefit of the XCR.

Rammer · 06-20-2007, 04:11 PM

From everything you just said, an SPS Stainless would be the gun to buy for a Remington.

The XCRs are made for extending trips in very unforgiving territory as bigbulls pointed out.

Wayspr · 06-20-2007, 05:35 PM

Get the Remington SPS. If he is upset that you didn't get him the one he wanted, I know a fellow in south Mississippi that would be overjoyed to have a woman that surprised him with guns.

GreenhornGal · 06-21-2007, 08:20 AM

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I appreciate it!

herman · 06-21-2007, 11:55 AM

I have the sps ss in 270 and it shoots.I wanted to make it look better so put a medalist stock on it and my 7/08 classic.
Thought I included a pic but here goes again.

James B · 06-21-2007, 06:15 PM

SPS in 270 would be hard to beat, as is the 30-06.

younggun308 · 06-22-2007, 08:47 AM

A 30-06 would be the best thing he could hunt with, no doubt about it.

If instead of a gun, you want to get him great elk hunting ammo for his current rifle, get him Federal (The name of the ammocompany) Vital-Shok (special product name)180-grain Nosler Partition (The name of the bullet).
The boxes are red, you'll see them at a gun store, but not at Wal-Mart.

Hunting the North · 06-22-2007, 12:59 PM

A few months back I bought a Rem 700 XCR in 30-06. I too was going back and forth between the XCR and the SPS. I ended up seeing the XCR on clearance for $675.00 because it was last years model and the new ones were coming in. I do like the soft rubber grips on the XCR, but as far as the upgraded stainless steel, it was not a big deal either way. The SPS stainless if a good choice also. I'm very happy with mine. I mounted a Sightron Big Sky 3-12x 42mm scope on it.

If your husband hunts strictly Whitetails I would get the .270. If he hunts Whitetails and Elk, I would get the 30-06.

M77man · 06-22-2007, 11:17 PM

Don't overlook the .270WSM caliber! Many guides consider the .270 too light forhuge Elk. The .270 WSM consistently out performs just about every caliber there is besides the .375H&H.