RE: Need Synt. stock help for a 700
Too bad you need a short action. I have two long action ADL synthetics I no longer need.
Anyway, here are the differences in the Remington stocks....
Regular stock - can be had in ADL or BDL style. No forend or grip panels, but there is checkering. This stock has a hard plastic feel to it, and a plain rubber recoil pad.
SPS - a BDL style stock, with R3 recoil pad (Limbsaver). The grip panels make for a better feeling stock.
XCR - a BDL style stock, with R3 recoil pad. The grey inserts in the forend and grip are a softer, "grippier" feeling rubber than the SPS.
The extra $20 for the SPS stock is probably a good idea, since the R3 recoil pad will cost you more than that. I put a Limbsaver on my Savage .375 H&H. It made a big difference in shooting comfort over the hard rubber pad that came on the Savage.
If you are serious considering the XCR stock, I would look at some other options first. A Bell and Carlson Medalist can be had for just a shade over $200. I think this is a better stock and a better deal vs. the XCR stock.