I noticed the Rem 700 SPS Camo is available in a compact model, and thought this may be ok for my son. Then I got to looking at the specs, and the difference in overall length is exactly the difference in barrel length (20" vs. 22"). So that leads me to believe that the "compact" designation merely represents a shorter barrel, and no change to the stock.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

yeah pretty much. Look at the Howa/Hogue youth combo. Bout the same price, shoots just as good and is more reliable. Check out the link for one I pieced together

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...nload/Number/19077/filename/P1020682.JPG

I'm thinking the rifle you're looking at probably comes with Remingtons adjustable LOP system. It's just a few 1/2" and 1/4" spacers that can be installed between the stock and the recoil pad. It allows you to take the LOP from 12.5" to 13.5" if I recall.

I bought my son a SPS compact in .243 for X-mas a couple years ago and it was a good choice. It shoots 85gr Sierra's rediculously well. Here's 4 consecutive groups of 4 different charges of H4350 from when I was working up a load. 100 yards with a 2-7x Leupold.



Don't think you could go wrong with the 700, and when your son out grows it... you have a nice donor action!

Imo, what Remington considers a compact rifle, is not really a true compact rifle.

On the Remy site, the compact SPS LOPs list at 13 3/8" and 13 1/2 inches.

All Remy really does is shorten the barrels and call their more compact rifles,,,,compact. Fully sized rifles with 24" barrels at around 44.5" long usually have about or the standard 13.5" LOP.

With their 12.5" LOP and 35.5" OAL, in terms of those dimensions, the true compact bolt rifles are the Ruger compacts, not the SPSs or the M/7s.

For added LOP versatility if needed, I can increase the LOP by 1" on my Ruger Frontier in three seconds by using a Limbsaver slip-on recoil pad. Or, I can keep it off when wearing the thicker clothing when a shorter LOP is more suitable.

I think the specs for the compacts are all jacked up on the Remington site (surprise!). The compact/youth rifles have a 1" shorter LOP and 20" barrels. Their overall length is about 39.5"

Not as compact as your Ruger, but more compact than their specs indicate on the web.

Agreed - The Remington web site is very inconsistent. It states that some models are discontinued when they are not, it shows two guns as having the same OAL when it also shows their barrels as being 2" different. Etc etc.

I know that there is an SPS youth and an SPS compact. If the compact doesn't have the shorter LOP, could I put a stock from the youth model onto the compact model? The reason being, is that the website only lists the youth SPS as coming in .243, while the SPS Camo Compact is available in 7mm-08, in both 20" and 22" barrels. Hmmnnn, mixing and matching stocks, I could put the youth stock on the 22" gun, and a couple years down the road, put the full size stock on, and that rifle is good for life? Is this crazy? Or does the SPS Compact 20" have the 1" shorter LOP?

Yes, LOP is either 12 1/2" or 12 3/8" - the latter is 1" shorter than their standard LOP.

They are called and marketed as "youth" rifles, not compact rifles. The latest ones come with a LOP spacer kit to convert to standard LOP as the youth grows up.

Ahhhh! Just saw the full specs....my bad on not digging deeper. Thanks for the input!

Just noticed the mountain rifle (thinking about getting one for me)is actually lighter by ~1/2#, but I think the LOP is a bigger issue than the weight for a young shooter. Plus, the camo on the SPS should cover up the scratches it's bound to receive!

Jim in Idaho - the way kids/youths grow that difference in LOP, from the 12 1/2 to the standard 13 1/2, will be made up within a year. Maybe less depending on their appetite. Weatherby supplied two (2) stocks (youth and full size) at one time for this purpose so youngsters could shoot. Can't get away from the 20in barrels that come with youth models unless a carbine is what you want. Regards, Homesteader.

Just came back from Wally World...they don't list it in their computer. Was hoping to see their price on the gun.