Time to get another rifle... Want a Rem 700 in 308... Last Year Classic or SPS?

[Quarterbore]

I guess after many Remington 700s including one Rem 700 Classic (257 Roberts that never did shoot to my standards) I think I need to get another rifle. I have been looking for a good 308 Bolt Action rifle and I just today learned that this is the end for the Classic Line and it is a 308 which I really want anyways...

Now my problem... I have been a fan of the H-S Precision stocks and I have one on a 243 that I have been using for deer and as my walk around varmint rifle. I see Remington also is selling what they call a "Special Purpose Synthetic" in 308 which is a BDL with the cheap plastic stock. It is about $200 or more less (RETAIL which I know we don't pay) and I am god aughful rough on a wood stock where I hunt.

Both of the rifles above have 24-inch barrels....

I am also looking at the rem 700 SPS Youth as that rifle only has a 20-inch barrel. I am tempted to g that route as well as where I will use this rifle a long shot might be 200-yards and the average shot is well inside 100-yards. I will be using this for deer and pretty much deer alone as I ave a 12-gauge slug gun that I carry with 3-inch sabots for the swamp where I hunt bear...

What do you all think? I know I want a Remington and I see three good choices... Let's start with 20 vs 24-inch barrel and then debate the wood vs synthetic... Honestly I really doubt I will get the Classic as like I said I am way too tough on a guns finish for a fancy polished metal parts and wood stock!

Here is Remongton's site: http://www.remington.com/firearms/centerfire/centerfire.htm

[BigBlue]

First off to address the question of a Remington rifle. The most accurate rifle I ever owned was a Rem. 700 in .308, but it was a police sniper special order. That was bought back in the 80's from Edelman's in N.J. Remington only made them to order, and they came with a oil finished walnut stock. It could shoot into the size of a quarter all day long at 200 yards. It's one drawback to practicle use was it's weight. I had eventually sold it which I do regret. If I wanted to buy something along those lines today it would probably be the Savage 10FP. For a rifle that sells for less than $500, it will shoot factory loads into 1/2" 100 yard 5 shot groups right out of the box. As for barrel length, I don't believe there is any advantage to longer barrels as long as your using a scope. Barrel diameter is more important and the extra length just leaves more room for harmonic tuning issues to come into play. I do still use a .308, but one in a much handier package. It's a Ruger M77 MkII compact with a 16" barrel and weighing only 5.5 LBS before the scope is added. I hunt in some pretty thick stuff, so this length is handy, but more important is the fact that when the thick stuff does open up a bit, the .308 still has the stuff for longer shots. I had learned a lesson last year when I came onto an area where I could see 300 yards. I had spotted one of the nicest bucks I ever saw in these woods. He was out all of 300 yards, and I was holding a Marlin 1894P 16.5" ported barreled .44 mag. I didn't even bother to try the shot.
In the synthetic versus wood stocks issue, if I was hunting in Alaska I would worry about it, but for the PA. area, well I think a wood stock will serve just as well. I'm a sucker for a nice walnut stock.
Don