In 2008, I gave my #1 son my ole 700, it was made, according to the serial number in 1977. It has a wonderful trigger set at 3.5 lbs. In feb. 2009 I went to the local Wally world to buy myself another deer rifle, and after handling both the SPS 700 and the Weatherby, I walked out with the Weatherby.
Now, at the time, they didn't have a Savage there, otherwise things could of turned out differently.
The truth is though, I handled these rifles for an hour, and the only thing I could see in the 700 was that it was lighter, and they wanted 130.00 more for it, but it had a creepy, gritty, heavy trigger on it, where as the Vanguards trigger was better, but not perfect, as I ended up replacing that trigger with a Timney,( now I'm hooked on Timney triggers) because I wanted a lighter trigger, it's now set at 2.5 lbs, and is wonderful of course.
Now, at the time, they didn't have a Savage there, otherwise things could of turned out differently.
The truth is though, I handled these rifles for an hour, and the only thing I could see in the 700 was that it was lighter, and they wanted 130.00 more for it, but it had a creepy, gritty, heavy trigger on it, where as the Vanguards trigger was better, but not perfect, as I ended up replacing that trigger with a Timney,( now I'm hooked on Timney triggers) because I wanted a lighter trigger, it's now set at 2.5 lbs, and is wonderful of course.