I am considering purchasing a rem sps varmint then replacing the stock with a hs or bell and carlson stock, or should i purchase the 700 pss with a quality stock on it? Wich way would be cheaper?

What caliber and what are you expecting out of it? If you want "accuracy out of the box" then buy one of the SAVAGE VLP's or their other variations. If you want "pretty and reasonable accurracy", buy one of the Remington VLS's. My 2 cents worth! I own them all and shoot them all and SELL them all!! The SAVAGE offerings offer the "most bang for the buck" of anything out there right now without going to the "upper end" of the window as far as off the shelf offerings go! GHD

.223 and I am planning on using it to mainly prarie dog with

+ 1 what GHD said bought Rem.SPS skinny barrel .223 changed the stock {Rem. classic $125. at gun show} I got lucky and won a Timmney trigger at a silhouette shoot {$125 +],the 1 in 12 barrel loves 40 gr. Noslers and 55 gr Hornady SPs.

A year later I bought a safe queen Savage model 10 FP Choate stock, ugly and heavy as he** but does it ever shoot 50,60 gr vmax case full of Benchmark or 68 gr Hornady match with Varget and good to go .I think the Savage with a 6.5 x 20 Leup. will be just the ticket on the p.dog field .I'm able to spot my shots at 500m from a solid rest.