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stevens 200
- Thread starter jiggs
- Start date
Larry in SD
Handloader
- Nov 8, 2004
- 426
- 1
A couple days before Christmas I picked up a Stevens Model 200 .223 RIfle at Sportsmans Warehouse for $259.99.
Once I got it home I went over it pretty good. As advertised the Barrel is Free Floated in the Injection Molded Stock, and upon removing the Barreled Action from the stock the Alluminum Pillars can be seen. From what I know about injection molding (used to work in an injection molding facility) these pillars are placed into the mold and once the mold halves are closed the molten plastic material is injected at high pressure into the mold (and around the pillars) permantenly attaching them to the stock. Pn my stock there are mold lines (from where the mold comes together) which is caused by any number of things (mold not clamped together with enough pressure, mold is worn, injecting pressure too high or molten material temperature too high). While these mold lines to not effect the functioning of the stock, they are a cosmetic defect, however should be able to be removed quite easily with an exacto knife and or sandpaper. The pillars appeared to be SHORT in that the pillars do not extend totally flush with the plastic, but rather appear to be sunken in slightly. This may or may not be a problem, but one that could be fixed with Glass Bedding if it is a problem.
The Synthetic Stock is a dark grey color and in my opinion looks nice in contrast to the dark bleck / blue matte finish of the Barreled Action. Speaking of the Barreled Action the finish seems to be quite even over the entire metal surfaces. The barreled action is held into the synthetic stock with 2 action screws (that pass through the alluminum pillars) with one being at the front point of the action and the other being at the front point of the trigger guard. The trigger guard on this Rifle is plastic, but steel replacements are available as an aftermarket part quite reasonablly. The recoil pad is a little cheesy, and I think would need to be replaced for a heavier recoiling caliber.
I next found instructions on the net on how to tune the old style Savage Trigger, which is what is on the Stevens Model 200. I took out a slight amount of engagement and then polished the engagement surfaces. This resulted in a super crisp trigger pull. I then simply used the trigger pull adjusting screw to set the trigger pull weight to 2 3/4 pounds (will probably shoot it at this poundage for a couple hundred rounds until everything gets worn in together before lightening it). I should not the spring wire used to make the Trigger Pull Spring is .058" in diameter. In the article it stated for a lighter pull weight to replace this spring wire with one made with .040" spring wire, which I did. However I ended up putting the original spring back in as with the adjusting screw maxed out with the custom spring I could barely get the trigger pull over 2 pounds. I made a home made snap cap (glued a piece of pencil eraser in place of the primer (for the firing pin to strike) on a full length sized .223 case.
Next I thoroughly cleaned the bore. I normally hand polish a new rifle bore with FLITZ Bore Polish, so I set out to do that with this Stevens as well. The procedure is to coat a patch with FLITZ Bore Polish, place the patch on the proper sizzed brass jag and run the patch from end to end of the bore (in even strokes) without removing the patch from either end of the bore. I generally run each patch back and forth 20 times then discard it and start over with a new patch. I generally go really slow, and usually can feel the little imperfections in the bore, and that they seem to disappear as this is done. With this Stevens I quit after the second patch as the bore seemed super smooth from the get go.
Next up I mounted (or tried to mount) my slightly used 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope in the Warne Steel Weaver Type Scope Bases I picked up with the Rifle. WRONG, I had got the wrong Scope Bases, and quickly learned that Savage (and Stevens) changed the profile of their actions. Seems that the PRE AccuTrigger Savage Actions used a Round Bottom Front Base and a Flat Bottom Rear Base, and the new Stevens Action is the same contouras the new Savages with the AccuTrigger, and both bases are round bottom (if using Weaver Bases they are both #46 front and rear). This was remedied, a buddy was going to Fargo and exchanged the wrong bases for the right ones for this Rifle. I then mounted up the 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope with the Warne Rings and Bases.
I headed to the range with a couple boxes of Ultra Max Commercial Reloads (Ultra Max 55gr. Pointed Soft Point Ammo). I initially zeroed this Rifle at 30 yards, and once satisfied with the zero I meved back to 100 yards. My first 2 shots on the 100 yard target were nearly touching. Yep I looked through the spotting scope and it appeared as there was less than a bullet hole seperating these 2 shots. Well I must have gotten excited or something cause I pulled the 3rd shot low, knew it when the gun went off. I put the next 2 shots between the first 3 and was rewarded with the first 5 shots at 100 yards going into a 1" group (with one called flier). I shot several other 5 shot 100 yard groups with that ammo that day, and the first group was the largest with the smallest 5 shot group measuring 5/8".
I then came back home and loaded up some test loads with 50gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips using Hodgdon's Benchmark. The best group of these test loads with the 50gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip and Benchmark went slighly under 1 1/4". Guess I need to do a little more work with these components for this Rifle.
Overall I am impressed with this $259.99 Rifle. A totalled considering I paid $100.00 for the used 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope (from a buddy) and the Warne Bases and Rings, and the Butler Creek Flip Open Scope Lense Covers, I have a total of $425.00 invested in this Rifle and Scope ready to shoot. I have a feeling that due to the 1 in 9" Rifling Twist used in this barrel I may have to try 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips instead of the 50's. I have never worked with a .223 with a twist rate this fast before, so this is going to be a new experience for me.
As I see it the only problem with the Stevens Model 200 is trying to decide what Caliber / Cartridge to get the next one chambered in.
Larry
Once I got it home I went over it pretty good. As advertised the Barrel is Free Floated in the Injection Molded Stock, and upon removing the Barreled Action from the stock the Alluminum Pillars can be seen. From what I know about injection molding (used to work in an injection molding facility) these pillars are placed into the mold and once the mold halves are closed the molten plastic material is injected at high pressure into the mold (and around the pillars) permantenly attaching them to the stock. Pn my stock there are mold lines (from where the mold comes together) which is caused by any number of things (mold not clamped together with enough pressure, mold is worn, injecting pressure too high or molten material temperature too high). While these mold lines to not effect the functioning of the stock, they are a cosmetic defect, however should be able to be removed quite easily with an exacto knife and or sandpaper. The pillars appeared to be SHORT in that the pillars do not extend totally flush with the plastic, but rather appear to be sunken in slightly. This may or may not be a problem, but one that could be fixed with Glass Bedding if it is a problem.
The Synthetic Stock is a dark grey color and in my opinion looks nice in contrast to the dark bleck / blue matte finish of the Barreled Action. Speaking of the Barreled Action the finish seems to be quite even over the entire metal surfaces. The barreled action is held into the synthetic stock with 2 action screws (that pass through the alluminum pillars) with one being at the front point of the action and the other being at the front point of the trigger guard. The trigger guard on this Rifle is plastic, but steel replacements are available as an aftermarket part quite reasonablly. The recoil pad is a little cheesy, and I think would need to be replaced for a heavier recoiling caliber.
I next found instructions on the net on how to tune the old style Savage Trigger, which is what is on the Stevens Model 200. I took out a slight amount of engagement and then polished the engagement surfaces. This resulted in a super crisp trigger pull. I then simply used the trigger pull adjusting screw to set the trigger pull weight to 2 3/4 pounds (will probably shoot it at this poundage for a couple hundred rounds until everything gets worn in together before lightening it). I should not the spring wire used to make the Trigger Pull Spring is .058" in diameter. In the article it stated for a lighter pull weight to replace this spring wire with one made with .040" spring wire, which I did. However I ended up putting the original spring back in as with the adjusting screw maxed out with the custom spring I could barely get the trigger pull over 2 pounds. I made a home made snap cap (glued a piece of pencil eraser in place of the primer (for the firing pin to strike) on a full length sized .223 case.
Next I thoroughly cleaned the bore. I normally hand polish a new rifle bore with FLITZ Bore Polish, so I set out to do that with this Stevens as well. The procedure is to coat a patch with FLITZ Bore Polish, place the patch on the proper sizzed brass jag and run the patch from end to end of the bore (in even strokes) without removing the patch from either end of the bore. I generally run each patch back and forth 20 times then discard it and start over with a new patch. I generally go really slow, and usually can feel the little imperfections in the bore, and that they seem to disappear as this is done. With this Stevens I quit after the second patch as the bore seemed super smooth from the get go.
Next up I mounted (or tried to mount) my slightly used 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope in the Warne Steel Weaver Type Scope Bases I picked up with the Rifle. WRONG, I had got the wrong Scope Bases, and quickly learned that Savage (and Stevens) changed the profile of their actions. Seems that the PRE AccuTrigger Savage Actions used a Round Bottom Front Base and a Flat Bottom Rear Base, and the new Stevens Action is the same contouras the new Savages with the AccuTrigger, and both bases are round bottom (if using Weaver Bases they are both #46 front and rear). This was remedied, a buddy was going to Fargo and exchanged the wrong bases for the right ones for this Rifle. I then mounted up the 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope with the Warne Rings and Bases.
I headed to the range with a couple boxes of Ultra Max Commercial Reloads (Ultra Max 55gr. Pointed Soft Point Ammo). I initially zeroed this Rifle at 30 yards, and once satisfied with the zero I meved back to 100 yards. My first 2 shots on the 100 yard target were nearly touching. Yep I looked through the spotting scope and it appeared as there was less than a bullet hole seperating these 2 shots. Well I must have gotten excited or something cause I pulled the 3rd shot low, knew it when the gun went off. I put the next 2 shots between the first 3 and was rewarded with the first 5 shots at 100 yards going into a 1" group (with one called flier). I shot several other 5 shot 100 yard groups with that ammo that day, and the first group was the largest with the smallest 5 shot group measuring 5/8".
I then came back home and loaded up some test loads with 50gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips using Hodgdon's Benchmark. The best group of these test loads with the 50gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip and Benchmark went slighly under 1 1/4". Guess I need to do a little more work with these components for this Rifle.
Overall I am impressed with this $259.99 Rifle. A totalled considering I paid $100.00 for the used 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope (from a buddy) and the Warne Bases and Rings, and the Butler Creek Flip Open Scope Lense Covers, I have a total of $425.00 invested in this Rifle and Scope ready to shoot. I have a feeling that due to the 1 in 9" Rifling Twist used in this barrel I may have to try 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips instead of the 50's. I have never worked with a .223 with a twist rate this fast before, so this is going to be a new experience for me.
As I see it the only problem with the Stevens Model 200 is trying to decide what Caliber / Cartridge to get the next one chambered in.
Larry
I have a new Stevens 200 in 30-06 that shoots slightly over MOA groups out of the box "as is" with "vanilla flavored" Rem Core Lock factory ammo. I am going to install a Timney trigger, a Simms "Limb Saver" recoil pad, and a metal trigger guard (all on order), and I'll be "good to go". I paid $ 285 at my local trading post, and added a "Maine Vue" scope and weaver style rings (total for rings and scope was $120). The total I will have in the gun will be $ 605 for a "decked out" real shooter. Not bad in my book. I plan on buying another 200 in 7mm-08 soon and I will do the same to it.
Blaine
Blaine
moreloader
Beginner
- Dec 20, 2005
- 105
- 0
I have talked to a lot of people with 200's around home in calibers from 223 to 30-06 and everyone loves them. I just purchased the bargain savage model at walmart at under 375 with tax with the accutrigger. Personally I believe it is a little better gun. It is well under a MOA in 243. Any rifle anymore seems to be a capable gun. Machining processes are worlds better than 20 years ago. Bargain rifles are now true bargain rifles.
The Stevens 200 and the Savages are identical guns except for the Accu-trigger. All the parts are completely interchangeable and each will shoot just as well as the other. All are pillar mounted and free floated. With the Savage, you get more choices of models (amenities) and calibers, other than that no difference.
Blaine
Blaine
Accubond Believer
Beginner
- Oct 29, 2005
- 56
- 0
I just jumped onto the Stevens 200 bus today. Bought one in .223 thanks for the info on the scope bases. I may contact you concerning the trigger work you did.
Steve D. the HP
Steve D. the HP
I bot a Stevens 200 in 308. I mounted a Nikon Buckmaster variable scope on it. Loaded up some Hornady's 150gr. over Varget. and 110 gr. over IMR 4198.
The 110gr. will cloverleaf everytime at 100 yards. At my shooting club, there is a 12" metal plate at 400 yards and the 110 gr. bullet will hit it every time. I'm not kidding...every time!!!
The 150gr. over varget are accurate, but not as incredibly accurate as the 110 grainers.
The gun is a keeper.
Dave
The 110gr. will cloverleaf everytime at 100 yards. At my shooting club, there is a 12" metal plate at 400 yards and the 110 gr. bullet will hit it every time. I'm not kidding...every time!!!
The 150gr. over varget are accurate, but not as incredibly accurate as the 110 grainers.
The gun is a keeper.
Dave
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