My Bargain Stevens 200 .243 Finally got to shoot it!

[4given]

I finally got to shoot my bargan basement Stevens 200 in .243!  

My goal was/is to see how inexpensively I could put together an accurate, reliable, basic,  good quality (not fancy) rig using componants with a good reputation.

 I bought the rifle used and it came with the mounts, rings and an old Bushnell Sportview 4/12 AO with BDC. I sold the bushnell scope, pitched in a little extra cash & bought the Nikon used. I lightened the trigger myself by replacing the stock trigger spring with a piece of spring steel from an old spinner bait from one of my bass fishing tackle boxes.

I only have $240.00 into this rifle including the Nikon Prostaff 3X9 scope & leopuld mount & rings!This will be my whitetail rig this year!

I wanted to see how it would shoot with off the shelf ammo. I bought a box of plain old Winchester Super X 100gr power points down at Walmart - the cheapest they had.

I used most of the box getting it on paper and sighted in 2.5 inches high at 100 yrds. That should give me a Maximum Point Blank Range of 283 yrds:

.243 Win. (100 Sp at 2960) .351BC    +2.6" @100yds   +3.0" @ 140yrd (Mid Range Trajectory) +1.9"@200yrds   and -3.0" at 283 yards.

So after all that I had 5 rounds  left to shoot a 100 yard group. It was 95 DegF + at the range & my barrel was hot. I waited a little while to try to let it cool but in that heat it was just taking too long & I had places to be. The fist two shots went into one hole! the third shot landed about 3/4" above those first two. I should of stopped there with the Sub MOA group but hey! I got two shells left! They landed,  both touching, to the right and opened the group up to 1 1/4"  

So I would say not bad at all! This rig has the potential to shoot sub MOA with factory rounds!!!
I can't wait to see what I can do with handloads.

So I think I have shown that even in these tough economic times a guy with a little horse trading can pick up nice shooting budget rig that shoots great even with factory ammo

[hornady]

Sounds like you have a keeper, I bought a Stevens in 308 last year, I was very impressed with it for the money and bought another in 22-250, this year, both rifles I went with the camo stocks, and I put Nikons on both.
The 308 did need the trigger job, but the 22-250 was not bad.
And I reload for both, I have been getting real good results with Varget powder, I use only Hornady Bullets but the 308 really likes the 150 Gr, sp W/cann and the 22-250 is great with the 55 Gr, sp  W/cann. 

[4given]

Sounds like you have a keeper, I bought a Stevens in 308 last year, I was very impressed with it for the money and bought another in 22-250, this year, both rifles I went with the camo stocks, and I put Nikons on both.
The 308 did need the trigger job, but the 22-250 was not bad.
And I reload for both, I have been getting real good results with Varget powder, I use only Hornady Bullets but the 308 really likes the 150 Gr, sp W/cann and the 22-250 is great with the 55 Gr, sp  W/cann. 

So why do you only use Hornady bullets?

[yooper77]

Sounds like you have a keeper, I bought a Stevens in 308 last year, I was very impressed with it for the money and bought another in 22-250, this year, both rifles I went with the camo stocks, and I put Nikons on both.
The 308 did need the trigger job, but the 22-250 was not bad.
And I reload for both, I have been getting real good results with Varget powder, I use only Hornady Bullets but the 308 really likes the 150 Gr, sp W/cann and the 22-250 is great with the 55 Gr, sp  W/cann. 

So why do you only use Hornady bullets?

I don’t own any Savage (Stevens) center fire bolt action rifles, but I mostly use Hornady Interlock bullets.  They are the absolute best for the money and performance to include Remington Core-Lokt’s.

yooper77

[bilmac]

Common now yoop, you know making a flat out statement like that could get a 10 page argument going if anyone was paying attention. Very good, I'll give you that, the absolute best, common now.

[yooper77]

Common now yoop, you know making a flat out statement like that could get a 10 page argument going if anyone was paying attention. Very good, I'll give you that, the absolute best, common now.

I don’t own any Savage (Stevens) center fire bolt action rifles, but I mostly use Hornady Interlock bullets.  They are the absolute best for the money and performance to include Remington Core-Lokt’s.

yooper77

Yes come on now, I only have discussions when a few others love to argue, but I have never had any problems with agreeing to disagree.

In my little world, Hornady Interlock bullets sell at 100 each per box which are the cheapest price that I can find for my calibers and weight at on-line sources.  I have and use Remington Core-Lokt bullets, but Hornady Interlock bullets beat their price all the time.
 
Now, I do most of my shopping on auction sites and I only buy bullets if the price including shipping is much less then I can purchase through actual dealers/on-line stores.  I save on Sierra, Speer, Nosler, and Hornady.  I usually pick up some Remington’s if they are part of a large auction lot.

Let’s look at a box of .243 diameter 100 grain bullets from midwayusa.com

Remington Core-Lokt Bullets are $19.99 per 100.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=1601127612

Hornady InterLock Bullets are $19.29 per 100
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=534113

Obviously if there is an option to buy Remington bullets in bulk and yes you save over the Hornady, but I personally don’t need that many of one bullet.  Plus if you patient like me, I buy Hornady bullets on sale that meet or beat Remington bulk prices.

Ok now find me some Remington Core-Lokt bullets in 338 diameter?  Hey Hornady offers 6 variations in 338 diameter Interlock bullets ranging from 200, 225 and 250 grains.

yooper77

[4given]

Sounds like you have a keeper, I bought a Stevens in 308 last year, I was very impressed with it for the money and bought another in 22-250, this year, both rifles I went with the camo stocks, and I put Nikons on both.
The 308 did need the trigger job, but the 22-250 was not bad.
And I reload for both, I have been getting real good results with Varget powder, I use only Hornady Bullets but the 308 really likes the 150 Gr, sp W/cann and the 22-250 is great with the 55 Gr, sp  W/cann.  

So why do you only use Hornady bullets?

I don’t own any Savage (Stevens) center fire bolt action rifles, but I mostly use Hornady Interlock bullets.  They are the absolute best for the money and performance to include Remington Core-Lokt’s.

yooper77

I do know that when I was looking for 50 grain varmint bullets for my .223 blow 'em up ground squirrel loads  down at Cabelas the Hornady 50gr V-max was 16.95 per 100 & the Hornady 50gr SXSP was 12.99 per 100. Everything else was $20.00 or more.

I would have bought a couple of boxes of the SXSPs but they were out... wound up with 2 boxes of the vmax instead. Both should work fine........ I would of liked to have saved the $8.00 toward something else!

[yooper77]

I do know that when I was looking for 50 grain varmint bullets for my .223 blow 'em up ground squirrel loads  down at Cabelas the Hornady 50gr V-max was 16.95 per 100 & the Hornady 50gr SXSP was 12.99 per 100. Everything else was $20.00 or more.

I would have bought a couple of boxes of the SXSPs but they were out... wound up with 2 boxes of the vmax instead. Both should work fine........ I would of liked to have saved the $8.00 toward something else!

I used to buy .243 diameter 70 grain SXSP bullets, these were very inexpensive and extremely accurate out of my 243 Winchester using IMR-3031.  Hornady doesn’t make these anymore, so I picked up 4 boxes of 75 grain V-Max bullets from Cabelas bargain cave for under $18.00 per 100 a box.

I have to admit I bought 500 50 grain Varmint Nightmare Extreme bullets for my T/C Encore rifle in 223 Remington from midsouthshooterssupply.com for $37.00, but now they are $44.64.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/varmintnightmare2.asp

yooper77

[bilmac]

Now you are talking facts and figures that I can size up. Yup you are right, the Hornadys do beat Rem Core Lokts. I always thought the Rems were less. If you put it that way, I agree, the Hornadys are better.

[4given]

I used to buy .243 diameter 70 grain SXSP bullets, these were very inexpensive and extremely accurate out of my 243 Winchester using IMR-3031. 
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/varmintnightmare2.asp

yooper77

No wonder Cabellas was out! They still had a space on the shelf for them.........

[yooper77]

I used to buy .243 diameter 70 grain SXSP bullets, these were very inexpensive and extremely accurate out of my 243 Winchester using IMR-3031.
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/varmintnightmare2.asp

yooper77

No wonder Cabellas was out! They still had a space on the shelf for them.........

Hornady still makes .224 diameter 50 & 55 grain SXSP bullets, just not .243 diameter 70 grain SXSP bullets.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000032240
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000032260

yooper77

[4given]

I used to buy .243 diameter 70 grain SXSP bullets, these were very inexpensive and extremely accurate out of my 243 Winchester using IMR-3031.
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/varmintnightmare2.asp

yooper77

No wonder Cabellas was out! They still had a space on the shelf for them.........

Hornady still makes .224 diameter 50 & 55 grain SXSP bullets, just not .243 diameter 70 grain SXSP bullets.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000032240
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000032260

yooper77

Great thanks for the info!

[chutesnreloads]

Yeah but I don't think they come in the 250 pack anymore.