budget blaster stevens project???

[STRANGE1]

I got a good deal on a new stevens 223, so i decided to play with it a little.  I installed a tasco varmint/tactical scope using an EGW one-piece base and leupold rings.  I trimmed some plastic from the end of the stock to help keep it away from the barrel, I played with the trigger adjustment screw, and I used a stone to polish the trigger and sear engagement areas.  I also tightened the safety adjustment to make sure there is absolutely zero trigger movement when the safety is on.  It is as light as my accutrigger models, and I havent changed out the stock spring, yet.  So far I have almost $400 in it, and have been able to shoot one MOA group with it.  

I really like the thumbhole laminate stock on my 30.06, so I am looking for a S/A version to replace this one with.  But until then, I put a really bad paint job on the factory stock, and would also like to bed it.  Should I bed the full length of the stock?  I have heard of people putting rods in the forearm and bedding them in place to stiffen the stock, what would be the best plan of attack on this?  I want to keep it cheap, I want to learn to do it myself.  If I ruin the stock I dont care, but I do not want to mess up the action.

Also, if anyone has a GOOD shooting 223 varmint barrel they would like to donate, I would be more than happy to pay the shipping cost.  HAHAHA.

[trotterlg]

I would probably just skip the full length bedding and just bed the very front of the stock to the barrel to keep it from swinging around on the bags.  I did that to a Savage 10 and it worked out well, just an inch at the end and things got much better.  Finally put it into a wood stock and now it is just what I need.  Mine is redone in 17 Remington, and is the most consistant shooting gun I have ever had.  Larry

[oldandslow]

I don't know if is true but I have read that the trigger parts of the 200 are only case hardened and shouldn't be stoned as they will wear quickly. Mine shoots .6" groups shooting handloads with no work except replacing the trigger return spring with one made from lighter guage  music wire. That gave me a trigger pull of 3#.

[STRANGE1]

trotterlg.... I'm not sure i understand you when you say bed the front of the stock to the barrel.  I thought the idea was to keep the stock away from the barrel.  I agree that a good wood stock is the way to go when you start looking at how to fix the stevens stock.

oldandslow.... I have heard the same, but i thought i would try it and see.  I only removed a very small amount of material.  just barely enough to remove the blue.  The one thing I havent figured out about the trigger is what kind of grease is put on the trigger/sear, and why.  It doesnt seem like a good idea to lube this area to me.

[Swampman]

I use this on all my trigger/sears

http://www.gunslick.com/products/chemicals/lubricants_oils/graphitelube.aspx

[Slowpoke Slim]

All I did to my Stevens 223 was to stone the burrs off of the trigger parts and that's it. I haven't done diddly squat to the stock or anything else. Spend more time on different loads for your rifle. Mine hated all the factory ammo I had tried. Shot some of it to over 2" at 100 yds.

When load developing for it, I found it liked to be slightly less than "max" according to the manual.

This is my trigger-stoned-but-all-else-stock-rifle, shooting it's favorite handload:



That's 5 shots, from a cold, clean barrel at 100 yards. It will regularly repeat that feat also. And that's measured "outside to outside", not "center to center".

The "load" for mine is 25.5 grs of old surplus BL-C2, in Rem brass, with Rem 7 1/2 primers and Hornady 50 gr Vmax bullets.

That load is not "max", if I bump the powder charge up, the group opens up.

Try some different loads...

[oldandslow]

I like a synthetic grease on sears. It seems to stay put but Gunslick, which may be synthetic for all I know, works well too. I think any friction in a firearm needs lubrication.

I did some experimenting when I purchased my 200. I couldn't get the stock to deflect enough to touch the barrel and I got pretty rough with it so I decided to leave everything but the trigger alone until I did some shooting. After shooting several groups in the .6-.7" range I decided it would do everything I wanted it to just the way it was.

It is primarily a coyote gun and wears camouflage tape all over it. I was curious if this would open the groups or change point of impact. It did neither. It continues to shoot the same small groups in the same spot it did before adding the tape. I did the same thing with a Contender G2 with the same results. It shoots smaller groups than the 200. 

[STRANGE1]

I finally got that thumbhole stock I wanted from Boyds.  There was a little more trimming to do than I expected, but it was not bad at all.  Overall, it is a very nice stock for the money.  I think it needs to be bedded, but I dont think I am up to that task.  I would rather pay someone to do it right, than risk messing up my stock, or action, then having to pay them to fix it.  I also have cut the barrel down to 20" and put a recessed target crown on it.  It seems willing to shoot MOA or better with most any ammo I feed it, but today it shot a 5-shot .655 at 100 yards.  Using 40gr Fiochhi v-max, the cheap stuff midway sells for $20 per box of 50.  Total cost so far, $575 excluding ammo.

[kbstenberg]

  I have some questions please for those with the 223   200s. What are the twists of the barrels? Has anyone tried cast bullets in there guns? So I take it most of you are satisfied with your guns? I have heard some not to good things about there triggers. Have any of you found that? But how bad can they be if they shoot 1 inch groups.
  Kevin

[STRANGE1]

The savage website list the stevens 223 twist rate at 1 in 9".   The triggers on these guns arent really "bad", just a little stiff from the factory.  They are relativley easy to work on, as long as you take your time and are careful.  You can replace the spring with thinner material, and also loosen the screw that the spring rests in to loosen the pull a little. 

No idea on cast bullets.

[4given]

My stevens 200 "bargan blaster" project was quite a bit simpler than yours. I bought a lightly used one in .243.  That already had Leupold mounts & rings on it and a cheap 1980's. Bushnell sportview 4x12 AO BDC adjustable turret scope on it. Sold the scope and bought a Nikon Prostaff out of Cabelas Bargan Cave. I then did my own trigger job using the spring steel from an old spinner bait. This gun wears it's ugly grey stock that is PILLAR BEDDED AND FREE FLOATED from the factory and it shoots factory ammo and handloads alike under an inch consistanly.  If you go to the link below you will se the rifle and a test target.  The best load in it so far is a 70gr Hornady SXSP flat base in front of 42 grains of IMR4064. WW brass and CCI Bench Rest primers. This load always shoots 1/2" or better. I just shot a three shot group the other day with that load were 3 rounds went into the same hole. It almost looks like there was only one shot!

I have under $250 into this rifle

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,223915.0.html

[STRANGE1]

4given, I wish I was as good as you at finding used bargains.  I seem to always end up with someone elses junk when I look for used stuff, oh well.  Nice shooting by the way.

I took mine out today and shot some of the 40gr Fiochhi's today.  The first three shots (from a cold, clean barrel) measured .447"; the best I have ever done.  The next three groups were .567", .497", and .727".    I cant wait to see what it will do with some federal gold medal match.

[4given]

4given, I wish I was as good as you at finding used bargains.  I seem to always end up with someone elses junk when I look for used stuff, oh well.  Nice shooting by the way.

I took mine out today and shot some of the 40gr Fiochhi's today.  The first three shots (from a cold, clean barrel) measured .447"; the best I have ever done.  The next three groups were .567", .497", and .727".    I cant wait to see what it will do with some federal gold medal match.

I don't always get the best deals either... but some times... Woo Hoo!

I need to make a correction. I was looking through my test targets and discovered that my menory was not quite correct. The "3 shots that look like one hole" group was shot with my  Remington 700 VSLS Thumbhole in .223.  How do you even measure a group like that center to center?

 I did however shoot a group that same day with the Stevens 200 .243 that measured .329.  Check the  pitcures below. Still a dandy group from a stock gun with a shade tree trigger job!