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Author Topic: Stevens 200 in .223  (Read 2093 times)

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Offline Swampman

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Stevens 200 in .223
« on: July 12, 2012, 02:35:08 AM »
Thinking about a cheap semi-disposable .223.  Anyone owned or shot a Stevens 200 .223.  Accurate?
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"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

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Offline kid_couteau

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2012, 03:13:16 AM »
Hi
I had the Savage stainless model

It LOVED 69 grain bullets 1 MOA or less

55 around 1.5 to 2 MOA

35 grains looked like a shotgun pattern.

Fired 5.56 fine in case you are interested.

Kid
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Offline jim36

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2012, 08:11:22 AM »
Swampy
   I picked up one a couple of weeks ago. It is avery accurate rifle. I found that the bbl was touching the stock at the very end. Took the Dremel tool and took care of that before I went to the range. Accuracy was around moa first time out. Since then I have added some alum rods (1/4 in) ahead of the lug, using the Dremel and some epoxy.
   Will prolly add some epoxy to the lug if need be.
   Reloading is as simple as it gets and ascheap as it gets. I am using the Hornady 55 gr. #2265 bullet with 21 grs of H 4198.
   Last week end I picked up an Encore in the 223 also. Took it my son's house and shoot it at 50 yds. It was a total surprise as to the accuracy of that one.
   I see that you have gotten into the Encore also.
   Go ahead and get it. You will enjoy it.
 
                                                                Jim   <")))><
 
PS. How is your son doing?  Has he made it home from across the water?
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2012, 11:33:37 PM »
I have two of them, but neither is stock. One I shot about 40 times and got about 1.5" groups at 100 yards. Really did not work very hard at getting good groups. The only thing salvaged off of it is the action, new barrel, new stock, new trigger, new recoil lug, new bolt handle. It shoots great, but I do have a few bucks in it. The second one, I did not even shoot. It got the same treatment, but I changed the bolt head to a 308 size and put a 22 BR barrel on it. They both shoot very well, but they are both heavy guns.

If you want to make a custom gun, the 200 makes a good base, you can go as wild or as mild as you like. If you want to have it as light as possible, then leave the stock on and the factory barrel. People have gotten good results with this combination. Most people find the trigger a little too heavy, with no adjustment. I think you will want to at least do some trigger work on it. You can get a good after market trigger for around $100 or some have done trigger work on the stock one. Do some honing, change a spring.... Read back through this section, there are lots of threads about the Stevens 200 and what people have done with them. Pay particular attention to the trigger mods, if you want to retain the stock trigger.

The Stevens 200 out of the box is not a Remington 700 ( which i have a couple of) out of the box. This is mostly due to the trigger. The Remington 700 stock trigger is miles ahead of the Stevens 200 trigger (non adjustable). With a little time and or money the Stevens 200 can be made to shoot very well.



Here are some 5 shot groups shot @ 100 yards with a Stevens 200 and a $100 .223 after market barrel, $80 trigger and a $100 Boyd's stock and a $100 scope. Bought the gun for $280. I put on a stainless recoil lug, bolt handle and trigger guard too - $720 total as you see it below.



Good Luck and Good Shooting
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Offline the jigger

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2012, 03:05:50 AM »
I have found the 200 to be an excellent platform for four of my "poor-boy" customs.
250/3000
257 Roberts
250 Ackley
220 Swift
I also have one that is unaltered in 308.
All are excellent shooters. Sub-MOA. Tweek the trigger and you'll be good to go.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING
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Offline Wyo. Coyote Hunter

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2012, 08:35:13 AM »
 ;) Swampman, While it wasn't a .223, several years ago I shot in a new Stevens .270 for a  friend..I think it was a 200 but certainly could be mistaken..but it was a .270 Stevens, I believe from WalMart...with Fed. blue bx. ammo it would shoot inch groups no problem...I was surprised..the scope was crappy, but the whole thing worked super..
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Offline R.W.Dale

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2012, 08:45:06 AM »
Here's some groups from a box stock Stevens 200 I bought and later turned into a 7.62x39 benchrest gun.

As you can see accuracy as with any rifle was load dependant but with loads it liked accuracy was most satisfactory for a $240 gun

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Offline cjclemens

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2012, 08:49:48 AM »
I have one in .243 that shoots great.  The Stevens 200 is just a Savage rifle without the nice stock and accutrigger.  It makes for a good truck gun, or you can put a stock and trigger on it and make it a really nice shooter.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2012, 02:39:32 PM »
I noticed they have scoped Model 700s in .223 at Walmart for $419.00.  I may just get one of those.
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"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

1st Special Operations Wing 1975-1983
919th Special Operations Wing  1983-1985 1993-1994

"Manus haec inimica tyrannis / Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ~Algernon Sidney~

Offline R.W.Dale

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Re: Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2012, 03:20:17 PM »
Quote from: Swampman on July 15, 2012, 02:39:32 PM
I noticed they have scoped Model 700s in .223 at Walmart for $419.00.  I may just get one of those.

Well you do want a semi disposable rifle.
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2012, 07:57:43 PM »
You are not going to get a Stevens 200 for much less than that. If you are going to leave it stock and not do a thing to it, you are better off with the Remington IMHO. If you want to tinker a little, the Stevens 200 is hard to beat. If you watch, you can get an Axis for around $300 on sale these days. Of course you can only get the Axis in a long action, 223 or 308 or 7-08 or 30 06 all the same.

Good Luck and Good Shooting
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2012, 10:33:46 PM »
I wasn't looking for a project.  I just wanted an accurate SHTF rifle.
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"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

1st Special Operations Wing 1975-1983
919th Special Operations Wing  1983-1985 1993-1994

"Manus haec inimica tyrannis / Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ~Algernon Sidney~

Offline Sourdough

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #12 on: August 08, 2012, 07:22:54 AM »
The wife gave me a Stevens 200 in 25-06.  Had a heavy trigger.  I tried to adjust it down a bit but to no avail.  Ended up changing it out to a Rifle Basix trigger.  Then I got rid of that wiggly stock and ordered a laminated Keystone Thumbhole stock from Cabela's.   I also had a muzzlebrake put on the barrel, I like to see the reaction when the bullet hits.  I topped it off with a Cabela's Tactical scope, calibrated for the bullet and velocity I am shooting.  I'm shooting a 3" group at 500 yards.  It opens up to 5" at 700 yards, beyond that energy drops too low for a clean kill. 

When Savage quite making the 110, they moved the tooling to Stevens and started making the 200.  The 200 does not quite come up to the Savage 110 in quality.  The barrel and action are good except for the trigger.

If you don't want to do a lot of tinkering, go with something else.
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Offline oldandslow

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Re: Stevens 200 in .223
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2012, 03:07:33 AM »
I traded for one a few years ago. I got it basically for a grandkid gun. Man, what an ugly colored stock and with a sharp mold seam right down the middle of it. Without doing anything but cleaning it I headed for the range to see what it would do with some handloads for a handi-rifle that shot so poorly I finally gave up on it. I got 100 yard groups of .6"-.7" with the first loading I shot.  :o

I did a little tinkering. Made a new "S" spring from lighter gage music wire which gave me an even 3# trigger. Scraped the sharp edge off the stock with a pocket knife and camo wrapped the rifle which didn't affect it's accuracy or impact point at all.

It's an excellent coyote and prairie dog rifle. The kid is an excellent shot and I've seen him lay down prairie dogs at very long distances with it. He's happy so I am too. If you want a pretty rifle this ain't it. Covered with camo tape hides it's ugliness.
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