I am in the market for a new stevens model 200 in the 22-250 caliber. Most of what I have read about the stevens models say that they are a fairly decent gun and the reason they are so cheap is that they are not fancy but still shoot straight and for a guy who doesent want to break the bank they are a good investment. Is this true or am I just wasting my money on something that wont shoot straight?
stevens
- Thread starter twidds
- Start date
- Location
- WMU247 near Edmonton
got one just like that last fall, no complaints, excellent price, accurate, and good for shooting yotes
The Stevens is the same as a Savage, but lacks the accutrigger. They are good guns, but I think the synthetic stocks leave a lot to be desired. You can try to fix it up by making sure the barrel channel doesn't contact the barrel by sanding it out, and bedding the action may help keep it from shifting around so much. You'll have to try the trigger for yourself and see what you think of it.
Personally, I'd buy it, shoot it, save up for a better trigger, $100, and a better stock $100 and then it will be as good as any, but still a little ugly.
Personally, I'd buy it, shoot it, save up for a better trigger, $100, and a better stock $100 and then it will be as good as any, but still a little ugly.
- Location
- Colorado Springs, CO
The Stevens are great rifles for their price, you won't find a Winny, Remington or Ruger for that price that shoots so well. Look at the remmy 710's and 770's. Les
I have 3 Stevens 200. They are absolutely awesome, dollar for dollar, they can't be beat. The last one I bought was in .223, it's deadly on 'yotes. What I like about them is that I can mess around with the stock. Bedding, stiffening the forend and so on without worrying about screwing things up. Without mods, they shoot great, with mods they shoot even greater. You won't go wrong...take the plunge, no worries. And stay away from the Remmy cheapies..710's etc., they are junk.
I think, I will get one in .308 and maybe 22-250 If I could afford huntinstuffs browning in the EE I would buy it right now. I had a stevens in 300 mag. But I couldn't take the recoil! I'm a pussy. Not near as bad as Fogducker! But still one. Just kiddin Foggy!
Dave.
Dave.
Last edited:
I find the stocks to be uncomfortable in the extreme. Perhaps they just don't fit me well, but even the recoil from the 308 bothered me, and I'm not stranger to big-bores.
Otherwise, they're great. I currently have two, and am contemplating a third
Otherwise, they're great. I currently have two, and am contemplating a third
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
the Stevens are just about the best value in firearms going right now, theyre an Accutrigger-less, blind mag Savage. i have yet to hear about an inaccurate Stevens, even from people who normally turn their nose up at them.
everything you dont like about them can be replaced down the road with widely available accessories.
i wish id 'discovered' them sooner... i used to be one of those people that turned their nose up at them
everything you dont like about them can be replaced down the road with widely available accessories.
i wish id 'discovered' them sooner... i used to be one of those people that turned their nose up at them
- Location
- WMU247 near Edmonton
Savage has really uped their game, I bought a 111 in 300WM thats a non-accutrigger with mag, release in front model, not that side butting crap. Then about 3 months later got teh 22-250 Stevens.
I tried the accutrigger but really don't like it, the old style trigger is easy to adjust and feals right, but to each thier own preferences.
Great deal for the money
I tried the accutrigger but really don't like it, the old style trigger is easy to adjust and feals right, but to each thier own preferences.
Great deal for the money
- Location
- WMU247 near Edmonton
doubble tap 
eliteboris
Member
- Location
- Ottawa Valley
I have one chambered in .243 it is an awesome rifle only complaint is the action is not as nice as some Remingtons but hey for the price i dont care.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
if you want a <3lb trigger with a Savage the aftermarket triggers are a safer idea than trying to take the factory one down to a very low weight.
its not recommended to take the Savage trigger below 3lbs - many people who have taken it to 2lbs reported slam-fires when closing the bolt as well as accidental discharges when the gun was dropped/bumped.
seems its a lot more of an 'art' to adjust the old Savage trigger than simply turning the screws on something like a Remmy 700. in light of all that id probably just buy a drop-in Timney or SSS replacement - theyre not that expensive, there are several under $100 at Brownells.
or you could just buy an Accutrigger - i saw one for $50 recently in the EE, not a bad deal. ive been happy with mine - theres nothing 'magical' about the Accutrigger, its just an extra safety feature: all it does it block the sear if the gun accidentally discharges, and thus allows much lower trigger pull weights.
its not recommended to take the Savage trigger below 3lbs - many people who have taken it to 2lbs reported slam-fires when closing the bolt as well as accidental discharges when the gun was dropped/bumped.
seems its a lot more of an 'art' to adjust the old Savage trigger than simply turning the screws on something like a Remmy 700. in light of all that id probably just buy a drop-in Timney or SSS replacement - theyre not that expensive, there are several under $100 at Brownells.
or you could just buy an Accutrigger - i saw one for $50 recently in the EE, not a bad deal. ive been happy with mine - theres nothing 'magical' about the Accutrigger, its just an extra safety feature: all it does it block the sear if the gun accidentally discharges, and thus allows much lower trigger pull weights.
I stiffened up the Stevens stock by removing the barrel / action, and filling the lattice of empty voids within the forearm with two part epoxy. It hardened #### solid, and when it cured, it looked like green glass. Don't do them all at once, as 2 part throws heat when it cures.
PS - make sure that you mix it throughly.
Hakx
PS - make sure that you mix it throughly.
Hakx
Hey, you were going to post some pictures of your last job, weren't you?
Ted
Right you are Ted. Let me download to Photobucket (I'm on Satellite internet) so it can be a bit time consuming. It's on it's way.
Ok, well here is my bedding and forend stiffening job for Savage and Stevens synthetic stocks. Please bare with me as I can only upload so much to photobucket.
1. The recoil lug channel in these rifle stocks is quite large. I reduce it's volume with a piece of plastic or hardwood. You'll have to fit it the the lower ribs of the existing stock. But the idea is to leave a channel space of 1/8" forward of the recoil lug. Unlike others, Savage makes the recoil lug tappered, not need to worry too much about lock ups. The recoil lug in these rifles can be fully bedded as they are tappered and will not create lock up. For this, I use a free flowing media such as Lepage's 2 part epoxy (#12). It flows freely into the open spaces. Fill the forward part but leave the rear part so that it doesn't touch the bottom of the barrel lock nut.
2. Next (pic #2), I dig up the plastic material around the pillars. I use a dremmel tool and take a generous amopunt of material out, especially around the pillars. You want the bottom of the receiver to make metal to metal contact with the existing pillars. Most "so called" pillar mounted guns don't contact the pillars, making them redundant. Dig up the plastic until the receiver rests fully on the top of the pillar mounts. At this time, use your Dremmel to drill angled holes approx. 1/8" deep in the bedding area. This will ensure that the bedding material locks onto the stock material.
3. Then (pic #3) I dig up the plastic under the rear tang. But, I won't bed it to contact the metal bottom of the receiver. On Savages and Stevens, you want to leave the rear tang floating. That is because the rear receiver screw is ahead of that, unlike Remmy's. I just dig it up and bed it with a 0.010" shim under it just to make sure that it NEVER contacts.
4. In (pic #4) I fill all the gaps in the stock that I don't want to fill with bedding material with plasticine. Buy it from the Dollar store for less than $2.00
5. In (pic #5) I fill all of the gaps in my receiver with plasticine also. Anything that I don't want to create a lock-up with is filled. Use your saliva to smooth things out and do a real neat job.
6. Then in (pic #6) I thread a couple of bolts that I've cut the hex head off. They are about 4" long, I can't remember the thread size, but if you're truly interested, I'll dig up my bolts and measure them, PM me for the info. I slip some straws that I got form 7-11 over the bolts and coat the whole thing with PAM as a release agent. The PAM is on pretty heavy in my picture and it is just freshly applied. I should mention that you should let it sit for 1/2 hour or so over the sink. The white foamy appearance will disappear and just leave a nice sheen.
Those are all the pics I could download tonight. If you guys are interested, say so and I'll keep it going.
I've also stiffened the forend using a 3/8" keystock that runs nearly the full length.
1. The recoil lug channel in these rifle stocks is quite large. I reduce it's volume with a piece of plastic or hardwood. You'll have to fit it the the lower ribs of the existing stock. But the idea is to leave a channel space of 1/8" forward of the recoil lug. Unlike others, Savage makes the recoil lug tappered, not need to worry too much about lock ups. The recoil lug in these rifles can be fully bedded as they are tappered and will not create lock up. For this, I use a free flowing media such as Lepage's 2 part epoxy (#12). It flows freely into the open spaces. Fill the forward part but leave the rear part so that it doesn't touch the bottom of the barrel lock nut.
2. Next (pic #2), I dig up the plastic material around the pillars. I use a dremmel tool and take a generous amopunt of material out, especially around the pillars. You want the bottom of the receiver to make metal to metal contact with the existing pillars. Most "so called" pillar mounted guns don't contact the pillars, making them redundant. Dig up the plastic until the receiver rests fully on the top of the pillar mounts. At this time, use your Dremmel to drill angled holes approx. 1/8" deep in the bedding area. This will ensure that the bedding material locks onto the stock material.
3. Then (pic #3) I dig up the plastic under the rear tang. But, I won't bed it to contact the metal bottom of the receiver. On Savages and Stevens, you want to leave the rear tang floating. That is because the rear receiver screw is ahead of that, unlike Remmy's. I just dig it up and bed it with a 0.010" shim under it just to make sure that it NEVER contacts.
4. In (pic #4) I fill all the gaps in the stock that I don't want to fill with bedding material with plasticine. Buy it from the Dollar store for less than $2.00
5. In (pic #5) I fill all of the gaps in my receiver with plasticine also. Anything that I don't want to create a lock-up with is filled. Use your saliva to smooth things out and do a real neat job.
6. Then in (pic #6) I thread a couple of bolts that I've cut the hex head off. They are about 4" long, I can't remember the thread size, but if you're truly interested, I'll dig up my bolts and measure them, PM me for the info. I slip some straws that I got form 7-11 over the bolts and coat the whole thing with PAM as a release agent. The PAM is on pretty heavy in my picture and it is just freshly applied. I should mention that you should let it sit for 1/2 hour or so over the sink. The white foamy appearance will disappear and just leave a nice sheen.
Those are all the pics I could download tonight. If you guys are interested, say so and I'll keep it going.
I've also stiffened the forend using a 3/8" keystock that runs nearly the full length.
Last edited:
Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ,location, location
X2 on this, the ones i have adjusted to low would fire when the bolt was closed, there was not enough pressure to keep the trigger&sear from skiping out. One would not safely adjust below 4 LBs. It is also important to note that the trigger/ sear is very cheap stamped pieces of steel wich seems to be suface hardedned only (correct me if I am wrong) and are prone to wear.
