Mossberg or Stevens 200

[migrant hunter]

Mossberg have "shot thenselves in the foot" with their rifles. they should apoligise, stop making them and stick to making the pretty good shotguns they've made for years.

 

[NAA]

+1 on the Stevens 200

NAA.

 

[Boonie Boy]

You get what you pay for (btw, I'd take the 4x4 over the ATR)...that Marlin does look ###y though...

 

[Outbound]

+1 Stevens

My Savage package (same as Stevens) with handloads does 1/2 MOA.

 

[heavyBullet]

I love my XL7

 

[chaslavk]

New question is Stevens or Marlin?

 

[archie126]

I have the Stevens in 270 with the Burris Fullfield II and its a shooter.

 

[Calum]

I don't understand why they could not have simply made a modern version of their Vintage 800M in .308:

And no this is not my rifle.

More info...

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=67453

Yah go with the Stevens.

 

[tuffteddyb]

stevens in a second!!!!
main reason is they shoot like a hot damn.
tho the triggers usually need a little work.
but the best thing i love about the stevens is all the cheap upgrades you can get for them!
barrels,stocks,bolt handles,paid 35 bucks for my new bolt handle and put it on myself.
have had a couple of them and they all shot great!sold due to great stupidity!looking for another one or three just for the actions to build some new toys!
just cant say enough good things for either stevens or the savage.

 

[Courtntan]

Buy the Stevens and upgrade it as the $ allows. I have 2, both with Boyds thumbholes and rifle basix triggers. For a "budget" rifle, they sure are good. I have no input on the Marlin, but if the trigger is your main concern $100 will make it better than the Marlin's factory trigger could ever be.

 

[Ormachek]

Go marlin. Shoots like a hot damn, and you'll never need to replace the factory trigger, it's really nice.

 

[arcadia]

look into the Marlin XL7.
should be around the same price as the Stevens (IIRC someone mentioned they were going around $350ish at WSS and bass pro), all reports of these guns have been very positive so far.

My Marlin XL7 is more accurate and has a better trigger and softer recoil pad than my Browning, my Ruger, my new Howa....

I spent $350.00 new. The prices are probably higher now. Very good (tiny) groups at 100m with cheap federal blue box ammo (20.00/box at WSS)

Good luck

 

[Denn0001]

I am looking at getting a Stevens 200. I would rather have a Marlin XS7 but they don't come in .233..........yet.

 

[warrenb]

If you want a cheap extremely functional 223 the Stevens is great. I put a timney trigger on mine. I find the trigger heavy for bench shooting but would be fine for hunting. I have a SSS trigger in the mail for my savage package gun. It will be interesting to see how the two triggers compare.

How is the bolt lift on the Marlins, is it heavy like the stevens?

 

[heavyBullet]

My Marlin XL7 is more accurate and has a better trigger and softer recoil pad than my Browning, my Ruger, my new Howa....

Agreed. My Ruger cost me twice the price of the Marlin, and I have no idea how accurate it can be due to the 7.5lb trigger pull, and its going to cost me another $100 to replace the trigger to find out how accurate it really is. For under $400, my Marlin shoots under an inch at 100yrds, PERFECT hunting rifle.

The recoil pad is great on the Marlin. I have less felt recoil on the Marlin 30-06 than I do on my Ruger 308.