As many of you know, I'm a fan of the accuracy I get out a Savage rifle.
I owned several, starting when I was in law enforcement...
I have not had a Savage bolt action, based on the 110 system fail me yet.

I was interested in the new Stevens 200 rifle when they came out under a year ago, and just recently got my hands on one in the local gunshop....

The Stevens 200 is nothing but a Savage (long or short action) wearing a grey stock instead of a black one the Savage rifles have, but without the Accu-trigger that all Savage rifles have now....

From previous experience, I knew that the old Savage trigger is adjustable if you know what to do....

I had the gunshop order me a Stevens 200 in .243 to see for myself...:)

The reason I wanted the rifle is for carrying in the pick up truck, everyday. I wanted the .243 because it carries more punch, & bucks the wind a bit better than a .223. ( was carrying either my 99DL in .243, or my 10FP in .223 in the truck)
I wanted to put together a low-cost "beater" rifle without sacrificing accuracy.

The rifle promptly arrived....A NIB Stevens 200 in .243 cal.

Condition:
While the Savage rifles have a blck composite stock with dual pillar bedding & a free floating barrel, there was NO change in the system with the Stevens. The inside of the stock fit the action tightly & perfectly....BUT, the outside of the stock, while grey in color, has more "molding lines" on it...some of them sharp enough to get your attention...:D

I took a Dremel to the molding lines & sharp areas of the stock & got them flush with the rest of the stock surfaces, followed by fine sand paper, & finally steel wool.

I next cleaned the stock of any oily substance with glass cleaner, then painted the camo patteren you see in the pictures....

Already in improvement!

Trigger:

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, breaking at a shade over 6 lbs....

I adjusted the trigger to about 3 1/2 lbs. very quickly, while the stock was drying. I double & triple checked it was safe to operate as well...

Scope:

I used Weaver 2 piece bases with the newer Quad-Lock Rings.

The scope itself is a Leupold VXI.....I wanted a rugged scope that would hold it's zero, but not a pricey scope that would make my heart fail if scratched...:D

I got the scope through Cabela's after using a "$20 Off " coupon...

$179.00 shipped.....(Not too bad)

Test Firing:

I decided to go with the Winchester Supreme 95 grain Ballistic Silvertip bullet that kicks out a MV of 3100 fps.

The scope adjusted in fine, & I sat down to do the fine tuning....
The only problem was the wind.....It varied from 5-15 mph at a left cross-wind....DARN!

I got the rifle shooting reasonably close..about 1 1/2 even in that wind & put it up for the next day.
The day after proved to be a little better...about a 7 mph tailwind.
I was surprised to get the groups under an inch! I usually shoot fine tuning in the morning with the light on the face of the taget, but out of my face, as my home-range is Westward, downrange, but had to shoot with the setting sun in my face, & the taget backlit...
Still, in inch is pretty good! (I'm sure it will improve with a little barrel polishing & the right conditions)

Overall:

I have roughly $500 in the entire rig, including scope, rings/mounts, rifle, and a Butler Creek sling.

It may not be the prettiest rifle on the mountain, but it is accurate, LIGHT..(just over 7 lbs. scope mounted), and rugged....

I'm happy with the conditions I'll be facing with this rifle, & I have confidence it will stand up to those conditions with flying colors.

Any questions, feel free to ask.
I welcome your opinions as well...

Rockinbbar

The pictures....

Rockinbbar, Dang good post,  It seems that the stevens brand is making a good come back, I saw one saturday for $285, it was in 22-250, say they are a good buy huh, well at least some of the old firearms companys are still around, We have a gunsmith here who takes the model 110, and makes some fine shotguns, with 8 foot bbl's on them, I'll call jerry and see when I can come buy and take some pic's, thats all he works with is the savage model 110, Hey you done a fine job on the paint, Ron

Thankee, Ron

It took some doing to get the pattern & colors right, but I have a couple of rifles painted like that now.
I finish it off now with clearcoat satin, so the finish is surpisingly durable....
Even on a gun I carry in the pickup daily, it ought to go 3-4 years without needing touch-up work...:D

Great review and good info.  I had seen the Stevens and at a very attractive price and wondered how they shot.  I grew up with an old Stevens double barrel .410 for rabbit hunting.  Glad to see them doing well and making a comeback.

Thats a dang fine pattern, my friend dose his own also see,:D Maybe I can get him to do one for me.

Ron,

All ya gotta do is send me the stock ya want done & I'll do'er for ya!

Barry

I sure do like a good review, and that was pretty thorough.  I know you'll put her through her paces out back of the house, have you gotten to the 300 yard plates yet?  I'm bettin you'll get those groups down to about 3/4" or less after the barrel is good and broke in.  Have fun with it and let us know when it's blooded.

:D Hey thaks, RBB, but I don't have any rifle with the composite stocks, just old wood, can't see me do'n my old 99, or 70 that way, LOL, But if I get one I will, you can bet on that you do good work;)

Glenn,

Of course I hit that 300 yard popper with it! :D

I don't consider it "sighted in" til I can do that...
I really think it'll be a "shooter" once I'm done....It's good now, but it'll get better.

Ron, if ya hang one of those ugly stocks, send on up..

Barry

Great thread RBB... I sure enjoy the details, specs and 'wringing out' of the firearms at the range.

Odd, when I was young, a rifle like you describe would be considered a very special rifle indeed.  I remember 1 1/2" groups as being described as 'standard' and 'hunting accuracy'... now it is almost routine to be in the 1" group category.

Well, keep a special place in your hunting diary for this rifle and let us know just how it performs on the 'battlefield'.

I suspect it will rack up quite a record for itself, Jay.

I'm using it to replace my .223 in the pick-up only, as the Sav. 10FP is quite heavier & longer than the new Stevens.

I'm out with it in the backwoods nearly everyday, so there are lots of encounters with varmints, etc. that get between the crosshairs of my "pick up" rifle.....
It's kinda like fishing & catching fish....you will catch fish with what lure you are throwing. The same holds true for what rifle you carry....

I lost count a long time ago on the .223, I just know that if you were a varmint in it's crosshairs, you were in trouble...:D

RBB,

The old sayin'........."you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!"......well that just doesn't apply on your project.  Good job thar, feller!;)  Mighty, mighty nice!!!:D
 
Before I moved from Hondo, the last rifle I ordered for a customer was a Stevens 200 in .223.  It too, was a shooter right out of the box.  Its destiny was to be a truck/tractor rifle for whatever came along.  The last I heard it was doing what it was supposta!
 
Good going, amigo!
 
Ol' John..:D

Now, John....

That's enough to give a guy the "Big Head" coming from you....:D

I thank you.

If you handled one in the rough, then you know what that stock was like.

You keep all those McLeods that I'm kin to in Llano & Mason County in line for me. :)

Well neighbor,

Praise is given where praise is due!
 
You know in my 50+ years of foolin' with guns of various types....I have never found one that was just right for me.....always had to do a little something somewhere.  The factory stock is really rough in spots but a little elbow grease and in your case...paint also makes its appearance "muy bueno"!  With Savages usually one doesn't have to do much when it comes to accuracy.  Sure wouldn't mind having your new smokepole riding in the front seat of my truck...come on down anytime...you can drive but I get to hold the rifle.(hehe)
 
Ol' John:D