A Tale of Two Budget Rifles - Stevens 200 and Marlin XL7 (pic heavy)

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What's with the stock debate? Both stocks are ugly, as are almost all made with that material, regardless of brand. If you like the gun enough to fix (i.e., replace) the stock, then do it.
 
Thank you for your time and putting your money into this project. I hope your work will help someone make a good choice on data not emotion. Little things mean a lot to different people. Most DOE's I see are not done as well.

WELL DONE!
 
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow said:
Are the actual street prices the same or different on these two rifles? If not, which one costs more?
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Base Marlin runs MSRP of $340, so probably that out the door with tax.
The Stevens runs MSRP of $399. I got mine out the door for $310.

Never shot the Marlin, but I have yet to hear any substantial negative reviews on it. Mainly just personal preferences that are not liked.
I have a 200 in 300 WM. The recoil pad is fine, it could be bigger but works good enough. The Marlins definitely looks better.
Another thing, the Stevens is the absolute base rifle Savage sells, the XL7 described here is the cheapest model made by Marlin, but the only difference is the stock.

If you want to pick up a rifle that is decent priced, shoots good, and is reliable, either will do perfectly fine. But if you want to get a rifle and in the future do some possible building, the Stevens is the way to go.

Bone stock, my 200 shoots 1.5" at 200 yards, 5 shot groups. 3-9 scope.

I have since purchased a B&C stock, $72, complete detachable mag kit with the magazine, $69, and fully bedded the rifle. Added a Leupy scope mount and rings, $35. I have a sweet shooting rifle for Under $500 bucks. I did not have to buy the scope.

As for a factory bone stock rifle, I would have to give the nod to marlin for the reason of the trigger and buttpad. But the action and barrel would have to go to the Stevens. Since most people who will buy these don't care and just shoot for hunting, it really doesn't matter. But a side by side review is always nice.

Out of curiosity. What type of bedding is used in the marlin. The 200 uses metal pillars and am wondering if the marlin is the same.
 
Seems like the Marlin is the better value, with the lower price and better recoil pad and better trigger. Does Marlin also use the same style button rifling as the famous Savage and Stevens rifles?
 
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow said:
Seems like the Marlin is the better value, with the lower price and better recoil pad and better trigger.
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Maybe a better value for the base model. But definitely not for the Savage. The marlin cannot hold a candle to that, but then it is not supposed to.

I would still take the Savage over the Marlin because I know that the Stevens action is one of the best and Marlins has yet to be proved.
 
why do you guys think the stocks are ugly (or any uglier than your average black synthetic stock?)

Is there something about the contours that I am missing?
 
I actually like the Grayish looking stock on my Stevens 200. But the stock has some sharp edges. I took fine sandpaper and went over some of the sharper edges which helped a bit. If the Marlin's trigger is anything like the Savage Accu-Trigger then I would prefer that. I adjusted the Stevens 200 trigger and it is better but not nearly as nice as the accu-trigger on my other Savage rifle. I can live with the older Savage trigger and I need to do some more work on the Stevens 200 stock to remove rough edges but the metalwork on the firearm a lot nicer than I had expected. My Stevens 200 is chambered for the .223 so the recoil pad is a mute point for me in this chambering.
 
There are several write-ups on here and the Marlin owners forum stating that Savage barrels will in fact work on a Marlin.

I think the Marlin shoulders better and I prefer the feeling of the stock over the Stevens - neither are as nice as a Savage (but the Savage is more $).

Bass Pro has the XL7 and XS7 for $280.

Calibers are:

XL7 - 30-06, 25-06, 270
XS7 - 7mm-08, 308, 243

The Marlin now is available with a walnut stock - I've not seen one in person yet, but their website has pictures.

Jeff
 
I have an MR-7 Marlin in .30-06. This was Marlin's early and short-lived entry into the center fire market back in the ealry 90s. It is a real good looking rifle with richly blued metal and a nice walnut stock. Just for grins, I glass bedded the action and free-floated the barrel and my groups did tighten up a bit.
 
BANG BANG...those are the biggest ground hogs ive ever seen in my life. Maybe I just need to get out more, but those things are huge. They dont get nearly that large around here.
 
Yeah, those were both large males, taken bake earlier this year. Those were the largest I've ever taken. Older ones....smart ones, couldn't get close enough with .22lr's or my 22 Magnum. The 300 shines at ranges over 100 on those critters...I'd expect (by the damage done to those large ones) that an average size groundhog would *almost* blow in half. Those both had exit wounds about fist-sized.
 
PR person at Marlin told me that the XL7w-3006 has a solid walnut stock. I have not heard this from anyone else. Is the Marlin PR rep correct or is he ignorant about his product? Solid wood? Plywood? Plastic like the plain black stock?
 
Dookie said:
Out of curiosity. What type of bedding is used in the marlin. The 200 uses metal pillars and am wondering if the marlin is the same.
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The Marlin has 2 metal pillars, one the front stock bolt and one under the rear.
 
I can't find a XL7W-3006 or other XL7W locally, so I can't go and examine it to see if it is really walnut wood or just something that looks like wood. For that extra $100 it ought to be better than colored plastic.

Has any reader taken the buttplate/recoil pad off to see what's between it and the rest of the rifle?
 
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Thanks for the write up.........Marlin should send you a check cause I just bought the XS7 Youth in .308 base on it!!! I will be honest, I didn't have the patience to wait to get the full length camo stock, so if anyone has one that want to get rid of.......................................

I just lost my left foot this year from being hit by a car, so I'm going for a buget-minded, light weight, accurate, comfortable hunting rifle. Something that I can carry all day.

My type of hunting requires me not to worry about the finish since I hunt the brush hard. I have or had a couple nice rifles that have many battle wounds. I hated the nagging itch in the back of my mind to not use my rifle to push tree branches and sticker bushes out of the way. If I banged it on the truck door I would get that little sick feel of "ah man" before I started looking for scratches. Point is, $300 is a great price for a piece of mind.

I will be putting quailty optics on the Marlin--something from leupold in either 2x7 or 3x9. I have learned over the years to not cheap out on optics. Another thing thats takes alot of worrying (for me) out of taking a shoot after busting the brush.

Anyhow, many thanks for the review.

Scott
 
the Savage 114 American Classic in .30-06 has been on my short list for two years now for my first ever bolt action rifle.....

sadly.... the longer I have to wait, the higher their prices keep going
 
Thanks for the excellent write-up. I was just looking at these two rifles at Gander Mtn. Sat. My observations were much like yours, I believe either would be a fine budget minded choice.

Does anyone know how closely Marlin and Savage-Stevens are related ownership wise, it seems they are "kissing cousins"?
 
Excellent info; thanks. I just may go with that Marlin XL7, especially now that I've learned that they are available with wood stocks.
 
[email protected] said:
I can't find a XL7W-3006 or other XL7W locally, so I can't go and examine it to see if it is really walnut wood or just something that looks like wood. For that extra $100 it ought to be better than colored plastic.

Has any reader taken the buttplate/recoil pad off to see what's between it and the rest of the rifle?
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From the Marlin website:

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/centerfireBoltAction/XL7w.asp

"Pillar-bedded satin-finished walnut with raised cheek piece and Soft-TechTM recoil pad"
 
Marlin XL7s with synthetic stocks and "starter" 3-9x scopes are available on Gunbroker for $319, plus $15 shipping.
 
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