Took my .223 Stevens 200 to the range today [pics]

[MrOldLude]

I took my DIY benchrest, some handloads, and my warm clothes out to the shooting range this morning. This was the first day that I would be using the rest, and the second outing with the rifle.

The rest worked surprisingly well. It's not 100% solid, like a pro, high-end BR rifle rest. But as stiff as the type of rest that'd cost significantly more. More than the $6 in nuts and bolts I needed to buy to put it together.

These were my first two groups. On target #2, which was first 5-shot string fired, using my #2 set of loads. The group was pretty good. But the flyer on the top was the first round down the bore. I probably should have fired a fouling shot, but whatever. Ignoring the flyer, the distance between the widest holes of that main group was 0.55". The grid is 1"x1", so after shooting those 5, I adjusted the point of impact down and moved to target/load #3.

This was my best group of the day. Of the 5 I shot, each was pretty good. But none as good as this one. The other 3 averaged slightly less than 1"

0.52" at 100 yards. 36F, with a 15 mph wind coming directly towards me from the north.

.223, Lake City brass, 24 gr of Varget, 69gr Speer MatchKing HPBT.

I was shocked when I walked to the target and saw it. I'm extremely impressed with the rifle, and also pretty happy with my benchrest.

Ain't too shabby for a $300 gun, $70 Simmons scope, and some 2x4's bolted to a truck scissor jack. Amazing rifle.

 

[potmetal]

I've heard nothing but good things about the Stevens from everyone I know who owns one, well, except that the stock isn't too pretty.
Great shooting, congrats.

 

[Walkalong]

Very inventive. Nice shooting.

 

[Kachok]

Savage and Stevens are both cheesy feeling, less then attractive rifles, but holy cow can they shoot. I have owned 4 of them now none of them grouped any worse then 1.5" with factory ammo, the best made tiny little smooth one hole groups all day long!

 

[MrOldLude]

Yeah. The stock, while pillar-bedded and free floated, is a piece of trash. But the mold-lines and flashing doesn't hurt the accuracy.

 

[joed]

If you want to see some impressive groups with that rifle try the 69 gr Nosler Match with 26.0 gr of Varget. I had a 10fp in .223 which loved this load, it could shoot one ragged hole.

Just sold it last week and moved up to a .22-250. I loved the accuracy of the .223 but realized for varmint hunting beyond 300 yards the .223 just doesn't do that well. But to 300 yards it's very accurate.

 

[Liberty1776]

Wow! My wife's boss has a Rem. 700 Varmint that doesn't do anywhere near that good, and with scope (big Leupold) cost him around $1200...

 

[M1key]

I think using Sierra Match bullets ahead of Varget is the key to 223 accuracy.


M

 

[unwise11]

nice gun. nice rest. I have to ask..
why didnt you post the other groups?

 

[Walkalong]

You don't bring the bad report cards home to show off, just the good ones.

We all like to post the good ones, and forget about the bad ones.

 

[unwise11]

OP should shoot some 3 shot groups and join the match, He could probable get some under .5"

 

[viking499]

That is some good looking targets. I had one at one time that would shoot factory loadas that good. Nice Job!

 

[nastynatesfish]

That's awesome to know. I ordered mine last week and it should be at my FFL monday when I leave work. I was looking at 50-55 gr v max for loads ahead of rl 10x. That was my best recipe for my single shot. One question, what's the bolt spacin on it? 4.25". I'm already looking at stocks to replace, then will be a bit heavier barrel. Congrats on the dirt cheap gun with dog crap stock that shoots under .6 lol. I love savages

 

[stormspotter]

Great shooting. I just got done painting my Stevens stock with Rust Oleum Textured Plastic and it came out looking great. Don't have any pictures to show but the link below is what I followed.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=406836

I sanded down the mold lines and "lightly sanded" the stock, then I wiped it down with alcohol, to remove any oil from my hands, and then followed the above link. Makes the stock look a lot better.

Mine is the center feed model and with the action out of the stock I backed off the tension on the trigger spring to lighten it up also. Check out post #7 at this link. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=408861

Search "Painting the Stevens stock" and "How to lighten up the Stevens trigger" and you will get some good information.

 

[viking499]

How can you tell if one is center feed or staggered feed? Which one is better?

 

[kis2]

I don't mean to ignore the shooting here, but I like that rest! Very nice. I might have to reverse engineer something

Nice rifle as well.

 

[Roughneck08]

Very inventive on the bench rest. Awesome idea. Congrats on an acccurate rifle and thanks for the report.

 

[MrOldLude]

Great shooting. I just got done painting my Stevens stock with Rust Oleum Textured Plastic and it came out looking great. Don't have any pictures to show but the link below is what I followed.

Definitely bookmarking this one. Thank you.

I don't mean to ignore the shooting here, but I like that rest! Very nice. I might have to reverse engineer something

Let me know if you'd like any additional pictures/dimensions.

nice gun. nice rest. I have to ask..
why didnt you post the other groups?

As others have stated, it's easy to forget about not so perfect groups.

Group #3 is shown in the original post.

#1

#2 (These were the first shots. The high and right hole in the foam is the first down the tube)

#4 This one just started wrong. So I fired them off without letting the barrel cool.

#5 This one is pretty decent, ignoring the flyer.

 

[stormspotter]

I believe the the center feed has the screws that hold the action in the stock spaced at 4.40". Also when the action is taken ut of the stock the magazine stays in the stock and is not attched to the action.

There are several sites on line that explain it far better than I can.

 

[Adam123]

I think using Sierra Match bullets ahead of Varget is the key to 223 accuracy.


M

There are so many accurate load combinations. I am not sure how anyone can say that one particular load is the "key to 223 accuracy". Lude, nice shooting.

 

[Damon555]

That is some great shooting with a budget setup.

There is no ignoring of fliers.....I hate them but it's still part of the group.

 

[cataway]

mine has a preference for sierra #1390 55 gr bthp