Stevens 200...dead for real?

[FW Conch]

Hey! Some of us got "feelins" here! How about a little sensivity! ;-((

[FW Conch]

Last night I got a call from my BIL, he is selling a High Wall in 300WSM that he has, and part of the compensation the buyer is offering is a Stevens 200 in 22/250 with 3x9x40 Nikon BDC, a Harris BiPod, & 50 rounds of ammo. The buyer wants $400 credit toward the purchase for the package. My BIL is a Remington 700 fan, so he called me for advise and offered the package to me. After thinking about it last night and reading the sad news above, I called him back this AM and told him I would take it. Now knowing my BIL, I know he is going to make a few bucks of me in the deal, never the less, I feel I would be remiss if I do not take advantage of this. Let the "excessive compulsive behavior" continue! Oh well-the money I have spent lately on brass cases has kept me away from brass poles ;-((

[ShawneeB]

Tha's a pretty good deal FW. Hard to pass up.

[J.Baker]

So answer me this: What benefit does the Stevens 200 have over the Axis?

Pros:
- Can swap barrels on both
- Both accept Savage pre-fit barrels
- Aftermarket triggers are available for both
- Accutrigger can be adapted to both
- Aftermarket stocks are available for both
- Axis is offered in both LH and RH versions
- Axis will get the AccuTrigger from the factory starting this year

Cons:
- Both come with crappy synthetic stocks
- Both come with horrible, non-adjustable triggers
- Both only offered in one magazine configuration from factory
- Stevens 200 only offered in RH version

So yeah, what's the difference if it's a Stevens 200 or an Axis when they're essentially the exact same thing?

And since I know some know-it-all will bring it up this argument: no the aftermarket stock options aren't as wide-ranging for the Axis as they are for the Stevens 200, but you can get an Axis stock for most any kind of shooting you want to do - including benchrest and F-class.

[ShawneeB]

Long action 30-06 and a short action 243, both brandy new Stevens 200's :p

http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj493/Hermit54/gun%20stuff/IMG_20140117_1053331.jpg

[Gmountain]

So answer me this: What benefit does the Stevens 200 have over the Axis?

Pros:
- Can swap barrels on both
- Both accept Savage pre-fit barrels
- Aftermarket triggers are available for both
- Accutrigger can be adapted to both
- Aftermarket stocks are available for both
- Axis is offered in both LH and RH versions
- Axis will get the AccuTrigger from the factory starting this year

Cons:
- Both come with crappy synthetic stocks
- Both come with horrible, non-adjustable triggers
- Both only offered in one magazine configuration from factory
- Stevens 200 only offered in RH version

So yeah, what's the difference if it's a Stevens 200 or an Axis when they're essentially the exact same thing?

And since I know some know-it-all will bring it up this argument: no the aftermarket stock options aren't as wide-ranging for the Axis as they are for the Stevens 200, but you can get an Axis stock for most any kind of shooting you want to do - including benchrest and F-class.

To turn it around- why would Savage introduce the Axis, if they were already selling essentially the same thing? Are there cost savings somewhere?

[ShawneeB]

You can't compare a Stevens to a Axis. Stevens's a 110 action to start with. The stock is synthetic but stiff. Factory trigger is better, blind mag but that's my preference. I guess others too as they load their Axis as a blind mag.

Why they selling Axis and stop Stevens? Bigger profit margin, Axis isn't a 110.

[RP12]

I think the Stevens rifle acted as a loss liter. In other words they took a profit loss to fill a void in the market. The Axis is produced to be more profitable for Savage.

[Mach2]

A Stevens mod 200 is the same as a Savage 10/110 action. Maybe Savage felt the Stevens 200 line was cutting into the Savage 10/110 sales. The new owners of Savage withdrew the mod 200 to increase Savage 10/110/111/etc sales. Now you really got to ante up if you like the Savage 10/110 action by buying the more expensive Savage main line of rifles. Since it's a recession most folks will be stuck with the cheaper made Axis if they can't go the Savage 10/110 route. The Axis is hardly a Stevens.

[sharpshooter]

When the Stevens 200 debuted, the cost was about $100 less than the next priced model 11. The cost difference to produce the 200 was only $11.00 less than the model 11, but the profit margin was lower to compete with Marlin and Mossberg. The Axis, or Edge as it was originally called, initially cost $50.00 less than the Stevens 200 to manufacture. It was later disclosed that the cost was more like $75.00 less once production got into full swing. The cost of the Edge rifle when it first came out, was the same as the cost of the Stevens 200 when they came out. It's all about the dollars and cents....

[Mach2]

The cost of the Edge rifle when it first came out, was the same as the cost of the Stevens 200 when they came out. It's all about the dollars and cents....

Put that way; why even make the Edge? The 110 Stevens action is superior to the Edge.

[defoxer]

Non adjustable trigger??

As far as why introduce the (at the time) Edge was to produce the entry model stevens type of rifle CHEAPER. It was certainly a cheaper to produce rifle with more plastic and castings and shortcuts like the cut out lug key-way. The RRP was 10% as I recall below the $404 of the stevens....
The intent of Savage was to DELETE the 200 back then, I'm sure the rumours abounded, even on this forum back then. Savage however kept it in the lineup with a wide array of chamberings which they started culling a few years ago (removed the 7mm08 and others)

The way I see it 'we' got a few more years out of the stevo 200 than we would have otherwise.

[thirty06]

Cons on Axis -No magnums, short or long
No aftermarket bolt handles (that I know of )
Stuck with factory recoil lug
No adjustment on firing pin
Scope base choices are less

[scope eye]

The first two calibers to go in the 200 series were the 25-06 and 7-08, even if they stopped making them tomorrow, there are a lot in the pipeline left especially the wholesalers, that and they will popping up for sale new or hardly used for years to come.

Dean

[scope eye]

At Buds you can still buy an 11 or 111 complete with throwaway scope for for $339.00, so that is the route I will take if it comes to that.

Dean

[RP12]

Put that way; why even make the Edge? The 110 Stevens action is superior to the Edge.Because of the profit margin, it cost less for Savage to make the Axis. The same cost was for the "consumer" not the manufacturer.

[scope eye]

I find that hard to believe about the cost, they have had the tooling for the Stevens 10-110 for god knows how long, retooling and setting up a new production line, takes a long time to get back your ROI, the Stevens 10-110 comes down to only raw materials and labor.

Dean

[03mossy]

The first two calibers to go in the 200 series were the 25-06 and 7-08, even if they stopped making them tomorrow, there are a lot in the pipeline left especially the wholesalers, that and they will popping up for sale new or hardly used for years to come.

Dean

Hope your right Dean as I have multiple builds floating around in my head all starting with Stevens 200's.

[Gmountain]

Hope your right Dean as I have multiple builds floating around in my head all starting with Stevens 200's.

I don't think the distributors have any.

[squirrelsniper]

The only reason the Stevens was ever introduced is because Savage was getting throughly beaten in the economy rifle market by things like the Mossberg, Marlin, etc. The profit margin was tiny for the Stevens rifles, so its day have been numbered ever since production of the Edge started.

But, I can't say I'm bothered much. If I'm looking for a build rifle, which is what a lot of us were buying the Stevens 200 for anyway, I can pick up nice used 10s and 110s for under $300 after every deer season is over. Just since modern gun deer season ended here in KY, I've already seen several nice AccuTrigger and flatback 10/110s selling in the $260-$300 range. The trick is just waiting for the first 4-8 weeks after hunting season ends. If you're not going to use it for a build rifle, an Axis with AccuTrigger could be a better choice than a Stephens 200 anyway. Just my $.02