First Build (Stevens 200 in 308 Winchester)

[barrel-nut]

Ok. It looks crooked in the pic. It is supposed to sit on top of the pillar. It kinda acts like a spacer. Not the best design, but it is what it is. Make sure it goes down into its slot when you set the action down on top of it. Then snug down the action screws, front one first, and check the fit. Test for proper feeding.

[barrel-nut]

But I'll say again, it really should be down into its place before you put the action in. Something is not in place.

[cowtownup]

I worked on the magazine again this morning and was able to get the magazine and clip to say down against the pillar. I installed the action in the stock and torqued down the action screws to 25 in lbs just to hold it pretty close to how it would be. The clip sitting atop the pillar is enough to push the barrel down against the forend of the stock. Therefore the barrel is not free floating.. When I install the action without the magazine without the clip sitting atop the pillar, the barrel is floated quite well throughout the barrel channel. It appears to me that material will have to be removed at one of two places a) the barrel channel at the forend b)the top of the pillar down to allow the clip to sit lower. I've emailed SSS as advised earlier to see what they said about the fit and included pics... We'll see how that goes over but I'm not sure if I will hear back from them or not...

Any suggestions?

[cowtownup]

Continuing on with the barrel installation.. I cleaned the threads on the receiver really good and just inspected the action best I could with my limited experience. I put the action wrench in my vise again such that the bolt was right side up so I could easily work it to check headspace. I screwed on the barrel nut and put a fair amount of anti-sieze on the barrel's threads. Made sure I put the recoil lug in position and screwed the barrel on.. Everything went together just fine and was able to find the just right spot where the bolt would close on my GO GUAGE relatively easily. I ended up using a piece of tape that I mic'd out to .0035 and put on the head of my GO GUAGE to make my own NO GO GUAGE. It worked... I tried to set the headspace as tight to the GO GUAGE as I possibly could and still have an easy bolt lift. Finally, I torqued the barrel nut down to 30 ft lbs.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-17685-1416348969282_zpsf5175619.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-17685-1416348969282_zpsf5175619.jpg.html)

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-48050-1416349004446_zps4c9a963b.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-48050-1416349004446_zps4c9a963b.jpg.html)

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-70345-1416349066929_zps0660d88e.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-70345-1416349066929_zps0660d88e.jpg.html)

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-136939-1416349162669_zpsa4d98907.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-136939-1416349162669_zpsa4d98907.jpg.html)

[LoneWolf]

looking good!

[cowtownup]

Regarding the issue I am having with the magazine, I talked to the person I bought the stock from and he stated that he did not use the clip. I decided to use a piece of cardboard as a shim between the magazine shroud and the inletting for the magazine to secure it. This did away with the clip for now and allowed the action to sit down on the pillar. This does cause contact between the rear tang and the stock, but I'm going to continue on and see how it shoots before I revisit possibly floating the tang and bedding the action. The magazine does function properly now despite the clip not being there and the barrel is completely free floated all the way to the barrel nut. It actually has a pretty decent amount of float to it so hopefully that will be advantageous to cooling...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-16734-1416349036226_zps05c9990e.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-16734-1416349036226_zps05c9990e.jpg.html)

Took the time here to clean the barrel from the manufacturing process... Here is what I got out...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-28289-1416349097955_zps363d4202.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-28289-1416349097955_zps363d4202.jpg.html)


Continuing on with the installation of the optics. I installed the EGW 20 moa base and torqued to 20 in lbs. Also applied a dab of blue loctite on those screws. I also installed the Burris Signature Zee rings and went with the +/- 10 inserts this time. I previously had 42 MOA of up adjustment which would have been plenty for my application but I went ahead anyhow with a little extra cant just in case a miracle happens and I get the chance to go long... LOL... Anyhow, installed the rings and torqued those to 30 in/lbs using blue loctite also. The Vortex Viper HS-T went on pretty easily since I already knew were I wanted it. Just had to level the recticle with my own little redneck leveling method and torque the clamp rings down to 30 in/lbs also using blue loctite.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-70305-1416349403591_zpsf0f5a542.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-70305-1416349403591_zpsf0f5a542.jpg.html)

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-7761-1416350721228_zps12bfad51.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-7761-1416350721228_zps12bfad51.jpg.html)

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-19230-1416350805496_zps52ede2d0.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-19230-1416350805496_zps52ede2d0.jpg.html)

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-5630-1416350879230_zps7d30a90b.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-5630-1416350879230_zps7d30a90b.jpg.html)


After I got eveything tightened down I took it outside bore sighted the rifle. I could certainly tell that I gained some elevation adjustment from the +/- 10 inserts. I brought it back to the bench and measured the distance to the lands with the 175 SMKs as well as the 168 SMKs. Those results are:

175 SMK's = 2.845" OAL touching the lands

168 SMK's = 2.865" OAL touching the lands

I threw some once fired FGMM brass in the tumbler, put the rifle in the safe and calling it a day.... I will try to come up with a plan on load development this evening and try to start loading some rounds tomorrow. Hopefully, I can test drive this thing by the end of the week. If you can't already tell, once I start a project I pretty much move along with it... Sometimes working so quickly is my greatest enemy but its just my nature. My wheels are always turning and I'm trying to think out ahead most of the time... LOL....

[LoneWolf]

I really like the Hornady 178gr BTHP. They seem to be more consistent than the SMK's for me as would make sense with the additional BC.

[mattri]

Looks great- well done.

You may want to sort your stock fitment issues before shooting for accuracy, eliminating variables now could avoid headaches later.

[scooterf79]

Looks really good! Cant wait to see how it shoots.
Scooter

[cowtownup]

Here is the response I got from SSS on the retaining clip issue I'm having with the magazine.

"The solution is to cut the “L” clip back so the forked part is not on the pillar. The top part of the clip only needs to be hanging over about 3/16” to locate the magazine height. There should be a notch cut in front of the pillar to accommodate this."

Let me ask this question here.... In a stock that has only pillars, doesn't the action rest on these pillars? If that L-Clip sits up higher than the pillar, then the action will rest on the L clip and not the pillar. Can anyone elaborate on this for me?

Thanks

[olddav]

I'll take a shot at paraphrasing (incorrectly) what they said. Cut the tab and then cut a recess in the stock just in front of the rear pillar.
Any one else see it that way?

[cowtownup]

That sounds reasonable to me.. Another reason I like that option is because I think it would be fairly simple to do... LOL

[cowtownup]

Well I took about 6 shots to get the rifle sighted in decently close at 100 yards today.. Really much smoother shooting rifle than the stock stevens 200.. Thats for sure...
Dialed up 3.75 moa for the 300 yard ladder test with 1/2 grain increments from 39.5 to 44.5... Here are those results...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-53322-1416519668316_zps3dbaa715.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-53322-1416519668316_zps3dbaa715.jpg.html)

Came back to 100 yards and shot a couple of 3 shot groups with 43, 43.5 and 44 grains just for fun... They were all less than MOA but here is the best...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-113173-1416519669803_zpsa432a836.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-113173-1416519669803_zpsa432a836.jpg.html)


http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-117731-1416519668879_zps271a994f.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-117731-1416519668879_zps271a994f.jpg.html)

[cowtownup]

I sprung for the Glade Armory bolt handle...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-53687-1416591991620_zps980edf9e.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-53687-1416591991620_zps980edf9e.jpg.html)

[cowtownup]

My son and I finally got the 40 moa base on his gun today...

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/photobucket-39237-1416773904679_zps73c04833.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/photobucket-39237-1416773904679_zps73c04833.jpg.html)

[Rosco]

Nice!!

[cowtownup]

I'm going to link to questions I have in new threads..

http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?40107-Floating-the-tang&p=291179#post291179

[GaCop]

Good lookin rifle that's coming along nicely!

[PAPERKILLER]

I really had problems with that bracket. It doesn't allow the action to fully seat on the rear pillar. I ended up taking the magazine out, filling the magazine well with lead shot and epoxy; then bedding the action with a single shot sled. I realize you probably want a repeater so this is not possible. I would suggest cutting the L bracket as suggested. I have also heard of people removing the bracket and using a small amount of epoxy putty to stabilize the magazine box and do away with the bracket all together. This will eliminate some headaches when it comes to bedding. I ended up releaving the stock for the rear tang quit a bit so it floats as well. You seem to have put a lot of thought into your build. Good luck!

[reshp1]

The new blind magazine design is asinine. The spring pressure is working against what amounts to friction when the action is out of the stock, and against the resistance of the L-clip against the bottom of the action when the action is installed and the box inevitably works loose after a few rounds.

What I did was made some brass shims out of spent casings and threaded them into the slots at the bottom of the magazine frame, across the bottom of the follower spring (held inside the mag). These slots are to mount a base plate for DBM models, which share the same frame. What the shims do is takes the spring pressure off the bottom of the stock cut out and onto the frame. You basically have a self contained box magazine.

With the spring pressure removed, the magazine is MUCH easier to install. With a couple of business cards, I was able to locate the magazine at the proper height so the bolt would pick up rounds but not bind. With the magazine no longer wanting to eject itself from the stock well, you can eliminate the L clip altogether and just fill the gap up with a spacer of some sort.