Stevens 200 action vs Savage Varmint/Target action

[mattri]

How much of a noticable difference is there between the 200 action and the varmint or target action?

Obviously the triggers are different and the Savage actions have more material, different ejector styles but what will that translate to in the real world?

For example:
If you were to build a 6br with a decent aftermarket barrel and stock, good glass, for shooting at 600 yards.
Everything else being the same what accuracy difference would you see by using the different actions?

[tammons]

I doubt much at all although every little thing helps.
Personally I dont like the accutrigger anyway so my rifles get a sss trigger which is a lot better trigger.

A few years go I swapped on a 6mmBR Shelin barrel from midway on my SS savage, machined recoil
lug, choate unbedded stock, SSS trigger, Good base scope and rings and went out and shot a 4 shot .75" 300 yard group
with 2 shots through the same hole.

If I wanted to try to cut that group in half, I personally think it would take a better action and a better barrel, bedded, better scope a lot of
work on the brass and work a lot on my shooting skills.

Here is what this guy does to shoot 1 1/8" group at 600 yards with a 22 dasher.

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek030.html

[King Ghidora]

I have the old style Savage action on my 110 which is the same as the 200 action. I also have a single shot Varmint action with the target trigger. There is quite a bit of difference between the two. Aside from being much heavier and stiffer plus having the target AccuTrigger the action is far smoother plus it feeds rounds much better. I have the Model 12 left port LRPV and all I have to do is lay a round inside the port and the bolt puts the round in perfect position every time. That's not always the case with any multiple round setup. There has to be some extra space allowed so that the cartridges feed properly. With a single shot that is not the case. The round is funneled perfectly into the chamber every time. The stiffness of the action makes a difference too. Every bit of give makes a difference and accuracy. That's not to say the 110 shoots bad. It doesn't. But it doesn't compare to the LRPV.

FWIW people are buying just the action and building a custom rifle around the it and some people are doing quite well like that. Plus the Savage shooting team is winning lots of competitions with factory models that aren't customized at all. I'm sure they are tuned and tweaked but they have set some world records recently with off the factory line guns.

The old Savage action (which is what is on the 200) is a great action but I don't believe it compares to the heavy target action and triggers. You might very well build a great rifle with the old style rifle action but remember there are advantages to the AccuTrigger like allowing you to set the trigger very, very light without worrying nearly as much about negligent discharges. There might be better triggers around but many people really like the Savage triggers.

If you're seriously interested in finding out if you can build a competitive 600 yard rifle from a 200 action I'd search the net to see if anyone else has done it. Even if they haven't I would totally give up on the idea. You might be the first. I'd probably try to buy parts that could be added onto a better action somewhere down the road.

[82boy]

FAQs
http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/index.php/topic,10750.0.html

[mattri]

Thanks for the replies. I've been looking around and quite a few people have built very accurate guns on the 200 action. Different triggers, barrels and stocks but stock actions.

[lal357]

i know alot of people dont like the accutrigger for me its the 2nd safety i like i can feel the takeup on the blade (for me almost like a set trigger) then its click .its also nice for letting friends shoot i took my rifles to the range yesterday and let a friend shoot my target accutrigger it took him 4 time to get it right he was hitting the trigger as he was putting his finger in the guard and it wouldnt fire after i showed him the correct way to pull back bingo. he actually out shot me with my rifle (308) me 5 shots .357 ctc him .304. as far as the rifle they are both stock model 12s