Savage review 11/111 & Stevens 200

[98dyna]

I bought a Savage Trophy Hunter DOA 111 in a 7mm Remington Mag before Xmas after rebate price of $280.00 shipped. 4 days ago I bought a new Stevens model 200 30-06(factory pillars,aftermarket recoil pad, and adjustable trigger) for $200.00 cash. After tightening the bases and rings on the 7mm off to the range to break-in the barrel. I was amazed how easy the rifle dialed in with the Bushnell DOA 600 scope and after about 25 rounds I was hitting a 8" steel plate at 300 yards every time using my own hand loads. The Stevens was a bit funner to load for because the chamber has no free bore, found that I have to set the bullets in about .025 under maximum oal to chamber properly. Both rifles with pencil barrels shoot nice groups (under 1/2 with correct loads) but the barrels get hot quick(3 rounds). Very light weight rifles at 7.25 lbs. each they will be great for hunting next fall both deer and elk. Add these 2 to my model Savage 12 and 112 varmit rifles for a well rounded group.

[RP12]

You bought a 111 not a 11/111. Just read the barrel.

[98dyna]

I stand corrected.

[J.Baker]

Sounds like you found a couple keepers.

[penna shooter]

Congrats, great find.

[NOOTKA NICK]

Good deals, don't think u can find a better shooter for those prices.......yep,my .300/111fcxp3 gets real WARM after a couple shots.....great reason to have a couple rifles when doing ''range work''.

[Newtosavage]

I run somewhat the same combination. I have owned model 10's and 11's in several calibers, and now own a Stevens 200 in 7mm-08. As you mention - no freebore to work with in that gun, so you have to take that into consideration when handloading. For example, if I loaded the rather blunt-nosed 120 grain Sierra Pro Hunter (an excellent light hunting bullet for the 7mm-08) to the recommended 2.800" OAL, I would be jamming that bullet into the lands on each cycle. Max OAL for that bullet is 2.775" so I load for 2.75". With 139 SST's I'm fine at 2.80" because of the shape of the ogive.

In my Tikka, I have a much longer throat and after a quick magazine and bolt stop modification, I am seating my 162 ELD-X's all the way out to 2.94"!

I suppose learning each individual rifle is part of the fun of reloading. Glad you got some keepers and that is a smoking deal on both rifles!