17 fireball build from .223 stevens model 200 action

Hello, everybody
New to this forum Ive already learned a lot from just a few hours of reading. This is a great site for a newly convert from the world of the model 700's.
I never dreamed of building my own rifle before now!!!!!!!!

I am looking for help on a econo varmint build in .17 fireball. I have been shooting and loading a VS 700 in 22-250 for years and looking for the more comfortable recoil

Things I do have.
I have a EABCO 26" heavy barrel already chambered a #2 rifle basics trigger and a barrel wrench on order should have in a few days. 100 pcs brass, 100 20gr vmax and a pound of benchrest

Things I don't have.
I have found a model 200 stevens .223 to use for an action. Its at a local pawn shop reasonably priced. I have been looking at the Boyd's laminated thumbhole stocks on sale for $100 bucks.
Looking for all in put in the things I don't have yet and what I'm missing?

Thanks cant wait to shoot my own first build

You probably will need a single shot follower (available from SSS and others) because the 221 Fireball based rounds won't feed through a Savage/Stevens magazine.
Charlie

My Stevens 200 223 gun FEEDS 221 and 300 Whisper just fine. However, it won't EJECT them worth a hoot - just drops them back on the follower.

EABCO includes a blind magazine follower with their barrel. i had read about the .223 not ejecting problems.

My go no go gauges came in today from Brownells. Any advise on head space for most accuracy?

I haven't ordered the stock yet. because Im not sure if this gun is a true short action and not a 110 long action .223

Thanks

The Stevens 200 in 223 is a short action - only thing you need to know is if it is centerfeed or stagger feed.

If you bought .17 caliber brass and wish to deburr the flash hole you will need a .17 specific deburring tool.

Yeah I will need that and a powder funnel a few other things
Im sure I need bases and rings got a nikon 6x18 coming

Your pretty much got everything you need on track. Your Boyd stock will not have pillars so you may want to think about getting those. I have the same stock on the 7mm/08 I just built.

I built a 17 Fireball from a Stevens action (former .308) that I specifically wanted for fox hunting. I bot a SinMan barrel and wrenched it onto the Stevens Action.

Now, my "biggest" issue was the short .17 Fireball (which is the same length as the .221 Fireball) would be "sprung" from the magazine before the tip of the bullet had entered the barrel. This caused the bullet to jam...sideways...jump out of the gun altogether....and just plain be a PITA.

Of course, you can make it easy and put a single shot follower in it.....but I wanted a bolt action for a quick second follow up shot. So, the follower was not an option.

So, (and I'm giving you the short story) after many different "engineering attempts" at re-vamping the blind mag, what I ended up doing was buying a CZ removable .221 Fireball magazine. Then, with a friend who had an awesome wood shop, I cut a piece of walnut to "fit" in the blind mag "spot" and to also accept the CZ detachable mag. And finally, I cut two pieces of the Stevens blind mag to extend the feed lips of the mag enough so that the bullet was entering the barrel before it "left" the magazine.

In addition, there is a small grove in the extractor that must be filed out to be a bit longer so the spent brass will "drag" on the inside of the receiver until it reaches the opening to be ejected. Somewhere in the how to section there is an explanation of this.

Here are some pics of my work. Ask any questions you may have. If you go another direction...please post some pics so that others can have learn from what you have done. BTW....you should start from the bottom of the pics and go to the top for a logical order of start to finish...kind of!!
Completed rifle without mag in
[img width=600 height=357]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/davemuzz/Stevens%20Fireball/IMAG0034.jpg[/img]
Fitting walnut into blind mag space
[img width=600 height=401]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/davemuzz/Stevens%20Fireball/DSC00916.jpg[/img]
Fitting detachable CZ mag in with extended feed lips
[img width=600 height=401]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/davemuzz/Stevens%20Fireball/DSC00913.jpg[/img]
Fitting detachable CZ mag in before Davcon-ing extended feed lips
[img width=600 height=401]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/davemuzz/Stevens%20Fireball/DSC00912.jpg[/img]
Walnut fitted to stock, CZ mag work next
[img width=600 height=401]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/davemuzz/Stevens%20Fireball/DSC00911.jpg[/img]
Another view of finished walnut block prior to starting CZ mag fit and extended feed lips
[img width=600 height=401]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/davemuzz/Stevens%20Fireball/DSC00910.jpg[/img]
What it will look like when it's done
[img width=600 height=401]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/davemuzz/Stevens%20Fireball/DSC00918.jpg[/img]


The walnut block is not glued or held in place by any permanent means. The walnut is cut so when the barreled action is seated, the walnut does not move.

The CZ mag "Snaps" into place via a drilled piano wire front and back thru the walnut. In other words, it's just the piano wire pressure that holds it there. It works great and I haven't lost it yet.

My only "gripe" is the CZ mag spring is very strong and if I load 5 rounds in it....the first two will most likely jam when I go to eject and attempt to chamber them. So, I simply keep 3 rounds in the mag. When I hunt, I have one in the chamber and two in the mag. If I miss 'em after 3 shots....and I haven't had 3 shots at one fox yet, then it's a bad night!!!

Dave

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eric in NC

My Stevens 200 223 gun FEEDS 221 and 300 Whisper just fine. However, it won't EJECT them worth a hoot - just drops them back on the follower.

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did you follow this thread?
http://savageshooters.com/SavageForu...c,44693.0.html

Yup!! Dat would be the one!!! ;D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sha-ul

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eric in NC

My Stevens 200 223 gun FEEDS 221 and 300 Whisper just fine. However, it won't EJECT them worth a hoot - just drops them back on the follower.

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did you follow this thread?
http://savageshooters.com/SavageForu...c,44693.0.html

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Yes I did - however a repeater isn't that big a deal for me in that rifle. I prefer being able to pick up the empty. Just wanted to tell the OP not to expect it to work in a "stock" configuration.

davemuzz, cool adapter http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s.../thanim_32.gif
Eric, I see the advantage of going ejector-less, tempting too at times 8)
but I wanted to share that there are possible solutions to that problem. ;)