Took my Stevens 200 to the range this morning - [pics]

I took my DIY benchrest, some handloads, and my warm clothes out to the shooting range this morning. This was the first day that I would be using the rest, and the second outing with the rifle.

[img width=600 height=393]http://pic0.picsorlinks.com/ph_or_63409_8994c1a.jpg[/img]

The rest worked surprisingly well. It's not 100% solid, like a pro, high-end BR rifle rest. But as stiff as the type of rest that'd cost significantly more. More than the $6 in nuts and bolts I needed to buy to put it together.

[img width=600 height=449]http://pic0.picsorlinks.com/ph_or_63410_d365d7d.jpg[/img]

These were my first two groups. On target #2, which was first 5-shot string fired, using my #2 set of loads. The group was pretty good. But the flyer on the top was the first round down the bore. I probably should have fired a fouling shot, but whatever. Ignoring the flyer, the distance between the widest holes of that main group was 0.55". The grid is 1"x1", so after shooting those 5, I adjusted the point of impact down and moved to target/load #3.

[img width=600 height=449]http://pic0.picsorlinks.com/ph_or_63411_063abaf.jpg[/img]

This was my best group of the day. Of the 5 I shot, each was pretty good. But none as good as this one. The other 3 averaged slightly less than 1"

[img width=600 height=449]http://pic0.picsorlinks.com/ph_or_63412_12e181b.jpg[/img]

0.52" at 100 yards. 36F, with a 15 mph wind coming directly towards me from the north.

.223, Lake City brass, 24 gr of Varget, 69gr Speer MatchKing HPBT.

I was shocked when I walked to the target and saw it. I'm extremely impressed with the rifle, and also pretty happy with my benchrest.

Ain't too shabby for a $300 gun, $70 simmons scope, and some 2x4's bolted to a truck scissor jack. Amazing rifle.

Nice gun and nice shooting! I also have a Stevens 223 that I bought as a "loaner" gun for friends to take Prairie Dog hunting. It started off great and just keeps shooting better and better.
Charlie

Please, don't take me as being a smart @ss but, do you use that rig from the standing position? In the picture it seems to sit pretty high. Please enlighten me. Nice groups with the S200 so obviously it works very well.

Nice job. Gotta love it when those low cost guns shoot that well.

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Originally Posted by GaCop

Please, don't take me as being a smart @ss but, do you use that rig from the standing position? In the picture it seems to sit pretty high. Please enlighten me. Nice groups with the S200 so obviously it works very well.

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No worries, you're right. It is a little high. I set the level position at mid-height of the jack. But I still had to dial it down and adjust the rear elevation screw to get it right. Then, sat on my foot to boost me high enough.

So I'm probably going to chop an inch or two off the height of the rear-rest and do a couple more tweaks.

Nice groups!

I use a very similar setup to yours but mine looks to be about 6 inches shorter in height. I actually need to add a little height to my rear bag support so I can sit a little more upright.

My front jack rest runs fore/aft in a track so I can shoot different rifles and support them where they need to be supported for best accuracy.

If I support my plastic stocked Savage rifle where you have yours shown I get a lot of vertical stringing. I support mine closer to the receiver.

Update w picture;
Here is a photo of my prairie dog shooting setup. The jack has a thin 1/8 inch thick plate bolted to the bottom of the jack that sticks out about 1/4 inch on either side of the jack base. This protrusion on the base slides in a track formed by upside down "L" shaped pieces of wood that are attached to either side of the board. I can move the entire rest quickly with the jack still attached to the board but allows fore / aft adjustment of the jack rest along the board for different guns. To remove the jack from the board I just slide it to the rear of the "L" shaped boards and lift it off.

[img width=600 height=232]http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/keenekh/PDRestclose-up.jpg[/img]

Keith

Nice rifle and groups..........................

I just have one question...................

What do you use if you have a flat tire. ::)

(I gots to know) ;D

You can not go wrong with the Stevens 200. I have two of them. Both in .223, one is a stagger feed and the other is center feed. I like the way the center feed shoots, but I do not really like loading it. Takes a little getting used to. I guess that comes from 45+ years of shooting stagger feed rifles.

Very ingenious rest you put together there. Thanks for sharing with us.

I'm gonna have to put one of those rests together and give it a try.

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Originally Posted by bigedp51

Nice rifle and groups..........................

I just have one question...................

What do you use if you have a flat tire. ::)

(I gots to know) ;D

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Well, you simply take your savage barrel, wedge a rock under it and lever the car up until the desired height, then put another savage under the car to hold it up.

Joe

Quote:

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Originally Posted by canman

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigedp51

Nice rifle and groups..........................

I just have one question...................

What do you use if you have a flat tire. ::)

(I gots to know) ;D

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Well, you simply take your savage barrel, wedge a rock under it and lever the car up until the desired height, then put another savage under the car to hold it up.

Joe

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I think your jacking me around. ::)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigedp51

Quote:

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Originally Posted by canman

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigedp51

Nice rifle and groups..........................

I just have one question...................

What do you use if you have a flat tire. ::)

(I gots to know) ;D

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Well, you simply take your savage barrel, wedge a rock under it and lever the car up until the desired height, then put another savage under the car to hold it up.

Joe

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I think your jacking me around. ::)

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I think he's trying to lift your spirits ;D

Just remember to let him down easy.

LOL! ;D

I sent a link to this thread to a buddy, as he and I have been talking about building different types of shooting rests. He had an idea use these style jacks on the bottom of a shooting bench between the table top and the legs, so you could adjust the table to be level on uneven ground. Screwing three of these to the bottom of a bench seems like it would make it a bit heavy to me, but might be worth trying. Thanks for the idea on the rest.

Many years ago I made a rest by putting 2 lengths of 1/2 in threaded stock in a wood base about 10 inches apart. I then threaded nuts onto the threaded stock and a washer on top. Another pc. of wood with holes to fit over the threaded stock. The nuts then are used to raise or lower the movable pc. of wood and I leveled it with a small carpenters level. Still use it. Nuts and washers on top could be added to firm it up but I never saw a need for it, just more pc's to get lost.

El Lobo

The Savage 200 is one of the best kept secrets when it comes to a low priced rifle that shoots fantastic.

Want a real tac driver, just put a high quality aftermarket barrel on it, a good stock, bed it and you will have a rifle that shoots right with the high priced Savage rifles, many times even better due to the quality barrel.

Fantastic groups from your 200, you should be proud of them.

John K

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Originally Posted by kkeene

Nice groups!

I use a very similar setup to yours but mine looks to be about 6 inches shorter in height. I actually need to add a little height to my rear bag support so I can sit a little more upright.

My front jack rest runs fore/aft in a track so I can shoot different rifles and support them where they need to be supported for best accuracy.

If I support my plastic stocked Savage rifle where you have yours shown I get a lot of vertical stringing. I support mine closer to the receiver.

Update w picture;
Here is a photo of my prairie dog shooting setup. The jack has a thin 1/8 inch thick plate bolted to the bottom of the jack that sticks out about 1/4 inch on either side of the jack base. This protrusion on the base slides in a track formed by upside down "L" shaped pieces of wood that are attached to either side of the board. I can move the entire rest quickly with the jack still attached to the board but allows fore / aft adjustment of the jack rest along the board for different guns. To remove the jack from the board I just slide it to the rear of the "L" shaped boards and lift it off.

[img width=600 height=232]http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/keenekh/PDRestclose-up.jpg[/img]

Keith

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I know the target rifles can get a little heavy, but a jack.

You need to get to the Gym more often ;D

Good idea, some of the rests have got just a little out of hand price wise.

John K

This rest allows me to both swing side-to-side and change elevation to get on a prairie dog in about 10 seconds.

Keith

Shooting bench plans

http://www.rvbprecision.com/shooting...h-a-twist.html

I bought a Stevens 200 .223 as a beater and coyote gun, not expecting much. The first load I put through it with H4895 and a 55gr Sierra was just insane. They are fantasic little rifles and one that I will always own.