# Most accurate gun $300 and under?



## MarineCorps (Dec 25, 2005)

What is the most accurate gun $300 and under, out of the box I would like a .223 but i would consider others just as long as they wouldnt bruise me for the next week. I work out very hard for I am ready to enter Force recon once i join the marines. :sniper: so i dont want my arms hurting.

I am 5' 8'' weight about 140 lbs., Pretty strong. Should give you a good idea as to what kind of bullet i can handle.

Any thing helps! :beer:


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## marcus_rubbo (Dec 11, 2005)

ive seen pics of 14 yr old kids shooting .308's and 50 cals....it just matters how much your willing to take i guess.....the recoil on a .270 isent that bad but when u jump to the 300 win mags and ultramags u get alot more kick.......i think you could easly handle a .243 its like shooting a 3 1/2 nitro-mag out of a 12 guage......


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

A couple days before Christmas I picked up a Stevens Model 200 .223 RIfle at Sportsmans Warehouse for $259.99.

Once I got it home I went over it pretty good. As advertised the Barrel is Free Floated in the Injection Molded Stock, and upon removing the Barreled Action from the stock the Alluminum Pillars can be seen. From what I know about injection molding (used to work in an injection molding facility) these pillars are placed into the mold and once the mold halves are closed the molten plastic material is injected at high pressure into the mold (and around the pillars) permantenly attaching them to the stock. Pn my stock there are mold lines (from where the mold comes together) which is caused by any number of things (mold not clamped together with enough pressure, mold is worn, injecting pressure too high or molten material temperature too high). While these mold lines to not effect the functioning of the stock, they are a cosmetic defect, however should be able to be removed quite easily with an exacto knife and or sandpaper. The pillars appeared to be SHORT in that the pillars do not extend totally flush with the plastic, but rather appear to be sunken in slightly. This may or may not be a problem, but one that could be fixed with Glass Bedding if it is a problem.

The Synthetic Stock is a dark grey color and in my opinion looks nice in contrast to the dark bleck / blue matte finish of the Barreled Action. Speaking of the Barreled Action the finish seems to be quite even over the entire metal surfaces. The barreled action is held into the synthetic stock with 2 action screws (that pass through the alluminum pillars) with one being at the front point of the action and the other being at the front point of the trigger guard. The trigger guard on this Rifle is plastic, but steel replacements are available as an aftermarket part quite reasonablly. The recoil pad is a little cheesy, and I think would need to be replaced for a heavier recoiling caliber.

I next found instructions on the net on how to tune the old style Savage Trigger, which is what is on the Stevens Model 200. I took out a slight amount of engagement and then polished the engagement surfaces. This resulted in a super crisp trigger pull. I then simply used the trigger pull adjusting screw to set the trigger pull weight to 2 3/4 pounds (will probably shoot it at this poundage for a couple hundred rounds until everything gets worn in together before lightening it). I should not the spring wire used to make the Trigger Pull Spring is .058" in diameter. In the article it stated for a lighter pull weight to replace this spring wire with one made with .040" spring wire, which I did. However I ended up putting the original spring back in as with the adjusting screw maxed out with the custom spring I could barely get the trigger pull over 2 pounds. I made a home made snap cap (glued a piece of pencil eraser in place of the primer (for the firing pin to strike) on a full length sized .223 case.

Next I thoroughly cleaned the bore. I normally hand polish a new rifle bore with FLITZ Bore Polish, so I set out to do that with this Stevens as well. The procedure is to coat a patch with FLITZ Bore Polish, place the patch on the proper sizzed brass jag and run the patch from end to end of the bore (in even strokes) without removing the patch from either end of the bore. I generally run each patch back and forth 20 times then discard it and start over with a new patch. I generally go really slow, and usually can feel the little imperfections in the bore, and that they seem to disappear as this is done. With this Stevens I quit after the second patch as the bore seemed super smooth from the get go.

Next up I mounted (or tried to mount) my slightly used 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope in the Warne Steel Weaver Type Scope Bases I picked up with the Rifle. WRONG, I had got the wrong Scope Bases, and quickly learned that Savage (and Stevens) changed the profile of their actions. Seems that the PRE AccuTrigger Savage Actions used a Round Bottom Front Base and a Flat Bottom Rear Base, and the new Stevens Action is the same contouras the new Savages with the AccuTrigger, and both bases are round bottom (if using Weaver Bases they are both #46 front and rear). This was remedied, a buddy was going to Fargo and exchanged the wrong bases for the right ones for this Rifle. I then mounted up the 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope with the Warne Rings and Bases.

I headed to the range with a couple boxes of Ultra Max Commercial Reloads (Ultra Max 55gr. Pointed Soft Point Ammo). I initially zeroed this Rifle at 30 yards, and once satisfied with the zero I meved back to 100 yards. My first 2 shots on the 100 yard target were nearly touching. Yep I looked through the spotting scope and it appeared as there was less than a bullet hole seperating these 2 shots. Well I must have gotten excited or something cause I pulled the 3rd shot low, knew it when the gun went off. I put the next 2 shots between the first 3 and was rewarded with the first 5 shots at 100 yards going into a 1" group (with one called flier). I shot several other 5 shot 100 yard groups with that ammo that day, and the first group was the largest with the smallest 5 shot group measuring 5/8".

I then came back home and loaded up some test loads with 50gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips using Hodgdon's Benchmark. The best group of these test loads with the 50gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip and Benchmark went slighly under 1 1/4". Guess I need to do a little more work with these components for this Rifle.

Overall I am impressed with this $259.99 Rifle. A totalled considering I paid $100.00 for the used 3x9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster Rifle Scope (from a buddy) and the Warne Bases and Rings, and the Butler Creek Flip Open Scope Lense Covers, I have a total of $425.00 invested in this Rifle and Scope ready to shoot. I have a feeling that due to the 1 in 9" Rifling Twist used in this barrel I may have to try 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips instead of the 50's. I have never worked with a .223 with a twist rate this fast before, so this is going to be a new experience for me.

As I see it the only problem with the Stevens Model 200 is trying to decide what Caliber / Cartridge to get the next one chambered in.

Larry


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

I don't know about under 300.00 dollars, maybe look on the used market. You should be able to pick up a good used Remington 700 ADL for that.

As for the .223, I don't have much respect for the round, it is over rated, and the .22-250 will make a fool out of it. The only thing the .223 has going for it is the cheap ammo.

If you are getting ready to join the marines surely you can handle something heavier than a .223! The only gun that I have ever fired that I can honestly say hurt me was a Marlin 1895G "Guide Gun" in .45/70, I was shooting overloaded 500 grain cast handloads. They were actually loaded past .458 Winchester specs. I've shot a little of everything, 3 1/2 inch 10 guage, .300 and .338 ultra mag, .375 H&H, .416 Remingtons. That old Marlin was the only thing that ever kicked me hard enough that I was actually dreading the next shot. It probably had more to do with the 6 3/4 pound rifle than it did the load, I've fired .50 BMG for the Barrett rifles and they were comparable to .30-06 recoil.(the gun weighs close to 20 pounds though)
:sniper:


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Good luck finding a new rifle for $300 or less. The above mentioned Stevens is about it. It has excellent accuracy potential, but needs a trigger job to take advantage of it.

Might as well spend a little bit more and get a Savage 111/11 with Accu-Trigger. Little debate that this is one of the most accurate out of the box rifles, as well as one of if not the most affordable centerfires available.

If you are talking used, the field opens up a bit. The above mentioned 700 ADL is an excellent choice and would be my first choice, as well. Still needs a trigger job to realize it's potential...


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## MarineCorps (Dec 25, 2005)

used, new, anything that won't blow up in my face.


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## mnwatrfwl (Sep 16, 2005)

The stevens is flat out a good rifle also look at the Mossberg ATR another one with good reports.


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

Both the Stevens, and the Mosberg rifles are manufactured by Savage.


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## duckhunter55 (Jan 10, 2006)

i suggest a 270 of any kind all are pretty cheap

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Remington 7400 said:


> Both the Stevens, and the Mosberg rifles are manufactured by Savage.


I don't know where you got this information, but it is not correct.

The Mosberg ATR was originally manufactured by a company called Raptor Arms (and called the Raptor). A buddy bought one when they first came out and promptly retured it for quality control issues.

Mossberg not only bought the rights to the Raptor Arms Rifle, but also bought the manufacturing machinery that produced these Rifles. Mosberg then did a small amount of redesigning of the mechanics of the Rifle and are producing the rifle themselves. There was quite a write up about this rifle in the American Hunter magazine this fall.

The Stevens however is produced by Savage Arms, and except for the trigger (and color of the stock) are basically a Savage Rifle in plain jane form.

Larry


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

Raptor arms? Never heard of them, I thought the Mossberg was made by Savage. Thats what my buddy told me anyway. Oh well, we all make mistakes!

:sniper:


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Not a problem at all.


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## Greenhunter (Dec 31, 2005)

Spend a little more money and get a new Savage w/ accu-trigger in any caliber you enjoy shooting. 
I personally like the .25-06 Rem, the .270Win and the .308 Win myself. 
I like to shoot a lot at the bench and don't need a headache at the end of my shooting sessions. Those 3 calibers should make you a happy deer and varmint hunter for awhile.


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## HARRY2 (Jul 26, 2004)

New England Firearms Handi-Rifle.


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