wanting to build a scout rifle

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Soundtrackzz

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Hey guys. Im looking to get a scout rifle, but I don’t have the money for a steyr. So this leaves me with the option of building my own. So Ive got some ideas for base rifles and id like to hear your opinions of them. I would like this rifle to conform to Col. Coopers specs as much as humanly possible. Also feel free to post pictures of your own creations.

I should mention that I will be restocking almost all of these so that may change the weight and length of the weapon

Mosin-Nagant M38
The M38 is the carbine version of the 91/30 but without the m44 bayonet
40” overall with a 20” barrel and weighs 7.5lbs
Pros
-very cheap
-very inexpensive and plentiful supply of ammo
-meets length and weight requirements without having to do any cutting(would have irons)
Cons
-not sure how accurate it would be
-have to turn the bolt with a 2x4

Lee-Enfield No. 1 MK III

25” barrel 44” overall 8.7lbs
Pros
-worlds fastest bolt action
-10rd capacity
-Balistically similar to .308
Cons
-I would have to cut the barrel down
-ammo harder to find in large quantities
-far too heavy

Lee-Enfield No. 5 Jungle carbine
Pros
-same as above
-wouldn’t have to make any cuts
Cons
-the wandering zero problem

Mauser K98K
8.2 lb. 43.7 in overall 23.62 in barrel
Pros
-Highly reliable
-good cartridge
Cons
-cheap ammo hard to find locally
 
My suggestion is that you find a Mauser that Bubba's already messed with and proceed from there. Anything that you do will be an improvement, Bubbas usually don't use their creations too hard, and most of the parts that you'll want will already be there.

So you'll have a cheap test-bed, no guilt for ruining an old war-horse, and you're more likely to go ahead and build that scouter rather than put that old veteran in the safe.
 
Here is my "scout"
It started as a mauser that was nato-ized and rebarrelled to .308.
I had the barrlel cut [to the step, ended up at @17"] and a nice crown cut,
Core-lite stock , Leuopold scout scope in an S&K mount, trigger from Midway[the brand escapes me, but not a high doller one, this is a budget rifle]

418163961_nzq2C-M.jpg

I have around $300 or so into the rifle [maybe $350?] and the scope was $279 +tax, I got a really good deal on the rifle, and the stock was on sale.
The pic above is before I put the trigger on, I wanted to shoot it some to see if it was going to shoot well enough to put more $ into.
It shot a couple groups from the bench around MOA so I decided to make it more user friendly with a better trigger.
Its not a varmint rifle, but works well as a general purpose field rifle [as Col Cooper envisioned, [[a moment of silence,please put your hand on your heart]]

I did it on a budget, and I did everything I could myself, so I learned a lot in the process.
 
Pseudo-scout...

Soundtrack ZZ--I made a Scout out of a Mauser M-48. Got good results.

BTW, if it ain't .308, it's not a Scout, per Col. Cooper, as I understand it. So what? He has his agenda, I have mine. I call mine a pseudo-scout, as I left it in 8x57JS. Saved a ton by not re-barrelling.Also, it's too heavy for the good Colonel. Again, so what. It holds < 1.5 MOA, at 100 or 200 yd. Not a target rifle by any manner of means, but perfectly good "hunting accuracy."

Boyd's stock, glass-bedded, sanded, and finished by yours truly.
Timney trigger.
B-Square Scout 'Scope mount.
Leupold Scout 'Scope.

Learned a lot; got a unique rifle out of it; enjoyed the process. Cost less than a Steyr Scout I'm sure--Anything costs less than a Steyr! Haven't compared it to the Savage Scout or the Ruger Scout, but heck, anybody can buy one of those.

I reload my own, so am not interested in cheap, expensive, or anything else, imported milsurp ammunition. The good stuff is pricey, and the cheap stuff is cheap for a reason. IMHO, any firearm worth shooting, is worth feeding decent ammo.

I agree that it's better to take a previously Bubba'd milsurp than violate one in pristine condition. But I also strongly feel that a person who owns a particular firearm should be free to do as they wish to it.

ETA--Looking @ yr Post #6--Re: the price of a Savage Scout: I'm certain I don't have any $700 in my Pseudo-Scout, and that INCLUDES the Leupold Scout 'Scope.
 
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Mosin-Nagant M38
The M38 is the carbine version of the 91/30 but without the m44 bayonet
40” overall with a 20” barrel and weighs 7.5lbs
Pros
-very cheap
-very inexpensive and plentiful supply of ammo
-meets length and weight requirements without having to do any cutting(would have irons)
Cons
-not sure how accurate it would be
-have to turn the bolt with a 2x4
Click to expand...

Mosins have sticky bolts sometimes, but its not quite that bad. Also my 91/30 is very accurate.
 
Please don't do that too a poor old enfield. They aren't cheap either. I've got...a lot. I've got No. 5s, No. 4s, MK IIIs, a .410 shotgun, long branches, savages, various brits, australians...you get the idea. (C&Rs are not the cure for milsurpitus).

I would say an M44 if you want to go surplus. Or, find one that has already been bubbed on. My deer rifle is a No. 4 Long Branch that was de-bayonet lugged and drilled and tapped for a scope mount. It was a steal, scope included.

There is NO WANDERING ZERO PROBLEM. My No. 5s are just as accurate, only harder on my should because they recoil more. Infact, they have a finer adjustment on the rear sight and can be sighted in better. Also, if you are going to pay for a No. 5, you might as well just save a little more and get a commercial scout.

You might have success with a mauser type. The rear sight is easily replaced and you can put a scope mount there.

Try for a bubba first. If it was me, I would buy a PU mount and scope and put it on an M91/30. But thats a sort of historically accurate sniper and not a scout ;).

Ultimately, it is your money and your call. Not all Mosins need the 2x4. All of mine are fine. My friends M44 is not.

Ramble off.
 
I made one on a Mosin M38. Turned out to be a nice little rifle.
If I had to chose one short rifle to grab and run, I'd still take my No.5 JC, bone-stock and all. What "wandering zero" problem??? They just couldn't shoot straight. It's a myth.
 
SKS's make great scout rifles. Easy to add an aftermarket stock or just add a scout scope mount.
 
I got my Steyr Scout in .223 for 1,250$ on GunBroker. Ruger makes a M77 Scout. That's about as cheap of a brand as i would go if i really had to depend on it besides mill surp. rifles.There was a thread showing that a 20 round box mag off a m14 or something will attach to the floor plate without mods on the .308.
http://www.thehighroad.us/showthread.php?t=336733&highlight=ruger+m1a+magazine&page=2
I would prefer a Rem700 that can be had for as little as 500 new bot am not sure if anyone makes a sturdy scout mount for them.
280L.jpg



If semi auto are allowed i would opt for an M1,M14,or SKS with a forward mount.
 
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Back in the 70s or 80s, I took a Swedish Mauser and reworked it to incorproate Col Coopers thoughts. The only detail I changed is I used a reciever sight (Redfield or someones) and made no provision for a scope. It handles well and shot beautifully. Never tried it on clays like the Col. did, no suitable renge for that but in all other ways it lived up to the Scout ideals.
 
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