Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
What I don't want to see is any more personal insults--which I've edited out. I'm lazy and get really bent out of shape when somebody goes all wrong and makes me work. 
'Scout' Rifle: Where to start?
- Thread starter Corpral_Agarn
- Start date
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I've hunted varmints, small game, deer and moose with rifles. I live in Maine on a shared 500 acre woods and field parcel owned by my son and have the opportunity to hunt deer, birds and varmints almost year-round.
My favorite walk-about (scouting) rifle is my Tikka .243 Win, T3Lite. It's easy to carry, has a 3-9x Leupold and a light carry-strap. I reload various kinds of bullets, for both varmint and deer. The rifle carries very well, either in a ready-sling mode or in the hands. It's both light and very accurate and I have a couple of magazines for it, one holding six rounds. For a light rifle, it holds quite steady, has a great trigger, and very smooth action. It's killed woodchucks, eastern coyotes, and several deer. It may not be the perfect "scout" rifle for everyone, but it is for me.
My favorite walk-about (scouting) rifle is my Tikka .243 Win, T3Lite. It's easy to carry, has a 3-9x Leupold and a light carry-strap. I reload various kinds of bullets, for both varmint and deer. The rifle carries very well, either in a ready-sling mode or in the hands. It's both light and very accurate and I have a couple of magazines for it, one holding six rounds. For a light rifle, it holds quite steady, has a great trigger, and very smooth action. It's killed woodchucks, eastern coyotes, and several deer. It may not be the perfect "scout" rifle for everyone, but it is for me.
theswimmer
Member
What I don't want to see is any more personal insults--which I've edited out. I'm lazy and get really bent out of shape when somebody goes all wrong and makes me work.
Sorry for the throw back ,but I enjoyed this forum much more when Oleg was here .
theswimmer
Member
What I don't want to see is any more personal insults--which I've edited out. I'm lazy and get really bent out of shape when somebody goes all wrong and makes me work.
People forget, Art ,
what the High Road is......
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
The deal from the git-go has been, "Attack ideas, not the other members." But attack courteously and politely. Like mature adults. If I can fake it, so can y'all.
Ignition Override
Member
If it is for fairly short range and he can use an aperture sight in a given light:
possibly the Lee-Enfield #5, known in the US as the "Jungle Carbine". It worked pretty well in Burma and later in Malaysia during the '56 Communist Insurgency.
Mine can make groups at 110 yards similar to a standard #4/Mk.1 with a good bore, and holds ten rounds.
This rifle might have been one of the main inspirations for what was later a re-discovered concept (?), other than having a scope mount. Enfield mags can have issues if they are often changed.
possibly the Lee-Enfield #5, known in the US as the "Jungle Carbine". It worked pretty well in Burma and later in Malaysia during the '56 Communist Insurgency.
Mine can make groups at 110 yards similar to a standard #4/Mk.1 with a good bore, and holds ten rounds.
This rifle might have been one of the main inspirations for what was later a re-discovered concept (?), other than having a scope mount. Enfield mags can have issues if they are often changed.
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dh1633pm
Contributing Member
Unless your a building one for Jeff Cooper, I don't understand the need to follow the specs. I like mine at 7.9 pounds, no forward mount scope. I don't have anything to "scout" except an occasional varmint of the four legged kind, metal, paper, or a deer. There are many suggestions here, some of which sound pretty interesting.
PlumRotten
Member
Aahahahahahahaaaaaa.....the "quite" professional has spoken...must be true!
smithnut357
Member
I have the Ruger GSR but mine is chambered in 5.56 mm. With the laminate stock, it’s not very light. But it’s not a concern as I don’t carry the thing miles at a time.
It’s incredibly accurate too. Shooting off a lead sled it held one hole groups at 100 yards.
I took the forward rail off, put the included scope rings on, and mounted a Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4x24 scope on it. Set up like that, it is my go to rifle. Only other thing I might do is add a small section of rail on the forearm. I picked up a surefire weaponlight from the local trash and treasure store for $20. Couldn’t pass that one up. And it would be nice to have the option to mount it on there.
Oh and when it rides in the back seat of my IH Scout, no one can deny it’s a real scout rifle!
It’s incredibly accurate too. Shooting off a lead sled it held one hole groups at 100 yards.
I took the forward rail off, put the included scope rings on, and mounted a Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4x24 scope on it. Set up like that, it is my go to rifle. Only other thing I might do is add a small section of rail on the forearm. I picked up a surefire weaponlight from the local trash and treasure store for $20. Couldn’t pass that one up. And it would be nice to have the option to mount it on there.
Oh and when it rides in the back seat of my IH Scout, no one can deny it’s a real scout rifle!
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chicharrones
needs more ammo
BilliamB.
Member
The Scout's a nice rifle, though I plan to make one mod (mine is a Steyr/Cooper in .308): I 'll replace the permanent Talley rings with detachables. That way, depending on my mood, I can easily swap the Leupy scout scope for, say, a conventional 3-9. Might be something for any scout owner to consider, no matter what the brand.
theswimmer
Member
What has changed so much since 2006 that would lead Cooper to design a different gun? One of the recurring themes of his writings is that there is nothing new under the sun. Most new variations are just treading over old ground and true innovations are few and far between.
He did like the SOCOM 16 and at one point noted it as his favorite commercially available rifle if he were to choose a replacement for the M4/M16. He would never call it a scout, though.
Coal Dragger
member
Glad he wasn’t in charge of picking a service carbine.
Charlie98
Member
2006? Try 1980...
I think Cooper, once he put forth the concept of the Scout rifle, felt obligated to support it forever, even in the face of technological advances. He could no more drop the Scout rifle concept (short bolt action rifle) than he could his favor of the 1911.
seriously?
Don't get me wrong. I like Cooper and a lot of what he wrote and he certainly has some accomplishments. And yes, the scout rifle is a cool name and concept. And i also am a huge fan of bolt guns.
that said, take a SCAR heavy with a NF 1-8x variable on it, and it will smoke cooper's imaginary scout rifle in every category imaginable.
Llama Bob
member
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Rings, optics, sling. It all counts.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
I never liked the Steyr because of its price and because of the shape of the stock. But I read that it was a consistent winner in the "Shoot'n'scoot" competitions at Gunsite. It is, obviously, a good .308 hunting rifle.
Cooper's view of a "Scout" person--or soldier--seems to have been of someone whose job is to "Go find out, and report back." To me, that means sneaky-snake movement, solo, "out there, somewhere". Being seen would be mission failure, seems like. I've no idea if the US military does that sort of thing. If a scout needs to shoot, I'd think that shoot'n'scoot would be the need, as opposed to suppressive fire.
IOW, my opinion of much of the argument about the Scout concept is that it has a lot of apples/oranges in it.
Cooper's view of a "Scout" person--or soldier--seems to have been of someone whose job is to "Go find out, and report back." To me, that means sneaky-snake movement, solo, "out there, somewhere". Being seen would be mission failure, seems like. I've no idea if the US military does that sort of thing. If a scout needs to shoot, I'd think that shoot'n'scoot would be the need, as opposed to suppressive fire.
IOW, my opinion of much of the argument about the Scout concept is that it has a lot of apples/oranges in it.
well, the ruger GSR in the OP is 7.1 lb instead of 7.7 so i don't see what the big deal is
if we are really quibbling over less than half a pound, then you should really do what the military did and get rid of the 308win and switch to 223, which half the weight. just carrying 100 rounds of ammo (just over 3 magazines worth) would save you 2.1 lbs which more than makes up for the scope, and for which you'd get lots of additional capability over the forward mounted versions. and you could save more than 2 lbs on the rifle too by switching to small frame. so now you're at like 4 lb of savings
m193 .410 oz .026 lb x 100 = 2.6 lb
7.62nato .853 oz .053 lb x 100 = 5.3 lb
if we are really quibbling over less than half a pound, then you should really do what the military did and get rid of the 308win and switch to 223, which half the weight. just carrying 100 rounds of ammo (just over 3 magazines worth) would save you 2.1 lbs which more than makes up for the scope, and for which you'd get lots of additional capability over the forward mounted versions. and you could save more than 2 lbs on the rifle too by switching to small frame. so now you're at like 4 lb of savings
m193 .410 oz .026 lb x 100 = 2.6 lb
7.62nato .853 oz .053 lb x 100 = 5.3 lb
Coal Dragger
member
I never liked the Steyr because of its price and because of the shape of the stock. But I read that it was a consistent winner in the "Shoot'n'scoot" competitions at Gunsite. It is, obviously, a good .308 hunting rifle.
Cooper's view of a "Scout" person--or soldier--seems to have been of someone whose job is to "Go find out, and report back." To me, that means sneaky-snake movement, solo, "out there, somewhere". Being seen would be mission failure, seems like. I've no idea if the US military does that sort of thing. If a scout needs to shoot, I'd think that shoot'n'scoot would be the need, as opposed to suppressive fire.
IOW, my opinion of much of the argument about the Scout concept is that it has a lot of apples/oranges in it.
Scouts are still used, for example scout snipers, Recon, armored scouts etc. Individual small arms are probably the least important gear they are issued for performance of their jobs. That includes the snipers when used in a scouting role.
Their radio is the most important tool they have, followed by their map/gps, and optics or target designator for guided munitions.
Kendal Black
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To return to the vicinity where muttons were last seen, either one will serve splendidly, but I would defy tradition and put a red dot on it.
The Steyr is a bit more posh and expensive, and though spare magazines are available, they cost a bit more than the equivalent Ruger mags.
Coal Dragger
member
The Steyr has come down in price.
My old one at $1900 was worth the money, now they’re a great value.
They ship with 2 magazines both stored on the rifle.
Put a low power variable or a red dot on it, buy with confidence!
Only thing it needs is the Steyr soft recoil pad, the hard rubber pad it ships with gets tiring to spend time behind.
My old one at $1900 was worth the money, now they’re a great value.
They ship with 2 magazines both stored on the rifle.
Put a low power variable or a red dot on it, buy with confidence!
Only thing it needs is the Steyr soft recoil pad, the hard rubber pad it ships with gets tiring to spend time behind.
OP
OP
Corpral_Agarn
Member
I think a red dot with a flip 3-4x magnifier would be a winner.
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