Dagnabit I want a scout rifle, and it's all your fault!

[grampajack]

Pursuant to the recent thread on the subject, I now want a scout rifle. I want to state emphatically that I want it for the novelty of it, not for any purpose in particular, so I would respectfully ask that we sideline any and all debate as to the practicality of the animal known affectionately as the scout.

So since this has no practical purpose, I want to keep it a pure and faithful scout in keeping with the good Colonel's vision for such. I want stripper clip capability, magazine cutoff, scope mounted forward enough to fully clear the breach area for ample stripper clipping room, ching sling, ghost ring sights...the whole works.

I realize I'm going to have to build it. So what's the standard parts list for something like this, and does anyone have any sources of information for cutting the stripper clip guide. And which stripper clips should I use anyways?

 

[chicharrones]

Pursuant to the recent thread on the subject, I now want a scout rifle. I want to state emphatically that I want it for the novelty of it, not for any purpose in particular. . .

A great reason, IMO.

So since this has no practical purpose, I want to keep it a pure and faithful scout in keeping with the good Colonel's vision for such. I want stripper clip capability, magazine cutoff, scope mounted forward enough to fully clear the breach area for ample stripper clipping room, ching sling, ghost ring sights...the whole works.

I realize I'm going to have to build it. So what's the standard parts list for something like this, and does anyone have any sources of information for cutting the stripper clip guide. And which stripper clips should I use anyways?

Hmmm. I don't know the route to take to have stripper clip capability added to a commercial rifle. The quickest way to gain that is start with a mil-surp. Same goes for the magazine cut off, I believe. The one thing about mil-surp conversions is they tend to be heavy even after being "scouted". That's not a bad thing as weight reduces felt recoil.

I know of two members here that scouted Spanish FR8 carbines. One member is 35 Whelen and he did his back in the day when factory scouts were uncommon. I wish I could remember the other member's name, but he used a synthetic stock on his conversion.

Speaking of weight, my Ruger GSR* and Rimfire Scout (aka cub scout) I showed in the other thread are fairly heavy. The GSR as shown with no magazine and no ammo is right at 8 lbs**.A full 5 round steel magazine adds 1/2 lb. That Zastava rimfire scout has a lot of steel in it, so fully laden as in the photo including the 3 magazines and 33 rounds of ammo on board is only a hair under 7 lbs.

Personally, if I didn't already have a Scout type rifle and wanted to pursue it, I'd be getting a Recon Scout rifle made out of a Mossberg Patriot. It holds 5 rounds of .308 internally, which most commercial rifles can't do. For instance, the Ruger GSR's brother Hawkeye only holds 4 rounds of .308 internally.

Yet, that extra round is just a perk. The rest of the scout conversion seems to be really well done and the Scout Faithful seem to have jumped on board the Recon Scout with both feet. http://granitemountaintactical.com/?page_id=301

* the early 16.5" barrel version that actually measures 17.25" from muzzle to bolt face.
**if I replaced the laminate stock with the synthetic stock, the weight should drop to 7.1 lbs.

 

[everydefense]

Speaking of weight, the Ruger GSR and Rimfire Scout (aka cub scout) I showed in the other thread are fairly heavy. The GSR as shown with no magazine and no ammo is right at 8 lbs. A full 5 round steel magazine adds 1/2 lb.

Here's more info on that, if you are interested:
http://www.ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/models.html

Yet, that extra round is just a perk. The rest of the scout conversion seems to be really well done and the Scout Faithful seem to have jumped on board the Recon Scout with both feet. http://granitemountaintactical.com/?page_id=301

Cool. I thought these lightening holes were a neat idea (maybe it's nothing new, but I hadn't seen it before):

 

[chicharrones]

Here's more info on that, if you are interested:
http://www.ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/models.html

Good link. The synthetic stock GSR drops weight compared to my laminated stock GSR.

 

[adcoch1]

I also want one for no reason other than to build it, so I have been looking at 7x57 mausers that are already sporterized, I may go that route for mine in a synthetic stock. Btw, somebody used to build a rear receiver sight with a stripper clip guide cut into it, if I can find more info i'll share.

 

[kBob]

Drilling holes in mag boxes, or cutting slots, has been a feature of DIY "mountain rifles" since like a week after Mauser introduced the magazine type. Some folks get down right artisitic with it. I rather imagine that one of the first uses of aluminium in firearms was the replacement of the steel magazine floor plate of Mausers with aluminium. Hey, and ounce here an ounce there.....

Johnson and the original Armalite even turned down barrels a noticeable amount though oddly kept fairly long barrels on their light weight Para Rifles (Para being the "tactical" term of the time)

Don't forget drilling lightening holes under the butt plate into the wood on those wood stocks, a half ounce here and a half ounce there

-kBob

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Do you want the Ruger or Savage branded scout rifle? Or want to build your own from scratch??

I always thought the surplus rifle market is a good place for a DIY scout rifle...

 

[chicharrones]

Don't forget drilling lightening holes under the butt plate into the wood on those wood stocks, a half ounce here and a half ounce there

-kBob

I sure have thought about it, mostly to help offset the weight of the optic and mounting. I've thought of taking out wood on the forend similar to the Savage Lightweight Hunter, too.

Since my GSR has some scratches on the stock now, its resale value is diminished. So, maybe I'll get off my butt and do some drilling.

Edit to add: Hmmmm. The best I can figure, the gun would only lose maybe 4 oz. of laminated wood. More research needed before proceeding.

 

[chicharrones]

Another option is to find a Ruger Frontier and add sights to it.

Here's one that already has a scout scope. It just needs lower scope rings and sights.
http://www.armslist.com/posts/54741...r-sale-trade--ruger-m77-mark-ll-frontier--308

https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com...rand_id=4197&ST=Ruger Peep Sight#.WbMBhsaQzIU

https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/Gun_Services/Front_Sights.asp

 

[Mosin Bubba]

The CZ 550s might be an option. I don't know if they are kosher with Scout weight and lengty requirements, but they are short and have iron sights.

 

[kBob]

The add on stripper clip guides sat where the mounting holes for the rear scope mount went. I believe I mentioned that one of the early M600 based scouts had such IIRC. At one point someone had rigged up such with a folding peep in it though I think it was custom/DIY.

I suppose if you found one of the replace the rear scope mount type stripper clip guide you might dove tail it for a folding peep like say on the Ranch rifle for a back up. Make the peep larger diameter and tell the world it is a folding ghost ring!

I rather like the idea of further Bubbaing a Bubbaed 7mm. Something cut down to the perportions of the Spanish cavalry carbine has an appeal and drilling out the stock and the mag box and slimming down the stock where ever possible might be neat.

-kBob

 

[Varminterror]

If you're really sticking with Cooper, then the rifle should most likely be a Steyr.

If you're building in spirit, I'd look for a 600 Mohawk.

I love Rugers despite myself, and I like my GSR a lot, but you're talking about a REALLY heavy action as your starting point. It can be made "light for a Ruger," but the M77 MkII/Hawkeye action is basically the lightest elephant in a room full of horses... If you're so concerned with weight such you're considering lightening holes in the bottom metal, then you REALLY can't be considering a Ruger M77 MkII/Hawkeye/GSR action - you can cut a half of a pound off of a Ruger by using a Rem action instead.

 

[kBob]

Additional thought on Military mauser based DIY Scout rifles. The means of forward optic mounting. Back in the "aughts" call it ten years back there were some folks around here that played with the idea of taking a scope rail and attaching it to the rear sight assembly of a K98 type. Most removed the sight leaf and then cut the rail to fit inside the mount and pinned it in place Some front to back anti see saw and elevation adjustment was provided by screws throught the mounting rail and bearing on the rifle.

I always thought it might be neat to just screw a rail onto the actual rear sight leaf and then add the anti teeter totter screws. No idea if it would work just thought "Huh!?!? Why not?"

I still have my old shot out Cortuna 8mm and I can live with a straight bolt handle.

You know for a bit Sportsman's Guide offered a kit for K98 straight bolts that allowed one to cut off the straight bolt handle down near the square base. Fit a new streamlined handle, tap the base of the old handle and screw on a support for the new "bent" handle. Never actually seen one of those on a rifle but the pictures always looked nice and made installation look easy.

Bubba might want a Scout Rifle as much as anyone!

-kBob

 

[chicharrones]

Additional thought on Military mauser based DIY Scout rifles. The means of forward optic mounting. Back in the "aughts" call it ten years back there were some folks around here that played with the idea of taking a scope rail and attaching it to the rear sight assembly of a K98 type. Most removed the sight leaf and then cut the rail to fit inside the mount and pinned it in place Some front to back anti see saw and elevation adjustment was provided by screws throught the mounting rail and bearing on the rifle.

S&K still makes those type of mounts. The downside is they mount the scope rather high. I bought one for a K31 years ago, but a K31 is no scout rifle.
http://www.scopemounts.com/index.html?main.html

 

[kBob]

Chich,

I know about the commercial mounts. They do add a good bit of height to the sighting system. I am talking about a cheap flat rail such as screws to the receiver of your average Savage 110 or some such. The center section is cut down to fit between the rear sight mounting ears and the very flat mount produced is pinned into position. The ears of the rear sight mount actually stick up above the "new" rail. The one guy that posted a picture back then showed a mount as low as the old rear sight.

BTW I often read how horrible the ZF41 scope on K98 marksmans rifles and some G43s and StG44 was. I did not find the one I got to look through that awful compared to other WWII optics. Someone I talked to that used one "at work" when they were new thought them better than the K98 irons at least.

-kBob

 

[grampajack]

Surplus isn't an option for me. Too heavy, and I wouldn't want to do any cutting on a collectible rifle (I wouldn't even do it to a Mosin).

I will be starting with a virgin action in any case, preferably a 700 if it's possible. I just need a drawing of the stripper clip guide. I'm not opposed to other actions, but if it's all equal then the 700 has more options across the board than anything else.

Oh, and what stripper clips do people typically use for this? I'm thinking M14?

ETA: I actually might just buy a used bolt action and take the receiver off. Looks like I could probably get one used in decent shape cheaper than the price of a new receiver.

 

[chicharrones]

Oh, and what stripper clips do people typically use for this? I'm thinking M14?

I'm thinking some sort of surplus .7.62x51 stripper clips that hold 5 rounds. Except they will hold 1 more round than the Remington 700 can hold in its belly.

 

[grampajack]

I'm thinking some sort of surplus .7.62x51 stripper clips that hold 5 rounds. Except they will hold 1 more round than the Remington 700 can hold in its belly.

I'm sure they could be modified to hold four.

 

[Varminterror]

Or modify the rifle to hold 5 down.

 

[chicharrones]

Or modify the rifle to hold 5 down.

How do you do that? Fatten the belly? Or, just find a 5 round detachable mag kit?

 

[Balrog]

If you are thinking about getting a scout rifle, I would go with the Ruger. Mainly because it is a name brand, and when you realize you have a rifle you don't need and have no use for, you can probably sell it to some chump who thinks he needs one.

My scout rifle is the same 6.5 pound AR I use for home defense. It is chambered i the blasphemous 5.56 NATO round, but I am OK with that since it is unlikely I will need to shoot a rhino while I am patrolling behind enemy lines.

 

[chicharrones]

deleted

 

[Panzerschwein]

The Springfield M1A Scout rifle is about the best scout rifle you can get methinks.

 

[chicharrones]

The Springfield M1A Scout rifle is about the best scout rifle you can get methinks.

Well, it certainly has the stripper clip guide problem already figured out.

 

[adcoch1]

The Springfield M1A Scout rifle is about the best scout rifle you can get methinks.

All except for a quote purported to come from a drill instructor, "this is the M1 battle rifle, it weighs 8.14 pounds, and at the end of a 20 mile March you remove the . "