Gunsite scout is it worth it?

[RCArms.com]

I just picked one up myself. Kind of an impulse buy, but I am favorably impressed with it's handling characteristics and I am looking forward to hitting the range with it.

Don

 

[theCan]

tulsamel,
I'd take a mosin and chop it to 18" for that purpose before I sunk $800 into the gunsight. Actually dont own a mosin, but that might be what I do to my first one, particularly if I get a bad example.

Well, maybe I'll leave it at 22", in case I want to shoot some heavy bullets.

 

[RCArms.com]

tulsamel,
I'd take a mosin and chop it to 18" for that purpose before I sunk $800 into the gunsight. Actually dont own a mosin, but that might be what I do to my first one, particularly if I get a bad example.

Well, maybe I'll leave it at 22", in case I want to shoot some heavy bullets.

A raw stock M38 or M91/59 would be just fine in this role if you're looking for a 7.62x57R short rifle.

 

[ECVMatt]

I have to agree about the comments on muzzle blast, cost, and roughness of the action; they all seem to be greatly over exaggerated. Mine is not, "Blasty", cost me about 750, and has a decently smooth action. It gets better with use. My trigger is also great! This was my biggest hang up with the m77 action, but easily cured with a Timney trigger. Although I budgeted a Timney for this rifle, there is no need.

I like this idea as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEfE_Ql1-v4&feature=youtu.be

 

[B!ngo]

My wife and daughter gave me a LEFT-HANDED Scout just this last Christmas, the latest in a long succession of wonderful firearms that stretches back more than forty years.

Sneaky as always, they first gave me a package containing a nice black Ruger-logo T-shirt. I admired it and put it down. My daughter then said, "Check the back, Dad!" Yeah.....custom embroidered, it says" I finally got my Gunsite Scout!" They then dragged the long package out of a nearby closet...

Severe medical troubles since Christmas have prevented much shooting, but I sure like the rifle. I mounted a new Redfield/Leupold 3-9X in the receiver position. (The Picatinny rail was removed about thirty seconds after opening the package!) I'm another ol' f--t who fails to see the utility of the forward-mounted scope sight, but this rifle does give us options.

The Scout is probably not "the best" for any role, but I will say that it can fill almost ANY need a man may have for a centerfire rifle in North America. If my health ever gets back to "normal", this rifle will ride with me a whole lot. It will handily take deer, moose, bears, coyotes.....you name it!

The quality is fine. Trigger is excellent right out of the box, and well-executed checkering gives a good grip. I vastly prefer laminated wood to synthetic stocks. The action on my rifle is quite smooth and will only improve with use.

That ten-round magazine will be my "pocket/pouch back-up" and I now have a couple less-obtrusive polymer mags...they feed very nicely and give a much nicer profile to the rifle.

Is it "worth it"? Darned tootin', it is....to me, at least. Good job, Ruger.

Wow, we have too much in common. The LH thing, the medical problem and the general situation about a new/novel .308. My family is not of the gun-giving ilk (bless them all nonetheless) but I debated the LH Scout versus the LH Tikka Sporter 20 or 24". Loved them both, needed neither and finally went with the Sporter. But it was a close one. It's on order and is due to arrive in August. I'll likely have the barrel cut down a bit at some point, but decided it's easier to remove barrel length than to add.
But that Scout is still speaking to me. GL with the rifle and hope you get your health back.
Re the OP's question, I surely say, 'get it'. Yes it is not optimized for any one thing. But it seems like it would be great at most anything. I'm not wild about the forward-mount scope and likely wouldn't set it up that way. But otherwise, pure cool.
B

 

[CountGlockulla]

I just bought one for the following reasons:

1.It is a very handy, lighweight rifle suitable for hunting here in PA. I just moved here about a year ago and have only gone through one season. My two deer were taken at 40 yards and 15 yards.
2. Adjustable Length of Pull
3. Detachable box mags that I can share with my Rem 700 Tactical
4. Already threaded for a can. As soon as I get my stamp back, Im going quiet! Bonus: The flash hider absolutley makes some of the old-timers heads explode with consternation.
5. I can use my Aimpoint Micro on the forward mounted rail or use a traditional scope over the reciever depeding on where I am going and what I am doing.
6. Did I mention it is lightweight and handy.
7. .308 is a very good all-around caliber, I reload for it, and it shares ammo with my precision rifle.
8. Back-up irons.

I think this rifle is a supurb all around hunting rifle. Im not going to take it to a 1000 yard f-class event, but other than that I do not see North American game could not be successfully hunted with it except for big bears, although, I do plan on using for black bear season here.

 

[Snubshooter]

When I first saw the ads for the GSR I thought it looked cool but a little pricey. A friend let me put a hundred rounds or so through his 100 yrds to 300 yrds using a small lightweight bushnell scope. Handling was excellent, accuracy was very good. I came away very impressed. If Ruger could get the price down to the mid 500s I would get one or if I could find a used one around here I would grab it.

 

[Upstater]

At this point now I'm wondering if it would be legal in the people's republic on New York -it does have a dreaded threaded barrel.

 

[TonyAngel]

I don't own a GSR, but I did get to shoot a couple. I'm not a really big Ruger bolt gun fan, but I was pleasantly surprised by the rifle.

If I was in the market for a relatively compact rifle that packed some punch, I'd certainly consider a GSR. I think it's one of those products that is greater than the sum of its parts, from the perspective that I really don't think that you could build a rifle like that for anywhere near the street price.

From what I've heard, they go for something around $700-$800 and for the price, Ruger has engineered some real flexibility into the rifle.

Heck, a decent stock will run you north of $200. The AI compatible detachable mag bottom metal will run you $200+ as well.

You get two scope mounting options. A removeable rear sight. A pic rail for putting a red dot right where it needs to be if you need to be fast. You have mag capacity options. 1:10 twist barrel in case you want to shoot heavier projectiles, which should work very nicely with the relatively short barrel. What's not to like?

 

[CountGlockulla]

I got mine BNIB this month for $710 plus $30 shipped from gunbroker.

I had chance at a .308 Frontier for $600. But like the gentleman said this rifle is greater than the sum of its parts and for $100 more it is worth it IMO.

 

[langloisandy]

The more I use mine, the more I like (love) it! Great little rifle.

Andy

 

[swiftak]

Funny how alot of people that don't own one can't see a use for it. I bought one and put a scope on it and came in alot under $1000.00. It will be a nice handy woods rifle for deer hunting and coyote hunting in the thick woods of New Hampshire.
It wasn't bought so much for the concept of a scout rifle as a hunting fifle. Carries very nicely.

 

[mdauben]

I've always been interested in the Scout Rifle concept and I think it the Ruger was a couple hundred dollars cheaper and at least 1/2 a pound lighter I'd be all over it. As it is, the execution does not quite work for me.

 

[musicman10_1]

I bought one last week. I did not have a bolt action rifle in the .30 cal range and so I found it to be the perfect addition to my safe. I think the handling of this gun is exceptional and I really like how it looks. At the range - with irons only - I was making my gong target sing and dance with ease.

I think that it is easily worth it in terms of performance and value. I'm becoming a big fan of Ruger and have added 3 Ruger firearms this summer. the GSR is a really nice rifle in my estimation.

 

[Ignition Override]

With adjustment (raising/rotating) of the original front post, or replacing with a very slightly taller roll pin, installed in the place of the main part of the front post (from Numerich etc) on a Spanish FR8, why not use iron sights which use the same .308 or NATO 7.62 round?

It is handy and rugged (the strong 8mm Mauser action), although it only holds five rounds. Many have excellent bores and cost about $425.

 

[7.62 Solution]

"At this point now I'm wondering if it would be legal in the people's republic on New York -it does have a dreaded threaded barrel."

Hi Upstater, wny here. I wondered the same thing and checked the rules, the good news is as long as its not semiauto the whole assult weapon thing does not apply. I purchased my scout at a local dealer in Buffalo.

 

[JustsayMo]

I REALLY like mine. Had it since Feb 2011 and it gets used a lot. The versatile 308 in a versatile rifle... what's not to like!



I shoot a wide variety of ammo through mine - subsonic, supersonic, light (100gr) and heavy (220gr). It can literally be used to hunt anything.

 

[jeff-10]

Well it now appears everyone who bought one positively loves it. Other reviews I've read around the Internet appear to be the same.

Seems that most people who have a problem with it, have a problem with the price. For a lot of people spending an extra $200 on something they really want, i.e a $750 rifle as opposed to a $550 rifle does not seem like a big deal.

 

[teebiss]

I fondled one at Cabelas for a good hour. I wanted to like it.

I didn't like the plastic trigger assembly. I didn't care for the laminate stock. I didn't like the action--the bolt binds, it's not smooth like a Tikka.

It just didn't feel like a $1000 gun to me. Or a $900 or $800.