Range Report 7.7 Ugly Scout/GPR

[Ugly Sauce]

It's not really a "Scout" by Cooper's standards, but it does meet length and weight requirements, and it would work for me, within my concept of "scouting".

You can see how I walked it from left to right at 25 yards until I could get them in the little box. Took about three full turns of the windage knob to do that! That Norma box is super old, probably the first box of ammo I ever bought for it, and I've had the rifle since age 16.
Sorry about the double image. I moved the scope forwards since the green blanket picture ("show us your scout rifles") to get better access to the safety knob. The Arisaka safety knob works great without a scope, but is not very user friendly with one. You can see how much eye relief this 2.5X scope has. I don't have to push my head forward or creep into the scope to use it. You can look "through it" instead of "into it".
My rifle has the war-production smooth knob, unlike the early ones that had really nice knurling on them. Even with the rear of the scope ahead of the knob, gloved or slippery fingers would have trouble manipulating it. So, I got out me detail files and put my own knurls on it. Works really great. I never used the safety on this rifle back in the day when I hunted with it. You really can't get to it with a regular scope on the rifle. So I carried it with empty chamber, and just worked the bolt when I was ready to rock. This works really well now.
The final result, for the day. I think I'm rough-sighted in. 123 grain bullets, 90 yards. The top plate was my second to last group, gave her three clicks of windage to the right, and shot the bottom plate. Probably should have put a couple more into it, just to verify if the double hole was a fluke, or the shot to the right was a fluke or representative of group size. I thinks it's more a group size thing. all my other groups looked about like the top plate. If you look closely at the bottom plate, you see tape covering the holes of another group. That's about how she was shooting today. The cartridges were reloads that I made quite a few years ago for coyote, before I declared peace on Coyote. That was a long time ago, and I never had fired any of them before.

The 7.7 "GPR" says: "Thanks for listening".

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Love it- especially the custom safety!

 

[someguy2800]

My type 99 came with skateboard tape applied to the safety knob. I was skeptical that it would be durable enough but it still looks new. Can easily turn the safety with the pad of my thumb.

 

[LoonWulf]

I actually put a thumbstud on one of mine lol.

That old Ari looks like it'll still get things done!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

My type 99 came with skateboard tape applied to the safety knob. I was skeptical that it would be durable enough but it still looks new. Can easily turn the safety with the pad of my thumb.

Never thought of that. I'll add some. I put some adhesive backed sandpaper on the butt of my 03A3 years ago for an Appleseed shoot...it's still there and looks like I put it on yesterday.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I actually put a thumbstud on one of mine lol.

That old Ari looks like it'll still get things done!

She sure did back in the day. Shot more deer and coyote with it, other than my .44 Carbine, than any other rifle I've ever owned. If I ever have to press her back into service, I'm sure she will get-er-done.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Dude, I could so picture some Japanese holdout walking out of the jungle with this rifle 30 years after the war ended!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Here at home, we refer to it as: "Onada's rifle".

 

[adcoch1]

I like it! Looks like it'll do the job.

 

[chicharrones]

Clearly the F in fugly stands for Functional.

I like the creative file work on the knob. Looks like something that would be within my “manufacturing capability “.

 

[EMC45]

I like it. Shoots well and if the scope/mount stays put then let er rip!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I like it. Shoots well and if the scope/mount stays put then let er rip!

I kind of wondered a little if the Ugly Scope would hold up, or drift in the mounts, but every other scope I've had on that rifle has stayed put (with some crazy hot loads too) and I think the scope is a shotgun scope, so it should be pretty recoil resistant. Also had that scope on my Ruger .44 Carbine without any issues. (other than not "great" optical quality or clarity!)(I have discovered that it's not near as bad as I remembered it)

Measuring three of the groups fired yesterday they all seem to be consistently 2". Maybe I can get a couple 1.5" groups out of it playing with powder and the powder charge. I'm sure the 174 grain would shrink things up, (or down?) but I don't have a lot of those and need to save what I have for my SMLE's. Low on any kind of 150's, but rich in .310" 123 grain bullets. !!! I may have enough round-nose 180 grain soft points around in .303" to play with, and perhaps for something I'll take trekking in the mountains among the grizz that might be the ticket. However, in the "Scout" role I kind of like the idea of the fast-stepping 123's. If anything steps fast out of that short barrel that is. !

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Clearly the F in fugly stands for Functional.

I like the creative file work on the knob. Looks like something that would be within my “manufacturing capability “.

So easy a cave-man could do it.

 

[dh1633pm]

I like what you did with it.

 

[PonyKiller]

Looks pretty darned good from here. All looks are a matter of personal taste anyway, function is what fills the tags. I like the looks regardless.

 

[Archie]

That looks like it will serve. I question the ammunition supply, but one can find such ammo and I suspect this will not be fired frequently. Caliber is certainly adequate to most any task.

By the way, I have heard and consider it likely the safety was to operated with the heel of the hand, rather than grasping with fingers. You might experiment a bit.

 

[ThomasT]

I like it. I never cared much for Cooper's Scout rifle. My scout rifle is my Remington model 7 with Leopold 2x7 scope in 7-08 caliber. Short and light and with the scope on 2 power I'm on target as soon as I raise the gun. Plus I can remove the scope and the open sights are already set.

Your gun looks good and looks like business. Not fancy but a hell for stout tool. Besides I thought a scout was supposed to get in, gather information and make their way back without firing a shot and giving away the fact they had been there.

 

[tark]

Depending on how sloppy that chamber is, making 7.7 cases out of 30-06 brass is very simple. If it isn't too oversized ( a lot of them were ) 06 brass makes good 7.7 cases. Grease them up, run them into a 7.7 full length die and trim to length.

 

[Legionnaire]