Ruger g.s. Scout rifle.

[BruceB]

The main issue, it seems to me, is the question of "short, light, and handy."

"Short" and "light" are quantifiable in inches and pounds/ounces. With my GSR beside other rifles in one of my racks, it's almighty close to being as short as my M1 Carbine and Mini-14. For weight, it is certainly lighter than any of my 'conventional' sporters, and much lighter than any other 7.62 NATO "service rifle".

So, we are left with what is, or is not, "handy". This is a purely subjective, personal opinion....and for MY purposes I find the GSR to be very handy indeed. Due to vision difficulties, I mounted a Redfield/Leupold 3-9X sight on the receiver...and I STILL find it short, light...and handy.

So what if it "looks like an M-14"? It also looks like the pictured #5 Mk 1 Enfield...again, so what? The Enfield pre-dates the Ruger rifle by 60 years or so, and even then it was doing much the same jobs. I'm morally certain that I saved myself from an early death or serious injury with a Jungle Carbine, and I have a very high regard for the type. A GSR in my hands would have done just as well.

Let me throw out another cliche' here....could the GSR be the semi-mythical 'Truck Rifle' that's so often discussed? The #5 Enfield served me well in that role in bear/moose country, and the detachable magazine on the GSR goes a long way toward qualifying the "short, light, handy" GSR for truck service. I've even used a full-length M-14 in the truck, and didn't find it cumbersome. It was a great comfort in a certain potentially-deadly confrontation, and I had no difficulty 'unlimbering' the beast when it was needed.

Just don't lose track of the detached magazine in the vehicle! Game laws generally forbid loaded rifles in vehicles, so the detachable mags are a rather important feature.

 

[baz]

The point I am making here as they made a choice and from the stuff I have seen your magazines are going to cost you in the $80.00 and up neighborhood.

Cut that in half, and say $40 and up. I recently bought four from Ruger for $39.95 each, and two from Alpha Industries for $62 each. So you are definitely overreaching in your attempt to paint the mags as costly. Of course, those prices look high compared to prices for AR or AK mags, but the volume of the latter makes it possible for them to be sold at lower costs. And, given that this is a bolt action, not a semi-auto, folks are not going to feel the need to have as many per rifle. I've got all I need now, and that's half the number I would typically want with a semi-auto. In the end, I'd likely spend as much for mags for a semi-auto as I've spent on mags for the Ruger.

 

[HOOfan_1]

So, we are left with what is, or is not, "handy". This is a purely subjective, personal opinion.....

Bingo....I have yet to find a quantifiable scientific scale which measures "handiness". So saying the GSR isn't "handy" is like arguing about whether Kate Upton is hot or not.

 

[breakingcontact]

This seems to be such a polarizing rifle. I like the idea of it, like how it felt, but haven't shot one or humped one around the woods all day.

 

[chicharrones]

This seems to be such a polarizing rifle.

It's been that way since the first photos and specs had been released a couple years ago. All because of two small words marked on the receiver and stock, plus the marketing behind it.

Too bad really, because I think the Ruger GSR is an awesome bolt gun.

Mossberg must feel like getting on that small money train too, since they have detachable mag bolt guns out now. If the MVP Patrol had the stock of the MVP Predator, it sure would look dang near identical to the Ruger GSR.

 

[natman]

I shot one. Good rifle. But I wouldn't call it a scout rifle except that's the label for it. I think it would make a good truck gun, particularly if a shorter mag was used. And, not bad at all for a basic hunting rifle.

Exactly. I'm glad somebody gets it. It's not a bad rifle, it's just not Jeff Cooper's idea of a Scout rifle. The only problem really is that it was misnamed.

I agree that it would make an excellent truck rifle. The weight would be a recoil reducing bonus instead of a burden in that application, the detachable mag is a big plus and the rugged stock and iron sights would be perfect.

Just a question of horses for courses.

 

[colnago58]

Cooper wasn't all that thrilled with the Ruger Frontier, I doubt he would like the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle

Look at the barrel and stock of a Ruger, and look at the barrel and stock of a Steyr Scout, there is the difference in weight and cost.

For those who own and like the Ruger, more power to you, but I will keep my Steyr.

 

[chicharrones]

Look at the barrel and stock of a Ruger, and look at the barrel and stock of a Steyr Scout, there is the difference in weight and cost.

You got that right. While the Ruger is at the top of my price range, the Steyr is downright unobtanium for my willingness to part with my money.

 

[TexAg]

I'm curious how the barrel heating up effects accuracy on the Steyr versus the Ruger.

 

[MK11]

Why would anyone care if it meets the official parameters of an outdated concept?

Need a relatively light, handy, powerful bolt for hunting or politically acceptable self-defense? Get it. I'm thinking hard about getting one for just this.

Not light enough, accurate enough or handy enough for your intended purpose? Don't get it.

Col. Cooper was an obvious giant in the field but his lasting contributions are his work on the software, not the hardware.

 

[chicharrones]

View attachment 658089

Since it was brought up, proper scale between the two is something to be considered.

 

[krupparms]

If the styer was more affordable I would have tried one! Also I have not seen any for sale! Say what you want, bicker over the small stuff! It is still a scout rifle! No matter what J. Cooper would have said! It's my rifle &I choose to call it a scout rifle ! If you do not agree! Sorry, send me a styer &I will be glad to shoot &compare them &get back to you! P.S. Don't forget the .308 ammo! It's getting hard to find! After looking at the Mossberg MVP, I'd rather try it out!

 

[Art Eatman]

Not many folks today think in terms of "scouting" as it was done in the past.

Odds are that here in the U.S., the closest thing to it would be a person quietly searching for marijuana patches on public lands in the west. You want to avoid any actual firefight, since that would mean failure of the mission. The deal is to locate and report back so that the Bad Guys could be captured. In the event of a sudden encounter, however, very-rapid target acquisition would be a must, a necessity.

Or it could be a deer hunter who accidentally discovers such a problem. The scout rifle works well for big-game hunting as well as defense in that situation.

Play with your own scenario for the utility.

Regardless, "light and handy" never hurt much of anything. I like my seven-pound Sako carbine in .243, and I like my 6.25-pound 700 Ti in 7mm08. Scopes, ammo, slings included.

Thinking about all this, I guess that because I'm a hunter with bunches of one-shot kills through the years, anything beyond four or five rounds is surplus.

 

[krupparms]

Hopefully my days of getting shot at are over! One never knows! As one of the post mentioned magazines are getting expensive &hard to find. I will get a few of the 5rd.mag. s for hunting &a few 10rd.mag. s for backup in case of problems in the woods! This will probably be a hunter as that was the reason I bought it.

 

[Rexster]

I finally had a chance to handle a GSR. It seemed relatively handy, to me; not quite Browning BLR-handy, but handy enough. I did not not buy, as it was the original right-hand model, whereas I am left-eye dominant, and my right shoulder's rotator cuff is scrambled, so anything over .223 is best fired from my left shoulder. I reckon left-hand GSRs will be special-order.

 

[BruceB]

Rexter, amigo;

My left-hand GSR was off-the-rack at a local (small-town) hardware store.

Also, on one visit to the Scheels store in Reno, I saw no less than FIVE left-handers on their racks.

It's pretty obvious that Ruger is getting them out, and as lefties, our chances of finding GSRs in stock may be better than those odd-ball right-handers have....

It's a very nice rifle, too.... smooth, accurate, great trigger just as-issued.

 

[chicharrones]

I reckon left-hand GSRs will be special-order.

Or get one shipped to your local FFL gun seller. Four are currently here.
http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?Keywords=left+hand+ruger+gunsite+scout

 

[ATCDoktor]

I reckon left-hand GSRs will be special-order.

Sprague's Sports in Yuma Arizona had a Left Handed GSR in stock (at least they did 4 days ago).

They can be found (in left handed configuration).

 

[krupparms]

The only model that the LGS has had was a Lefty! I got my R.H.model at B-mart. Like I stated, one a week! You almost must be there when they put it out! Mine was only on the rack for about 2hr.s & I grabbed it as fast as possible! There were 2 people who left sports depth.after they saw I had bought it, both were mumbeling something softly! I doubt it was aything good about me! I showed it to my 2 grandsons yesterday & both said the same thing! Grandpa when can we shoot it? They just started shooting with BB guns & .22lr.s so it will be awhile. But soon They will get their chance! Love that adjustable stock it only takes a few minutes to change LOP. for them or me! Handy!

 

[rodregier]

Some of the Ruger-marked metal 10 round magazines are very similar to the AICS 10 round metal magazines, but they are not the same.

I would speculate that early Ruger-sold magazines were AICS units until they tooled up to make their own (or domestically contracted them out). The two magazine products are close enough that it doesn't seem to be an issue.

 

[musicman10_1]

I made it to the range today and shot my GSR again. I really like this rifle and find it to be handy, accurate, and damn good looking to boot. I have a bunch of 168 grain match ammo and this rifle just seems to like it and I find the accuracy to be fantastic.

 

[PhotoBiker]

To the OP, did you get the new Stainless GSR with the 18" barrel?

Mine has been on order at the LGS for a while (basically the day I received the email from Ruger announcing it). I've not received any status that they've started shipping yet though.

 

[krupparms]

No! Unfortunately they only had the blue regular model! Or I would have gotten one in S.S.! But I will upgrade if I get the chance!

 

[B!ngo]

I find it rather challenging to channel the late Mr. Cooper so stating what he would say of the GSR is beyond my pay grade.
Having picked up and maneuvered (but not shot) a left-handed GSR and reading extensively on it, it would seem that Ruger has constructed the closest thing yet to a universal long gun.
Other than as a battle rifle, it scores on size, weight, length, caliber, optic options, capacity and an arms-length list of other parameters that all rate 'very high' individually and in the aggregate extremely high as a balanced, capable and broadly applicable long gun.
Had I not already ordered and brought home a Tikka Sporter Left-Hand .308 24" (it's not interchangeable and quite a bit pricier but I'm not about to add another .308 bolt gun just yet).
But I have not doubt that I'll end up with one of these before the end of the year. And it's been sufficiently successful that it doubtlessly will spur a creative aftermarket of parts and things in due time.
B

 

[krupparms]

As time go's by I believe more companies will make 'Scout Rifles '. It just makes sense for them to jump on that wagon. I think a lot of hunters will want something like it! I was useing a Issy 2A1/.308 B.A. rifle before I got the Ruger! They are good rifles but no where near a Ruger. The Mossberg & Styer show that these are popular choices for alot of fokes. I also agree that there will be a market for accessories that will be made for these rifles!