Scout Rifle project guns: photos and descriptions

[Dave DeLaurant]

I would be interested in seeing photos of homebuilt experimental Cooperesque 'scout rifles' that members have assembled, particularly ones put together before the Savage, Ruger and Mossberg commercial offerings became available.

Personally, I would prefer to avoid the pro/con argument about Cooper's basic concept here -- that's been done to death.

Here's my own somewhat overweight project gun from the 1990s, based on a mismatched Brno Mauser 98. Fajen synthetic stock, TC Contender scope base, tritium shotgun bead front sight (mounted within the scope rail):

 

[adcoch1]

I don't have a scout rifle at the moment, but my cz527 is about perfect for use as one. A micro red dot on the front scope mount would do it.

I like the concept of a handy short light rifle, and I will build one someday, my last one was a shortened Chilean mauser, but I sold it years ago.

 

[jmr40]

Personally, I would prefer to avoid the pro/con argument about Cooper's basic concept here -- that's been done to death.

The basic premise of the scout rifle I like. A compact lightweight rifle with enough power and accuracy to take game up to about 400 lbs at ranges of about 400 yards. It should be a survival rifle 1st, but with the capability for self defense if needed. Having greater magazine capacity or at least the capability to reload fast via stripper clips or detachable magazines is a plus.

If you follow Coopers development of his "scout rifle" you'll find that what he considered the perfect rifle evolved over time. I think that some people get too hung up on certain details and want to argue that a scout rifle isn't a scout rifle unless it as certain features. Cooper himself changed as time went along and I believe that he would still be evolving his concept if still alive today.

I honestly believe he would make the forward mounted scope optional if he were still alive today. His initial rifles were based on military designs meant to be loaded quickly with stripper clips. That along with optics available at the time ruled out conventional scope mounting. But with todays optics and detachable magazines a low powered optic mounted conventionally is something I still call a "Scout rifle". I don't think it is wrong to use the forward mounted scope. I just no longer consider it a requirement.

For me, this rifle with a 5 or 10 round magazine along with a 1-4X or 1-6X optic is the perfect " Scout rifle"

https://ruger.com/products/americanRiflePredator/specSheets/26974.html

 

[Cokeman]

I’ve always wondered why the scope has to be so far forward.

 

[Sistema1927]

One of the reasons for the forward mounted scope was to allow reloading via stripper clips.

 

[Cokeman]

Yeah. Never knew that. I always thought they looked funny like that.

 

[adcoch1]

Also improved access to the action to clear any issues. think mauser action vs. tikka action if you don't yank the bolt hard enough and get a fumbled ejection. an open top receiver is a lot easier to clear, even more so if the scope is out of the way. just don't expect to use a forward mounted scope with the sun behind you, its all glare city...

 

[Macchina]

Ticks half the boxes but I always considered Lever actions to be better Scout Rifles than the bolt actions (I have those too). My 1894 is compact, holds 11 rounds of potent 44 Magnum with a magazine hanging down, is flat, light, and can be topped off as you shoot. It has a Leopold FX-II 2.5 power scout scope in QD rings and XS ghost ring backup sights.

I hunt with my levers and really appreciate not having a magazine to loose and a much faster second shot if needed. After using a scout scope for a few years I can say they really are faster. A lot of their benefits are hard to quantify but become very apparent after hunting with them for a few weeks.

I tried mounting a standard scope on another lever action would have to use extra high rings to get over there rear XS sight. Way toot high for a cheek weld. With a scout scope I can use extra low rings...

 

[earlthegoat2]

I built lever scout 18” Marlin 336 Texan pre safety. 30-30. Skinner Bear Buster peep sight set. XS scout mount with a Vortex SPARC II red dot.

Not a bad rig but definitely didn’t quite work for me. I should have either used an actual scout scope or an RMR sight. I don’t like having to turn things on and off and/or rely on batteries.

Modifying the gun like that did make it very easy to sell though so that is what I did rather than continue with the project

 

[Speedo66]

If the criteria is 400 lb. animal at 400 yards, to me that kinda' eliminates pistol caliber carbines.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Ticks half the boxes but I always considered Lever actions to be better Scout Rifles than the bolt actions (I have those too). My 1894 is compact, holds 11 rounds of potent 44 Magnum with a magazine hanging down, is flat, light, and can be topped off as you shoot. It has a Leopold FX-II 2.5 power scout scope in QD rings and XS ghost ring backup sights.

I hunt with my levers and really appreciate not having a magazine to loose and a much faster second shot if needed. After using a scout scope for a few years I can say they really are faster. A lot of their benefits are hard to quantify but become very apparent after hunting with them for a few weeks.

I tried mounting a standard scope on another lever action would have to use extra high rings to get over there rear XS sight. Way toot high for a cheek weld. With a scout scope I can use extra low rings...

View attachment 836734

This beautiful photo makes an awesome trophy by itself!

 

[Newtosavage]

Ticks half the boxes but I always considered Lever actions to be better Scout Rifles than the bolt actions (I have those too). My 1894 is compact, holds 11 rounds of potent 44 Magnum with a magazine hanging down, is flat, light, and can be topped off as you shoot. It has a Leopold FX-II 2.5 power scout scope in QD rings and XS ghost ring backup sights.

I hunt with my levers and really appreciate not having a magazine to loose and a much faster second shot if needed. After using a scout scope for a few years I can say they really are faster. A lot of their benefits are hard to quantify but become very apparent after hunting with them for a few weeks.

I tried mounting a standard scope on another lever action would have to use extra high rings to get over there rear XS sight. Way toot high for a cheek weld. With a scout scope I can use extra low rings...

View attachment 836734

I have to agree. The Win 94 with the forward mount and Leupold intermediate scope was actually the first "scout" style rifle.

I had mine set up like this for some time.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

I have to agree. The Win 94 with the forward mount and Leupold intermediate scope was actually the first "scout" style rifle.

I had mine set up like this for some time.

View attachment 836783

The forward scope mount for the Winchester 94 preceded Cooper's first Scout rifle articles and were a major inspiration for the concept. Redfield and Bushnell both advertised this configuration in the mid-1960s:

 

[adcoch1]

If the criteria is 400 lb. animal at 400 yards, to me that kinda' eliminates pistol caliber carbines.

If you can't kill it with a properly loaded 44 mag, you probably shouldn't be shooting it! But yeah, it is a closer range proposition than 400 yards for sure.

 

[Offfhand]

Whenever the "Scout" rifle concept is mentioned I'm reminded of this 1966 Sports Afield Gun Annual with picture of rifle on cover and article therein by gun expert Pete Brown. Obviously Brown was ahead of his time with a LER scope on bolt action sporting rifle and hunted with it in Africa.

 

[EO1]

Here's one.

 

[chicharrones]

If you'll allow a "cub scout" into the thread, I modified a Zastava .22 WMR rifle of mine not too long ago.

Before and after.

View attachment 836956

View attachment 836957

View attachment 836958

Some details: Barrel trimmed to 16.25", butt stock trimmed by 1/2", Marbles front sight, Williams WGRS rear sight made to fit 11mm dovetail, Weaver 4x scout scope on hand fitted picatinny rail blank, hand made trapdoor in buttstock holds 18 rounds, stock cuff holds two spare magazines. Total weight as seen in photo with ammo on board, 7 pounds. Overall length just over 34".

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

"Cub Scout"...
Good one, and nice job with the rifle.

 

[theotherwaldo]

My version of a scout rifle involved Bubba's old Swedish 1894 carbine with a Bushnell 3x LER scope.
Bubba had "sporterized" the stock with a hand saw and wood putty. I replaced the ruined rear sight ladder with a no-smithing mount and slapped on the LER scope that came on a Ruger pistol.
A nice, handy little gun for a total of about $110.

 

[chicharrones]

"Cub Scout"...
Good one, and nice job with the rifle.

I didn't invent the term, but it seems to fit.

 

[SharpDog]

Yes it's front heavy. Leupold firedot scout scope performs much like a red dot on low magnification. Dials up to almost 6x.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Found a pic of mine.