Scout Rifle
- Thread starter pragan14
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chrome_austex
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- Apr 10, 2008
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checkout the Savage scout.
35 Whelen
Member
I'll stay on topic. If I had to pic one of those, the Ruger would be it. Honestly, the little 7.62x39 isn't much of an all around cartridge unless you do't plan on shooting at over 200 yds. or so, while the .308 is.
35W
35W
Art Eatman
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I shot the Ruger Scout of a friend of mine. Forward mount, low-power variable. I thought that it's a pretty good little rifle. He's very pleased with it. My understanding is that Ruger is making a short magazine for it, which relieves my only real complaint.
I use both the Springfield Scout Squad and the Ruger Gunsite Scout. By the time both have optics mounted, bipods & slings, the Springfield weighs a ton more. Not something I want to sling around the field all day. Both give similar accuracy from the same load. Now that Ruger offers plastic mags, the weight difference is even more. Leupold now offers from the custom shop a variable power EIR scope. I have been very happy with both, but would much rather hunt with the GSR. It is also much easier to maintain.
ECVMatt
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I owned a Scout Squad and currently own a GSR. I much prefer the Ruger to the Springfield. I really like the SS, but it was big and bulky in comparison to the Ruger. It also has a lot more moving parts and things to break. The Ruger beats the Springfield hands down in accuracy. The SS shot well, but I get very good, consistent groups with the Ruger.
All of these observations are subjective. I would suggest trying to handle the rifles that your are interested in and see how they best fit your needs.
All of these observations are subjective. I would suggest trying to handle the rifles that your are interested in and see how they best fit your needs.
I had a Scout rifle I built on a Mauser action. Scope and etc was okay but what I found was I am just as well suited to shooting with a good set of reciever sights so I got rid of the scope and mounts. It made a big difference in the weight and handling.
If I were to do it again, I'd start with a Savage and work around it.
If I were to do it again, I'd start with a Savage and work around it.
ultraperio
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- Jan 21, 2012
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I've been considering building a scout type rifle based on the 10 FCP-SR with a low profile RDS and having a smith add irons.
It's a bit heavy but with a lighter/shorter barrel it'd be more inline with the specification.
Street price for them isn't bad either.
It's a bit heavy but with a lighter/shorter barrel it'd be more inline with the specification.
Street price for them isn't bad either.
After a lucky find of a GSR just turned in unfired for $700 out the door. I set it up with a Leatherwood/HiLux 2-7x33 LER, Leapers LE quick-detach rings, an Allen Quiet sling and a few of the new polymer Ruger mags. The total cost was ~$950 and I go a fantastic, do everything rifle. I love shooting the GSR and have had no issues, its rock solid. Accuracy with me driving is tight but I still playing with bullet weight to find if there is "sweet spot" for it....but honestly the rifle seems to shoot consistently no matter what I use.
I've had a Mini-30 in the past...I liked the handling and feel but beyond that :banghead: It would not run on foreign ammo, ~50% ftf rate with Golden Tiger and Wolf. Ruger told me the rifle was designed to use American brass cased ammo only......What's the point of a 7.62x39 rifle if you can't use the cheap stuff..??? I did try the brass ammo which functioned but accuracy was actually worse than with the steel case ammo. Instead of paying double the price for less performance, I just got rid of the rifle.
I've had a Mini-30 in the past...I liked the handling and feel but beyond that :banghead: It would not run on foreign ammo, ~50% ftf rate with Golden Tiger and Wolf. Ruger told me the rifle was designed to use American brass cased ammo only......What's the point of a 7.62x39 rifle if you can't use the cheap stuff..??? I did try the brass ammo which functioned but accuracy was actually worse than with the steel case ammo. Instead of paying double the price for less performance, I just got rid of the rifle.
Badlander
Member
Marlin 30-30 Scout. 36" A little over 7lbs
Averageman
Member
This rifle was dropped and I cut the damaged parts of the barrel and stock off.
Although its a little "too" tacticool starting out at $150 I think I saved a good old rifle from being trashed and turned it in to a neat little package.
Kinda Scouty
It's a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun Stainless, caliber 45-70. Oh, and I have a Springfield Scout/Squad. Very good rifle. I much prefer it to the original length barrel, and I find it just as handy as the SOCOM models with slightly better ballistics.
Kachok
Member
Scout rifles are by their nature a highly versitle, light and very handy rifle, I would not consider a 30-30 or 45-70 in that role. They make great brush guns but they don't have anything left at 300 yards. 308s, 7-08s, 260, 7x57, 6.5x55 or 257 Roberts is much better suited to that role I would think.
Hmm, folks shoot 1000 yd matches with the 45-70. And if you'd like to stand at 300 yds, I have a few friends who could teach that at 300 yds and beyond, it will poke a nice round hole in your torso.
But, it was my understanding, of what I have read, of what Jeff Cooper wrote, that the Scout concept was for a rifle to be used at ranges inside 200 yds. But, I could be wrong. It's not a sniper rifle, it's not an assault rifle, it's a do most things fairly well rifle. And leverguns have been doing just that for, what, 150 years, or there abouts.
Badlander
Member
+1 I think it depends on where you live also. There isn't anything here in So. Fla. that can't be handeled nicley with A 30-30. A general purpose rifle in Wyoming may be A completly diferent animal.
Kachok
Member
200 yards is kind of limited I would think, but I suppose it depends on where you hunt, a 200 yard rifle would be just fine here in south Alabama, however a 200 yard rifle in west Texas is completly useless. Those muleys won't let you get that close in open terain.
thunder173
Member
LMAO here,......As I type this, I know that my Dad's deer rifle is in my gun cabinet. It is a pre 64 Winchsester Model 94 in 30/30 that was put together for him by one of my high school "Industrial Art's/ Drafting" teachers around 1962. It has a Weaver 2X LER Scope forward mounted. Guess those old boys were ahead of their time. Odd thing. Pop shot right handed. My younger brother and I both shoot southpaw. I have never had to adjust that scope since my Dad passed away in 1979. I still occasionally hunt with that gun,..and both my brother and I are spot on with it at 100 yards. Quick handling,..light,...and danged effective in the brush country up here, as well as able to take those occasional "meadow shots".......
WHo'da thunked it back in the 60's? Mr. Stafford,....you were a genius! (Of course,...he knew that,..as he would often tell you so!)
WHo'da thunked it back in the 60's? Mr. Stafford,....you were a genius! (Of course,...he knew that,..as he would often tell you so!)
Once again, a do everything fairly well rifle. For most of this nation, 200yds, in a hunting scenario is "adequate". In a self defense scenario, beyond 200yds, heck even less, you'd be better slipping away that shooting back.
Kachok
Member
I personaly would not consider a rifle truely versitale unless it was capable of 300 yards minimum, which I consider medium range. And I mean accuracy and energy. 1200 ft lbs of energy, 1800+fps for expansion and 1.5 MOA minimum accuracy with a mild recoiling caliber. Now that is a scout 
Effective range of various scout calibers.
257 Roberts 450yd
7x57 Mauser 500yd
7mm-08 Rem 550yd
260 Rem 600 yd
6.5x55 600 yd
308 600 yd
30-30 150 yd Exempting fps req due to bullet construction
45-70 250 yd Exempting fps req due to bullet construction.
Effective range of various scout calibers.
257 Roberts 450yd
7x57 Mauser 500yd
7mm-08 Rem 550yd
260 Rem 600 yd
6.5x55 600 yd
308 600 yd
30-30 150 yd Exempting fps req due to bullet construction
45-70 250 yd Exempting fps req due to bullet construction.
marcclarke
Member
The .45-70 has a trajectory like a rainbow and very little retained energy at longer distances. There is a reason the US Army switched away from the .45-70 to .30 caliber bottlenecked cartridges.
Don't get me wrong. I hand load .45-70 to shoot in my Winchester 1886 replica. I adore my .45-70. But for competition at 1,000 yards I shoot a .300 Win, not a .45-70.
Sure, a .45-70 is historical and old-timey and fun. But it has long ago been superseded by flatter-shooting .30 cartridges and bolt-action rifles.
Don't get me wrong. I hand load .45-70 to shoot in my Winchester 1886 replica. I adore my .45-70. But for competition at 1,000 yards I shoot a .300 Win, not a .45-70.
Sure, a .45-70 is historical and old-timey and fun. But it has long ago been superseded by flatter-shooting .30 cartridges and bolt-action rifles.
Kachok
Member
I like 30-30s and am in love with the 45-70. If I were hunting dangerous game in the brush there is no rifle I would rather have then a carbine lever 45-70 slinging 400gr hardcast. But that is a speciality situation, scouts are more of a jack of all trades weapon.
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