I have a buddy that did the exact same thing he loves it. Mine is in 300 Blackout it would be ok for said purpose but I reload and have a suppressor so the BO works better for me. Really all the AR mag length cartridges have some compromise either range, power or economics. A smidge of this or dash of that as it were.Unless something happens.. it most likely be a Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39
If .. I didn’t have a crap load of 7.62x39
The 6.5 Grendel would be my choice.. but .. its a bit expensive and Im to lazy to reload
Walk a bout carbine
- Thread starter Buckeye63
- Start date
Trey Veston
Member
I have tried to build light and handy brush guns using the AR platform and failed both times.
The AR design is just plain bulky.
I wanted a reliable platform that was handy and held at least 10 rounds of a caliber that could stop a wolf, bear, or moose. I wanted sights that were easy to see in all conditions, and I wanted it to have a weapon light.
The weapon would be used on short hikes and needed to be under 10lbs. It would also be carried in an ATV and leaned against a chair in camp.
I started with a Marlin 1894 carbine in .45 Colt. It was heavy and had feeding issues. I sold it and built an AR-15 in .450 Bushmaster with a 16" barrel.
That rifle held 9 rounds in the magazine and was fun to shoot, but was just too heavy and bulky when hiking in the woods.
I sold it and bought a Henry Big Boy Black in .45 Colt. I added a sling, red dot, and Surefire light. It works great as a camp carbine, but is still a bit heavy for hiking.
Hokkmike
Member
CZ 527 if you can find one. A variety of suitable calibers (was) available. A nice light, handy, accurate, and good looking rifle.
OP
OP
Buckeye63
Member
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I wish the Ruger Ranch carbines had a , iron sight option .. maybe peep sights
armoredman
Member
The irons were the reason I went with the 527M in the first place.
My 350 Legend build ended up at 7.5# as pictured.
WisBorn
Contributing Member
I like the idea of having a walkabout rifle. I have owned 5 different lever action rifles that fit this roll well. A Browning BLR in 7mm-08 was the most distance capable. The 3 model 94 carbines were the handiest. And the 1886 45-70 was just plain cool.
To fill the roll today I am looking hard at adding a Christensen Arms Mesa FFT in 308. At 5 1/2#s With a 20" barrel it will fit the roll nicely for me as it would be primarily for deer.
To fill the roll today I am looking hard at adding a Christensen Arms Mesa FFT in 308. At 5 1/2#s With a 20" barrel it will fit the roll nicely for me as it would be primarily for deer.
Similar to John Taffin's Perfect Packing Pistol the walkabout carbine seams more of a journey than a destination lol.
theotherwaldo
Member
My previous walkabout bolt-action gun wasn't a carbine.
It was a Chilean Model 95 short rifle.
I like 7mm Mauser.
Anyway, my quick-response weapon is on my hip... .
It was a Chilean Model 95 short rifle.
I like 7mm Mauser.
Anyway, my quick-response weapon is on my hip... .
KansasTrapper77
Member
I think you’ve just described the Ruger Scout Rifle. .308 Win, box mag fed, combat iron sights under 10lbs
I always thought the Henry’s were heavy for caliber lever guns.
Try a new Rossi M92 in .45 Colt or .44 Magnum with a 16” for a light weight camp gun.
I'm a BIG AR fan, but for a walking around rig, I usually grab my Rossi lever gun in .357; however, I recently had an opportunity to spend some time with a Ruger American in .223 and the only thing I didn't like about it was that it wasn't a .30 cal. Man, a Ruger American in 7.62x39 would be sweet with a low power optic.
I seriously wonder if there's an ACOG that would work on that rig. That would be a bulletproof combo.
I seriously wonder if there's an ACOG that would work on that rig. That would be a bulletproof combo.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
My GP or walkabout rifle for many years was a Model 7 in .308. 18.5-inch barrel with a 2-7x scope mounted conventionally. It was the last of the .30 caliber rifles to go a few years back.
Still have Model 7s in .223, .243 Ackley, and 7mm-08. They all make good walkabout guns.
Still have Model 7s in .223, .243 Ackley, and 7mm-08. They all make good walkabout guns.
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All arounder....
Ruger 77mkII stainless " all weather " in boat paddle stock...308win. Recoil w the factory thing they said was a pad, wasnt nearly as bad as interwebs suggested.
Put a Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x on it and be done.
Yup, it was boring. And ugly. And it shot 1.25" groups @100 w cheap Hornady whitetail ammo.
And like an idiot i got rid of it. But I had other rifles.
Since its gone im thinking Steyr CLII SX shorty in .308
Ruger 77mkII stainless " all weather " in boat paddle stock...308win. Recoil w the factory thing they said was a pad, wasnt nearly as bad as interwebs suggested.
Put a Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x on it and be done.
Yup, it was boring. And ugly. And it shot 1.25" groups @100 w cheap Hornady whitetail ammo.
And like an idiot i got rid of it. But I had other rifles.
Since its gone im thinking Steyr CLII SX shorty in .308
KansasTrapper77
Member
The last pre-safety Rossi I found for sale had the rear sight drifted so far right it was almost hard to sight properly.
My brothers “dumb safety” model will make orange sized groups at 100 yards with the factory buckhorns. The safety don’t bug me much. And when it does its easy to plug. Or convert it to a rear peep.
All I’m saying is don’t let safetys on lever guns turn you off. They can be removed or hidden.
I agree, I just lucked into my 2 being older and they shoot real good too. I have a newer Marlin with the safety I deleted it.
KansasTrapper77
Member
I lucked out and got a late model Remlin with zero issues. And about a year after getting it I removed the safety.
plainsdrifter
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I'd buy the Ruger Ranch in what ever caliber suits your fancy. I used to have a Ruger bolt in .270. It was awesome but kinda heavy. The Ranch one is light and quick on target.
That's one of the downsides of the Ruger American Ranch. It's a great little carbine, but no irons. There are aftermarket options, but IMO they're not ideal. That's one among a few reasons I would take the CZ 527 7.62x39 carbine over the Ruger Ranch or the Howa Mini-Action. For me irons are a must for a walkabout bolt gun in case your optics get damaged. That sentiment is right out of Jeff Cooper's book on the scout rifle. Seems right to me.
A couple people have commented that the CZ is limited by its 5-Round detachable magazine. For one thing, 5+1 is more than most bolt guns discussed in this thread have, and most don't have detachable magazines.
A guy could carry as many detachable magazines as he wants. I've bought 3 extra for my CZ 527 at this writing. That gives me 4 including the one that came with the gun. And I can buy more if I wanna. They're not hard to find. The CZ mags for the 7.62x39 and 6.5 Grendel are the same. Technically different part numbers, but you can buy either for both calibers. Part numbers 13013 and 13004.
Nice looking carbine for sure. Even with the hardwood stock, 2.5 extra inches of barrel, and iron sights, the CZ weighs the same as the Ruger Ranch... just shy of 6 pounds empty.
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OP
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Buckeye63
Member
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Prices .. for the CZ-527 is out of this world.. … it seems
plainsdrifter
Member
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If you can find one. Good luck
Yeah, they are pricey and hard to find at the moment. I bought a brand new one on Gunbroker for $700.00 and some change nearly 2 years ago. a couple months later they literally doubled in price... $1400.00. They've come back down some for the most part, but still high... like about everything else.
They made a lot of them from the 1960s to 2021, so it's just a matter of coming across a new one or good condition used one eventually. That, and CZ fans are describing them being discontinued as one of the biggest boners in firearms marketing/management history. My prediction is they'll reintroduce them at some point. None of that helps someone looking for one right now, but keep your eyes open.
KansasTrapper77
Member
I don’t remember if you listed a budget but MidwayUsa just got in some CZ 600 - Trail Bolt Action, Available with a 16” barrel and a collapsible stock in 7.62x39.
When I see "walkabout" used, I think of a rifle that will be carried vastly more than shot, but ready to shoot NOW. What I haven't seen in this thread - though I could have missed it - is discussion about how a given rifle carries in hand.
IMHO, a narrow receiver and the ability to wrap your thumb over the top of it are paramount. Levers, or the old Remington pumps, can't be beat in this respect. A bolt gun, any bolt gun, is bulky in the hand. Add a DBM that protrudes below the stock and even more so. In fact, the only time a long magazine is acceptable to me is if the balance point is in front of the mag, but that almost always begets a long-ish barrel...the opposite of a carbine.
Obviously the "wrap your thumb of the top" criteria also precludes a conventionally-scope. So, despite the shortcomings of LER scopes and in consideration of the "carry much, shoot little" that is to me a walkabout rifle, a scout scope or dot seems to be the answer. But then again, the drop at the comb of most levers is too great for proper scope use.
I haven't yet found a rifle that meets all of what I consider the criteria for such a rifle. I've got a steel frame BLR in 7-08, which would seem to be a good starting place. But a can't find any option for forward optic mount and the comb is too low (yes, I can raise the comb). And, as I've mentioned here before, I can't put a gloved hand into the lever.
So what I WANT is this:
IMHO, a narrow receiver and the ability to wrap your thumb over the top of it are paramount. Levers, or the old Remington pumps, can't be beat in this respect. A bolt gun, any bolt gun, is bulky in the hand. Add a DBM that protrudes below the stock and even more so. In fact, the only time a long magazine is acceptable to me is if the balance point is in front of the mag, but that almost always begets a long-ish barrel...the opposite of a carbine.
Obviously the "wrap your thumb of the top" criteria also precludes a conventionally-scope. So, despite the shortcomings of LER scopes and in consideration of the "carry much, shoot little" that is to me a walkabout rifle, a scout scope or dot seems to be the answer. But then again, the drop at the comb of most levers is too great for proper scope use.
I haven't yet found a rifle that meets all of what I consider the criteria for such a rifle. I've got a steel frame BLR in 7-08, which would seem to be a good starting place. But a can't find any option for forward optic mount and the comb is too low (yes, I can raise the comb). And, as I've mentioned here before, I can't put a gloved hand into the lever.
So what I WANT is this:
- Bolt action (308 class) with an exposed metal receiver ala a BLR or 7600.
- 18" barrel with iron sights (at least D&T'd)
- Flush fit 5-rnd DBM with 10-rnd option.
- High comb for scope use.
- Extended over-barrel optic mount options (or preferably, younger eyes that don't need a scope!)
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