What are you going to do with the Ruger/Gunsite Scout?

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Balrog

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
3,211
There seems to be a lot of enthusiasm for this new rifle, and I was wondering what you would actually do with one after you got it?

Is it for hunting, plinking, SHTF, or what?

If for hunting, wouldnt just a regular M77 Hawkeye work just as well or better?
If for SHTF, wouldn't you rather have an AR or AK or M1A or other semi auto?

Plinking seems like the best role I can think of for this rifle.
 
That is the beauty of the Scout It replaces the others. I even used a Scout rifle once as a backup to a precision Remington PSS tactical rifle in a police rifle instructors course. Another officer's rifle crapped out, and I lent him my PSS .308. I then used a Remington 700 with a Burris 2 3/4x Scout scope (that has given 3/4 minute groups now and then) to finish out the course. We were expected to place shots in an area about 1 1/2x the size of an egg (simulated medulla) on the head of a target at 100 yards. My Scout rifle will do this, but not sure if service grade semi autos would. Then you jump into the hunting realm of rifle use, and the Scout really shines. Humping a lightweight rifle beats a 10-15 lb rifle any day. As far as combat, reliable and stout semi autos have some advantage over scout rifle for multiple targets, but a cool head with a bolt action Scout could probably account for as many kills in a combat situation as the average soldier with an M4, so is there THAT much advantage with a semi? And the INTENT of the scout rifle is to have a packable rifle at all times, and be able to scout; be it recon/combat or hunting, with less burden than a heavier rifle.
DSC05326.jpg
[/IMG]
 
It just seems to me that it is the proverbial Jack of All Trades, Master of None.
 
What are you going to do with the Ruger/Gunsite Scout?
Click to expand...

At that price nothing. "Scout" rifles are all over the place for cheap. Gunbroker is full of good deals on little else but sporterized milsurps just waiting to get the scout treatment and a second lease on life. And for hundreds less total investment.
 
Can you imagine the wailing -- the absolute gnashing of teeth -- if any of us were forced to "do it all" with their "do it all" gun?

I need a .22 for plinking, and a .17 HMR for small game, and a .22-250 for long-range varmints, and a .257 Roberts for deer, and a .308 for long range tactical precision, and a .260 Remington for LONGER range tactical precision shooting, and a .338 Laupa for EVEN LONGER RANGE tactical precision shooting, and a .30-30 for deer hunting in brush, and a .338 for black bears, and a .458 Win Mag for brown and grizzly bears, and a pistol-caliber carbine for home defense IN the home, and a an AK for home-defense OUTSIDE the home, and an AR for competition, and ...

But what I really need is one rifle that will do it all.

Too.
 
Well if I were inclined to buy one the first order of business would be sending it off to get either an 18" or 19" barrel put on (same contour) remount the front sight, thread the muzzle for a sound suppressor later, and lose the silly flash hider.

In my opinion a 16.5" bbl is just not enough pipe for a .308 to reach a really useful velocity.
 
Makes for a handy deer rifle. I built a stainless scout type out of a M77 MKII many years ago. Its still my favorite. Mine has an 18 inch barrel. 2700 fps measured with Federal standard 150 gr ammo. You will get a little more velocity from a longer barrel but I cant hit that far out where it might make a difference. Check the net for what Finn Aagarrd said about the 308 scout rifle.
 
In my opinion a 16.5" bbl is just not enough pipe for a .308 to reach a really useful velocity.
Click to expand...

Useful for what? 16" is certainly enough bbl to provide adequate velocity for hunting or informal plinking. I doubt most would employ the rifle for any other purpose.
 
Yeah, but 16" wastes too much of the .308's power. I agree that a little longer barrel would be better.
I wonder... now that this rifle exists, how hard would it be to retrofit a regular M77 with enough upgrades to make it a suitable scout?
The detachable magazine is both a blessing and a curse IMO. Yeah, you can reload faster, but you also need to worry about losing the magazine and you have to have extras... and I'd bet money Ruger isn't gonna be selling them for the cost of an AK mag. I'd be surprised if the factory mags cost less than $40 each. I really wish they would have mounted a charger guide to use stripper clips instead.
 
Not buy one.

Too heavy, ridiculous magazine, stupid flash hider. Too tacticool.
 
I might use it for deer or black bear in brush country. As mentioned previously it really is a "jack of all trades". Since a large part of my collection is based on having the perfect gun (in my opinion) for every hunting sitiuation, I will probably not use it for big game. It would be good to have in the car on long trips where shooting is not the main goal, but it is nice to have a contingency weapon. The main attraction to me is that the scout is something different to play with, therefore range toy is my primary application. The Ruger is the most attractive commercial scout option to me, and I do intend to buy one unless it proves to be problem plagued.

I think that anyone who sees any military or police (except perhaps by small town officers who are gun enthusiast) use of this rifle are off base. Select fire or semi auto carbines and dedicated sniper rifles will continue to own this market.

gary
 
Scouts

I run a Scout (I have had a pile of the Steyrs, my go-to is a Savage Scout), I have been using Scouts since 89/90 and have had GREAT luck on Deer, Bear, Varmints and have easily qualified on carbine quals with it.

When I get my Ruger Scout, it'll be put into the same niche.

Andy
 
Why not just get a different rifle then?
Click to expand...
True. I think it would be about perfect with a few inches longer barrel, and the scope mounted in a more traditional location so you could go with more flexible/capable optics.

And it would probably be a little easier to use with a magazine about half that size.

'Course, then it would just be every other bolt action rifle, not a "Scout" rifle. But at least then it could "do it all."
 
The gun industry is alive and well.
Click to expand...

I see his point. They are just selling stuff these days. Usefulness and craftsmanship is taking a back seat to marketing and hype. The gun is marketed with the tactical dweeb in mind with that less than useful huge magazine, too short barrel, and not so necessary flash hider and picatinny rail.
 
Yes, and unfortunately it seems that the general shooting public is getting what it is asking for. Most of us on this board probably have a higher than average gun IQ, and a more refined taste in firearms. As previously stated many of us enjoy having multiple firearms to fulfill multiple roles--a jack of all trades rifle isn't appealing to me in the least.
 
Hey, i like the thing... maybe i just have a thing for shorter barreled bolts with detachable mags, but i like the thing... This has jumped into the boat with the Marilin Guide Gun for next on the list.... Which will win? Tune in next time to find out.

All that said, do I have guns that will fill their suited niche as well or better than this one? Absolutely... To that i say... SO WHAT! As another poster on this board once said, if all i ever bought were guns i needed, well, i would have a lot fewer guns.
 
I see myself buying one of these. Variety is the spice of life, and I've always wanted to build my own scout rifle. I wouldn't have went the route ruger did, but it turned out nice and I like it.

If for hunting, wouldnt just a regular M77 Hawkeye work just as well or better?
Click to expand...

I don't hunt anymore. I need to start back, but for the moment I don't. But yes, a regular m77 will work just as well or better. But if the industry is going to force only what works on us and forget about rest, let's quit making any handguns except for Glocks and Ruger Revolvers. I mean, they work just as well as anything else, right? ;)

If for SHTF, wouldn't you rather have an AR or AK or M1A or other semi auto?
Click to expand...

I'm not really big into SHTF planning. If the SHTF and I really need 30 or more round mags and 1000's of rounds of ammo for a firefight, I'll likely die in said firefight if I don't have several buddies backing me up in an organized manner. If I really want to plan for SHTF, I'd sell all my worldly possessions and move out in the mid-west spending my weekends grizzly adams style.

For home defense it wouldn't be my first choice, either. But if I was somehow defending from a distance, I'd be ok with this rifle.

So yeah, plinking I guess? All my rifles are for plinking I guess. I don't hunt and I'm not in any competitions.

I'm just glad Ruger is building stuff outside of the norm and trying to listen to us. I wish other companies would do the same.
 
As previously stated many of us enjoy having multiple firearms to fulfill multiple roles--a jack of all trades rifle isn't appealing to me in the least.
Click to expand...

I sold most of my collection because I wanted to only have to maintain a few guns which covered my needs. I like the jack of all trades idea A LOT for the sake of simplicity and utility. However, this gun, with it's detrimental to caliber barrel length is more gimmick than it's scout-utility marketing scheme would let on. The Savage scout makes more sense and is a better deal, sorry Ruger.
 
Like a previous poster said, it'd make a good truck gun to take on trips. A lever gun could accomplish most of what this Ruger does, but .308 gives you a little more power and/or ability to shoot a little farther. You also have the ability to use 110 grain to 180 pretty easily. I think using it with irons and maybe a red dot like a Fastfire II would be what I would do. I REALLY wish they had used a double stack mag. That 10 rounder is ridiculous and the 5 rounder looks tremendously better. I like the compact size and iron sights with the ability to use different optics set ups, but seems you could build something from a milsurp or old hunting rifle pretty similarly for cheaper, but then it wouldn't be NEW! But, if I were to buy it for significantly lower than MSRP it would be a truck/traveling/hunting/plinking gun with a fastfire II and 5 round mag.
 
I would like one to shoot the hell out of...it looks fun to me. I would also keep it handy out in my place in the desert. It looks like a good choice for a rifle to keep handy where it is very wide open.

Just a quick though on the price, I think most folks are trying to use the MSRP as the base line. I think most of us here who have bought a gun or two realize that the actual cost will be much less. I have approached a couple of the local gunsmiths about building a scout rifle for me out of a Remington or Ruger and they all end up being about $700-800 buck including the rifle. This is about where I would suspect the Ruger to fall. The mags are a concearn, but C-Products makes them for about 50 bucks and Ruger is rumored to be working on a polymer version for even less. I think it will be a fun gun and intend on enjoying mine when it arrives.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Ruger Gunsite scout rifle
Replies
3
Views
906
Balrog
B
T
  • Locked
Gunsite Scout - What For?
2 3 4
Replies
90
Views
6K
DATL
D
L
  • Locked
Scout M1A for hunting/SHTF?
2
Replies
40
Views
12K
Jason_G
J
AyyDudee30
  • Locked
Ruger Gunsite Scout in .450 Bushmaster
Replies
22
Views
3K
<*(((><
<*(((><
Pat Riot
  • Locked
Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle...anybody have one?
2
Replies
36
Views
4K
chicharrones
chicharrones
Back
Top