"it does seem, however, that many people have certain features that they deem acceptable or not when considering if a rifle falls into the scout category. i understand all of the research and testing that went inot originally by folks like you. i also understand that for many people, my self included, firearms are typically modified to be what suits them best, for their line on work. what works best for one, doesn't necessarily work best for another."
There's a term for a rifle (like the Ruger) that is a pseudo-scout. It's properly called a "Pseudo-Scout"...
As in "nearly, almost, in homage to, but not exactly". The definition that the Family uses is the one set forth as a result of the Scout Rifle research and development done at Gunsite. You can call anything whatever you like... but as Abraham Lincoln famously observed when someone asked "how many legs does a dog have if we call it's tail a leg" "Well.. it has four legs, because no matter what you call a tail, it's not a leg". So you can call any rifle you like a Scout Rifle, but it just aint so. Call them an EXCELLENT rifle, which
many are. The definition of Scout does not include a protruding box magazine, muzzle break, or any of the other waffenpasselhaft that is marketed on so called "Scout Rifles". For many the name is just a marketing gimmick. Many Pseudo-Scouts are GREAT rifles.. just excellent. Heck, I
really like an SKS with a low power scope attached. But let's not dilute the definition and call it a Scout.
"If it's a hunting rifle, okay, but why call it a scout then? I believe Cooper's description also included it as a fighting or defense rifle"
Let's be clear: There was
never any "military" use forseen for these rifles. They are just highly optimized handy sporting rifles to be used for general purpose foraging, truck carry, ranch use, and hunting. Ranch defense might be the only "tactical" use... just in case a war party on horses decides to pillage. Really: The name "Scout" was picked in homage to the frontier scouts of the 1800's, working in Comancheria, guiding exploration parties thru the wilderness. It's no more complex than that. They would have carried a rifle for days, weeks, and months without using it, but when they needed to use it they NEEDED it. That's the spirit of the Scout. Heck, we needed to call it *something* !
There are many different tools with many different names. Pick hammers, for example. Rifles are no different. This one is a Scout Rifle. You can feel free to defend your ranch with an AR-15 or a FAL or a bolt action Model 700 with a 3-9x scope. They will all work, and some perhaps better than a Scout under certain conditions. Nobody feels differently. The Scout is a handy, accurate, light, simple, fast shooting, reliable, and friendly to the hand rifle designed to be carried a lot and shot rarely. It is what it is. If you choose to use one, that's wonderful. If not, thats wonderful too. It's mainly a
hunting rifle. If you bear that in mind, it might make it easier to understand. My Super-Scout is suitable for any North American game to ranges of about 200 yards, more if I do my part with range estimation. Deer to Bear to Moose. It's not too bad at shooting woodchucks on the farm if nothing else is handy. Against a pickup truck load of yahoos bent on chasing the cows it would do just fine... in my hands. I can shoot aimed 4 shot strings in less than 3 seconds with it (the Super only has a 3 shot magazine). It is marginally suitable for Cape Buffalo, and just about every other African species with the exception of Elephant. It's one rifle that can do just about every basic job asked of it. When I recieve the .308 one that will become my basic "lower 48 woods" Scout, with Super-Scout reserved for Canada, Alaska, and Africa.
A "tacti-cool" rifle it is not, but in the hands of someone who is a rifleman it is a terribly efficient tool at repelling pests of all sorts and putting meat on the table. Nobody is making claims that it does it all: Every man needs a Heavy, a .22, an AR-15, a scoped long range rifle, and a FG-42 (trust me on that one). But if you have all of those, plus a Scout, and you need to grab one not knowing what you will be doing with it in the next three months of doing *everything* with only one rifle, you would be wise to grab it before you hit the woods.
Personally, I want to build one on one of the nice Miniature Mauser actions in 7.62x39 (one of the definitions for the "Pure Scout" is .30 caliber minimum with easy worldwide ammunition supply, which Super-Scout obviously falls short of) The AK round would be a perfect pairing for one. I think even Jeff would have approved, seeing how common it's become here. He was a huge fan of the .30-30 in a Model 94, and a boltgun with similar ballistics would have appealed. He died before the cartridge became as popular as it is here today. Ease of ammunition supply was a major part of the definition.
And yeah.. now I want a FR-8 too... with red dot optics... (thanks a lot... ;-) )
Willie
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