Scout rifle, circa 2016

[GJM]

Isn’t the whole point of the scout rifle to do as good a job as possible of replicating the firepower of a battle rifle or carbine in sort of a do-all capacity? Something that looks more PC? Hence the scope mounted forward of the receiver for faster loading?

In Jeff Cooper's mind, the purpose of a scout rifle was to carry a handy size and weight bolt gun, in a caliber powerful and flat shooting enough to reach out there and deliver a hurting blow, with desirable shooting characteristics like an easy to run bolt, appropriate shape and length stock, good trigger, shooting sling, and reasonable capacity. This rifle would allow you to boondock in the backcountry, take any game in North America, and defend yourself as individual rifleman in big country (as opposed to a many person, close urban combat scenario).

At the time he envisioned and developed the scout concept, we did not have well constructed .223 bullets, ergonomic AR carbines with free float tubes and good triggers, calibers other than .223/5.56 in an AR, or quality low power variable scopes. Jeff would never have considered an AR or .223 appropriate as a scout rifle, but times and the technology have changed, and I bet he would warm up to something like my lightweight Wilson .308 AR.

[NH Shooter]

I'm truly lusting this one;

[OlongJohnson]

I didn't see the weight anywhere on that page.

[NH Shooter]

I didn't see the weight anywhere on that page.

Five pounds - https://www.eurooptic.com/sako-85-ca...t-jrscf16.aspx

Reviews indicate 5.3 pounds.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Since we are now two+ years since this thread was started, I’m wondering if the off-thexshekf market has improve at all? Is it yet possible to get the following all in one gun?

• .308
• Controlled round feed
• Open top bolt (for easier single-round loading)
• 18 in “lightweight” barrel
• Threaded
• Iron sights that don’t have to be removed to install scope

Not quite there apparently. Have you looked at the Ruger Guide Gun?

https://ruger.com/products/guideGun/...ets/47118.html

Deviations are:
It is a long action, available in 30/06, which is about as prolific as .308, perhaps even more so
20" barrel instead of 18"
A little beefy at 8.1 lbs.

[Lost River]

With only one day to hunt before Christmas eve, I filled my tag with this young cow.





MUCH further than I normally am comfortable shooting with a 20" .308 at moving game, the circumstances were what they were. I had to scramble about a mile up to get into the area where they were at (or where I figured they would be when I got up there). Long story short, they were ghosting through the mountain mahoganies when I found them and leaving the area. A couple quick laser shots and I twisted my turret and shot.

I dialed for 600, and they were still moving, so I figured about 615 yards when I touched the trigger. I got very lucky.

This was the first and only time I have ever actually caught a 155 Scenar bullet in an animal. Later when skinning the offside shoulder, my dad found the projectile in the offside hide. Penetrated both shoulders. I actually try to shoot behind the shoulders to save the meat ( I am a meat hunter, hence the cow tags), but i tagged this one dead center in the shoulder. The cow was walking and I gave it a bit of a lead, so what happened during the time of flight, I don't know, but I hit the shoulder. Oh well.

I won't complain too much though, as the freezer is full.

[rob_s]

Not quite there apparently. Have you looked at the Ruger Guide Gun?

https://ruger.com/products/guideGun/...ets/47118.html

Deviations are:
It is a long action, available in 30/06, which is about as prolific as .308, perhaps even more so
20" barrel instead of 18"
A little beefy at 8.1 lbs.

what kills me most about this rifle is that it means they *could* make it correctly...

ETA: This thing is looking pretty badass. Makes me wonder how that picatinny rail is held on and whether the barrel attachment point couldn't be modded to hold a rear sight...

RUGER® SCOUT RIFLE
LIPSEY'S DISTRIBUTOR EXCLUSIVE
MODEL NUMBER: 6804


Stock American Walnut
Front Sight Protected Blade
Rear Sight Adjustable
Capacity 10
Thread Pattern 5/8"-24
Barrel Length 16.10"
Overall Length 37" - 38.50"
Material Stainless Steel
Finish Matte Stainless
Barrel Feature Flash Suppressor
Length Of Pull 12.75" - 14.25"
Twist 1:10" RH
Weight 6.7 lb.
Grooves 6

[Bigghoss]

I don't know for sure but I think all the mounting holes on the Savage rifles are in the same places so I think you could get a Savage 110 Scout and ditch the sights and forward rail and attach a regular scope rail and sights off a Hog Hunter.

The whole thing is way harder than it needs to be.

[HCM]

Isn’t the whole point of the scout rifle to do as good a job as possible of replicating the firepower of a battle rifle or carbine in sort of a do-all capacity? Something that looks more PC? Hence the scope mounted forward of the receiver for faster loading?

A scout rifle (or any bolt gun) is not a battle rifle. That was a fantasy. Col Cooper made many great contributions like the four safety rules, color codes of awareness etc but in his later years he also fell into a lot of trying to re-fight the Boer war. Bolt guns were on the way out as fighting rifles in WWI and were obsolete by WWII. They just hadn’t been fully replaced yet.

The scout rifle is a good general purpose hunting rifle that you could fight with in a pinch but it does not have “firepower” and you would be at a significant disadvantage. Given this disadvantage and the need to shoot and scoot, I think a suppressor is a requirement.

The forward mounted scope was an attempt to fill the niche now occupied by LPVO and RDS. It wasn’t a bad soloution at the time but we have better options now. My understanding is Cooper also favored the forward mounted scope because he was cross eye dominant.

[Drang]

A scout rifle (or any bolt gun) is not a battle rifle. That was a fantasy. Col Copper made many great contributions like the four safety rules, color codes of awareness etc but in his later years he also fell into a lot of trying to re-fight the Boer war. Bolt guns were on the way out as fighting rifles in WWI and were obsolete by WWII. They just hadn’t been fully replaced yet.

I was planning on making substantially this same point.

Ironic, really, when you consider how often Col. CoOper made the sneer "Solution in search of a problem" at an invention he didn't care for.