Does anyone else here have a Scout Rifle?

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I followed with great interest Colonel Jeff Cooper's writings as he was developing his Scout Rifle concept over the years.

When he finalized a deal with Steyr to put his concept into regular production, I was very intrigued, but also turned off by the very high price of the Steyr Scout...until the first time I examined and handled one.

At a gunshow outside Philadelphia, a dealer had one for sale. I picked it up, shouldered it, and was just amazed at how good it felt, how ergonomically perfect it was, and how well that Leupold long eye-relief scope worked. I liked the Ching Sling, the action, the clever design, virtually everything about it...and when the dealer invited me to dry-fire it, and I felt that terrific trigger pull, I was hooked.

But I couldn't afford it.

A couple of years later, a dealer had one listed for sale on Gunsamerica. He had bought it for personal use, claimed to have fired no more than 100 rounds through it, and was offering the complete Jeff Cooper package for, if memory serves me, $1600, almost a grand under MSRP. I snatched it up.

It's truly my favorite rifle, for many reasons. First and foremost, it is the most accurate rifle I own, easily MOA-capable with the right ammo (more about that in a moment). It's light, but manages recoil well. It feels good and balances very well, whether holding it, carrying it, shouldering it, or shooting it. It's easy to clean and maintain.

On the downside, it's a female rifle: while it shoots well with any good ammo, it really likes only the most expensive stuff: Federal Gold Medal Match 168-gr. BTHP. (I don't handload, so perhaps there is something else cheaper that would work as well.) The scope magnification is a bit limiting at long range, but the rifle can easily be fitted with another scope. The intregral bipod feels flimsy: I've never shot the rifle with the bipod deployed, for fear the hinge would break.

All in all, I think Col. Cooper really did design the perfect all-around rifle...which is why I'm puzzled as to why the Steyr Scout, and the entire Scout concept in general (other companies such as Ruger and Savage make Scout rifles) haven't really caught on well.

Do any of you own Scout rifles, either by Steyr or another company? What do you think of them?
 
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Pre-Scout concept (bottom) from the early 1960's. The Leupold Detacho base replaces the rear sight and the rings are QD.

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This is as close as I can get to the scout concept. Aside from the LER scope with lighted reticle it has XS aperture sights with a Merits adjustable iris.

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I really like where this thread is going!
Especially during this time of year! Nice stuff Gents!
 
I loved the Steyr Scout--but alas, it is a right handed rifle. I shot one a good bit [borrowed] but really need a left hand gun beause of vision problems in the right eye.

The trigger on the one I borrowed, was pretty good--but nothing like the trigger on one of Jeff's I dry fired about 10 years ago.

My son has a 450 Marlin set up as a scout rifle, and it is a neat gun.
 
Get a L/H Savage and have the barrel mowed and scout mount done up front. If your eyes get really troublesome run a Red Dot up front?
Of course you notice how willingly I'm spending your money!
 
I bought me a Savage Scout and its been riding NIB for almost 2 years.

it has ghost rings sights, but want to get a scope, just don't know enough about it as I am a pistolero.

if there is any $$$$ in my hands, it something to do with a handgun.

Not sure if I am going to keep if its just going to sit. I have about 500+ rounds of 308 ball just sitting in a can too.

anyone with scope info that will not break the bank but decent optics, let me know. I may ask the wife for a christmas present.

sorry not to jack the thread, but along the same lines.
 
Don't have a pic of the whole rifle, but here is the scope and mount.

It is on a 17 1/2" barreled M98 Mauser. In .308 Win.

Very handy rifle, quite the treestand gun.
 

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Sip, I have the Garand version of that. A touch heavy for a true scout rifle, but the sight comes up quick, and works well for old eyes.
 
i have long been fasctinated by this concept of a rifle in a serious caliber. most medium calibers seem to burn most all their powder in the 19 inches allowed by cooper, plus they just balance well and snap shots are no problem.

i have a socom and a scout on order

yet another forum to join...
My Community - Index

for bolt guns and big budget, this is the shiznit ! Grizzly Custom Guns - Custom Bolt Rifles, Custom Leverguns, Custom 1911's, Custom Tactical Shotguns

to build one on my own, i have acquired a yugo 48 action for $100 and will commision one to be built.

Here's a Scout I'm dying to buy...

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My budget scout rifle. I've only shot it for fun but, it is intended for hunting in wooded areas and should do just fine.

If all else fails, I'll stab 'em to death. :)

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More than a few years ago I put together a poor man's Scout. I used a stock Winchester 70 Ultralight in .308. I shortened the barrel to 20-inches and machined a set of bases for the barrel to position the telescope where I wanted it and had them installed by a very competent riflesmith who, like me, did not share Mr. Cooper's objection to screws. (In this case, the barrel was not so light as to make it unsafe.) I believe the telescope resides in Kimber QD rings. I never did get it fitted with iron sights. I was working on the rear peep when I had some rather serious eye problems that forced me to set rifle shooting aside for a while.

The Leupold scope was not on the market at that time and everyone was using the Burris. There were a few complaints about the Burris unit, but mine seemed to work well enough. The last time I spoke with Mr. Cooper about scopes he was dissatisfied with what he had and was lamenting that no one produced a telescope with fixed reticle and adjustments in the rings & bases. :D

I shot my little homemade outfit quite a bit and even developed some rather quiet cast bullet loads, since I live pretty close to town. The bullet was the Lyman #311041 (I think) and surprisingly they shot very well and didn't require a lot of barrel cleaning. I think they were running about 1600 FPS, using a modest charge of Nr. 2400. Really cut down on the expense of shooting .308s. :)

I still have the rifle. I considered buying the Steyr but didn't take the plunge. I never attended Gunsite to see what they do with the rifle out there that makes it superior to a conventional rifle. In my own tinkering around, comparing it with a similar rifle with a conventionally mounted 2.5x Leupold scope, I could acquire targets and put a round on them just as fast - maybe faster. But I will admit that the peculiarities of my vision problems may render the scout scope less advantageous for me.

The two things I will say the concept has hands down over a standard rifle with conventionally mounted scope is the ability to quickly load single rounds almost "automatically," and greatly improved handines in carrying the rifle.

I wouldn't hesitate to take my little poor man's Winchester Scout anywhere I would take a .308, if I had the opportunity. It's a handy little rifle. Some day, when I have more time, I may drag it out again and go to work on the iron sights. And, like you, I wouldn't rule out buying a Steyr - if one shows up at an attractive price. :rolleyes:
 
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