Scout Rifle!

mightymouse · Oct 6, 2015

I've just about finished my long desired scout rifle project. Ever since reading Col. Cooper's articles on the subject back in the eighties, I've wanted to build one of these, and, while it took some 30 years to get around to it, it is mostly done. An FR-8 Spanish Mauser in 7.62 x 51mm provided the foundation to build upon, and I've added the Hogue synthetic stock, Timney adjustable trigger, XS scout scope mount, and, today, the Leupold 2.5 x 28mm scout scope. Her first outing with the new scope should be this weekend. If you're a scout rifle fan, post your pics/stories/experiences here!

tRidiot · Oct 7, 2015

Give me your actual definition of a "scout rifle" as opposed to... what looks and sounds like a medium-range bolt-action hunting rifle, to me?

doctorjj · Oct 7, 2015

tRidiot said:
Give me your actual definition of a "scout rifle" as opposed to... what looks and sounds like a medium-range bolt-action hunting rifle, to me?

It's that with a forward mounted scope, which I, personally, believe to be outdated with the modern 1-6x scopes or even Eotech or Aimpoint with magnifiers.

Edit: there's a gun for everbody though, so if this is the OP's thing, then that's great. Don't want to hijack his thread.

gerhard1 · Oct 7, 2015

The GSR by Ruger is a good concept which I am quite fond of. I have two of them, one is a 308 and the other is a 223/5.56 in stainless. Beautiful rifles. The one thing that I wish were different is the magazine on the 223. It is a detachable box that loads from the front like a pistol magazine. I wish that Ruger would do for the 223 what they did for the 308--make a polymer magazine that you can load from the top by snapping the rounds in.

cal7.62x39 · Oct 7, 2015

Being a south paw I bought a ruger GSR and LOVED it . Unfortunately it had to go when things got tight durring school. I will have another I am waiting to see if Ruger releases a lefty in a poly stock.

mightymouse · Oct 7, 2015

tRidiot said:
Give me your actual definition of a "scout rifle" as opposed to... what looks and sounds like a medium-range bolt-action hunting rifle, to me?

A scout rifle is more compact in barrel length compared to most bolt action hunting rifles, and is therefore generally both lighter and handier. An intermediate eye relief scope of low power (2.5 X, in this case) is mounted forward of the action to allow aiming with both eyes open (as one does with a red-dot optic), thus enhancing peripheral vision and situational awareness as compared to a gun with a standard scope, which is generally aimed with one eye shut. Also, with the scope forward of the action, the internal box magazine can be loaded with cartridges much easier than a traditional bolt action with a low mounted scope, which requires one to feed the rounds in one at a time, a task that can be quite cumbersome under stress. And with a Mauser military action like the FR-8, reloading the magazine is even easier, as the action accepts five round stripper clips. A bolt action is the usual base for a scout rifle, as one of the goals is a simple, robust, easy to maintain rifle of sufficient power.
Edited to add: the forward mounted scope also allows the user to grasp the rifle at the point of balance, around the receiver, which makes it much easier to tote.

cal7.62x39 · Oct 7, 2015

mightymouse said:
A scout rifle is more compact in barrel length compared to most bolt action hunting rifles, and is therefore generally both lighter and handier. An intermediate eye relief scope of low power (2.5 X, in this case) is mounted forward of the action to allow aiming with both eyes open (as one does with a red-dot optic), thus enhancing peripheral vision and situational awareness as compared to a gun with a standard scope, which is generally aimed with one eye shut. Also, with the scope forward of the action, the internal box magazine can be loaded with cartridges much easier than a traditional bolt action with a low mounted scope, which requires one to feed the rounds in one at a time, a task that can be quite cumbersome under stress. And with a Mauser military action like the FR-8, reloading the magazine is even easier, as the action accepts five round stripper clips. A bolt action is the usual base for a scout rifle, as one of the goals is a simple, robust, easy to maintain rifle of sufficient power.

Yeah what he said

tRidiot · Oct 7, 2015

Gotcha... I'd seen the term tossed around, but really didn't know what it was all about. Most of that makes some amount of sense.

ldp4570 · Oct 8, 2015

cal7.62x39 said:
View attachment 50995

View attachment 50996

Being a south paw I bought a ruger GSR and LOVED it . Unfortunately it had to go when things got tight durring school. I will have another I am waiting to see if Ruger releases a lefty in a poly stock.

I too have a left handed Ruger GSR, and really like this rifle alot. I also look forward to Ruger coming out with a left handed poly stock, as they have for the right handed one's. My local store has one of the right handed poly stock models, and they are very light, roughly 1-1/2 pounds to 2 pounds lighter than the wood stock model.

CAR-AR-M16 · Oct 9, 2015

Looks good Ron. I like it.

Scout Rifle!

mightymouse

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tRidiot

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doctorjj

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gerhard1

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cal7.62x39

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mightymouse

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cal7.62x39

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tRidiot

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ldp4570

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CAR-AR-M16

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