Help Needed: Scout Rifle Alternative

1riot1ranger

1riot1ranger

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I’m looking to buy a Steyr Scout rifle… However, I’ve realized that the cost to get one (approx $3k) is out of my price range. I’d like to get a similar rifle, but need to get it to fit into my budget (approx $1500).
I’m going to solicit the help of Gunnutz in selecting a rifle.

I will list out my solid criteria (the “needs to have”) and the flexible criteria (“nice to haves”). I will also list out some rifles that I have been looking at and hope to receive some feedback on my choices.

Please let me know what you think of these choices and provide alternatives and/or suggest modifications to the rifles listed below.

"Solid" Criteria
1) Overall Length not greater than 40”
2) Barrel Length not greater than 20”
3) Weight: under 8 lbs (not including scope)
4) Caliber: .308 Win.
5) Price: Not more than $1500 (including any recommended modifications).
6) 2 MOA @ 200 yards minimum (tighter would be better)
7) Action: bolt

Flexible Criteria
1) Detachable box magazine.
2) Low mounted scope – forward of action.
3) Bipod
4) Backup iron sights

Rifles I’ve been looking at:
1) Ruger HM77VLEH – Hawkeye Tactical (too heavy)
2) Ruger M77 Hawkeye Frontier Rifle (short barrel, discontinued?)
3) Remington Model 700 XCR Tactical Compact (too expensive?)
4) Remington Model 700 SPS (too heavy)
5) Savage Arms 10FCM Scout Rifle (meets most of the criteria, but I’ve read it’s not worth the money. Any truth to that?)
6) Savage Arms Model 10 Precision Carbine. (trigger work and pillar bedding?)
7) Winchester Model 70 (synthetic) (barrel cut to 20”)

Your input is appreciated.
 
you should look at savage's line of cheap hunting rifles..the one i recently bought came with a hardwood stock and iron sights. I had my gunsmith chop the barrel to 18.5 " and reinstall the front sight I then mounted a leupold 2x7 scope on it and the weight in total with scope close to 8 lbs. It handles great and its a real nice bush gun,light and compact and very accurate. EDIT: i forgot to add my rifle is .308 and will do little over 2 inches at 200 yards off a bench. the total package(rifle and barrel chop/crown) was $700 not including scope cause i already had it.
 
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Almost any of your picks will work. The Ruger Compact is a nice, short one with a 16.5" barrel. You could also get a Rem 700 SPS and have it cut @ 20" and upgrade the stock if you wish.

They have previously made 700's in .308 with 20" barrels, I have one, and with scope/rings it weighs 7.75 lbs total. They currently make a 7mm-08 youth version with a 20" pipe, but you'd likely need a full size stock.

As for the forward mount, you may be able to get one from Ruger, or an aftermarket(?), or have one made. In that case, I'd go with the Ruger, but other than that, the 700 is the easiest to customize to what you want.

P&D show a Ruger Frontier in .308 for $850. Might better buy that one...

http://www.p-d-ent.com/pages/firearms/8-Cen-Non.htm
 
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When Century arms was still around I got a Mosin Nagant barreled receiver for $12.99, an M44 stock for another $12.99, cut the barrel to 20 inches, had it crowned, put a B-Square mount and LER scope on it for about $150 and had a scout rifle for $200.00.

It killed bears dead too!

But that's not what you're looking for though.
 
ruger RSI international comes in 308 with Mannlicher stock 18.5 in barrel great cary gun and very reliable , get the trigger tunedd by a good smith and your are on your way you could get the ruger bases mounted to the barrel to utilise a scout style of scope but a vx 2 , 2x7 would be a great combo
 
IMHO a scout rifle is a great idea, and my preference for an over the counter rifle would be the Ruger. The problem that you will be faced with is not so much meeting the weight requirement as finding an appropriate solution for mounting the scope ahead of the action, yet low to the bore. The Ruger quarter rib is a decent solution, although it could be attached to any barrel with a similar contour. I also prefer the Ruger action over the others on your list.

I prefer a hinged floor plate, a DBM is just something to loose. I would consider having the receiver cut for stripper clips, that way you can load 5 rounds at a time.

The peep sight sold by New England Custom Gun is a good choice and is available for the Ruger dovetail. You will have to enlarge the aperture to make it a ghost ring. A rectangular front post is my preference for a front sight. The Ruger front sight base is one of my favorites, and I've installed it on a couple of my custom rifles. The scout concept advises that the front sight be mounted midway down the barrel to avoid snagging, but that is a recommendation I chose to disregard, preferring as long a sight radius as possible.

The bi-pod will probably put you over the 3 Kg weight limit, 8 pounds does not make the scout criteria. Galco markets the Safari Ching Sling which is the best carry/shooting sling I have seen to date. While it will adversely effect your budget, a McMillan stock is worthy of consideration.
 
I think a good idea is the Ruger Frontier...mine is in 358.
They're made with two options for scope mounting....over the barrel or in the conventional place over the receiver.
I tried both...didn't like the scope over the barrel, but thats just me, so I put a 1.5x5 Leupold on top of the receiver.
First time out it took a nice mulie...its a nice handy truck or quad rifle and easy to handle in the bush because of its short length...surprisingly accurate.
 
My Ruger Frontier in .308

Prototype #1. I threaded A sharpened bolt into the quarter rib and with the peep sight sold by New England Custom Gun . I was able to shoot A pop can at 100 yds. So it looks like I will build on that.
Take Care Steve

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ON A side note I had to do A lot of modification to the sight to get it to set straight .

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I have a frontier in .300WSM- that one definitely is discontinued. I use a 3x9Burris on the rear using Warne QD ring's and can change quickly to a leupold scout on the rib. I'll be looking into the peep option although i'd prefer to put on an aimpoint instead- but then I have to put on the middle rail and then i can't swap the rear scope quiclky as the scope bell will then interfere with the rail.
 
I built mine out of a jungle carbine. ATI stock, scout mount,scope and sundries, built the whole thing for about 500 bucks. good little shooter too.
 
I have two I built on Rem 600 rifles, like Jeff Cooper's originals. Light, compact, short, relatively inexpensive. Easy to do. Burris makes a scout scope mount (and a slightly cheaper alternative to the Leupold scout scope). Some iron peep sights on the back, a good post in the front, a modified military style sling (or a Ching, if you've got the money) and you're in business. Only real drawback is bolt removal and no DM. - dan
 
I think I would just build one out of a Mauser and give it the DM and an XS sights package.
 
Thanks for all of the input, guys. I really appreciate it.

Some things to think about that I didn't consider before. I can't say I'm any closer to making a decision... but I do have more information to work with.

Thanks again.
 
1riot1ranger,

I know this probably isn't what you have in mind, but I wanted to share in case the idea was appealing to you.

I had purchased a $60 K KALE Turkish mauser in the US, and had a gunsmith cut the barrel to $20, bend the bolt handle, give it an accuracy treatment (bedding with steel bed, trued the action face, lapped the bolt lugs) and refinish the stock. We added a Remington 700 front sight, and left the rear irons, and I had it drilled and tapped for a rail.

I'm going to be mounting a forward pistol scope on it now, with an S&K mount, and going to an XS Outdoors rear aperture instead of a conventionally mounted scope.

Importing costs a lot more now than it did before, but if you keep your eyes open on the EE here you can still find Bubba-ed Mausers or a Mauser action, and a cheap 308 cal barrel. If the barrel is in nice shape, and you have it cut down and recrowned, it would improve accuracy. So would the bedding, free float, and some lug lapping, etc.

You can also get yourself a detachable magazine setup for it.


It would probably cost close to a grand, all told...But it would be a custom rifle, with great fit and finish, and an accuracy treatment, that conforms to what you have in mind. This one is a phenomenal shooter.
 
I have a CIL model 830, 30-30 carbine 19.5" bbl. I picked up a Savage Scout scope mount and will have it installed and will be looking for a scope soon. I will also mount a receiver sight for a Savage 340 ( that is what the CIL is ) as soon as I come across a good used one. Once the metal work is done the stock will be refinished and to the bush it goes. It almost fits all the criteria, a bit overweight but it will work for me.
257 Roberts
 
Mine is LH Rem mod 788 in 308 Win, with 19" slender Savage barrel, 2-3/4 Burris scout scope, ball bearing detachable mounts and light 1-1/4" nylon sling. Action has been lightened, excess wood milled out from forearm, butstock drilled out and shortened, rubber recoil pad installed. All metal in teflon. Stock painted with black epoxy with gritt. Total weight is 6-1/2 lbs. Rifle does 3/4" at 100yds. Not bad for couple of weeks, as a winter projekt of mine, eh ?
 
I bought this converted FR8 some years ago. Caliber is 308 and the rifle is compact and very accurate, but likely not bench rest material. Optic is a 2x LER Leupold Pistol Scope.

DSC01333.jpg
 
What is it that you read about the Savage that you did not like? I bought one last year not expecting much and I have been very impressed. Can I answer any questions about them for you?

Rob
 
Does anybody make an aftermarket stock (wood, fiberglass, plastic?) to the same dimensions as the ruger frontier?
 
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