Tarrantula
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Parts unknown
CZ 557 ranger or Ruger scout would be my choices
Looking for an All-Purpose, compact .308.
- Thread starter Northern Shooter
- Start date
Update: I have decided on my next .308 rifle.
After searching for several months and being unable to find a Ruger Scout or CZ Ranger I have decided that some compromises had to be made.
It seems that a combination of all the features I initially set out for are almost impossible to come buy in a single package.
I have decided to focus on what matters most and that being.
1. Chambered in .308.
2. Barrel Length.
3. Detachable AICS mags.
4. Durable stock.
5. Price point, these are very affordable for what you get.
I decided to go with the Ruger American Hunter in .308 with the 20" (surprisingly thick) barrel. The barrel is short and heavy enough for sustained range use and supposedly quite accurate out to 500 yards.
I will be using this rifle for hunting so the one major draw back is weight(!) but I will deal with that.
I like the stock configuration on these Magpul Hunter models, I like the magazine availability and the brake that comes installed.
It doesn't have a Mauser action, iron sights or traditional wood stock. I believe I have purchase a second rifle to meet these (Swedish Mauser, Ruger M77, CZ 557 etc.).
After searching for several months and being unable to find a Ruger Scout or CZ Ranger I have decided that some compromises had to be made.
It seems that a combination of all the features I initially set out for are almost impossible to come buy in a single package.
I have decided to focus on what matters most and that being.
1. Chambered in .308.
2. Barrel Length.
3. Detachable AICS mags.
4. Durable stock.
5. Price point, these are very affordable for what you get.
I decided to go with the Ruger American Hunter in .308 with the 20" (surprisingly thick) barrel. The barrel is short and heavy enough for sustained range use and supposedly quite accurate out to 500 yards.
I will be using this rifle for hunting so the one major draw back is weight(!) but I will deal with that.
I like the stock configuration on these Magpul Hunter models, I like the magazine availability and the brake that comes installed.
It doesn't have a Mauser action, iron sights or traditional wood stock. I believe I have purchase a second rifle to meet these (Swedish Mauser, Ruger M77, CZ 557 etc.).
- Location
- Vancouver Island, BC
User irondogg has a very nice CZ557 range (the old one with the sights) for sale on the EE right now. There have been a few on the EE in the last few months. I bought a new one just this week from a CGN sponsor...
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I see no one's mentioned Ruger American Predator. Really happy with mine, even if I'm carrying it by hand for 3hours hiking through the woods.
No irons, but seeing as it's not as much as a ruger scout you could get a dovetail machined into it.
No irons, but seeing as it's not as much as a ruger scout you could get a dovetail machined into it.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Just a thought - your listing of your priorities. Many of us hunt with Ruger #1 single shot, or similar single shot, and cut tags every year - is perhaps that a large capacity detachable magazine, in a hunting rifle, might be a statement to the world about planning to miss often? At least that is my interpretation when I see one being lugged around. If you are building up a hunting rifle, stay with what works - handling, weight, sufficient power - you likely need a single well placed shot, some seconds or minutes later is possible to need a follow-up shot - if you have other priorities for a rifle, then good on you.
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Who you calling ugly? That is a thing of beauty!
I found that sitting in the used gun page of a cgn sponsor. Apparently a model 700, 16.5” barreled 308 win AI mag setup in a McMillan M40 stock. Priced well so I bought it but haven’t received it yet. Maybe it shoots like it looks? Good or ugly??
stickhunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Victoria, B.C.
I saw that listing and was tempted! I think you'll find it's a well put-together rifle, and for the price of the components alone, it was a good deal. Congratulations and hope you enjoy it!
All the power to you but I dont subscribe to the "only need one shot" hunting philosophy.
While we would all like to be as ethical as possible, #### happens and sometimes quick follow up shots are required to make a kill.
Plus this rifle will also be seeing lots of range time and won't be exclusively used to hunt with.
Thats where the heavy barrel and 10 round magazines will come in handy.
Tarrantula
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Parts unknown
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I used repeater bolt action rifles for decades to hunt deer. I shot at many, many dozens of animals with them - earliest ones were Lee Enfields with 10 round magazines, and I emptied them to no real effect other than making noise, I think? I can remember exactly one deer that was taken with a round from the magazine - a white tail doe on the run in the brush/bush. Other than that, all were taken with my first shot, or the rest of the rounds simply made it run faster. I found no real change in results with a single shot rifle - still got animals that I was hunting - I did learn that there was actually time to take a good aim and make that first one count, and with a bit of practice, I could get a second aimed shot downrange in about same time as a less practiced bolt action user. I also missed many - I think one mule deer buck was shot at by me about 9 or 10 times before it stayed down - with my single shot!!
Not real certain about the range thing - several of the higher end target rifles here are single shots - no magazine cut in their action. Maybe we are taking a different kind or style of "range time". I found is always an issue to try to make one rifle do what maybe four or five would be better to have. With time that will come. No point trying to make a deer rifle into a 1,000 yard target rifle. Or a 7x57 into a 7mm STW. Or a 30-06 into a 300 magnum whatever. My very latest hunting rifle purchase is a Ruger 77 Compact in 243 Win with a Leupold 2-7 power scope - I have not even fired it yet - but pretty much about my ideal for an "old guy's" hunting rifle. For range work, I picked up a Parker Hale 1200 TX this summer - in 7.62 NATO - seems to be a pretty classy range thing - but no scope on it - just the original Parker and AJP aperture sights.
Not real certain about the range thing - several of the higher end target rifles here are single shots - no magazine cut in their action. Maybe we are taking a different kind or style of "range time". I found is always an issue to try to make one rifle do what maybe four or five would be better to have. With time that will come. No point trying to make a deer rifle into a 1,000 yard target rifle. Or a 7x57 into a 7mm STW. Or a 30-06 into a 300 magnum whatever. My very latest hunting rifle purchase is a Ruger 77 Compact in 243 Win with a Leupold 2-7 power scope - I have not even fired it yet - but pretty much about my ideal for an "old guy's" hunting rifle. For range work, I picked up a Parker Hale 1200 TX this summer - in 7.62 NATO - seems to be a pretty classy range thing - but no scope on it - just the original Parker and AJP aperture sights.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
That’s a ###y beast right there, reminds me of the 700ltr to a degree. That’s another sweet rifle, even without a detachable box mag I wouldn’t kick it out of bed.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
How’s your ltr like the heavier bullets, like 180 gr?
Those are nice, well thought out rifles. I always wanted one but prefer the walnut version.
I have an old Sportsman 78 in 308 that will be fitted to Brown Precision stock. I will probably have it cut to 20" and top it with either 1.5-5 or a 2-7. It will be similar to yours.
