Need some opinions: Scout Rifle

A

armybuck041

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Hey Guys,

I'm getting back into the hobby after a number of years off pursuing others things.

I'd like to take up hunting once again. I'm back in New Brunswick where big game is essentially white tail deer, moose and black bears.

My wife has got me hemmed in, so I'm not going to be able to get a bunch of rifles. It's going to be a one and done affair. Looking at the terrain around here, there isn't exactly allot of wide open spaces to hunt, so I'm estimating that most engagements would be well this side of 200 meters. Probably more like 75 to 125 meters.

I've been drawn to the idea of a scout rifle in .308. Got a budget of +/- $1,500 plus an optic. Ruger and Savage seem to have some decent scout rifle options, as does Tikka with the T3X CTR. Beyond that, I've also been kicking around the idea of just getting an Enfield Jungle Carbine with a no-drill scope mount.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks

Scotty
 
I was in the same boat where I'm limited to one rifle that has to do everything and ended up going with the Savage 110 Scout. I've been really happy with it and posted my experiences with it here. It's a little heavier than it needs to be, but I was won over by the accustock, magazine compatibility, ability to mount conventional scopes if I didn't like IER optics, and availability.

If you're not married to the scout concept and are more interested in a general purpose bolt gun that opens up your options quite a bit. I was really tempted by the Winchester XPR when I handled it, and the previously mentioned Tikka Battue is a good choice that comes with iron sights.
 
A Scout rifle in 308 would be excellent option for your type of shooting. While not a "true" scout the Ruger is an excellent choice in that it is a rugged design that will give you a lifetime of service. The 308 round is widely available in many styles (target or hunting) as well as having cheap surplus ammo that is sold everywhere.

I would steer away from the 303 jungle carbine as it is not the most accurate design and was never designed to be - I own one. Shooting out past 150 yds produces more of a shotgun pattern. This plus 303 is getting pricey and relatively scarce if you don't handload.
 
I would get a Ruger Gunsite over a Savage, I have one in 450BM not 308, prices have gone a little crazy not sure if you could do a Ruger with scope for $1500, another option for a scout set up is a BLR, I would also take a Tikka over a Savage not sure about an actual scout scope set up for a Tikka though.
 
i am putting together a 1950 winchester 94 with a dr. pearson scout scope mount, so far i have $600 in it, 30-30 is plenty inside 150 yds
 
I own a Browning BLr takedown stainless laminate in 358 Win. I use a Burris 2-7 scope on it. It is handy and nice to carry. I use QD rings and mounted a Skinner Lo-Pro peep that functions with the factory front site. Overall, pretty sweat scout rig.

I also own a Tikka Battue in 308. I have a 3-9 scope in QD rings to allow for use of the excellent battue sites as needed. It is lighter than the browning and just as handy although not in a scout configuration.
 
Check out the mossberg mvp scout. Full pound lighter than the savage, and has a full length rail to run conventional, eer scopes or red dots. 16” pipe and take ar10 and m14 mags. Richard Mann (the scout rifle study) seemed to really like it.

Get his book an Amazon for a pretty good breakdown of the concept and a review on half a dozen models on the market.
 
Thanks for the input so far. Really appreciate it fellas.

I definitely like the idea of having robust iron sights. The Tikka Arctic was what started this, but it seems overly heavy and expensive. Not super fixated on the long eye relief scope setup, I can take it or leave it. The removable box mag and bolt action is a must. Fair point on the Jungle Carbine.

How is that Ruger with the .450 BM? That cartridge seems like it would be perfect for this terrain.
 
Timely thread, I've been thinking about almost the same thing, a 308 scout. I don't see any Steyr love and that's the gun I've been considering - too expensive?

I have a JC as well and love shooting it but it was born for irons. It's also heavy. Man does it kick - it's just an ornery gun, it won't be happy with scouting duty.
 
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TargetAcquired said:
Timely thread, I've been thinking about almost the same thing, a 308 scout. I don't see any Steyr love and that's the gun I've been considering - too expensive?

I have a JC as well and love shooting it but it was born for irons. It's also heavy. Man does it kick - it's just an ornery gun, it won't be happy with scouting duty.
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I like my Steyr Scout, but it is not within the budget you mentioned.

I also like my BLR which is set up as a lever action .308 Scout.
 
I love my scouts and have built a bunch of them. But for hunting I decided to build more of a “general purpose” rifle.
Tikka battue in a ctr stock with a super light low powered optic. In this case I mounted a leupold mark ar 1.5-4 with the green firedot spr reticle. I also have a 4-14x44 scope in qd rings if I know I’ll be hunting open areas.


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nagol said:
I love my scouts and have built a bunch of them. But for hunting I decided to build more of a “general purpose” rifle.
Tikka battue in a ctr stock with a super light low powered optic. In this case I mounted a leupold mark ar 1.5-4 with the green firedot spr reticle. I also have a 4-14x44 scope in qd rings if I know I’ll be hunting open areas.
Click to expand...

How much does your Tikka weigh without the bipod? That looks really slick and even though I probably still would have went with the Savage in the end I would have really liked to handle one when I was rifle shopping.
 
armybuck041 said:
Thanks for the input so far. Really appreciate it fellas.

I definitely like the idea of having robust iron sights. The Tikka Arctic was what started this, but it seems overly heavy and expensive. Not super fixated on the long eye relief scope setup, I can take it or leave it. The removable box mag and bolt action is a must. Fair point on the Jungle Carbine.

How is that Ruger with the .450 BM? That cartridge seems like it would be perfect for this terrain.
Click to expand...


I have the Ruger Scout in 450 BM. It is the stainless synthetic version. It is very nice and light. Super handy and the muzzle brake do a great job at reducing recoil without being obnoxiously loud.

It shot standard factory loads excellent. I honestly don’t use much as most of my hunting has the opportunity for longer shots so my 35 WSM sees a lot of of the hunting I do these days.

PM me if your are interested as I was thinking about possibly moving it…
 
I'm a big fan of the 308 general purpose rifle. I don't own anything that meets the rigid definition of the scout, but my favorite rifle is built around a similar concept.

Mine is built on a Savage action and it has been a good gun for me. Although I shoot it more than anything else, I have trouble recommending Savage with your budget. Tikka really wins the under $1500 category in my eyes. I have a t3x stainless varmint and have been issued a C19 (mil version of t3x arctic) and both are very high quality rifles that work very well out of the box.

I've shot many of the rifles mentioned and I don't think you can really go wrong with most of them. The Ruger GSR Scout is fine, I've heard good things about the CZ Ranger rifle although I've never shot that model, and as long as you're willing to do some small/inexpensive tinkering you'd probably be happy with the Savage Scout too (You may not need to, but some don't eject or feed very nicely). I think the best you could do is a Tikka though. CTR, battue, or the stainless laminate stock hunter model, depending on your preference for the features they offer
 
FWIW

The Scout was designed to be a “general purpose” rifle.

That is, one that will handle the generality of tasks including hunting.

If one’s interest is more specialized, there are better ways to set up a rifle.
 
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