My Approach to a Semi-Auto Scout Rifle, by Swampfox
BY PGF
1 year, 10 months ago
Some of the choices made are interesting. It’s not likely many would consider the same build, but the article gets the ‘ol noggin assessing the possibilities and applications. The author accepts Jeff Cooper’s idea and builds upon it but from his own conventions and limitations.
Intro:
The “scout rifle” is a concept that has been around since the 1980s. First proposed by Colonel Jeff Cooper, it has become popular among outdoorsmen and survival-oriented folks as a “do-it-all” kind of rifle. Each person’s idea of a scout rifle can vary, with the purposes of self-defense and being able to take wild game common to your living area.
The original scout rifle concept has a very specific set of features. Cooper’s favorite caliber was, of course, the 308 Winchester / 7.62×51. He allowed other similar calibers such as 7mm-08 in the same power level. A scout rifle is supposed to be light, between 6.5 and 7.75 lbs, and have a short length of 39” or less. Scout rifles are typically magazine-fed bolt action, although Cooper’s original concept allowed for semi-auto operation if a sufficiently light action could be found. Forward-mounted, long eye-relief optics are the most noticeable feature of a scout rifle, typically from 2x-7x magnification. Scout rifles are supposed to be capable of 2 MOA or less, and are typically equipped with a Ching-style sling.
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On January 16, 2023 at 10:22 pm, 41mag said:
Like a lever action, I do enjoy the bolt action. While manufacturing advances have been made, a semi auto would worry me more if in a Scout role. Maybe that’s my inexperience but I’ve seen what Scouts carry, like NCScout from Brushbeater, and a bolt gun did them just fine.
On January 17, 2023 at 12:32 am, Miles said:
When stationed at Fort Knox back in 2006, I took the Scout Rifle concept and applied it to one of our M16A2s.
As the M16A4 was issued with the M5 rail system, I swapped out the handguards and installed a fixed power Leupold Scout scope, using the QD rings for the M68 Aimpoint.
It was used to good effect during qualification firing on the George Blair range. and helped the average to poor shooters much more than those who could already score expert, but even those soldiers remarked that it made it easier.
On January 17, 2023 at 5:42 am, jrg said:
Practical carrying firearms, designed for the person on foot to be carried in the woods. Backbone of need of stalking game without weighing your self down unnecessarily with a heavier long gun.
On January 17, 2023 at 10:53 am, George said:
With the advent of LPVOs the scout concept became moot.
A 1X – 4X or even higher power top end is more practical. The 1X is quick and the mounting position being closer to the eye makes for a faster sight acquisition.
On January 17, 2023 at 7:35 pm, Bill Buppert said:
+100 to George
This boat has sailed and LPVOs rule the roost. Technology finally filled the gap that Ruger briefly filled.
My Garand has a red dot mounted on the picatinny forward rail I installed due to the action location foregoing the closer eye relief.
On January 18, 2023 at 8:19 am, jrg said:
Does anyone have any See-All sight unit feed back ? I have one on a Remington 600 Mohawk (scout rifle platform defined, pretty much) and with very limited use, it hasn’t been bad. Same cheek mount as a scope, maybe slightly higher perhaps but not a jaw weld.
On January 18, 2023 at 11:15 am, ArmyArmstrong said:
Ditton on the LPVO, Swampfox makes a good one at a great price.
On January 18, 2023 at 12:20 pm, X said:
Mini-14 scout rifle, LOL. What a Fudd. Totally underwhelmed.
I have a newer Ranch Rifle and while it is more accurate than the older versions, it simply isn’t very good. The ejector has worn a hole in the bolt, the extractor has broken, it can be fussy with certain loads and jam. It has more violent recoil than necessary because of the mass of the gas block on the op rod. A cheap PSA midlength nitride kit for $369 is ten times the rifle at a third of the cost. Reloads are not as easy as with an AR, and expensive factory mags for the Mini are a necessity, as most aftermarket one are sketchy. Unlike the AR critical parts like bolts and firing pins cannot be purchased cheap, kept on hand, and quickly swapped in, you have to send the entire rifle to Ruger. Since a scout rifle is largely a SHTF rig, the Mini-14 is a non-starter.
If you insist on a semi-auto don’t like or are legally banned from having an AR, a Garand chambered in .308 with picatinny rail in place of the front handguard and a scout scope mounted on it s a much MUCH better option.
Cooper got it right: the best scout rifle is a light, bolt-action .308. He would have laughed at a Mini-14 scout rifle.