Scout Rifle - Anyone Hunt With One?

[radford56]

I drank the scout rifle kool aid a few years ago, bought a Steyr Scout rifle in .308, and equipped it with a forward mounted Leupold 2.5 scout scope. I like the rifle a lot, it's accurate, and the trigger is much better than most factory triggers I've dealt with. Done a lot of shooting on the range with it and a bit of hunting.

While I like the overall package, I'm thinking about swapping out the optic on the rifle for a more conventionally mounted optic. Seems to me there's nothing a forward mounted optic can do that a good low powered variable optic in the 1-6 or 1-8 range can't do better. I suspect that's blasphemy to true scout rifle fans, but there's been quite a bit of progress in the optics world since Cooper came up with the concept.

So I'm curious - anyone here hunt with a scout rifle of any type and if so, what's your opinion of it?

 

[caihlen]

I do. Wouldn’t trade the forward mount for anything. Both eyes open, easy target acquisition, and where I hunt super maneuverable and easy to pack.

 

[radford56]

I do. Wouldn’t trade the forward mount for anything. Both eyes open, easy target acquisition, and where I hunt super maneuverable and easy to pack.

I agree about having both eyes open, but you can do the same thing with a good low power variable optic. It's expensive and hard to find right now - and I'm not sure that its the right optic for a scout rifle - but the new Vortex Razor Gen III 1-10 works almost like a red dot on 1X plus it gives you 10X on the top end if you need the magnification.

One of the reasons I asked this question is that I was listening to Jerry Miculek on an episode of the Vortex Nation podcast. The host asked him if he'd ever used a scout scope. He replied that he had, but that he considered the scout scope to be a solution in the past to the lack of a good optic like current LPVOs. Just his opinion of course, but it started me thinking about options.

In full disclosure, I took the Leupold scout scope off the Steyr earlier today and mounted it on a Marlin 45-70 Guide Gun. I really like low powered forward mounted scopes on the lever guns - I've actually used the scope on this Marlin before. But on the Steyr, I like the idea of having a little more magnification and brightness for hunting since I can reach out a little further with the Steyr than I can with the Marlin. I do more hunting from a stand now than I do stalking, so I'm probably not as concerned about easy packing and maneuverability as you are - sounds like you probably hunt in different terrain than I do.

Just trying to make up my mind about where to go with the Steyr and thought I ask for opinions.

 

[ckrifles]

Cooper was one of my heroes! I have a Colt series 70 milled out to accept the S&W adjustable sight like he advised. Shot ipsc for a while, great fun. Like you I like the Scout Rifle have the book some were. But I think the forward mounted scope is a solution to a problem that dose not exist.

 

[AckleymanII]

8mm German mauser, tricked out, timney trigger, very accurate rifle...still!, Barrel shortened, sights added, stock extends to barrel end. 8mm Mauser is the Hammer of Thor on deer!

 

[bluealtered]

Most of us may find that as time goes by using that scout rifle, (mine is a savage 11 scout) isn't as easy on the eyes as it used to be. Of course i have gotten older than dirt now and that may be a factor as well. It just sits in the back of the safe anymore.

 

[sw282]

8mm German mauser, tricked out, timney trigger, very accurate rifle...still!, Barrel shortened, sights added, stock extends to barrel end. 8mm Mauser is the Hammer of Thor on deer!

8mm Mauser is pretty much Thor's Hammer on anything it comes in contact with. Primary 'Caliber of Choice' used in 2 World Wars, esp the Eastern Front. 20 Million dead Russians cant be wrong

 

[radford56]

Most of us may find that as time goes by using that scout rifle, (mine is a savage 11 scout) isn't as easy on the eyes as it used to be. Of course i have gotten older than dirt now and that may be a factor as well. It just sits in the back of the safe anymore.

I hear you about the eyes - seems like mine change a little every day now. One day the cross hairs are sharp the next day they're blurry. Getting old ain't easy!

 

[AckleymanII]

Keep screwing the eye piece in.

 

[Intell]

I've used both and like a rear mounted low power best.
One deer gun I use has an NX8 1-8 and another is a Zeiss 1.8-14. They are both eyes open. Even 2.5 on the low end is sometimes to high for most of the areas I hunt, for a quick "in your lap" shot.

 

[cem]

I like the Steyr Scout rifle a lot and I bought a matching Dragoon in .376 - that said I consider hunting a specialty use - differing according to game and terrain - and so I consider a specific scope with better light gathering shooting closer to the sun and such better for that specific use than the Leupold scout scope for general use that came with the rifle.

For that reason I have levers for easy interchange on the Scout scope. For the Dragoon I'm inclined to think a scout scope is a good choice for .376 game so I have that one mounted securely.

I don't hesitate to wander the woods with the Scout scope mounted but I don't hesitate to mount something else when I'm not wandering around but targeting game.

 

[David Milisock]

8mm German mauser, tricked out, timney trigger, very accurate rifle...still!, Barrel shortened, sights added, stock extends to barrel end. 8mm Mauser is the Hammer of Thor on deer!

I did my scout on a sporterized Mauser 8 x 57 JS many years ago, cut to 21 1/2", the 32 caliber and heavier projectiles seem better for me. I eventually pulled the forward scope and stuck with iron sights. My eyes allow shots in excess of 300 yards and the 8mm is very capable.

 

[Kings X]

I too went with a Mauser 98 but in 45 Whelen improved. The forward scope is a Redfield 1-6 pistol scope. Eye relief is perfect.

 

[hseII]

If you remove the rail a set of Ruger rings & an old VX-II 3-9x40 does well on the Ruger Scout.

 

[Minshooter]

One of the original reasons for the forward scope was to allow the use of charger clips.
The availability of decent magazine systems (not Steyr's) has rendered this moot,
and none of the current more or less Scouts (that I am aware of) have slots for the clip.
If you drink from the Gunsite well, you have to have one, and think they're great.
The Steyr came close, but was built from an existing action, with add ons, including
bulky bipod wings, and a bizarre not-interchangeable capacity magazines system.
I've built some, much closer to the original parameters; but they mostly sit waiting
for someone to pick up from the rack, maybe shoot it once, then put it back.
That little scope so far away takes some getting used to, but it can be made to work,
but thicker crosshair versions obscure at distance, and thin ones disappear at dusk.
Put an Eotech on it, and people suddenly want one.

 

[David Milisock]

I too went with a Mauser 98 but in 45 Whelen improved. The forward scope is a Redfield 1-6 pistol scope. Eye relief is perfect.

The 32 and 35 caliber allows faster powders and more energy in a shorter barrel.
I got lucky and bought my Mauser already sporterized for $150, I got it to build a rifle. When leaving the shop the owner told me he had 8mm surplus ammo for $4 a bandolier. I bought one, went to the range, the rifle shot so well I went back and bought 10 more bandoliers.
I put 1 x 6 Burris on it and after awhile found I shot it just as well with the iron sights. Lots of utility for little money.

 

[Scrumbag]

I hunt with a 2.5x28 Leupold on my .44 mag lever action which is a top eject 1892 clone. I quite like it the low power scope but for choice I'd go with a conventional scope. A buddy who hunts the same syndicate (Lease) I do has a Steyr Scout in .243W and he uses a conventional scope (think it's a 3-12x42 S&B).

Scrummy

 

[radford56]

I like the Steyr Scout rifle a lot and I bought a matching Dragoon in .376 - that said I consider hunting a specialty use - differing according to game and terrain - and so I consider a specific scope with better light gathering shooting closer to the sun and such better for that specific use than the Leupold scout scope for general use that came with the rifle.

For that reason I have levers for easy interchange on the Scout scope. For the Dragoon I'm inclined to think a scout scope is a good choice for .376 game so I have that one mounted securely.

I don't hesitate to wander the woods with the Scout scope mounted but I don't hesitate to mount something else when I'm not wandering around but targeting game.

I think that's a good way to approach the scout rifle, particularly in the case of the Steyr. Treat it like a system since it's really easy to switch between forward mounted and conventionally mounted scopes on the Steyr (not so easy on the Ruger). Use the forward mounted scout scope when appropriate and swap it for a "more capable" conventional scope when the hunting situation dictates. I like the forward mounted scope on the range and I've practiced quite extensively with it, so I'm confident with it in the field. However, I realize that it does have limitations. When I'm sitting in a tree or box stand looking at a deer 200 yards away in the last 10 minutes of shooting light a scout scope isn't the best tool for the situation, even though the Steyr rifle is perfectly capable of doing the job. I'm going to mount a conventional scope on the Steyr for the upcoming deer season in NC and keep looking at picking up an LPVO for future all-around use.

 

[F224]

In my experience, the forward mounted scout scope works well on a square range from 9am-5pm. But when the sun is behind you at dawn or dusk, and you're getting glare on the ocular lens it's pretty much worthless. I run 2.5-10x NightForce, and 1.5-5x or 1.75-6x Leupold and S&B scopes for that reason.

 

[Scrumbag]

In my experience, the forward mounted scout scope works well on a square range from 9am-5pm. But when the sun is behind you at dawn or dusk, and you're getting glare on the ocular lens it's pretty much worthless. I run 2.5-10x NightForce, and 1.5-5x or 1.75-6x Leupold and S&B scopes for that reason.

This is not bad advice. I think scout scopes give you a solution when you can't mount conventionally. I am not sure I would recommend them if you can mount a conventional optic.