Looking at buying a 16”-18” barreled bolt action rifle/ truck gun. Most likely in .308 I would Like to spend less than $1000 on it. Ruger, savage, Mossberg and others have them. Would like some input on which to buy and any others out there.
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Which scout/patrol rifle
- Thread starter 408w
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I’d do a CZ 527 in 7.62x39 and stick a Leupold 1.5-5 on it. The scout scope thing doesn’t make a whole lot of sense on a rifle with detachable mags.
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You could probably get a RPR for that price with some left over.
Ruger also makes some nice hunting rifles in the $400 and up range.
You could also get a Tikka T3x CTR in than same range.
Ruger also makes some nice hunting rifles in the $400 and up range.
You could also get a Tikka T3x CTR in than same range.
D
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Actually, thinking about it some more... if it was going to be a true beat around on the farm truck gun, I'd take an old Savage model 10 and cut down and recrown the barrel and be done with it. Then I'd spray paint the fuck out of it and let it ride.
I never understood the appeal of the "scout rifle" concept. However if I were to choose between the choices you listed, Ruger. Only because its the only one I have experience with and it worked well.
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Jeff Cooper hated the AR and hated the 5.56 round. The scout concept was something that had been tried as far back as WW2 with the various carbine versions of major caliber battle rifles.
He was in large part, living in the past. But he still had enough pull to get magazines to publish his rantings and Steyr to build him a rifle.
Fair enough. Forgive me for being frank but I was thinking it was a marketing scheme lol.
For me the scout rifle concept has evolved with the lower power scopes, new mags, calibers and rifle options. For me the first time I went through this it was a Remington AAC-SD 16" 308. Put in into a 700P stock with PTG bottom metal, Magpul mags and a 1-8 scope and a TBAC can. Worked real well. Sold that off to help fund an AI. Next project will be a Tikka CTR in 6.5 cut down and stuffed into a Manners stock.
Not a bolt action, but a great scout rifle.
I used to have the Ruger Scout. Really loved the gun and it shot extremely well. I have also shot the mossberg patrol series and so on... But those in my opinion are some very pricy “truck guns”. If it was me, I’d be looking at as mentioned above, a Ruger American rifle in .308 or perhaps a TC Compass. All great truck guns with half the price tag of a Scout and the same barrel configurations and accuracy.
a "scout rifle" is not going to do anything that a AR15 or AR10 wont do significantly better.
the scout rifle concept came from a time where when you needed a light handy reliably rifle in a "hunting caliber"....a bolt action was really the only solid option.
now you can build 6-7lb ARs in a whole host of calibers with any sort of optic or sight combo you need.
the scout rifle concept made sense around the turn of the century.......and in non-semi auto permissive countries (like africa).......but not much else.
the scout rifle concept came from a time where when you needed a light handy reliably rifle in a "hunting caliber"....a bolt action was really the only solid option.
now you can build 6-7lb ARs in a whole host of calibers with any sort of optic or sight combo you need.
the scout rifle concept made sense around the turn of the century.......and in non-semi auto permissive countries (like africa).......but not much else.
I had a Ruger Scout in .308 for a few years before I sold it to raise some funds for a custom build. Overall, it was a reliable and accurate rifle. I could never get used to the long eye relief scope concept, so I ended up pulling off the factory rail and replacing it with an XS Sights extended rail so that I could switch back and forth between a Leupold 1-6× Patrol and a red dot sight. I also ditched the factory muzzle brake and put a Surefire brake. Those small changes made the rifle much more enjoyable for me (I also ditched the steel 10 round mag for some 5 round Magpul nnags)
Have you looked at the Lantac straight-pull AR upper? This may be an option for you since there's no gas system and you'll still retain the AR ergonomics.
Not sure what your intended purpose is but if you want stopping power in a compact package the savage hog hunter in 338 federal would be a solid option.
Pushing a 180 grain bullet over 2800fps it is a very formidable round in a short action.
The only one I've ever shot was in an AR10 that my brother built but it was a fun and capable round for hunting.
Pushing a 180 grain bullet over 2800fps it is a very formidable round in a short action.
The only one I've ever shot was in an AR10 that my brother built but it was a fun and capable round for hunting.
Not a scout rifle exactly, but for a cheap you could go for the Ruger american predator 308. I'd go for the new one that uses AICS mags. can get the magpul 10 round mags, 18" barrel, and the gun is about $400. I've got the old version with their proprietary mag and its great. Short, light, handy rifle. I bought it for a cheap suppressor host, but its a solid gun. I haven't really shot groups with it or done load work up for it. But just from sighting it in, I'd say it was a 1.5-2 moa gun pretty easily. Could be lower than that if I tried, but that was plenty for what I wanted so haven't messed with different loads or sat down to really see what it was capable of.
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True - but for guys that are in "no fun allowed" states, things like this come into consideration. I think that I'd rather go bolt-action over this but I think that it could be a good option for someone that wants to keep the AR ergos
- Mar 15, 2018
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Vanilla .308 Varmint chopped 17.5'. I inletted the standard T3 lite stock to accept the the larger barrel profile - balances very well.
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The Tikka CTR 20 in is just 2 in longer and is onsale for $900....
https://www.eurooptic.com/JRTXC316-Tikka-Tikka-T3x-CTR-308-Win-200--barrel-MPN-JRTXC31.aspx
https://www.eurooptic.com/JRTXC316-Tikka-Tikka-T3x-CTR-308-Win-200--barrel-MPN-JRTXC31.aspx
I’ll always have a soft spot for a bolt action, general purpose rifle like in the video above.
I really like my 20" CTR but it feels like an elephant compared to my Ruger Predator that I had cut to 16.75". Both guns currently have the same scope, a heavy 3-18x Tango 6.
For an inexpensive truck gun, a Predator with a SS 3-9x would be a good combo. Maybe a Ruger American Ranch in 5.56 if you don't need something bigger.
I have two bolt guns that fit the definition.
Savage 10FCM Scout 7.62x39 with a Tasco 2.5-10x40 Varmint/Target MilDot in conventional mounting. It has a .308 bore and likes the Hornady 110gr .308 V-Max.
Mossberg MVP 5.56 Predator with Bushnell AR Drop Zone 223 BDC 3-12x40. It likes stuff up to and including 69gr, especially Fed Fusion 62gr 223.
Greg
Savage 10FCM Scout 7.62x39 with a Tasco 2.5-10x40 Varmint/Target MilDot in conventional mounting. It has a .308 bore and likes the Hornady 110gr .308 V-Max.
Mossberg MVP 5.56 Predator with Bushnell AR Drop Zone 223 BDC 3-12x40. It likes stuff up to and including 69gr, especially Fed Fusion 62gr 223.
Greg
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I have a savage that I made into a truck gun. I was between a 6.5 creedmoor and a 308 (both plentiful of you need ammo in a pinch). Barrel is 18" and it sits in a krg chassis. It wears uso b10 with horus reticle.
Q Fix w/ an NF 2.5-10×24, or fancy 1-8×. BUIS, lights, anything you want.
You can't have an AR, can you have a lever gun? For most things I would want a truck gun for (of course, those may be different than yours) I would rather have a lever action 30/30 that is light, handy, and quick to shoot, (and can be outfitted with a dot or scope) than a mag fed bolt gun. Hell, I would maybe even go with a shotgun in that instance (again, only if I couldn't have an AR).
I put together a Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39 for one of my boys. Nice little rifle for what it is. It'd be an outstanding truck gun. Put a Vortex diamonback HP 4-12 on it. Shoots steel cased walmart ammo inside 4" and takes mini-30 mags. Muzzle is threaded for those of you living in free states. Cheap to feed, good enough out to 200 yards, very handy. Had the Ruger Gunsite......loved it but it was heavy-Norcal911
Newly arrived and set up Ruger PC (Pistol Caliber) Carbine, customized with the correct (separately purchased) mag well adapter to accept the 17rd mags from My Ruger American Pistol 9 Pro handgun.
Mine also has (included) mag well adapters for Ruger SR9/Security-9 and , and Glock (including 33rd) mags. It's supposedly suitable for Personal Defense/Medium Game targets to 100yd, paper targets to 200yd.
It has a Harris Clone Bipod and an older Tasco Red Dot scope mounted which I kinda prefer since its dot height is a lot lower than an AR height mounting. One can see, but not quite co-witness, the iron sights (elev adjustable Ghost Ring rear w/wing protected Ramp Blade in front) in the Red Dot.
Greg
Mine also has (included) mag well adapters for Ruger SR9/Security-9 and , and Glock (including 33rd) mags. It's supposedly suitable for Personal Defense/Medium Game targets to 100yd, paper targets to 200yd.
It has a Harris Clone Bipod and an older Tasco Red Dot scope mounted which I kinda prefer since its dot height is a lot lower than an AR height mounting. One can see, but not quite co-witness, the iron sights (elev adjustable Ghost Ring rear w/wing protected Ramp Blade in front) in the Red Dot.
Greg
After you get a chance to shoot it, let us know how it shoots & what you think of it.
I would also be really interested to see what kind of groups you could get out of it when you shoot it from a bench.
Been thinking about doing one of these myself. Mine will be in .223. Trying to decide between getting the ruger predator and chopping and threading at 18" or just getting the ranch at 16". Hoping krg will do a bravo chassis at some time but factory stock will have to do for awhile.
This is next on the agenda. Right now my 9mm ammo supply is sorta bottom-feeder stuff, with the Independence 9mm aluminum cased 1115gr RN running in the Ruger American Pistol 9. It's those magazines the PC is set up for. If it digest that and shoots OK, then I'll be getting a bulk supply.
Testing will be done at 50yd, and 100yd; then 200yd if closer results justify it. The reviews I've been following suggest the rifle is pretty accurate and very reliable; we'll see. If 200yd testing is justified, I'll be swapping out the red dot for something with some magnification and a crosshair.
Hagen, the Mossberg MVP Predator .223 I have is set up with the Bushnell AR Drop Zone BDC scope, with aim points for 55-62gr Milspec, and aiming points for 100, 200 , 300, 400, and 500yd, and the vertical plex crosshair's lower junction also serves as a 600yd aiming point. The main selling point is the AR magazine compatibility. It's very accurate with the Federal Fusion MSR 62gr Bonded Flat Tip skived 'deer' round. This is a very compact and capable package.
My preferred cheap shoot 9mm is the S&B 124gr stuff that runs less than $200 per 1k
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...-9mm-luger-fmj-124-grain-500-rounds?a=1587840
I run a lot of H&K pistols which are sprung for the heavier weights.
Now if it works really well and you want to try it with some really high power defensive solids, let me know and I'll send you a box.
The practice ammo the dealer gave me for the Ruger was that S&B which you mention. I still have some, so It'll be part of the test. Thanks for the remind.
Greg
Greg
