Scout Rifle: Savage, Rem 7?

H

Hawkeye

New member
I have been planning to put together a Scout rifle, but hadn't decided on the base. Rich was kind enough to let me use his Steyr Scout for a class, and although it's a fine rifle (thanks, Rich!), I wasn't altogether enamored with it.

I had a chance to look over a Savage Scout today. The price is right, it is already pillar bedded, and the aperture sights look decent. The trigger would need work. The large, round bolt handle would be great.

I also handled a Remington Model 7 in .308. This felt remarkably light and quick. I'd been giving up a box magazine, which I can live with. Either rifle would end up with a three-point Ching sling.

Do any of you have some experience with either rifle? No flames, please. I've tried the Steyr and want to look at other options.
 
I am planning to have riflesmith Bob Sutton, Moundhouse, NV, build me a "scoutish" type rifle on a Remington Model 7 action. Bob talked me out of buying a Steyr Scout. For $400 less than the factory rifle from Austria he will build me one that he promises will shoot rings around the Steyr. Here are the details, although they are subject to change as Bob and I talk more about the project. First, the weight will be less than 7#. The barrel will be 22" and of medium heft. I want peep sights instead of a forward-mounted scope. The caliber will be .260 Remington, barreled for the 120 grain round. The stock has yet to be decided. I will probably go with a blind magazine box of five rounds since Bob does not like detachable box magazines in a bolt rifle. Anyway, I consider this package to be a mountain rifle. I plan to use it for tramping up and down the desert ranges of central and eastern Nevada in search of game. Other details will be added as things progress. I expect not to see this rifle completed for something like six months to a year.

I am confident the Model 7 action will be an excellent base for a fine rifle.

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Oligarch
 
I bought a savage scout a few months ago. Very good value as it has detachable mag, b-square weaver base and ghost ring sights on it already. I added a 2.5x28 leupold scout IER scope with quick detachable rings and lightened the trigger pull a smidge(extremely easy).

It is currently way more accurate than myself.

The only other mod I may do is to add a third swivel for a ching sling setup.

The bottom line is I wanted a light, quick, accurate rifle for hunting and I think I got it for a very good price. No regrets.

regards,

Olazul
 
It is easy to take a wood stocked M7 and have a gunsmith add the Burris scout scope base in the rear barrel sight holes. Add a third swivel stud, and possibly relocate forward stud further forward. The only disadvantage to this is you probably won't be able to get out of it what you have in it if you decide to sell. With a Savage it is like it came from the factory.

I have no experience with the Savage.
 
Hawkeye--
I like my Savage Scout .308 very much--About as much as the one Steyr I have shot, and it "feels" more solid. I mounted the Leupold 2.5x28 M-8 Scout Scope on it. Added third sling stud just forward of magazine well and changed the factory sling into Ching Sling configuration with about $3.00 worth of screw rivets and a D-ring. Installed a butt cuff for extra ammo and bought a second magazine.

It is not the most accurate rifle I own but is by far the quickest. I haven't tried it beyond 200 yards, but it is minute-of-Coke can with MilSurp FMJ at that distance. I have only fired a couple of groups with factory hunting ammo, but it seems to like the Remington 180 RNSP "Express" load quite well.

I shot perhaps sixty rounds with iron sights before the scope arrived. This rifle's Williams peep and medium old bead front may be the quickest, easiest-to-use iron sights of any factory bolt action I know.

I have under $800 in the whole rig, including having gunsmith adjust the trigger to a crisp, light pull. There is at least one good aftermarket trigger assembly available, but I don't need it.

Whatever your choice, best of luck.
Johnny


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---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---

[This message has been edited by Johnny Guest (edited November 11, 2000).]
 
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