so... what's your definition of a "guide gun" ???

I'm with Panfisher

A guide gun will be vastly different on where the guiding takes place. I seriously think a cheapo Rossi in .454 Casull packs a hellava punch in a package that weighs six pounds.
 
varies

I'd think a "guide" would carry much, and shoot little. The rifle would need to compact and portable. As their responsible for their client, they'd need to shoot well when necessary on dangerous game, and have adequate caliber/power, likely a tad more than average. If your area/ quarry can't necessarily hurt you, I'd think reliability would still be paramount, so as to help guarantee collecting a trophy.

Phil SHOEMAKER (?), the Alaska bear guide, in the various articles he's either written or been featured in, has rotated through a variety of rifles/calibers apparently, when dealing with dangerous bears. But all are big bore, short and compact. Harry SELBY (?) shot a .416 Rigby in Africa with RUARK, lots of big nasty critters over there.

Rather than gut a Ruger Scout, why not just buy a Savage Hog Rifle and be done with it? If you want the big positive extractor and ejector, what about the discontinued Ruger Frontier.....all in .308.
 
Marlin 45/70 guide gun

In Ohio we have new limited rifle deer season, 45/70 is leagal. before we were
muzzle loader,handgun,or shotgun slug. Lots of young guys are buying the 95
Guide gun. Their purpose is suppose to be to gain range, they also think it looks
cool. I've sited a couple of these in for them, factory loads, the Cabela Commandos don't reload. None of these carbines I've shot impress me. Good
enough to shoot 100yd deer, yes, but no better than good slug outfit. They all buy 3x9 scopes and think they are going to shoot 300yds. Rude awakening coming!
 
Main reason so many guides use the Marlin lever-action, is one of the toughest, most reliable rifles ever made.
Unlike most non-military rifles, you can butt-stroke someone and it won't generally break.
(Field Expedient anesthetic... ;) )

Although, due to the area I live in, sold my .45-70 and went back to the .30-30 :)
It just felt better in Florida...

Although now that they've allowed Supressors for hunting as of last Thursday,
I'm starting to think about what threaded rifle I want next...
 
The only reason I can think of a guide needing to carry a rifle is in a situation where he may need to protect his client when dangerous game could be involved. In Africa that could go from .375 H&H up to .577 NE. I've seen a lot of hunts where the PH carries a double in .470 NE or something of that nature (seen via tv/interwebs 'cuz I'm poor). Now that's completely different from a North American guide, say Alaska, where an encounter with a Brown Bear could be a possibility. Such a guide would likely want something lightweight and nimble that he wouldn't mind carrying uphill and down for miles, in a hard hitting .40+ caliber. I know that would be my preference. Maybe a '92 in .454 or .480 that I could pair with a big whomping revolver in the same caliber. Some sort of peep or ghost ring for this one. And that would be different than what a guide on a white tail hunt in the southeastern US would want, where maybe it would just be needed to pop a hog or coyote if you chance across one or something. A low power scope would be nice here.

For me, it would be one of my favorite hunting rifles. Either my old Oberndorf .30-06 with a Williams peep or my Win 94 in .375 Win. Both are light and accurate and more than enough to drop anything I may cross in the swamps.

I giess it all depends on where you are and what you're hunting.
 
In Alaska...

At least here in S.E. Alaska, that would be a Marlin 45-70. It's carried by Fish & Game and the Forest Service when venturing out in bear country. Good knock down power in close situations, which is really the only time you'd need it, or use it. ;)

FN Mauser
 
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