The Ultimate Scout Rifle—Full Review
The Steyr Scout is the culmination of Jeff Cooper’s concept of a light yet capable rifle. Image courtesy of the manufacturer.
With
two magazines on board, the Steyr Scout Rifle is easily tac-loaded and
the operator need not carry additional ammunition on their belt.
For more information, visit
https://steyrarms.com.
The
idea of owning only one rifle does not appeal to many Americans. In
some European countries, government restrictions make it more common and
is why drillings and vierlings—rifle and shotgun combination guns with
multiple barrels—are popular there. In the United States, we can own
multiple rifles specialized for almost any specific task. While this is
very appealing if not an ideal situation, so is the idea of owning a
single rifle you can do almost anything with.
U.S. Marine and
Gunsite
Academy founder Jeff Cooper began experimenting with carbines – short
rifles – as early as the mid-1960s. His work with these reduced rifles
led to his conceptualized solution to the one rifle question. Cooper’s
Scout Rifle concept is now often looked at as mostly a set of ridged
specifications regulating the physical makeup of the firearm. What is
very often overlooked is the practical application and friendliness of
the rifle Cooper was trying to create.
In the early 80s Jeff
Cooper held a number of conferences with riflemen and others he
respected. The goal was to put forth the criteria of the Scout Rifle
concept Cooper had formulated around the idea of a rifle that would best
suit a man working alone in the wild while operating as a military
scout, hunter, or both. Though Cooper massaged the specifications over
the years, his Scout Rifle could be broken down into these 10 elements.
- Compact bolt-action rifle chambered for .308 Winchester
- Barrel of 19 inches or less
- Overall length of 39 inches or less
- Forward-mounted, low-powered, long eye relief optical sight
- Reserve ghost ring sights
- Ching or C.W. shooting sling, with hammerhead recessed attachments
- Good trigger
- Integrated bipod
- Mechanism for storing extra magazine or ammunition in the buttstock
- Maximum weight of seven pounds unloaded, with all accessories attached
Cooper’s
definition went far beyond elemental makeup; he wanted a rifle that was
“friendly” and stipulated its most outstanding characteristic was
“handiness.” He wanted a rifle that was ideally adapted to the snap
shot, while still providing two MOA or better precision out to any
reasonable shooting distance. Cooper wanted a “general-purpose” rifle.
This
is Cooper’s second prototype Scout Rifle and he called it Sweetheart;
it is the rifle Zedrosser from Steyr worked with when he came to
Gunsite.
Cooper worked with a variety of gunsmiths trying to
construct prototypes meeting these specifications, but what he really
wanted was that a major firearms manufacturer to mass-produce his
conceptualized carbine. Over the next several years Cooper came close to
creating a Scout Rifle with his prototypes, but it was 1990 when a
major firearms manufacturer finally showed interest. Cooper met with
Steyr
Mannlicher to explain his concept rifle, but Steyr was too busy with
other projects to commit at that point. However, the idea was not
scrapped and Cooper invited Steyr engineer Herr Ulrich Zedrosser to
visit Gunsite and try his best prototype Scout Rifle to better
understand the concept.
Zedrosser went to Gunsite and was very
impressed with how well “Scout II” or “Sweetheart” – Cooper’s second
prototype Scout Rifle – worked. Zedrosser immediately began sketching
ideas and seven years later the Steyr
Scout Rifle
was unveiled at the Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico, in October
of 1997. A Steyr press release contained the following description, and
it read as though Cooper had written it himself:
“The essential
element of the Scout Rifle is handiness. It is a general-purpose arm
intended to all things that a rifle might be called upon to do, with the
exception of certain specialties, such as formal target shooting and
hunting pachyderms. Conceptually, it renders all extant general-purpose
rifles obsolete. The man who owns a Steyr Scout has no need for any
other rifle.”
This mule deer is the first game animal Cooper took with the Steyr Scout Rifle. Circa – 1997, Gunsite Academy photo.
SPECS
- Chambering: .223 Rem., .243 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., .308 Win
- Barrel: 19 inches
- OA Length: 38.5 to 39.4 inches
- Weight: 6 pounds, 12 ounces
- Stock: Synthetic
- Sights: Pop up ghost ring rear, blade front
- Action: Bolt
- Finish: Matte black
- Capacity: 5, or 10 with the extended magazine kit
- MSRP: $ 1,499.00
From Dream to Reality
Even
by today’s standards, the Steyr Scout Rifle’s appearance is radical,
but the radicalness of the Steyr Scout is not in just its looks. The
rifle is built on Steyr’s SBS action which has a four lug bolt with a
70° lift. The lugs lock into a bushing with a steel safety ring that
leaves the bolt head, case head and extractor, surrounded.
Though
the integral bipod on the Steyr Scout Rile is not as rigid or as
versatile as say a Harris bipod, it can aid with shooting and is great
for resting the rifle.
The integral bipod of the Steyr Scout folds down and forward.
This
system also incorporates a three-position, tang-mounted rolling safety.
In the forward “FIRE” position a red dot is visible. In the center
position, the trigger is locked and both a white dot and a button are
visible on the rolling wheel. With the safety in this position, the bolt
can be cycled without worry of negligent discharge. If the button is
depressed and the wheel is rolled to the rear “LOCKED SAFE” position,
you can press down on the bolt handle and lock it in place. This
circumvents the bolt from being accidentally opened if it snags on
something. To place the rifle in either the center safe or fire
position, press the button and roll the wheel forward. When this is done
the bolt shifts out of the locked position.
It’s all a rather
ingenious affair and at first blush might seem a bit over engineered.
However, with a little practice and use it becomes second nature,
blazingly fast to operate, and truly appreciated for its three-position,
three-function utility.
Another departure from conventional rifle
design is the aluminum alloy receiver, which extends about six inches
forward of the front receiver ring. This extension serves as the
foundation for the distinctive extended eye relief optical sight (or
“scout scope”) that has become so emblematic of Cooper’s concept. The
rifle’s thin and fluted 19-inch barrel is joined to the receiver by an
interesting arrangement that uses an expanding bushing, tightened to a
specific level of torque.
At the rear of the receiver on the Steyr Scout Rifle you will find a pop up ghost ring aperture sight.
Incorporated
in the rear receiver ring is a flip-up ghost ring sight adjustable for
windage. Recessed in the front barrel shroud is a pop-up front blade
sight that can be adjusted for elevation. Together they form the reserve
sights Cooper felt a Scout Rifle must possess.
The detachable
magazine is made of polymer and holds five .308 Winchester cartridges
(other chamberings from .223 Rem. to 7mm-08 are also available). It has
the double detent feature that allows it to be locked in place only
partially inserted in the magazine well. This allows the operator to
load a single cartridge by dropping it through the ejection port. They
cartridge will rest on top of the loaded magazine, perfectly aligned so
that the bolt can be closed to chamber the cartridge. If access to the
full capacity of the magazine is desired the box only needs to be fully
seated. Additionally, if the magazine is fully consumed, the operator
can continue to load single cartridges through the ejection port or
alternately retrieve the spare full magazine that can be stored in the
rifle’s buttstock.
One of the more unique features of the Steyr Scout Rile is the ability to store a spare magazine in the rifle’s buttstock.
Steyr
made every attempt to honor Cooper’s concept and engineered a
retractable bipod integrated into the rakish lines of the stock. The
legs of the bipod are released by a push button in the bottom of the
forearm and they fold down and forward. This is counter to most bipods
that fold down and to the rear and it will not allow a shooter to load –
put pressure against – the bipod when shooting.
Steyr also
installed five hammerhead recessed sling swivel slots in the stock to
permit the attachment of a traditional two-point sling or the
Cooper-preferred three-point C.W. or Ching sling. Rifles are shipped
with three hammerhead sling attachments allowing the operator to
position the sling as desired.
Finally, and what might be the most
overlooked and important aspects of the rifle deal with Cooper’s
“friendliness” requirement. The butt of the stock is fitted with spacers
allowing the length of pull to be adjusted to fit the shooter and the
heel of the butt is rounded to facilitate ease of shouldering. The
center of the comb of the Steyr Scout Rifle is very high, only a
fraction of an inch below the centerline of the bore, and about 1.75
inches below the center line of a scout scope when mounted as low as
possible on the rifle. Additionally, the comb of the Steyr Scout Rifle
does not drop—from its nose to its heel—it rises.
This might seem
to go against conventional wisdom, but Melvin Forbes of New Ultra Light
Arms pioneered this concept when he introduced his model 20 lightweight
rifle in 1983. (Incidentally, Forbes stocked a prototype Scout Rifle for
Cooper in 1987.) By having the comb configured this way it allows the
shooter to establish a solid check weld, while being able to see through
the optical sight. More critically, as the rifle recoils the shooter’s
cheek slides forward and down the comb. With a conventional rifle stock,
with drop in the comb, the crest of the comb is driven back into the
shooter’s cheek and the drop prevents the cheek or face from
experiencing a comfortable interface.
The author ran a selection of Hornady, Remington and Barnes ammo through his test sample rifle with good results.
Though
many neglect the open sights on the Steyr Scout Rifle and only shoot it
with a scout or traditional scope in place, they are an integral and
important part of the general-purpose rifle concept.
Tips on Equipping a Scout
An
integral part of being a rifleman is the ability to accurately engage
targets from field positions. This is best done with the aid of a
shooting sling and the Steyr Scout Rifle will easily accommodate any
variety. For the purists, I’d suggest the Rhodesian or Ching Sling
slings from
Andy’s Leather. Both are simple, light, and made of leather.
The
Ching Sling, available from Andy’s Leather, attaches at three points on
the rifle and works very well with the Steyr Scout Rifle.
Burris’ 2-7X Scout Scope is a versatile scout scope that will work for the snap shot and at distance.
Another option is a sling I worked on with Galco Gunleather called the
RifleMann
sling. This two-point sling made of nylon and leather allows for
comfortable carry of a rifle. It’s also well suited for slinging-up with
the support or shooting arm.
Though
not intended as a long-range hunting rifle, the Steyr Scout Rifle took
this Idaho black bear at just a shade over 400 yards.
Don’t
overlook the fact that you can mount a traditional riflescope on the
Steyr Scout Rifle. This allows you to specifically tune the rifle to the
application. And, with detachable mounts on your scout scope and
traditional scope, you can switch between them, as need dictates.
Alternatively, if you want to strictly stick with a “scout” scope,
consider the
Burris 2-7X Scout Scope with its Ballistic Plex reticle as a good compromise for general-purpose usage.
Finally,
I’d suggest ammunition selection be a priority. The shorter barrel of
the Steyr Scout Rifle reduces muzzle velocities and this is
counter-productive to terminal performance as distance extends.
Hornady’s new
Precision Hunter
ammo loaded with their ELD-X bullet will provide exceptional terminal
performance at Steyr Scout Rifle velocities out to 500 yards.
Where It Counts
Is
the Steyr Scout rifle the ideal general-purpose rifle? Is it the only
rifle you really need? It just might be. Keep in mind, the Scout
Rifle—as Cooper envisioned it—was never intended to be the ideal
whitetail, elk, coyote or safari rifle. What Cooper was searching for
was the one rifle that could do all these things exceptionally well,
while still having serviceable utility for personal defense or in a
limited military role. In other words, Cooper saw the Scout Rifle as the
one rifle answer to everything. I had a chance to put a sample Steyr
Scout rifle through its paces on the range and must say I was very
impressed. Although not designed as a “precision” rifle, it is more than
capable of effective accuracy and performed quite well. I would say
that I agree with Cooper’s assessment of the design and its
capabilities.
The
Steyr Scout is the culmination of Cooper’s musings on the ideal
all-around rifle and Steyr’s (successful) efforts to achieve it.
I’m
of the opinion Cooper and Steyr got it right. It will excel in just
about any situation where volume fire is not a requirement. It can
provide reliable service in many roles, while weighing less than any
other rifle with all of its features. To me is the epitome of a
general-purpose rifle, which is exactly what Cooper wanted, and what the
Steyr Scout Rifle is supposed to be.
For more information, visit
https://steyrarms.com.
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