In the late 1960s, Gunsite Academy founder Jeff Cooper began structuring what he considered the ultimate general-purpose rifle. Throughout the next 30 years, he worked with various custom rifles to bring his vision to reality.
Steyr Arms Scout Rifle
Ultimately, in collaboration with Steyr Arms, Cooper engineered the personification of the “one rifle for the world” theory: the Steyr Arms Scout Rifle.
Defining a Scout Rifle According to Cooper
1. A scout rifle is a lightweight, carbine-length, bolt-action rifle chambered for the .308 Winchester cartridge, featuring an 18 or 20-inch barrel.
2. The rifle should have a rugged synthetic stock, iron ghost ring sights, and a fixed 2X to 4X riflescope with 10 inches of eye relief, mounted just ahead of the action as low as possible.
3. While a traditional riflescope of the same magnification could suffice, it is not considered ideal.
Ruger Gunsite Scout Bolt-Action Rifle
With the introduction of the Steyr Scout in the late 1990s, Cooper’s quest reached a conclusion. However, due to its high price, many interested in the concept continued to build their own. By 2010, the scout rifle seemed to fall from grace, but in 2011, Ruger introduced the Gunsite Scout Bolt-Action Rifle (GSR), based on their model 77 action.
This rifle took the shooting world by storm, becoming so popular that Ruger now lists 12 variations of the GSR in its catalog.
Other Firearm Manufacturers Follow Suit
In 2015, Mossberg introduced a scout rifle based on its MVP action, while Savage Arms reintroduced an updated version of its discontinued scout rifle.
With the still-available and now more affordable Steyr Scout and the Ruger GSR, shooters have four factory scout options to choose from in various configurations.
What accounts for this resurgence?
While speculation is necessary, scout rifles appear to be particularly popular among preppers seeking a versatile firearm for both protection and hunting.
This trend may also stem from an oversaturation of AR-style rifles, which, although arguably a better general-purpose platform, are noticeably heavier and contain more moving parts that can fail.
Extensive experience over the last two years with all current commercial scout rifles and several custom creations reveals that scout rifles offer significant advantages.
They are handy and quick to manipulate, providing ample accuracy beyond 300 yards. Their lightweight design facilitates extended time in the field, making them easy to carry.
As Cooper postulated, scout rifles excel in both hunting and protection from dangerous wildlife or threats.