Kinda got a hankering for a Ruger Gunsite Scout. Seems like a good general purpose hunting/bug out rifle. Anyone got one and what are your opinions on them? Thanks! Steve

Picked one up on the rack and it just felt clunky in my hands and shouldered up. Put it back and have never looked at them since.

^^^^^ This ^^^^^ My LGS had one a couple years ago. Same impression. The rifle I handled had numerous visible machining marks. Bolt felt rough. Nice laminate in the stock. But, metal work was maybe one step above a cheap SKS/AK variant.

I've had one in .308 Win. for a couple of years.

It shoots well with handloads. I have the 18" barrel, and use the conventional position for the rings, and use it with a suppressor most of the time.

It is heavy for caliber, and there are a lot of rough edges to abrade your hands, knuckles, etc.

The bolt may feel rough if you're used to a nice Winchester M-70 or Sako, but it smooths out with use.

George

That's what I was wondering. Ruger Smooth it sounds like. For some reason I just don't get blown away by ruger actions, had a Hawkeye and it bound up when working the bolt and it just wasn't very smooth operating. I was hoping someone would say the Scout was better. Thanks!

You'd think that for what they charge, Ruger would provide a ready-to-use rifle. Nope.

I cycled the action about a hundred times while watching a movie. It helped.

George

Had one for about 5 years and I like the short handy rifle concept and mine shoots quite well. I know how to really be effective with both optic and irons at even quite long range. It's always been functional. Mine has an superb trigger.

The downside.

It's a bit heavier than I like and wish Ruger would provide their synthetic stock upgrade for lefties.

The bolt and receiver are not smooth at all. They're rough and that's actually unacceptable for the asking price.

The steel 10 rnd magazine has an habit of losing the bottom metal and slides off too easy. I went to the poly mags and so far I like them.

The bolt handle is very tight to the stock and isn't the easiest for me to manipulate, but I'm going to fix it by going to an bolt handle extension.

Bottom line is that it could be an whole lot better finished if Ruger wanted to put forth the effort. My example has functioned and shot very well, but as it comes in factory form I rate it as an unfinished project.

In fairness to Ruger they are giving us lefties an gift in that they even provide this rifle in an lefty version. Thank you Ruger. Just offer your syn stock upgrade for us lefties and it would be even that much better.

I've got one in .308. I spent about 3 hours polishing the bolt and raceways, added a strap on cheek riser and a Hornady bolt knob. Its now my go to woods/hunting rifle. I have a Leatherwood 2-7X scope mounted in the forward position and use a 3 or 5 round polymer magazine. Its set up to hit dead center on the 8" gongs on the range I attend at 100, 200 and 300 meters - sorry, I'm up in Canada. The scope is calibrated for 150 gr. bullets. I use 168 in my handloads. I agree it is heavy for what it is, but it does eat up the (minimal) recoil presented.

There's been a LH Scout sitting on the rack in the shop in Ambrose, GA for about three years. He might make you a deal on it!

I just bought one not too long ago. I will use it to deer hunt the timber , dark woods where shots are not long.

I took the forward Scout rail and rear aperture sight off and put the Ruger rings on the receiver. I already had a Leupold M8 6x so I added it.

I also deleted the flash suppressor & added a thread protector.

It is a bit heavy for it's size. The bolt body felt tacky , some kind of preservative Ruger puts on them I guess so I cleaned it up & lubricated it with a drop or two of oil. Working the bolt a couple hundred times plus the oil has bolt operation acceptable but certainly not "Krag smooth"

The metal magazine that came with the rifle is junk IMO. The polymer magazines are the way to go.

The trigger on this one is honestly the best I have ever found on an out of the box production rifle with the exception of the accutriggers I have shot.

Deer season starts here in the AM & the Ruger is first up.




Mike

Nice write up Mike. Thanks.

Been bow hunting here in Iowa. How did deer season go? Nice write-up, too. Thanks!