Steyr scout rifle

[ben powell]

Anyone on here own a scout in 243 or 223? What’s your opinions on them, are they as handy and light as they look? Was thinking of looking at one to put a thermal on as my night rig
Cheers ben

 

[simgre]

I owned two over time, both in .308 though. Both were accurate and well made, and light! Only real bug bear is given the flat top, you’ll need really tall mounts to accommodate a decent objective.

 

[simgre]

And as an aside, I’m currently running a Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle in .223. Very rare!

 

[Mr. Gain]

I have a .308 but have previously owned a .223 (passed on to a friend when I switched to .20 and .17). I love mine because I can't use it without imagining the designers arguing late into the night over a rapidly-emptying bottle of bourbon or schnapps about how to they were going to make the best hunting rifle in the world, ever... and that combination of love and hubris always makes me smile.
Mine has the adjustable comb and butt-pad upgrades... and a non-fluted barrel... and the 10-shot magazine kit (don't ask!) so it's not the featherweight its .223 alter ego was.
Optics-wise, the forward receiver extension/rail is a mixed blessing, as it forces you to use very high mounts with anything that doesn't have a very modest objective lens (hence the adjustable comb upgrade), but comes in handy for clipping on a front-mounted thermal.
So, if you like characterful designs, go for it; but if you just want something handy and fast, I'd be thinking along the lines of a Blaser, or a carbon-barrelled Bergara.

 

[Geoff9]

I have one in .243. I love it. The scope is a bit high and heavy, Vector Continental 2.5-15x56, so I am making an adjustable comb from kydex, bolted through the stock. Add stock spacers for the Pard 007 remove them for day use.
I've always wanted one now I've got one bought from on here maybe 4 years ago.
I reckon a 308 might be a little kicky for my 10 stone weakling body

 

[MarinePMI]

I watched @Muir drop a deer with his Steyr Scout (in 308 IIRC) a couple years ago. Seemed to work fine. I seem to recall he was using a pistol scope or an extended focus rifle scope so that the scope could be mounted properly, forward of the receiver.

"Scout" rifles are not intended for high magnification scopes. So large objective lensed scopes won't work very well....

 

[Long drag]

Brilliant rifle had one for 15 years, as said you need high mounts, I had a 56mm objective on my scout.
Would I buy one again YES.

 

[tackb]

i had a 308 and could never get it to shoot , like zero it eventually then next time i use it the first round would be anywhere in an 18'' circle

such a shame as the concept is awesome

that throbber andrew venebles claimed his 243 would shoot 1/2moa but despite repeated requests he never would prove it to us when we were there?

 

[Ratel]

Had one in .222 when they first appeared, could never get a good group, whatever ammo or load.
Got rid after a disappointing year with it.

 

[Muir]

My Steyr is a 6.5 CM and has a Leupold straight 2x. New Steyr Scout rifles have a pic rail running full length down the receiver so you could mount any glass you wanted to. 2x worked fine to 200 yards~Muir

 

[Long drag]

Had one in .222 when they first appeared, could never get a good group, whatever ammo or load.
Got rid after a disappointing year with it.

Yes that's right seen them at the Jag and hund this year Styer scout ll.

 

[Dickie]

A mate had one in .243 and the zero changed every time it came out the cabinet, he tried different factory ammunition and several scopes on it but no change so he got rid of it.

 

[Rural Management Services]

Unless you get the adjustable cheek riser they end up needing ridiculously high mounts for a 50 or 56mm scope. Had a few people come by who were really struggling with cheek weld on these rifles. They are will made rifles and light but I would suggest there are better options for the UK market stalking wise.

 

[tackb]

A mate had one in .243 and the zero changed every time it came out the cabinet, he tried different factory ammunition and several scopes on it but no change so he got rid of it.

this was my experience with the 308 version , such a shame as i really liked the rifle

 

[Dalua]

I watched @Muir drop a deer with his Steyr Scout (in 308 IIRC) a couple years ago. Seemed to work fine. I seem to recall he was using a pistol scope or an extended focus rifle scope so that the scope could be mounted properly, forward of the receiver.

"Scout" rifles are not intended for high magnification scopes. So large objective lensed scopes won't work very well....

The late Col Cooper would probably have been unimpressed with the term 'Scout' being applied to anything with a large 'scope or a small (meaning <7mm) calibre.

 

[White Spider]

Barrel changes will be difficult and likely require sending back to Steyr.

 

[8x57]

When they first appeared in the U.K. the distributors told me that they had supplied several U.K. police forces with these rifles. They were intended for for issue to "containment" officers who surrounded an armed incident as opposed to use as a sniping weapon. I've never seen any photographs of them in use, and never heard if they were successful in that role. I never heard any thing further about their use in the police after that.

 

[dasherman]

U

Barrel changes will be difficult and likely require sending back to Steyr.

Not difficult, you just have to make the right tooling and be prepared to do a little more work than re barrelling a T3. If a Scout’s not shooting first thing I’d check is the barrel is locked into the receiver and the front plastic shroud is not touching the barrel.

 

[Koenig]

Friend of mine used one in .308. He could certainly shoot with it, but complained tbe recoil was a bit fruity. I guess the aesthetics are a bit ‘marmite’ but I liked it on the whole.

 

[Dillon]

Absolutely love mine, probably the most versatile/practical rifle I own. Mine has a after market 6PPC barrel and it’s used a night vision rifle. The trigger is a bit agricultural and as already mentioned you need high/extra high mounts. The bipod works well, despite what people say.