Description
Today’s National Shooting Sports Month video features another collectible: Steyr Scout Rifle, Jeff Cooper Edition.
This .308 bolt action rifle was developed in the 1990’s as a collaboration between a legendary Austrian rifle manufacturer and the Father of the modern defensive training industry. Jeff Cooper, found of Gunsite and developer of the “Modern Technique” had long written and talked about his concept for a lightweight all purpose rifle as a “scout rifle concept”. Steyr worked with him to take their oustanding modern lightweight bolt action hunting rifle and create a version that met as many of the listed features of the Scout Concept as possible.
The rifle itself is really cool. Lightweight fluted barrel. Smooth short-throw bolt & excellent trigger. Integrated fold down ghost ring sights and integrated bipod. Proprietary integrated attachments points for a “Ching Sling” and an integrated pocket for spare magazine in the stock.
The rifle wasn’t a complete home run, however. The market thought that the relatively high cost was out of line with the all-purpose rifle concept originally espoused by Cooper. The system also suffered in one specific way that really interfered with the grab-n-go survival rifle aspect of the concept. As shipped, they were notorious for light-strike malfunctions on military surplus ammo. Aftermarket springs were available to increase the firing pin striking power, but the short-throw bolt was a bit of a beat to actuate with the heavier spring… forcing owners to make a choice between the awkwardly heavier bolt manipulation or sketchy reliability with cheap ammo.
For me, this rifle is one I’m proud to have in my collection, especially as it was personally signed by Jeff Cooper. I actually own another scout style rifle that I prefer to this one for real field use. On mine, I have a Burris intermediate eye relief scout scope which has a thinner duplex reticle than the Leupold scope that shipped with the Steyr. I’ve taken many deer and a handful of hogs with that rifle over the years… including one hunt that was so rainy and muddy that I actually used the QD scope mount to get it out of the way and use the ghost ring back ups!
I really love that a manufacturer worked with a training industry leader to bring this rifle to market…. Even if it didn’t hit the mark 100% in regard to Cooper’s vision. About a decade ago, Gunsite partnered up with Ruger to create a less fancy, but probably truer-to-the-concept, “Scout Rifle” that wears the company name.
Have you tried a Scout Rifle ? Could you see a use for it in your collection?
#nationalshootingsportsmonth #steyrscout