Many of us have tried several scout configurations, me included. The first was a M600, initially with just a Williams Gold Blade front and Foolproof rear sight. It was later stocked with a Brown Precision stock and fitted with the early 1990’s Burris Scout scope and mount. It is now owned by a friend of mine and has a Leupold Scout scope and still shoots sub-moa with every 150-165gr load in it.
Then I progressed to a Steyr Scout with the Leupold Scout scope, Leopard Light Mount and various lights, shown here on my first Pig Hunt in southern Missouri. I used this one to kill several animals in South Africa on my first Safari in 2004. <span style="font-weight: bold">I quickly grew to not like the forward mounted scope at dawn and dusk.</span>
I then advanced to a Blaser R93 Timber Tracker in 308Win. With Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40mm Mil-Dot scope in quick release mounts, it has accounted for nearly 75 big game animals from Suni to Waterbuck to Pronghorn and multiple hogs. It is a killing machine with every barrel I have for it. With its 17HMR barrel, I have shot over 5,000 prairie dogs and it shows no bore wear as of yet. With the 19.7” Tracker barrel, the guns OAL is still under 36” and like every Blaser, it has a wonderful trigger and sub ½ moa with nearly every load.
I even played with a Ruger GSR, fitting it with an XS Sight rail and Trijicon 1.25-4x Accupoint scope. I did have this one glass bedded and free floated, it too would hold five shots under an inch with 168gr Federal Match or 165gr Federal Premium ammo. I just could not justify keeping it with four Blasers in the safe at home.
Having tried them all, it’s the Blaser straight pull rifles for me and convention scopes. Col. Cooper wrote about the Blasers in his book The Art of the Rifle. He was clearly torn between his Steyr Scout and the technological features of the R93’s. But someday, my friend will weaken and sell me back the M600…
Then I progressed to a Steyr Scout with the Leupold Scout scope, Leopard Light Mount and various lights, shown here on my first Pig Hunt in southern Missouri. I used this one to kill several animals in South Africa on my first Safari in 2004. <span style="font-weight: bold">I quickly grew to not like the forward mounted scope at dawn and dusk.</span>
I then advanced to a Blaser R93 Timber Tracker in 308Win. With Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40mm Mil-Dot scope in quick release mounts, it has accounted for nearly 75 big game animals from Suni to Waterbuck to Pronghorn and multiple hogs. It is a killing machine with every barrel I have for it. With its 17HMR barrel, I have shot over 5,000 prairie dogs and it shows no bore wear as of yet. With the 19.7” Tracker barrel, the guns OAL is still under 36” and like every Blaser, it has a wonderful trigger and sub ½ moa with nearly every load.
I even played with a Ruger GSR, fitting it with an XS Sight rail and Trijicon 1.25-4x Accupoint scope. I did have this one glass bedded and free floated, it too would hold five shots under an inch with 168gr Federal Match or 165gr Federal Premium ammo. I just could not justify keeping it with four Blasers in the safe at home.
Having tried them all, it’s the Blaser straight pull rifles for me and convention scopes. Col. Cooper wrote about the Blasers in his book The Art of the Rifle. He was clearly torn between his Steyr Scout and the technological features of the R93’s. But someday, my friend will weaken and sell me back the M600…
