Can there be one long gun that’s versatile enough for every need? Probably not, but if any design has a legitimate claim on that title, it’s arguably Jeff Cooper’s scout rifle. Bolt action reliability, chambering that starts with a ‘3’, relatively small and light weight and extremely versatile. Now Savage’s Model 11 — the one that they debuted at SHOT in January — is hitting the stores (MSRP: $794). In addition to the usual scout rifle attributes, they’ve added an adjustable comb as well as Savage’s popular AccuTrigger . . .
SUFFIELD, Conn. â September 16, 2015 â The new Savage Arms⢠11 Scout Rifle combines all of the qualities for which scout-style firearms are known with Savageâs legendary performance. Part of the brandâs law enforcement series, this rifle is lightweight for fast-handling. It easily allows operators to get on target and place accurate shots in real-world conditions. Shipments of these products are currently being delivered.
Chambered for 308 Win., the 11 Scout features a one-piece rail for mounting optics which includes the ability to forward-mount an optic. It is also equipped with the user-adjustable AccuTriggerâ˘, and the AccuStock bedding system, which engages the action three dimensionally along its entire length for the best possible accuracy. The threaded muzzle brake can be removed and replaced with a suppressor.
A spacer system in the butt pad lets you tweak length of pull to accommodate different shooting styles ranging from standard cross-body positions to squared off, tactical stances. Plus, the adjustable comb makes it easy to tailor cheek height to the shooterâs stature and various sighting options. Also, when you move that cheek piece up and down, the front and back can move independently of one another allowing you to change the angle as well.
Other notable features include a detachable 10-round magazine; reliable, easily engaged tang-mounted safety; and an oversize bolt knob thatâs simple to operate, even with gloved hands. Plus, a trio of well-placed swivel studs accepts a variety of sling options, from standard hunting straps to single-point slings and three-point configurations.
I recently picked up a similar Savage except for the Scout scope and iron sights. The only trouble is finding additional 10 round magazines, mine is identical to the one pictured. Anyone have any suggestions for finding those mags?
Savages previous magazine rifles such as the FCP-SR use AICS style mags made by Accurate Mag. The Ruger Scout mags are also made by Accurate Mag (I have both rifles). The polymer AICS style Ruger makes for the SCOUT mags might work as they work on my Savage. It would be weird for Savage to make a completely proprietary mag when their previous bottom metal in the FCP rifles takes AICS mags, but not out of the question if they want to squeeze out every dollar. Worth a check to try the Ruger mags. They come in a clamshell easy open package, and my local shop let me try them on my rifle for fit before I bought them. I am sure Savage can tell you where the mags can be picked up too if you have not tried that.
Thanks for the response! It is an M10 FCP-SR so the AICS mags should work. I had wondered because the release is at the front of the mag instead of at the rear like the shows in the pictures of the AICS bottom metal, but I guess while the one that I have hinges at the back and latches at the front, the same protrusions could hinge at the front and latch at the back.
http://www.hinterlandoutfitters.com/savage-55183-magazine-10rd-blue-10ba-p-39368.html – at a hundred bucks a pop, I think I’d try the Ruger one’s first.
Google Snyder Mags. These are also about $100.
I found one a local gun shop for 59.00, later I saw them at Cabela for 79.00 each. The model is Savage 5814. Gogle that number and you will find mags for Savage model 10 (old scout). I have not tried any ruger scout mags.
Correction to Savage number it should read 55184; goggle that as Savage 55184 should get few hits, goggling Savage 11 scout never got anything useful.
Savage sells them for 58 bucks. Some jerk was selling them for 135 bucks on eBay. I bought mine directly from savage.
That large magazine sticking out the bottom ruins one of the great features of a short rifle with a forward mounted scope, the ability to one hand carry the rifle with your grip around the balance point and the barrel pointed down. For hunting, a shorter magazine would likely be required anyway.
Function? Who cares? This is about looking cool.
I have found that the forward mounted optic changes the balance point and I one hand carry my gsr between the mag and the optic.
Doesn’t look like there is room for you hand gripping the top side and bottom between the optic and the mag.
10rd is NOT a large mag.
Sounds like you want one of the hundreds of plain old fudd hunting rifles on the market.
For all but culling 10rds is far over the limit for hunting. If it’s not going to be for hunting; that’s all good, I agree it might be a little cumbersome but I haven’t handled one.
For a bolt rifle I’d think 5-6 would be plenty. Betcha there will be a flush mount size rather quickly.
I’m liking this one.
It is too heavy to qualify as a scout rifle. A scout rifle should weigh less than 6.6 lbs (3 kg) especially without a scope. The Savage weighs 7.8 lbs. This is not arbitrary as a primary characteristic of the scout rifle is handiness, which is directly affected by weight.
Wow, that is heavy. Hell I think I could build a 308 AR close to 8 pounds.
I have the new Adams Arms SF308 (small frame) and its from the factory 8 lbs w/o a scope of course, and unloaded.
Agreed. DPMS’ new G2 MOE in 308 checks in at 7.25 pounds. The scout rifle concept is kinda cool but IMHO obsolete. I’ll go with a semiauto every time.
Something wasn’t sitting right in my mind so I double checked and from Adams Arms website they list the weight as 7.8 pounds.
So yea I enjoy a bolt gun but with a piston semi auto in .308 verse a bolt in the same I will choice the semi for a scout/STF situation. If it was for pure precision shooting I might have to go with the bolt guns. I need to shoot the semi to see what type of results I get from it. So far everyone has had great praise for the AASF308 so I hope I have the same praise to give.
Good observation.
Why not just go with a lever-action rifle in .30-30 Winchester? It is lighter, more maneuverable, fast on target, and you can rattle off shots fairly fast.
To each his own I guess.
I think the argument against lever action would be complexity. A bolt action is dead simple – very little can go wrong with one no matter what you do to it. Semi-autos and Lever actions add complexity, hence they would not be as inherently reliable thus not qualify as true scout rifles by Jeff Cooper’s definition.
Colonel Cooper did not specify that the action for a scout had to be bolt. The .308 takes a short bolt action which helps keep the rifle handy. The cartridge is expected to be able to take any four or two-legged game up to 1000 pounds. The 30.-30 is generally considered too light for larger game.
Hmmm… sounds like a job for the Savage 99! Or a BLR, if you’re feeling spendy.
Whoa — I was starting to love this until I saw the weight!
For what it’s worth, I bought this rifle a few weeks ago. Though I kept the forward rail, I replaced it with a one piece Picatinny rail mounted over the action. After shooting it in, I’m hitting .5″ groups at 100yd with Hornady A-Max 168gr Match without issues.
People may complain about the weight, but this is easily a 1000yd rifle without question.
I argue with the starts with “3” caliber concept. .243, 7mm-08, hell, even 7mm mauser and a rash of 6-6.5mm argue for a lighter, easier handling rifle.
First of all, bear in mind the times when Cooper developed the scout rifle concept. Some of the calibers you mentioned either were in their infancy (7mm-08) or didn’t exist (.243 Winchester SSM) at the time Cooper floated the concept. Whether his guidance is still relevant to do is open to debate.
On the flip side, I would suspect you would be able to find some flavor of .308 anywhere. Some of the other calibers might be in shorter supply in some places.
Cooper specifically included the 7mm-08 as a recommended caliber. I don’t recall any “it has to start with 3” statements. It simply had to take care of North American large game at reasonable distances.
I believe he preferred .308 Win because it was the easiest to find cartridge in the short action rifles.
Scout rifle looks a whole lot like a no.4 Lee Enfield. Just sayin’.
The Scout Rifle concept is a bit dated. If you re-spec it as a semi automatic and keep the rest it’s a much better “do everything” rifle. Not to knock this particular rifle in any way. There is still plenty of use for a short, light weight bolt action rifle.
You won’t have the reliability of a bolt action with a semi-auto. Sure, the semi-auto does a lot of stuff as well or better, but for pure reliability, you can’t beat the bolt. Plus, if you have marginal ammo, a bolt will often chamber (and shoot safely) stuff that a semi would choke on.
Case in point – that Eagle Eye .308 ammo that Nick gushed about works fine in my bolt gun, but shows signs of over pressure in my .308 semi-auto (flattened primers, dents on the head of the case from slamming back into the extractor, etc.).
At one time, you could argue reliability against a semi auto platform, but at this point, with every military on earth fielding repeating arms and inventions like the AK and SCAR in common use it is really difficult to justify bolt action as significantly more reliable. More accurate? Very possibly, but not more reliable.
Complexity, and weight are part of it. The original weight spec is quite conservative. Also, the original spec called for a magazine cutoff so that individual rounds could be fed in to the chamber, or the magazine topped off with onsey twosy ammo, without replacing the magazine. This is another benefit of the long eye-relief scope is that the action completely accessible, so it could be loaded with stripper clips if necessary.
Without looking it up, I don’t even think a removable magazine was an original requirement of the design.
None of the production Scout rifles I know of have a cutoff, mind.
There’s also that argument for aimed fire, the bolt is not significantly slower than a semi anyway.
Ruger would have sold more scout rifles and savage would too if they made it to accept a common magazine and not a propitiatory one. The magpul 308 mag comes to mind first. Ship it with a 10rd one.
Hell even if it used M14, HK, or even FAL mags I think it would sell better.
Aics magazines are not propietary and now magpul makes them for 40 bucks.
I bought the Mossberg Patrol in .308. The two selling points for me were price and the fact that the rifle takes generic AR-10 magazines. It came with a 5 rounder that I assume is for hunting. Nice SWFA Super sniper scope on top hits what I aim at.
After buying two five round magazines for hunting in MI I reread our law. I felt stupid when I realized that the mag limit only applies to semi-automatic rifles. Not that i need more than 5 for hunting but the damn things were the same price as a 10.
Chairman Jeff was man to listen to when discussing defensive handguns, but his interest in military scout carbines based on bolt action rifles was far out of date even when he first floated the idea to the reading public. Had he chosen a semiauto rifle, it would have made much more sense. Even though he expanded his bolt action scout vision to hunting, I still do not see its perceived advantages over traditionally configured long guns except at short ranges, and then only when a quick off-the-shoulder shot is required. Why use these rifles at 1000 yards when far better systems exist?
The Scout is not a 1000 yard rifle. No one is going to be shooting 1000 yards (especially in the wild) with a 2x or 4x scope. The site is designed to basically be “a bit better” than iron peep sights, to better facilitate quick target acquisition with two eyes. It could probably be fairly argued that today, a red dot would be completely at home on a Scout rifle.
The new prism optics that give 3 or 4x magnification with a ballistic reticle are probably ideal for this story of thing.
The same quick-acquisition optic that gets you on target fast can be good to 500 yards.
FWIW I took this out to 600yd today. 10″ steel plates, about a 3″ group. Granted, I ditched the forward rail and put a 20MOA rail over the action with traditional glass – but this rifle will go to 1000yd.
From here, I can’t tell the length of that barrel, but it looks kinda short for such untested confidence about 1000 yards. IOW, if it will not hold supersonic velocity past 1000 yards, its accuracy will (not might!) go straight to hell wherever it goes subsonic. And testing at 600 (or 950) yards will not give you that answer.
Just for a point of refrence in relation to the barrel length and this being a 1000 yard rifle. There many who can take the Remington 700 with the 16.5″ out to a 1000 yards. To be honest I would be happy with 600-800 from this thing personally. As for a semi, you cannot say they are as reliable as a bolt, by the nature of the action you bring in more variables meaning more things that could go wrong, am I saying semis are not reliable…No just that you manually operating the action is going to be more reliable with a wider variety of ammo then an action that is dependant on gases from the fired round. Not to mention at the gun store a guy brought in a Remington 7400 semi 30-06 with a live round jammed in that action and it is a lot easy to clear a malfunction like that wit ha big old bolt handle then with the tiny little thing on a semi. I had to put a screw driver across to gain and leverage to cycle the action of the semi. Also remember different states, country have different laws for certain firearms and in some cases this rifle may fit all the right notes… but sure if i had the money I would go with a springfield M1a over a 308 bolt…. but you are also talking two different worlds in terms of price.
Just for a point of refrence in relation to the barrel length and this being a 1000 yard rifle. There many who can take the Remington 700 with the 16.5″ out to a 1000 yards. To be honest I would be happy with 600-800 from this thing personally. As for a semi, you cannot say they are as reliable as a bolt, by the nature of the action you bring in more variables meaning more things that could go wrong, am I saying semis are not reliable…No just that you manually operating the action is going to be more reliable with a wider variety of ammo then an action that is dependant on gases from the fired round. Not to mention at the gun store a guy brought in a Remington 7400 semi 30-06 with a live round jammed in that action and it is a lot easy to clear a malfunction like that wit ha big old bolt handle then with the tiny little thing on a semi. I had to put a screw driver across to gain and leverage to cycle the action of the semi. Also remember different states, country have different laws for certain firearms and in some cases this rifle may fit all the right notes… but sure if i had the money I would go with a springfield M1a over a 308 bolt…. but you are also talking two different worlds in terms of price. Also not everything has to be a battle rifle, this makes a damn good hunting rifle too.. it is like a jack of all master of none in the rifle world.
Perfect scout rifle. SKS with a bag of boolits. You know I’m right.
I would really love someone to make this type of rifle in .338-06. That would be a do anything rifle. Guess I’ll have to make my myself. 18″ or 20″ barrel, no brake, bolt gun, red dot optic, 5 shot magazine, Kevlar stock. Probably ugly. Definitely useful.
I think the scout concept is something that one needs to spend time with in order to appreciate. after spending a few weeks with my Gunsite Scout i fell in love with it. It just feels right in a way that ends up being more than the sum of its parts. I find myself leaving my tacticool guns in the safe more and more in favor of a rifle designed for a rifleman.
When considering bolt over semi-auto when considering the Scout concept, please keep in mind that a scout’s mission is to get the info and doing it without being seen or discovered. For that reason, getting in a firefight equals a failed mission. The scout rifle was conceived to provide an infantry scout with sufficient firepower to take on enemy troops at a distance but only in the extreme but to also be able to an opportunity shot at a high value target. (“Oh, look, that’s Admiral Yamamoto getting off that plane”)
Now since, Cooper came up with the idea, optics are issued routinely, every infantry platoon has one or more designated marksman and most recon is done by drones.
All of my combat experience with a rifle has been with using an M16 but, I bought a Mossberg MVP patrol just to try the idea out and it turned out so well that I bought a Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle which I consider exceptional.
Now, I have finally manged to kick my AR15/M4gery obsession by shooting Scout rifles and I am trying to buy a Spanish Mauser FR-8 so I can buil/adapt my own.
Like anything else, it’s an acquired taste and for some of us it becomes obsessive
Are scout rifles really a thing?
When the manufacturers start producing them, then you can definitely assume they are a thing.
I’m not sure but with the magazine release in the front it looks like a Savage proprietary magazine. I’m also not a fan of the bottom bolt release on just about anything that has an AccuStock. The biggest issue for me would be the lack of a left handed option. I own several Savage Rifles and they are all more accurate than I am, but for a scout I’ll stick with my Ruger GSR. Eventually I’ll pick up another Ruger scout as the 18 inch barrels came out after I bought mine.
Respectfully Submitted
All cool, but my scout is M14 with easy to get any size mag. Watch your six.
I built a scout rifle from a M48 Mauser (in 8×57) with a S&K mount and a Leupold M8 scout scope (2.5×20). I found it to be a very efficient field rifle claiming many foxes, goats, and pigs.
Being able to clip load while engaging multiple targets (claimed 7 of 8 pigs in a single engagement) was a big plus. I used the rifle in some 100 and 200 metre service rifle competitions to get used to the rifle before the trip.
The load was Turkish 8mm with a lowered powder charge and a 170g Hornady RNSP. The flying trashcans were chronographed at 2720 fps and were very effective at the receiving end.
I’m definitely sold on the efficiency of the scout rifle concept.
i have a 10-fcm. my ten round mags were from darkeaglecustoms. 85ea w/ purchase of three…
Trying to decide between this Scout, and the Savage Lightweight Hunter. I would primarily use it for hunting, but I do like the versatility of the Scout.
Hunting in northern California for blacktails and perhaps bear. Out there, I don’t often get shots greater than 150 yards. Mainly still hunting, but frequently I am on steep terrain. I’m also a smaller guy so carrying heavy doesn’t appeal much to me. What do you guys think?
LWH:
– lighter by about 1 lb.
– 4 round capacity
– available in different calibers, although I’m leaning towards .270 WIN
– Wood stock looks great.
Scout Pros:
– Versatility, general use
– 10 round capacity
– iron sights
– shorter overall length for handling
– synthetic stock, less upkeep?
– greater ammo capacity
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