Hello everyone. Do you ever get one of those ideas bouncing around in your head, and either need to be talked into it, or talked out of it?

I have been thinking about putting a forward mounted scope on my .375 H&H. I have used a 303 British that was set up this way. It was a nicely restored rifle, re-blued, with a synthetic stock, and then it had a forward mount in front of the action, and a pistol scope mounted. It was very quick and it was fun to use. I don't see what it would hurt to do this with my rifle. I hunt with a fellow who has a model 94 Winchester set up this way. He has a Weaver type rail that is mounted forward of the top eject, and it utilizes the dovetail where the rear sight went as the other mounting point. It is a very nice set up. He has a one inch red dot on it. While on a hunting trip for deer last year with him, I used his rifle more than I used my own BAR 308. For me, it seemed that the target aquisition was much faster, and it was much easier to keep on target than with a conventinal scope. Thanks for any input.

We have done several of these conversions. They are popular unless you close your non dominant eye. This will make a very small field of view. Go with a scope with long eye relief has been my trend of late. The 2,5x Leupold and the 6x42 Leupold have generous eye relief and a large field of view.

Are you saying that I should use a standard rifle scope with long eye relief? As you may already know, I am trying to avoid getting hit by the scope. Thanks -

I too like the scout scope approach and have built a couple of "heavy Rifles" this way. Scope mounts tend to have to be hand made, but it works just fine. As an alternative try the Leupold M-8 2.5X scope. It has about 5 inches of eye relief, and will take the pounding of a 585 NYATI. You really have to be doing something wrong to get hit by this scope.-Rob

Ted:

You might want to consider just buying a .376 Steyr Scout (around $1400 from CDNN at the moment) and be done with it.

I have had three rifles set up with forward mounted or as they are now known "scout scopes". The trouble ($) with the forward mounted scope is making the scope mount. Slingster is right when he says above to just go buy the Steyr Scout in .376 Steyr ( a .375 short if you will).

I have used the Steyr Scout in .308 Win for numerous hunt, including three hunts in Africa. I ran into a condition where the sun setting behind me glared out the scope, and I could not take a shot at a good nyala bull. After that, I put a low-power variable on the rifle. That is a more general-purpose scope for a hunting rifle.

I like to say that the scout scope works really well in high contrast situations, such as rifle ranges between 8:00a and 5:00p. I have discussed this with Jeff Cooper who was not amused. I was also declared persona non gratia on the scout rifle list for so reporting.

That is one of the way cool features of this site, you can call a spade a f***ing shovel.

jim dodd

Jim,

I read your report with great interest, those are nice animals you took there, what did the impala go? 24 or 25" and Nyala looks 27"?

Anyway, you just sparked something that has been burning in me for a long time, this scout rifle concept. I read the stuff on the scout website yonks ago and the impression I came away with is that Col Cooper wants to hunt the way you fought the Spanish-American war. Visions of scouts on horseback with Smokey the Bear campaign hats rushing around checking out troop movements etc. (Why do I keep thinking "The Wild Bunch"????)

I know you are a fan of the concept so please don't take the above personally!

Plus the fact that the slant of the material seems to revolve around tactical and military considerations and the rifleman seems to be hunting more a human prey than an animal. That's what turned me off initially.

Factor in Col Cooper's views on defensive shooting and the use of the rifle, pistol and shotgun in tactical/defensive situations and it is not hard to see the connection. He has taken what is essentially a military concept (and being a bolt action, a fairly inefficient one, considering the reliability of todays automatic weapons) and tried to fit it into the more palatable niche of using it as a hunting weapon.

The sighting system - all the Steyr Scout rifles I've seen in SA were conventionally scoped. The scopes are hard to come by and for all the magnification they give you might as well use an Aimpoint or Holosight, if you can find one that can stand the wear and tear. ' Nuff said.

I'm sorry, I'm not buying. Why use the word "scout"?, It's not like you are going out to "check the game", then come back the next day with the right armament.

Let's discuss this constructively, I need convincing!

Plus I think the rifle is plug-ugly - functional, yes, but I'd never own one willingly!!

My 2c

Cheers

Pete

[ 07-22-2002, 21:19: Message edited by: Pete Millan ]

Slingster
One Of Us
Member # 8349

posted 07-22-2002 19:37
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Ted:

You might want to consider just buying a .376 Steyr Scout (around $1400 from CDNN at the moment) and be done with it.
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Slingster,
Spending 1400 dollars is what I am trying not to do. I got a rifle bug last year and bought 5 rifles and 1 shotgun and 1 compound bow last year. I am just about spent out on new rifles for a while. I still don't have all of what I would consider to be my minimum battery.

HunterJim,
I am a hunter first and a target shooter last. Like I mentioned, I have used a couple of scout type setups. When I used the Winchester Model 94 that had the Aimpoint on it, you had to pump sunshine into the forrest because it was so dense, one step above a swamp. I never considered the glare factor. Also, I hunted out of deer stands that were built like a house on stilts, I was completely enclosed, except for the slotted door that I had to open in order to stick my rifle out. I shot the 303 scout settup at a gun range, and you are right, it works well there. I will take your word as a hunter that the scout setup is not practical to hunt with. Thanks.

Pete,

The impala is about 23", and has good horns so they look a bit longer. I did shoot him with "Ingozi" -- my Steyr scout rifle.The nyala is just under 27", and this is a smaller animal than the one I couldn't shoot with the scout scope. I got this one with my .375 H&H and a Trijicon illuminated reticle scope. My wife has a video of me trying to get off the shot with Ingozi, and I looked like the proverbial monkey doing a football! I didn't think until later to get someone to stand behind me and be a sun shade.

What I like about the scout concept is the compact size and good handling of the rifle. I have used mine in blinds and hides, and they are easy to use. The .308 is enough gun for most things, except those big old guys.

I agree the Steyr Scout is not only ugly it is in fact uuuuggleee, but it is effective. The Steyr ProHunter captures some of the features in a slightly more conventional package.

Ted,

It isn't that I think the scout rifle is not effective, it is rather I think the scout type rifle with a low-power, variable scope mounted over the receiver is a more flexible and general purpose hunting rifle than the low-power, forward-mount scope equipped rifle with its small window on the world.

jim dodd

Why build a new mount?

When I had a 1x Burris LER mounted on my .500 A-Sq I used the original quick release mounts, just the rear mount was placed in front and turned around backwards.