Posted By: psychsurf
Cheap Guy Scout Rifle - 01/25/13 03:12 AM
I'm reposting with appropriate changes made because I think it's interesting (already got a couple of PMs about it), and certainly pertinent to the subject matter here.
Repost:
The first time I saw the Ruger gunsite scout rifle it was love at first "site". Then I found out what they were asking for one, or what you had to pay for one if you could find one on the market, and that lady broke my heart. But I was still enamored with the idea of a easily handled bolt-action .308 with iron sights, removable mag, and the option to mount a long-eye-relief scope for quick hog, I mean target, acquisition.
I halfheartedly did a search for possible alternatives, and nothing really jumped out at me. There's the Steyer, if you want to pay twice as much as the Ruger. Maybe the Savage hog hunter, but where's the removable mag? So I looked at possible starting points for a build, finding that most of them are too expensive to chop up and modify, likely resulting in a gun that cost as much as an off-the-shelf Gunsite. Only one starting point seemed like a viable possibility, the Indian version of the Lee Enfield No.1 MKIII, the Ishapore 2A1.
Seriously though, where the heck am I going to find one of those?
I kid you not, one week later I walk into my local mom and pop pawn shop to marvel at the ridiculous markups on anything remotely resembling a semi-auto, and I see this:
"Let me see that one... No, the next one. Other way... OTHER way. Right. " Apparently I was the first person in a month wanting to see something other than a $1200 WASR10.
Got my hands on it, it was labeled "Rechambered for .308 per previous owner". I knew that was wrong, I could tell by the shape of the 12 round mag that it was a factory Ishapore .308. See a couple of issues, floppy safety latch, missing adjustor on the rear sight. "who can tell me about this?" "Oh, our gun guy is out, come back tomorrow". I look down the bore, it's perfect. PERFECT. Puuuur-fect. Not only that, but it was cut down by the importer to resemble the LE #5 jungle gun. This absolves me of any guilt over "ruining" a collectors item; it's already ruined.
Internal conflict ensues. I really don't want to walk away from it. Tag shows two markdowns, though, so I very reluctantly hand it back and plan to return the next day.
When I get to talk to the "gun guy" he doesn't have a clue about it. All he knows is it was marked at $375, then $300, then $260. I point out the issues with the safety and the rear sight adjustor and walk out with it after tax for $240.
The rear sight comes off, problem solved. Bend the spring back on the safety, problem solved. Remove old stock and sell on ebay ($81), buy ATI stock ($59).
Total investment at this point, $218:
Bonus tech, it's a double stack mag, not a single like the gunsite.
Next up, rear peep sight and scout scope mount. Stay tuned.
Repost:
The first time I saw the Ruger gunsite scout rifle it was love at first "site". Then I found out what they were asking for one, or what you had to pay for one if you could find one on the market, and that lady broke my heart. But I was still enamored with the idea of a easily handled bolt-action .308 with iron sights, removable mag, and the option to mount a long-eye-relief scope for quick hog, I mean target, acquisition.
I halfheartedly did a search for possible alternatives, and nothing really jumped out at me. There's the Steyer, if you want to pay twice as much as the Ruger. Maybe the Savage hog hunter, but where's the removable mag? So I looked at possible starting points for a build, finding that most of them are too expensive to chop up and modify, likely resulting in a gun that cost as much as an off-the-shelf Gunsite. Only one starting point seemed like a viable possibility, the Indian version of the Lee Enfield No.1 MKIII, the Ishapore 2A1.
Seriously though, where the heck am I going to find one of those?
I kid you not, one week later I walk into my local mom and pop pawn shop to marvel at the ridiculous markups on anything remotely resembling a semi-auto, and I see this:
"Let me see that one... No, the next one. Other way... OTHER way. Right. " Apparently I was the first person in a month wanting to see something other than a $1200 WASR10.
Got my hands on it, it was labeled "Rechambered for .308 per previous owner". I knew that was wrong, I could tell by the shape of the 12 round mag that it was a factory Ishapore .308. See a couple of issues, floppy safety latch, missing adjustor on the rear sight. "who can tell me about this?" "Oh, our gun guy is out, come back tomorrow". I look down the bore, it's perfect. PERFECT. Puuuur-fect. Not only that, but it was cut down by the importer to resemble the LE #5 jungle gun. This absolves me of any guilt over "ruining" a collectors item; it's already ruined.
Internal conflict ensues. I really don't want to walk away from it. Tag shows two markdowns, though, so I very reluctantly hand it back and plan to return the next day.
When I get to talk to the "gun guy" he doesn't have a clue about it. All he knows is it was marked at $375, then $300, then $260. I point out the issues with the safety and the rear sight adjustor and walk out with it after tax for $240.
The rear sight comes off, problem solved. Bend the spring back on the safety, problem solved. Remove old stock and sell on ebay ($81), buy ATI stock ($59).
Total investment at this point, $218:
Bonus tech, it's a double stack mag, not a single like the gunsite.
Next up, rear peep sight and scout scope mount. Stay tuned.
