With the monies from the Model 70 and after careful consideration and investigation (watching a lot of YouTube videos and seeing the ammo in the shelves) I went with the Ruger American Predator in .308 Win.
Retail under $500 even in these times which also was something to consider. I have seen lots of .308 ammo making a comeback in the shelves while 30-06 has been gone for a month now and nobody could tell me if it was coming back soon.
And the other thing that got me salivating is that you can change the mag well to accept 10 round mags. I don’t know if it enters the definition of Col. Cooper’s Scout rifle, but it may be close.
Now I have to look for a scope and rings….and somebody who knows how to mount that thing. With a fair warning I know nothing about scopes, from what i read so far, a 3-9x40mm is not a bad choice overall. You guys can give me your opinions on make and models and I will gladly read them. (Missus says I have only $200 left, so that needs to be factored in)
Also, I would like to know about ammo types and weight. I imagine I will eventually reload for this, but which cartridge is best for what distance and/or job. Again, you are the ones I trust.
Very nice! Well done!
Not a scout in terms of optics placement … but that’s not a bad thing in terms of selection. (Speaking as the owner of a Savage Scout in .308.)
I’m by no means a definitive source on optics, but, in that price range, might I suggest checking out Atibal’s line? I’ve been quite pleased with what I’ve bought from them so far, both the LPVOs (which, come to think of it, a 1-8 would work nicely on this) and their more traditional mag ranges.
Hey, I have the Savage Scout in .338 Federal 😀
(altough I changed the scope mount to a traditional one – I just wanted the short barrel)
Nice! Savage did a decent job on them, I think. About the only gripe I have with mine, is the plastic stock is a bit too flexible in the forend.
Re the scope mounting, I understand the reasoning but I decided to leave mine as-is. I’ve taken a number of folks to the range for the first time this past year, and have found new rifle shooters are much more comfortable having the scope a good distance from their eyeball. Later, when they’ve internalized that the recoil isn’t going to break their glasses or nose (if they hold the rifle correctly), we move to a more traditional setup. 🙂
Congrats on the new gat! Well done.
Scopes.
My favorite brand–glass quality for the money–has always been Nikon. Sadly, they bailed out of the scope business. Another is Redfield/Leupold. Leupold bought Redfield (IIRC in 2008). Everything with the Redfield name since then came off the same production line as Leupold. Not sure what current availability on either is now, but you never know what you might trip over.
My most recent purchase was Burris. Good stuff, made in the Philippines. An example–
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1548187401?pid=282680
I hear good things about Vortex, but last I looked, chineseium. A better grade of chineseium, but still…
Look for the words “Fully multi-coated lenses”.
Ammo.
Can’t speak to factory 308. The only 308 ammo I ever bought was 1000 rounds of Hirtenberger ball (good stuff). However, have been handloading 308 for decades. That I can help you with.
HI Miguel, Sadly the Ruger does not meet Col. Coopers definition for a scout rifle, because it lacks iron sights. Happily, The Spanish government made a scout rifle, even before Col. Cooper coined the term. Check out FR7 and FR8. I believe it will make you smile.
VORTEC CROSSFIRE II. 1-4power x 24. 30mm tube
Exellent scope for around $200 Optics planet has em
So guns _can_ be sentient. Look out! 😏
Vortex at 200 ish or Primary arms at almost 400. A 1-8 is a good choice.
For ammo, I find that the 155 grain bt performance ammo gets me to 2 moa on my AR10 out to 200 yards. You might do better than that with a bolt action.
My AR10 seems to really play nice with 165-168 grain stuff. I guess it’s a buy a box of everything and see what gets er done… I have 2 .308s that both work well with that weight of bullet. I got lucky…
Vortex are decent glass, it’s probably your best bet for new in that price range. Not sure I’d expect them to last fifty years like older Leupold, Redfield, or Nikon, but I don’t really think even the expensive ones these days will make it that far.
I just wish Leupold would bring back Redfield’s Widefield line. I’ve been looking for them at any gun show I go to, and if you are willing to go with used glass I strongly recommend them if you can find them.
What do you want to do with it? That answer will dictate what loads and what glass you want.
Low power variable scopes work really well for semi autos where ranges will be up to 500 yds. For bolt actions, it’s likely a 2-7x power unit (or 3-9x)will do fine for hunting medium sized game. Don’t skimp on your scope. Do serious research on what price point works for you. There’s a lot of good glass out there if you do your homework.
For medium sized game 150-165 grain loads ought to do fine. Buy a couple different brands and have shootout. Rifles can be picky about how well they shoot particular loads.
What William says.
First determine what you want to do with the rifle.
Short to medium range a basic 4x or 6x will do (100 to 300 yards)
short to long range will need more scope. at least 14x at the high side out to 500 yards.
I would stay with a second focal plane scope with a Bullet drop compensator reticule.
3-9 are out dated. 4-12 is better. The difference of 3x vs 4x at close rage is marginal but 9x vs 12x at distance is huge.
I’ll also second Vortex optics as best bang for buck.
I can only speak from .30-06 experience and not .308, but a heavier bullet is beeter for short range. I like 200gr round nose for being easy to use and has good accuracy for a couple handred yards. We’re not looking for Great War sniper feats out of a normal hunting rifle so why bother seeing what your rifle can do at a kilometer. Then again, if your local terrain is good… XD
Hornady 150 grain SST leaving at 2800 fps slap mule deer down in their tracks just fine. Save up or talk Mama out of $200 more, $400 will get you a 1-6 Burris MTAC or 1-6 Vortex LPVO, and rings for it if you shop around. Have both and they perform admirably for the price paid.
I also vote for Vortex although the Hawke scopes are also well liked around here.
IF it’s in your budget (don’t know about the US-prices) the rather new Meopta Optika6 range of scopes are supreme in their price segment.
Regarding ammunition: Hornady SST, Federal Fusion or Winchester Silver Tip perform similar.
Personally I prefer 180gr bullets BUT a lot of my customers have good results with 165gr or even 150gr so your mileage may vary.
Rule of thumb: the lighter your game the slower your round should be or you risk meat loss.
My Savage has a Nikon on it but with them out of the market Vortex or Primary Arms seem to be the preferred economy choice. Natchez is constantly selling blems or closeouts from Leupold and Burris so it’s worth a look.
I load for target shooting so I use 165 or 168 grain bullets and have used IMR 4166 and Ramshot TAC. Since .308 and .30-06 use the same size bullets there are tons of options as well as hundreds of loads. Hornady and Sierra make hunting bullets with very similar weights and shapes to 168 gr Match King so you can use similar loads for training and hunting or just use 165gr Interlock for everything. As for powder, use what’s available, Varget is very popular for target loads but consequently never in stock. Comparable powder made by someone other than Hodgdon is usually more available. This is also why I changed pistol loads from Titegroup to CFE
I would suggest the Vortex Crossfire II 4X16X 50 MOA reticle w/30mm tube…and use their rings to mount it. They are just above your proposed budget, at $285.00, —I’m sure you can find a way to get the extra $85 from ….somewhere, lol. This is the correct scope for your new rifle.
Now as to ‘hunting ammo’ for medium to large N. American game, I’d go with Hornady American Whitetail 150 grain, for plinking just find the cheapest brass FMJ at ammoseeek.com
Good choice.
Unless you’re hunting elk or bear, the standard cup-and-core 150-165 grain softpoint ought to work just fine, so long as the rifle likes the load and you do your part. Even then, my grandfather got away with using 150g Walmart-available ammo for almost everything in North America for decades, including elk, in his .30-06. You might not want to take some of the shots he did, unless or until you’re very sure of yourself and your rifle, but it will still do for anything you might want to hunt in your new stomping ground.
(And if you do decide to take it out west for elk, some premium bonded ammo in the same weight will make up in bullet construction some of what you lose in power compared to the 06 and heavier – just don’t try taking quite as long a shot with it).
Others have written more on the topic, better learned and more experienced than I, but it would take several reams of digital paper to reproduce.
I’m like you on scopes though – Pap always used a cheap Walmart scope as well, making up for glass deficiencies with experience and knowledge of his rifle. As he’s the one that taught me to shoot… I’m more concerned with knowing the scope wont shift or lose zero under recoil, and darn near ignorant about current quality and techniques.
I have had good luck with vortex scopes
https://www.amazon.com/Vortex-Optics-Crossfire-4-12×40-Riflescope/dp/B00794LINS/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=2HSK4QRMJU175&dchild=1&keywords=vortex%2Bscope&qid=1635168791&sprefix=vortex%2Bscopes%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-3-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyWjM0OU9BT01EMlBaJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzMyMTM1M1RLVTBMNDdJME9WVyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjU0MDc0RjdRR0xKUzc0UzgwJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1&psc=1
Congrats on the new rifle. As much as I like to fanboy for Savage the Ruger American series is threatening to beat them out in terms of budget quality.
As others have said Vortex is a great option in terms of clarity and ability to pick up light, be on the look out for upcoming season and black friday sales!
Check out the Vortex Diamondback 4-12 or the Crossfire II series, some of the bigger objective lenses really do a great job at gathering light and are easy on the eyes (and wallet).
Swamp Fox is another option and you can get 21% off with the coupin code WLSISLIFE from a podcast I listen to. Coupin code is good for as long as they’re still sponsoring the show. I’d rate them somewhere between Vortex and Primary Arms in terms of quality and features.