Steyr Scout

The Steyr Scout is a modern bolt action scoped rifle produced and manufactured by Steyr Mannlicher and primarily chambered for 7.62 mm NATO (.308 Winchester). The weapon however is also offered with other chambers commercially. The Sniper Rifle is often called the Mannlicher Scout to reflect the company's alternate name.

By: Glock 21C Shooter Posted: July 1, 2007

The weapon was created to fill the role of a lightweight, versatile, all around rifle as uniquely specified by Jeff Cooper's scout rifle concept. Aside from the barrel and the action, the Steyr Scout is constructed primarily of polymers and is uniquely designed to be accurate to aat least 300-400 meters. The weapon is addiitonally available in .243 Winchester 5.56 mm NATO, .376 Steyr and 7mm-08 Remington.

Features of the Steyr Scout

The features of the Steyr Scout are as follows:

• Completely removable box magazines with an equipped magazine in reserve setting for manual loading of the weapon.
• Storage in the butt of the weapon for a second magazine.
• Aluminum receiver housing leads to light weight frame with hammer forged fluted barrel and frequent use of polymers.
• Integral WEaver / Picatinny rails at top and bottom.
• Three position roller tang safety with positions including "Locked Safe", "Loading", and "Fire" positions.
• "Locked Safe" mode where bolt handle locks downwards against the receiver.
• Factory set 3.5 lbs. trigger that can be user set.
• Folding bipod (Integral)
• Ching Sling as part of third attachment point.

Criticisms

Despite early reports of some problems with the Steyr Scout Rifle regarding to frequent breaking of the bipod pivot pin, the Steyr is a strong rifle. This part was improved and redesigned creating a drastic improvement in rifle durability. Pivot pin replacements after market can also be purchased and used.

Another criticism is the recurring light hits or primer strikes, especially in the early production runs of the rifle. The recommended solutions for this have generally been to adjust the spring on the rifle to the position just higher than were located or to install a high energy stiffer spring firing pin kit.

The Picatinny rail located above the action and barrel allow either for the forward location of the scout scope with long or intermediate ey relief or the conventional positioning of a scope with normal 1.5 in. - 3.5 eye relief. The former is more in line with Cooper's overall Scout Rifle concept, and the Steyr-Mannlicher rifle can be easily ordered from the wherehouse with a Leupold scope with low magnification for long eye relief.

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