Ruger has announced that it has adapted the original .308 platform of its Gunsite Scout Rifle to .223 Rem./5.56 NATO caliber. The rifles are available for immediate delivery.
The rifle weighs approximately 7.1 lbs., features a 16.1", 1/2-28 threaded barrel with a 1:8" twist rate, offers controlled round feed and is shipped with a 10-round detachable box magazine.
"This is a natural extension of the Gunsite Scout Rifle line," said Gunsite Instructor Ed Head, one of the contributors to the original Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle design. "Being chambered in a lower cost, universally available caliber, and with the Ruger reputation for reliability and accuracy, this is another serious rifle for those serious about rifles," he added.
The cold hammer-forged, medium contour, alloy steel barrel and receiver feature a matte black oxide finish. The 1/2-28 threaded barrel comes with a Ruger flash suppressor, which can be removed in order to attach other threaded barrel accessories. The rifle's trigger guard and magazine well are formed of glass-reinforced nylon. The magazine release is a push-forward Mini-14 paddle just ahead of the trigger guard.
A Mini-14-style protected, non-glare, post front sight and receiver-mounted, adjustable, ghost ring rear sight offer out-of-the-box usability. A forward-mounted Picatinny rail offers options in mounting an assortment of optics such as scout scopes. The rifle also features Ruger M77 integral scope mounts and comes with Ruger scope rings for conventional scope mounting.
The weather resistant black laminate stock, with "Gunsite Scout Rifle" engraved on the grip cap contains sling swivel studs and a checkered grip and forearm. A soft rubber recoil pad with three 1/2" spacers allows the length of pull to be adjusted and properly sized for different shooters or to give the shooter the proper fit with outerwear or defensive gear of varying thickness.
The Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle was introduced in 2011 as a response to the late Jeff Cooper's postulation about building one singular rifle with which to perform most necessary tasks. In the American Rifleman review, Ruger Product Manager Mark Gurney says, “The Ruger Gunsite Scout is a credible rendition according to Cooper’s concepts. It is not an attempt to blindly follow a strict recipe, because Cooper didn’t have a strict recipe. He had guidelines based upon an ideal, and Ruger and Gunsite followed those ideals as best we could while keeping costs and development time reasonable.”
Thus this "recipe approach" has kept the door open for modifications like the one announced today. To learn what Ruger did to the box magazine and bolt to accommodate this new caliber introduction, check out the photo gallery and watch the video as American Rifleman Senior Executive Editor Brian Sheetz walks through its features and then takes the gun downrange.
