Steyr Scout Elite

[Anaxes]

Have you ever encountered one of these with a 26" inch factory barrel rather than the standard 22.4" inch version?

 

Thanks.

[Elwood]

No, never heard or read about it, until now.

 

http://www.steyrscout.org/tactical.htm

 

with two 5 rd magazines (it will take the high capacity kit too), but without scope or mount. The Tactical Elite was offered available in both .223 Remington and .308 with either a 20" heavy barrel (shown below) or with a 26" heavy barrel which weighs 4 kg (8.8 lb?) without optics. The 26" barreled rifle was to be available in stainless steel for $2499. Currently the rifle is only offered with a 22.4" barrel.

[Andrew]

FWIW, I have a Steyr Scout 308 with a factory mounted Leupold 2X with other factory bells and whistles including a 10 round conversion kit. I had some doubts when i bought it as the barrel is very thin. Shooting it quelled my fears. It is a remarkably accurate rifle and does not wander even when shot in long strings. I bought my rifle out of an estate: unfired in the original factory case with the papers. et al. It was made in 1998 and retailed then at $2750. My rifle does have a 1-10" twist but so far, it's favorite load has been a 125 grain Nosler Hunting Ballistic Tip over a decent charge of Varget. Half MOA even with the chunky reticle on the 2X scope.~Andrew

[Anaxes]

FWIW, I have a Steyr Scout 308 with a factory mounted Leupold 2X with other factory bells and whistles including a 10 round conversion kit. I had some doubts when i bought it as the barrel is very thin. Shooting it quelled my fears. It is a remarkably accurate rifle and does not wander even when shot in long strings. I bought my rifle out of an estate: unfired in the original factory case with the papers. et al. It was made in 1998 and retailed then at $2750. My rifle does have a 1-10" twist but so far, it's favorite load has been a 125 grain Nosler Hunting Ballistic Tip over a decent charge of Varget. Half MOA even with the chunky reticle on the 2X scope.~Andrew

 

That's impressive. The original version with the grey stock is a very iconic rifle. I quite like the idea of one in 7mm-08. Have you ever tried the new Leupold VX-R 1.5-5X33mm Scout scope? The are quite a bit heavier than the original sight and expensive, although the quality and magnification could be worth the tradeoffs.

 

No, never heard or read about it, until now.

 

http://www.steyrscout.org/tactical.htm

 

with two 5 rd magazines (it will take the high capacity kit too), but without scope or mount. The Tactical Elite was offered available in both .223 Remington and .308 with either a 20" heavy barrel (shown below) or with a 26" heavy barrel which weighs 4 kg (8.8 lb?) without optics. The 26" barreled rifle was to be available in stainless steel for $2499. Currently the rifle is only offered with a 22.4" barrel.

 

Back when Sportsman had plenty of the regular version for sale, I don't recall seeing any, although I will phone them and ask if they have ever sold the 26".

[Andrew]

I have never tried replacing the scope though I have considered sending it back to Leupold to have a finer reticle installed. I guess this is a common practice. I am really quite taken with the Scout. It really performs.~Andrew

[bobthenailer]

I had a a Tac Elite in .308 about 10 years ago. I don't recall the Brl length but it was certainly longer than 20". It shot incredibly well with all brands of factory rds and any hand loaded combination. I used it for a couple of seasons culling and passed the advanced stalkers shooting test with it even though I felt it was never at home when shooting off sticks but that prob has as much to do with my own dislike for sticks as anything else. I do know that if not looked after correctly they are prone to getting a corroded chamber which results in a case getting stuck. That's not a bash at Steyr rifles as I'm a dyed in the wool fan having used them for work for the past 20 odd years.

 

I sold it on to a shooting client who offered me more than I paid for it and prob more than it was worth. The two mag set up was very handy when you got onto a big bunch of Sika.

My shooting partner had the original Scout and for a short skinny brl it shot well above what you could expect. He was proud that he was the first person (according to Steyr) to return a Scout to Steyr with a burnt out brl. Cost for a re-brl was prohibitive so it was scrapped although I know a couple of smiths who have re-barrelled Scouts. From my understanding its a lottery if the barrel will come out of the aluminium block without fracturing said block.

 

Kind Regards Bob.