{"id":129104,"date":"2020-09-12T15:02:07","date_gmt":"2020-09-12T19:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=129104"},"modified":"2020-09-12T15:02:07","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T19:28:58","slug":"affordable-all-purpose-rifle-for-the-21st-century-savages-110-scout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/affordable-all-purpose-rifle-for-the-21st-century-savages-110-scout\/","title":{"rendered":"Affordable All Purpose Rifle for the 21st Century: Savage’s 110 Scout"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Savage 110 Scout was designed to be fast and light. Built on one of the most popular actions ever produced, the Scout uses a forward mounted Picatinny rail to help you see and hit faster. This rifle is set up to be your next backcountry survival, zombie apocalypse, and brush hunting platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loaded with performance features, the Scout has an AccuFit modular synthetic stock, forward-mounted rail, and adjustable iron sights to make it a very adaptable platform with the fit and function of a custom rifle straight out of the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Function is not ignored, a 16 \u00bd-inch button-rifled compact carbon steel barrel with an aggressive muzzle brake and AICS-style 10 round detachable box magazine make it fast and accurate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Story of Savage’s 110 Scout<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Savage Model 110 is a time-proven bolt-action rifle developed by Savage Arms to give the hunters an affordable quality rifle. The model number is derived from its initial retail price of $109.95. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designed in 1958 by Nicholas L. Brewer, the Model 110 has been in continuous production since that time, making it the oldest continuously manufactured bolt-action rifle in America.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Scout Rifle<\/strong>?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book The Art of the Rifle<\/em>, gun legend Jeff Cooper wrote about a concept gun he called the Scout Rifle. The scout was to be a 39\u2033 rifle with a 19″ barrel weighing seven pounds (including sling and optics).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cooper’s Scout Rifle required a Quick Loop Sling and built-in bipod. This sling and swivel set up from GrovTec completed the rifle. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The big idea of the Scout rifle is that by placing the scope forward on the barrel of a lightweight rifle you improve situational awareness for faster target acquisition and quick follow-up shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooper’s scout rifle was conceived as a field rifle capable of 2 MOA accuracy or better. The size, weight, and functional sling were designated to make the scout easy to carry with practical accuracy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This weight drove the rifle to be a bolt action. It was to feed from stripper clips or a detachable box magazine. An appreciation for shorter barreled rifles may be Cooper\u2019s most enduring legacy. While short barrels are common today, when conceived in the 1960s this was an unconventional configuration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This general-purpose rifle was expected to have enough energy to hunt large and small game and defend against animal or feral human attacks while remaining light enough to carry while working in the wilderness for extended periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooper preferred a heavier round, but I asked Savage for the 110 Scout chambered in .223. Today\u2019s bullet technology makes the .223 highly versatile. It is light, easy to shoot, and has proven effective on small and medium game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooper favored a low-power forward mounted optic with ghost ring backup sights. A scope mounted forward of the action allowed the use of stripper clips and quick single-round loading. It also promotes shooting with both eyes open to improve situational awareness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff Cooper might have said that the Savage Arms 110 Scout is not a true scout rifle. It is a little too heavy and he would have hated my optic choices. This rifle is a modern incarnation of the scout spirit, a simple and affordable general-purpose rifle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red dot reflex sights, which weren\u2019t widely available when Cooper came up with these criteria, are arguably faster than a scout scope and have better low light performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sig Sauer Romeo 3 Miniature Reflex Sight with 3 MOA Red Dot Reticle. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I found the Romeo3 reflex sight is the ideal sighting solution for the scout. The red-notch coating ensures a brilliant red-dot perfect snap shooting. The 3 MOA Red Dot sight has elevation\/windage adjustments of 100 MOA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To extend battery life, Romeo3 is activated through motion-sensing technology, to immediately power up when it senses movement and powers down when it does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another option if magnification is needed, a modern conventionally mounted low-power scope has most of the same advantages of the Scout setup with fewer downsides. Since today\u2019s variable powered scopes are far better than those available in the past, we shouldn\u2019t limit a general-purpose rifle to fixed power scopes, either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think if Cooper could have seen a modern 1-6x scope with an illuminated reticle in 1980, he would have appreciated the advantages it offers over what we now call the scout scope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Optika6 1-6×24 Red Dot FFP<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

To bring out the full capabilities of the Scout, I decided to try a Meopta 1-6×24 Optika6 scope with a Warne mount. The Optika6 is optimized for fast-paced medium-range competition and hunting. This is a great set up for the .223 cartridge providing quick hits from zero to 300 yards and beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1X provides a no magnification setting perfect for the red dot and fast reflexive shooting. 6x allows you to see detail on more distant targets to identify threats or prey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meopta has been producing high-end European optics in the Czech Republic for over 85 years. The Optika 6 is priced for entry-level shooters seeking better performance than the Amazon optics of questionable origin. They have many options allowing you to get the features you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I went with a first focal plane, illuminated red dot, MOA adjustment, K Dot German-style reticle. A red dot lets me shoot fast up close and magnification lets me evaluate at longer range. Let\u2019s unpack this a little bit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RD Illuminated Reticle System features a highly defined red dot at the center of the reticle. The illumination control has six reticle intensity settings that accommodate conditions from extreme low-light to bright daylight conditions. Intermediate off positions between every setting allows the user to find their preferred illumination setting quickly.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Affordable
The scope adjustment knobs are calibrated in minute of angle. The Optika 6 has click adjustments in .5 MOA. The windage\/elevation turrets provide a tactile \u201cclick\u201d when you adjust them. There is a push-pull lock which prevents unintentional movement and a quick easy zero lock system which allows a precise return to zero.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Magnification is adjusted by rotating the sleeve or with the optional quick-zoom lever, included with the scope. Parallax focus adjustment is on the left side, adjacent to and along the same axis as the illumination knob. Parallax adjusts from 10 yards to infinity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proprietary ion-assisted anti-reflective and scratch-resistant lens coatings on the Optika6 are the best in the industry. These coatings eliminate glare and reflections while delivering incredibly bright images. The coatings also protect the lens from abrasion on external surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iron Sights<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Scout Rifle is a rugged rifle designed for field use. There\u2019s an aggressive muzzle brake on a threaded barrel which will also accept flash hiders and suppressors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a big fan of iron sights. You never know when mud or harsh conditions will affect optics. I like options. When you pull off the scope on the Scout you still have an adjustable ghost-ring sight. There is a solid front blade with protective ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rugged front sight and an aggressive muzzle brake.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The rear peep sight is adjustable for elevation and windage. I zeroed the iron sights at 50 for a 50\/200 yard zero. Even with the wide front sight, accuracy was acceptable, offhand I could hold a 3″ group at 50 yards with ease. The wide sight and the ghost ring work well in a wide variety of lighting conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Affordable
The rear peep sight is adjustable for elevation and windage. It sticks up enough that it should be treated with care.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

About the 110 Scout<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Model 110 was designed to be economical from the start. Many of its small parts are made from investment castings and steel stampings. The action and barrel are made from forged steel bar stock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A small but important feature, the bolt head of the Model 110 floats. A flat spring behind the bolt head gives the assembly a small amount of free movement lateral to the bore axis. This motion allows the locking lugs full contact with the receiver so headspace is held to a minimum every time the bolt is locked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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