Poor Man's Scout Rifle

Until recently, owning a scout/utility rifle was basically a high-cost proposition. Even when commercial versions surfaced, they carried a hefty price tag. Now, hobbyist and scout enthusiast Bob Cashner offers viable options for the do-it-yourselfer. Using common tools and easy-to-come-by parts, Cashner has fashioned his own home-built scouts from a variety of tried-and-true, battle-tested military actions, from the 98 Mauser and Mosin-Nagant to the venerable Springfield. A nonpurist at heart, he has also built semiauto versions based on the M1 Garand, M1 carbine, Ruger Mini-14 and SKS. Each of his creations cost him less than a quarter of what the commercial models would have. Here he provides step-by-step directions for building his favorite scouts, including guidelines for key modifications such as a forward-mounted intermediate-eye-relief scope, backup iron sights, a synthetic stock (if the budget allows) and more, followed by instructions for disassembly and a breakdown of costs. He also includes instructions for building a.22 LR practice scout, discussions about the various loads suited to the scout rifle and an overview of that all-important accessory, the shooting sling.

Bob Cashner has been an avid hunter and outdoorsman all his life. He served four years in the U.S. Army as an armored cavalry scout, was called up for Desert Storm, and later served nine more years in the National Guard as a light infantryman. He now works as a wildland firefighter and makes Montana his home.