A Ruger Scout Rifle In 5.56 NATO?

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A Ruger Scout Rifle In 5.56 NATO?
The 5.56 NATO chambered Ruger Scout Rifle in stainless steel.
The Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle, now in 5.56 NATO.
The Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle, now in 5.56 NATO.

The successful Ruger Scout Rifle — originally chambered in the heavier-hitting .308 cartridge — will now be offered in 5.56 NATO, making it both a practical scout-style rifle for tactical use and a sweet varmint hunting rig.

The 5.56 NATO chambered Ruger Scout Rifle in stainless steel.
The 5.56 NATO chambered Ruger Scout Rifle in stainless steel.

When Ruger first rolled out its Gunsite Scout Rifle, it did so with an eye toward Jeff Cooper's original vision for the concept, which meant it came in .308 only. But now Ruger is expanding options for the little scout gun, which will be chambered in 5.56 NATO as well.

It'll feature a hybrid chamber that shoots both 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem. accurately and safely, they say. The rifle, which weighs in at about 7.1 lbs., features a 16.1″, 1/2-28 threaded barrel with a 1:8 twist rate, controlled round feed and is shipped with a 10-round detachable box magazine. The rifle does not accept standard AR-15 mags.

“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 barrel is cold hammer-forged alloy steel with medium contour, while the receiver sports a very practical 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-style located just ahead of the trigger guard.

For southpaws, the Ruger Scout Rifle in the left-handed version.
For southpaws, the Ruger Scout Rifle in the left-handed version.

A Mini-14-style protected, non-glare, post front sight and receiver-mounted, adjustable, ghost ring rear sight offer out-of-the-box usability.

Like its big brother, there's a forward-mounted Picatinny rail so you can mount scout scopes from Burris or Leupold — for “both eyes open” fast target acquisition. However, if the scout gun configuration isn't your cup of tea, the rifle includes Ruger M77 integral scope mounts and comes with Ruger scope rings for conventional scope use.

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 for different shooters or to give you the proper fit with outerwear or defensive gear of varying thickness.

The little 5.56/.223 Ruger Scout Rifle promises to be an excellent multi-use rifle that's loyal to Jeff Cooper's vision for a fighting rifle and yet ideal for predator hunters and recreational shooters alike.

Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle
Model Number: 6824
Caliber: 223 Rem / 5.56 NATO
Stock: Black Laminate
Capacity: 10
Material: Alloy Steel
Finish: Matte Black
Front Sight: Post
Rear Sight: Adjustable
Barrel Length: 16.10″
Overall Length: 37.00″ – 38.50″
Weight: 7.10 lbs.
Length of Pull: 12.75″ – 14.25″
Twist: 1:8″ RH
Grooves: 6
Option: Right-Handed
Thread Pattern: 1/2″-28
Suggested Retail: $1039.00

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Hey guys, Mr. M. Berg already has a kick*ss 5.56 scout rifle. At HALF the price. Why would I pay $K+ for this Ruger. Hey, Rugers are excellent, no doubt, but come on!
    Justsayin’.
    OWR

    • Looks like Ruger wiffed again just as with the ini-14 and designed a .223/5.56 rifle around their factory mags rather than making it compatible with standard AR-15 mags.

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