With regards to effective range, here it would be considered limited compared to the .30-30, although magazine capacity is higher (there’s a trade-off for everything). Generally, expect effective defense distances to be in the 150- to 200-yard range. Hornady’s Flex Tip LEVERevolution ammunition may extend that a bit, but this weapon is not in the same class as 5.56mm firearms.
I saved mentioning bolt-action rifles until last. While I realize that bolt-actions were the primary arm of the majority of all armed forces soldiers in WWI and WWII, they are not the most desirable weapons in terms of support during times of civil upheaval. This is simply due to the low magazine capacities of most. In terms of real, combat-capable bolt guns, not sporting guns, the 1903 Springfield, 1917 U.S. Pattern Enfield, or the German Mauser are three guns that are the ultimate bolt-action rifles in terms of reliability under battlefield conditions—but you’re stuck with a fixed, five-round magazine capacity for them.
There are a great number of recovered WWII German Mauser rifles out there at a most reasonable cost. They are superb rifles, but they are chambered in 8mm Mauser (a great, full-power battle cartridge), which is not the most commonly available military rifle round out there. One bolt-action battle rifle that gives you more magazine capacity is the 10-shot .303 British Enfield. These rifles are still available in shootable condition and are reputed to have a very smooth action. But, again, we have the same problem with them as we do with the German Mauser, that being that the .303 British round isn’t readily available. In fact it is easier to find 7.62×54R rounds for the Russian Mosin-Nagant in quantity and at a low price than it is to find 8mm or .303 British ammo (plus the Russian guns are available at lower prices than any of the others mentioned).
If I had any of these guns and could afford nothing else in terms of survival guns, I would hang on to these and stockpile ammo. If I really felt I wanted to rely on a bolt gun for defense and wanted one of modern manufacture, though, I would look at the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle.
Chambered in .308 Winchester and available in both right- and left-handed versions, the Gunsite Scout, unlike other previous scout-style permutations, is equipped with a 10-round box magazine. And, while Steyr and Savage versions also sport box magazines that are removable, they aren’t of a 10-round capacity (there is a Steyr adaptor available to allow the use of 10-round magazines), and the Steyr is very expensive. I saw one online with a Leupold Scout Scope for $2,400. Ouch.
The Ruger Gunsite Scout follows the late Col. Jeff Cooper’s vision of the ultimate survival rifle, a gun that could be called upon to do just about anything under any condition. From surviving alone in the wilderness, defending yourself from two- or four-legged predators, or taking game, a scout rifle should be counted on to do it all. Ruger’s take on it is unique I think. Additionally, this rifle is capable of holding 10 rounds of .308 Winchester right off the bat with no adaptor needed, and the price is reasonable, with an MSRP of $999, a far cry from Steyr’s offering.
There are several other positive features that might commend Ruger’s Gunsite Scout as a survival firearm. The weight is a very reasonable seven pounds. The stock is listed as being “Black Laminate” wood, although it looks a tad grey. I would like to see laminate color options in tan, walnut, or green also available. Laminate wood is very tough and isn’t subject to the same level of warp as a standard wood stock.
There is a very thick recoil pad, which is helpful in a lightweight bolt gun like this. Peep sights are standard, and there is the forward Picatinny rail section for the forward-mounted scout-style scope. For those of you not familiar with this, a scout scope is set up with pistol-length eye relief and a power no greater than 4x. This allows one to keep a good peripheral view of any threats in the area, since the scope isn’t right up against your face. The receiver retains the standard grooves for mounting Ruger scope rings and an optic. Leupold makes the best example of the scout-type optic.
In addition to the Picatinny rail, the barrel is topped off with a Ruger Mini-style flash hider, which I think is a nice touch. All the metal with the exception of the bolt and handle is black. Unlike the Savage version, which is a good gun but only has a four-round magazine, the bolt knob is of standard size.
Action is of the controlled-feed Mauser style, a critical feature for a battle rifle. Barrel length is 16.5 inches, making the Gunsite Scout adaptable to both CQB and long-range situations. Because of the bolt-action, there should be no ammo sensitivity issues. On the downside, magazines aren’t commonly available. If you can find them, stock up.
Bolt guns are problematic in other ways. User-friendliness is an issue. In order to cycle the action, you need to break your firing grip and trigger position entirely. This, in part, is what causes this action type’s biggest disadvantage, a slow rate of fire. While this isn’t a problem when taking out targets at ranges past 100 yards, closer in this isn’t the case. From a standing position, most shooters will end up dismounting the gun from the shoulder while cycling the action. It is for this reason alone that both law enforcement and military snipers are now switching to semi-auto AR platforms for their sniper work (plus the AR has been enlarged to .308 by several makers and accurized right at the factories). This change was born of the target-rich sniper environments of the Middle East battlefields; the bolt gun just couldn’t keep up or protect a shooter’s position when discovered.
If you can overcome the slow rate of fire with other weapons and shooters, the Ruger Gunsite model is a battle-ready choice for survival situations. It is one that can handle a fairly wide variety of situations and one that won’t break your bank or your back.
