Calling A-R need to chat about 303 Scout Rifle concept

**CorditeCrazy** · 18-06-2021, 15:38

Hay A-R. Believe you might have some insight into how short one can go when cutting down a 303 barre for a scout rifle concept?

**tobie** · 18-06-2021, 16:34

Did Treeman not have a similar project going?

**Sean KZN** · 18-06-2021, 17:07

There have been a few threads on the concept, some looked pretty good. Try a forum search if you get no responses, although I do have great faith in the 2 names mentioned.

**MSW2** · 18-06-2021, 17:32

I seem to recall 13 inches from somewhere. Not shorter than that. But AR or Treeman etc. will probably be along shortly with more/better info.

**TStone** · 18-06-2021, 17:35

Originally Posted by CorditeCrazy

Hay A-R. Believe you might have some insight into how short one can go when cutting down a 303 barre for a scout rifle concept?

I played around with an 18" barreled .303 Lee Enfield for a while, it had a synthetic butt-stock and a scope mounted in the conventional position which probably means that it was not a scout rifle. Accuracy was as good with the shortened barrel as it had been with the full length barrel, meaning it was adequate for hunting out to 200m. Velocity was also adequate for that. I used it with a suppressor (which defeats the whole scout rifle concept) and without it and preferred it without the suppressor.

I have also shot, and hunted with, a bull barreled 17" barreled .260 built on a Howa action. This rifle was accurate (1 moa) out to 1000 yds on targets and performed well on game out to 300m. The thick barrel took it out of the scour rifle class though.

As soon as barrel length goes under 20" they become very noisy but wearing electronic ear protection while hunting takes care of that.

**Ds J** · 18-06-2021, 20:39

There you go:

http://www.scoutrifle.org/index.php

A whole forum dedicated to scout rifles. I am in for one myself.

**KK20** · 18-06-2021, 20:41

Originally Posted by Ds J

There you go:

http://www.scoutrifle.org/index.php

A whole forum dedicated to scout rifles. I am in for one myself.

You are a little Shite!

**A-R** · 18-06-2021, 20:50

I have hunted with a 18" 303 and liked it a lot. It was unsuppressed. Noise was a factor.

I have fitted reflex-type suppressors to 2 different 17" 303 rifles for friends. They still like their rifles and use them regularly.

All 3 above have synthetic stocks and conventional scopes fitted.

Treeman has a 16" 303 and gets excellent accuracy from it.

QL predictions say that S335 powder should burn completely in a 16" barrel behind a 174 or 180 gn bullet.

The above seems to indicate that a 18" barrel should work. I have no idea what a shorter one would do.

I have hunted with electronic earmuffs. I have also managed to ruin a nice set of Deben electronic muffs by sweating them to death. This was while following up on a wounded kudu bull, so quitting was not an option. So now I prefer a suppressor mounted on the rifle for field use.

**Ds J** · 18-06-2021, 21:25

Short barrels often throw a large flame.

I am planning to use the scout rifle concept to build a bakkie rifle.

16" barrel, suppressor, a very short stock and a forward mounted telescope if possible.

**TStone** · 18-06-2021, 21:25

Originally Posted by A-R

I have hunted with electronic earmuffs. I have also managed to ruin a nice set of Deben electronic muffs by sweating them to death. This was while following up on a wounded kudu bull, so quitting was not an option. So now I prefer a suppressor mounted on the rifle for field use.

I wear electronic earplugs, molded for my ears, sweat don't do anything to them. Cutting a 24" barrel back to 18" or shorter and then fitting a suppressor to bring the length back to 24", and spoil the balance, makes no sense to me at all. But each to his own.