Questions about Model 11 Scout

[tcoz]

As you can see this is my first post. I'm a long time gun owner and reloader but I don't own a Savage as of yet. I'm looking very seriously at either the Model 11 Scout or the 10 FCP-SR 20". I have a few questions about the Scout that I'm hoping some of you might be able to help me with...

1. Mounting a standard eye-relief scope in the conventional position would be a necessity for me due to my eyesight. Is it possible to do this on the Scout, maybe with an extended pic rail like the one XS Sight Systems makes for the Ruger Gunsite Scout?
2. Can the magazine be loaded through the ejection port or by placing a round on top of the empty inserted mag and chambering it?
3. How bad is the muzzle blast with the attached compensator and is it much quieter with it removed?
4. Many reviews that I've read and watched complain about how difficult it can be to seat the magazine and how it sometimes falls out if not properly seated. Is this really as big of a problem as it appears to be or is it just a matter of learning how to do it? Has Savage ever addressed the issue?
5. If you're a current Scout owner, is there anything that you really don't like about the rifle?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

[J.Baker]

As you can see this is my first post. I'm a long time gun owner and reloader but I don't own a Savage as of yet. I'm looking very seriously at either the Model 11 Scout or the 10 FCP-SR 20". I have a few questions about the Scout that I'm hoping some of you might be able to help me with...

1. Mounting a standard eye-relief scope in the conventional position would be a necessity for me due to my eyesight. Is it possible to do this on the Scout, maybe with an extended pic rail like the one XS Sight Systems makes for the Ruger Gunsite Scout?
2. Can the magazine be loaded through the ejection port or by placing a round on top of the empty inserted mag and chambering it?
3. How bad is the muzzle blast with the attached compensatory and is it much quieter with it removed?
4. Many reviews that I've read and watched complain about how difficult it can be to seat the magazine and how it sometimes falls out if not properly seated. Is this really as big of a problem as it appears to be or is it just a matter of learning how to do it? Has Savage ever addressed the issue?
5. If you're a current Scout owner, is there anything that you really don't like about the rifle?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

1. Yes, you can mount a conventional scope in the conventional position. You would just remove the Scout-style scope rail and replace it with a standard scope mount as the mounting holes are already present.

2. You can single feed a round if the magazine is empty by placing it in from the top (resting on top of the mag lips), but if there's a round in the magazine you'll get a double feed as the bolt will also strip a round from the magazine. Not sure why you'd want/need to load the magazine while in the gun though.

3. It's noticeably louder, and not something I would recommend shooting w/o hearing protection in place. Yes, it will be quieter with it removed. That said, it's not obnoxious like some of the brakes on the market. Recoil reduction is minimal at best, but then again the .308 isn't a brutal kicker to start with.

4. Having reviewed the Scout and several other of Savage's DBM rifles (all of which use the same retention system), I can say I've never had an issue with my mag's falling out. Then again, I'm smart enough to give the magazine a good solid smack to make sure it's locked in place after inserting it into the rifle to ensure it is fully seated. Chalk the "complaints" up to poor technique/lack of experience.

5. The only thing I found to fault on the Scout when I reviewed it was that the cheek piece in it's lowest position was still a little to high for me to get proper eye alignment with the peep sights. It's just a fit issue with me as eye alignment is spot-on for my buddy who ended up buying that particular rifle.

[tcoz]

1. Yes, you can mount a conventional scope in the conventional position. You would just remove the Scout-style scope rail and replace it with a standard scope mount as the mounting holes are already present.

2. You can single feed a round if the magazine is empty by placing it in from the top (resting on top of the mag lips), but if there's a round in the magazine you'll get a double feed as the bolt will also strip a round from the magazine. Not sure why you'd want/need to load the magazine while in the gun though.

3. It's noticeably louder, and not something I would recommend shooting w/o hearing protection in place. Yes, it will be quieter with it removed. That said, it's not obnoxious like some of the brakes on the market. Recoil reduction is minimal at best, but then again the .308 isn't a brutal kicker to start with.

4. Having reviewed the Scout and several other of Savage's DBM rifles (all of which use the same retention system), I can say I've never had an issue with my mag's falling out. Then again, I'm smart enough to give the magazine a good solid smack to make sure it's locked in place after inserting it into the rifle to ensure it is fully seated. Chalk the "complaints" up to poor technique/lack of experience.

5. The only thing I found to fault on the Scout when I reviewed it was that the cheek piece in it's lowest position was still a little to high for me to get proper eye alignment with the peep sights. It's just a fit issue with me as eye alignment is spot-on for my buddy who ended up buying that particular rifle.

Thank you for your response sir.
I had a K31 that I used to load through the ejection port at times. If I had it positioned perfectly on the rest I found there was less likelihood of moving it by just popping the rounds in from the top. That rifle, however was very easy to load that way as the rounds required almost no oressure to pop in. I guess you could say there wasn't any real good reason, just something I did at times.
I figured that poor technique might be the cause for a lot of the mag issues although there were so many complaints about it that I thought I'd ask.
The sound level with the brake is a concern because I shoot indoors once in a while and I don't want to chase everybody out when I start shooting.
Thanks again.

[J.Baker]

I definitely wouldn't recommend shooting any rifle with a brake on it indoors.

[kkeene]

Take the rail off a scout and it uses the same bases as any other Savage of the same vintage.