Versatility is the word that best describes the Scout Rifle. This was the main purpose behind Gunsite academy founder, Jeff Cooper’s idea… a rifle in the hunting field as well as one to be used in a military scouting situation.

A strict criteria was established which included specifications on the following:

• the rifle’s length
• the rifle’s weight
• the sighting arrangement
• the accuracy and
• the accessories.

What is a Scout Rifle?
‘Jeff Cooper defied a scout rifle as a bolt-action carbine chambered for the .308 Win., no longer than 39 inches, no heavier than 7.7 pounds and outfitted with a low power extended eye relief scope. It also had to have back up ghost rings sights, be capable of two MOA or better accuracy and have a Ching, CW, or similarly styled shooting sling.’    Richard Mann

Remington Arms Company Custom Shop M7 Scout used by Richard Mann during The Scout Rifle Safari. The first animal taken with this Scout Rifle, a fine Springbok at about 230 yards.

‘I relied on them for 30 days in Africa and they never let me down.’ Richard Mann                                                  Remington Arms Company Custom Shop M7 Scout and Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X ammo. Knife built by Len Waldron after his first safari as well as my first safari with Fort Richmond Safaris.

Bill Mazelin with his Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle checking his zero on the range at Fort Richmond Safaris.

One of the most important rifles of The Scout Rifle Safari – an original Gunsite Scout no.2.
Jim Jeansonne and his original Gunsite Scout Rifle #2.

Geoffrey Wayland of Fort Richmond Safaris with the Steyr Arms, Inc. Scout Rifle connecting 8 inch MGM Targets steel plates as far as 350 yards.

Nick Rukavina and Professional Hunter Leon du Plessis holding the Brockman Packer Scout that Nick used on safari. Nick shot the eight inch steel at 350 yards with the Brockman Packer Scout.

Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle and Black Wildebeest.

James Jeansonne with his original Gunsite Scout Rifle #2.  Michael Bane with his Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle.   James Jeansonne with his Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle.                                                                                                    Listen to Michael Bane’s video podcast: Bane’s masterpiece of a Scout Rifle on Down Range TV.

Scout Rifles in Africa!

Scout Rifles in Africa! The Scout Rifle – the one rifle to have if you could only have one.

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The second Scout Rifle Safari in Africa took place at Fort Richmond Safaris.                                                               The first one was by Col Jeff Cooper in 1998, to conceptualize the Scout Rifle in action.

Seven Gunsite Academy graduates participated in the first week of the Scout Rifle Safari, which included a husband and wife team and a two fathers with their sons.

This blog post is about the firts 2 hunters – a couple – Bill and Carrie Mazelin from Las Vegas.

‘What a wonderful experience.  When Richard first posted the idea of the Scout Rifle Safari on Facebook, and there was room left, I asked Carrie if she’d like to go to Africa on a plains game hunt.  She said “yes” and we were off to the races.  New rifles, a class at Gunsite, additional practice on our own and constant dreaming about what else we wanted to do and where else we wanted to go whilst in Africa.  Then the trip took on a life of its own . . . Ammunition and the vests from Hornady, the Rifle-Mann Slings from Galco, Michael Bane and his crew filming for the Outdoor Channel.  It just kept getting bigger and bigger, and it was great fun to be a part of it.’          Bill Mazelin

 A romantic glance while on safari.                                                                                                                                                                                                                The only woman on The Scout Rifle Safari on making it count.                                                                                                    ‘I just wanted to be able to make my shots count each time and work the skills I learned at Gunsite Academy in February. I had been practicing to about 200 yards, and on most of our past hunts my shots were under 150 yards, but at Gunsite we shot at ranges of 300 and even 400 yards.  I expected that I would be shooting at greater distances and that the animals would be very skittish, and all of that was true.  I liked getting to the range on the first afternoon, and that the range facility had a variety of distances and targets for us to practice. I felt confident, but reserved because this was different than anything I’d done before. Of course, everyone made me feel very comfortable and I was excited to start hunting.’                 Carrie Mazelin

    Carrie and her Black Wildebeest. She bagged him at 284 yards with a single shot from her Scout Rifle.          Bill Mazelin, very proud of his wife’s hunting wrote the following:                                                                                          I’ve watched Carrie’s evolution as a hunter since the first time we took to the bush together; it’s been great fun to watch her confidence and skill build season after season. This hunt was no different, her confidence continue to grow with each passing day. One of my favorite memories of the hunt was when she shot her black wildebeest. I was able to call the range (284 yards) and tell her where to hold the cross hairs. Leon (our professional hunter) and I then simply waited a few seconds for the shot to ring out. A perfect hit, and that was the longest shot she’d ever put on an animal. Another one was how over the course of a couple of days, she was able to shoot a warthog on the move, not an easy task and she did great.

Bill Mazelin with the Blesbok he took on the second day of The Scout Rifle Safari at Fort Richmond Safaris and a Black Wildebeest also taken at Fort Richmond.

“All the participants of The Scout Rifle Safari put in a great deal of effort, and we were all handsomely rewarded.  “We will take what Africa gives us.” – Leon DuPlesis.  We all took some great trophies, but the friendship and camaraderie that the hunt camp and the bush offers is always the best trophy.”                          Bill Mazelin             

 Thanks to all of you for a wonderful experience!  It truly was the Safari of our dreams.  We can’t wait to return for another adventure.  Carrie Mazelin

It was the trip of a lifetime. We can’t wait to go back!     Bill Mazelin

‘The Scout Rifle Study’ by Richard Mann includes a Scout Rifle Safari taking place in Africa, more specific on location at Fort Richmond Safaris, South Africa. Richard Mann we look forward to welcome you back on your 4th trip to Africa with Fort Richmond Safaris. This time for a very exciting 30 days of adventure on the African plains with various Scout Rifles.  We are very excited to be the location for the Scout Rifle Safari in Africa and to be a part of this exceptional experience.

                                                        “People are finally beginning to realize Cooper was mostly right; the simplest one-rifle solution for the world is a Scout Rifle.” Richard Mann

Richard Mann chose the free-access web format for his book, The Scout Rifle Study which will contain thousand of images and hundreds of videos.

After a review done by Field & Stream editor, David E Petzal, he comments as follows:

“I own two Scout rifles, have been a lifelong Jeff Cooper reader, and thought I had a pretty thorough knowledge of the subject. I don’t. Richard Mann does. Compared to him, I’ve barely scratched the surface.” David E Petzal; Rifle Editor Field & Stream.

Richard is thorough and like Petzal commented there is material in the book he never dreamed existed. In his words: “I have no idea how and where Mann got it.”

We are no doubt going to eat, sleep and spend many hours in conversation about the Scout Rifle and the many other things. Knowing Richard as a thorough researchers who does not leave any stone unturned to get to the bottom of it all, we are in for the adventure of a lifetime.

Thank you Richard for the vision. We look forward to make it a marvelous and unforgettable adventure for every hunter with his Scout Rifle.

To read more about ‘The Scout Rifle Safari’: Click here                                                                                                                                                                                               

Richard Mann’s Scout Rifle:                                                                                                                                                                                               ” This is the rifle I will be using during the Scout Rifle Safari. If you are interested in the build information, it was assembled by the Remington Arms Company Custom Shop to my specifications as follows:     Model 7, Chromoly action. In house tapered Recoil lug. Larger rear tang screw. Douglas Barrels Inc. #3 Remington contoured air gauged 1-10 twist Chromoly barrel. Threaded muzzle w/thread cap installed. Fluted barrel. Plated Magazine Box. Polished follower. Model 7 aluminum hinged floor plate (Remington). Manners Composite Stocks Elite EH-8 stock. Painted in house, custom camo 4 color. 4 flush cup sling attachment points installed. Fully bedded using Marine-tex and 1/2” aluminum pillars. Recoil pad. Custom in house made picaitiny scout scope rail. XS Sights front and rear sights. Timney Triggers trigger. M-16 extractor. Dual ejectors. Fluted bolt. Timed for Primary extraction bolt handle. Triple taper pinned bolt handle. PTG Speed Lock Aluminum firing pin. Aluminum bolt shroud. It will put five shots into about an inch with most loads, is less than a meter in long, and weighs less than 7.5 pounds with a Burris Optics Company 2-7X Scout Scope, Galco Gunleather RilfeMann Sling (attached in the three-point configuration) and with a magazine full of ammunition.” Richard Mann

Richard is joined by his son, Sabastian Mann and arrives on the location Wednesday, June 7.

 The Scout Rifle: The One Rifle To Have If You Could Only Have One

To celebrate the release of Richard Mann’s book “The Scout Rifle Study”, the Scout Rifle Safari in South Africa will be taking place during the month of June on Fort Richmond. 11 Hunters will be using various Scout Rifles to hunt game on the African plains. The Kudu antelope is among the game that will be hunted.

                                                Richard Mann with a Kudu taken at Fort Richmond.

Kudu

Being part of the Spiral-horned antelope, the Kudu is not only the grandest but also one of the most sought after plains game trophies in Africa. It is at the top of the list for most hunters doing an African safari.

The Kudu is stately in appearance with its long spiral horns and proud bearing and therefore it is no surprise that it is such a favorite with hunters. Kudu come with their own unique camouflage, perfectly suited to the African bush. Their ghost-like reputation can partly be credited to their ability to blend so well with their pale-grey to brownish-grey coat as well as for being extremely elusive with exceptional senses. Combined this makes for a challenging hunt.

“The “gray ghost,” ubiquitous cliche that it is, is still about the best description anyone has come up with to describe the greater kudu. A kudu doesn’t emerge from the bush, it materializes; they do not walk into deep cover, they vanish like smoke in a stiff breeze. …there is no more impressive single trophy to be had than the horns of a mature greater kudu.”   Terry Wieland, Spiral Horn Dreams

Kudu are browsers who feeds in the early morning and late afternoon. Kudu drink regularly and therefore will never be far from water.

Kudu lives in small herds – family groups consisting of 6 to 12 animals, mostly cows and calves but large numbers can sometimes be seen at water holes. The bulls only join the herd during their mating season. The bulls form bachelor herds or become solitary.

Kudu are difficult to spot for various reasons. They are very alert and nervous animals who spend nearly all their time in thick bush. They usually stand very still (freeze) for long periods when suspicious. When it gets disturbed in the bush habitat, the animal will move away quietly or dash off after giving a loud, sharp alarm bark. They move surprisingly quietly through dense bush. This majestic animal is so graceful in flight and extremely athletic, jumping very high considering the size of its body.

You might get a close up shot at a Kudu but chances are the light will be poor or the bull will be in dense cover. For these reasons a rifle scope with magnification of 4x or more will allow you to better resolve this beast that sometimes seems almost invisible.

As with the hunting of all species, shot placement is paramount. The high heart/lung shot is the most effective for hunting Kudu. Concentrate to bring your sights directly up the foreleg, about one third into the body and squeeze.

This is a very exciting and rewarding hunt.

It is difficult to assess a Kudu trophy because the depth of the curl of the individual bulls’ horns can vary a lot. A good representative of the specie is a 45 – 50 inch set of horns with nice ivory tips.

Richard Mann and PH Geoffrey Wayland with the Kudu Richard hunted on his first visit to Fort Richmond in 2013. 

The following is an article Richard Mann wrote on this hunt in Cabela’s Outfitter Journal.                                  The Fence – Hunting free-range Kudu in South Africa by Richard Mann. 

Read more here:

Richard’s son, Bat Mann took this Kudu hunting with his dad in 2015. Bat is also joining his dad on the Scout Rifle Safari

To read more about Bat’s hunt at Fort Richmond: click here

“There is something about this lovely beast that makes him a hunter’s grail. Perhaps it is the tremendous sweep of those double-curling horns, as brown and clean as rubbed mahogany, heavy-ridged from the base around the curls, and ending in polished ivory points. Perhaps it is the chevron on the nose, or his clean, gray, white-barred hide, the skin thin as parchment. Perhaps it is the delicacy of his long-legged deer’s body, slimness of his deer’s legs, the heavy-maned swell of his neck, the enormity of his ears that pick up whispers at radar range. …The kudu is just under your hand, and yet he always manages to escape you.                      Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter