M-6 Scout Survival Rifle

What do you think of this rifle and survival setup. I think this gun is great what's your opinion.<br>Here's the website...<br>http://outdoors.free.fr/s_article.php?id_article=56<br><br>Frank

Yes, a friend of mine was thinking about a competition/hunting rifle and when my recomendations were centered on Ruger and Remington he said that he always wanted to have an M14. We poped a Springfield Armory website and I saw the M-6. I must say I really like it. Since I never fired or handled one my impressions are based purly on pictures and specs. The simple mods that were done to it on the pages that you supplied link to seem to make sense and make M-6 more user friendly. But I just happen to like my Ruger 10/22. With minor adjustments and some investment I made it into very accurate and all around weapon. It may not be packing the punch of big assault rifles but the key here is survival not war. I rather be interested in survival by killing small game rather than big game. Still 22 caliber packs enough punch to be a pretty effective within 50-75 yards. Anyway since I live in NYC it doesn't matter what I have, there is no way I can pack on me or carry anything in my car on daily just in case bases. Even if it would be legal it is still far too dangerous. In case of real survival situation/doom's day I would have to get home first, grab my car and at that point if neccesary I will be able to take with me everything I want.

I don't have any experience with the rifle, but I've read a lot of feedback from those that do and everyone that owns it pretty much loves it. I do remember something about a keeper pin being iffy, but it seems that it was easily remedied by replacing or modifying it.<br><br>

I have never fired one, but I remember reading an evaluation of one in a gun mag several years ago. They reported poor accuracy, due in part to the lousy 'trigger' pull of the large trigger thingy...but I like the idea.

I like the Ar-7 Survival Rifle better.But this one is okay.

I think this rifle is cool because it fires .22 rounds and 410 gauge shotgun rounds.<br>Thanks for your opinions.<br><br>Frank

Has anyone called around to see if the M6 is available? I called several stores around Seattle last Spring and was told the rifle was unavailable. I have not seen one recently or called around to see if it can be ordered. <br><br>It is supposed to be available in 4 configurations, either Parkerized or Stainless and in either .22LR/.410 or .22Hornet/.410.<br><br>Any opinions on the .22LR vs .22Hornet?<br><br>

Depending on how much it costs, people might want to look at the Savage Model 24 as well. New models with synthetic stocks can be had for about $425.<br><br>The Savage is available in a 22/.410 configuration as well as a 30-30/20 gauge (and others) configuration. <br><br>I think that CZ and a Russian company also make 12 gauge/30-06 combos.

Schwert,<br><br>You can buy the M-6 at this web site...<br>http://www.thegunsource.com/rifles/springfieldarmory.htm<br><br>Frank

I have the Springfield M6 Scout. It's a nice little rifle, and if you can find one in a 22LR/410, you'd better get it. It took me 4 months of searching to get mine, seems they were back-ordered everywhere. 22 Hornet rounds are over-rated, slightly harder to find, and surely won't be as plentiful when in a survival situation. The good thing about a 22 caliber rifle is that you can carry hundreds of rounds in a limited amount of space. 410 shells are also an excellent partner to the 22LR, but don't expect them to take that bear, moose, boogeyman, or whatever you may encounter in a self defense situation. Expect to use it strictly for squirrel, rabbits, small game birds, and the like.<br><br>All this being said, I've probably only shot a couple hundred rounds through mine, its decently accurate @ 25-75 yds...and would only grab it in a survival situation if all my other guns had mysteriously disappeared. My first choice would be my AR-15 in .223, but thats a whole different story.<br><br>If you're the minimalist type, i'd say go for it. It's a nice rifle that will come in handy during those situations where food gathering is of utmost importance, and space is limited. Just be sure you take it to the range every so often to sharpen your skills, those iron sights are tricky. Also, wrap tons of 550 cord around the barrell when you get it. This thing gets HOT, plus you'll need the extra 550 when you're faced with the situation you want the rifle for. Hope this rambling helps.<br><br>John McIntire

This rifle is good for what it is, but other rifles do the job better.<br><br>Frank

Check out this Rifle-Shotgun by Savage Arms!!!<br>Tell me what you think.<br>http://www.savagearms.com/centerfire/specialty/2412f.htm<br><br>Frank

I would have several concerns about the Springfield M6. <br><br>As an alternative, you may want to consider the Savage 24. It is available in 20ga. & 12 ga. The 12 ga. models have been available with screw-in chokes. We have several of the older wooden stocked models in .22/20ga. We love them. They handle well. I much prefer the handling of the older models to those in current production. The 20 ga. is a useful & effective hunting gauge. The older models weigh about 6-7# and sell in the ballpark of $300. The newer models nominally weigh around 8# and seem a little heavy to me. Also a Russian combination gun is also available in a larger gauge shotgun coupled with several popular high powered rifle calibers. It is made by Baikal & imported by EAA reportedly selling for around $400. The Gun Digest description & photo seem attractive. I also read one favorable report by one purchaser of it. I haven't had the chance to see & handle one for myself.<br><br>Primarily, I don't like the .410 shotgun as a first choice for survival purposes. For birdshot loads, maximum useful range for it is generally thought to be about 30 yards. In comparison, the 20 ga., especially in 3" magnum, should have a useful range of 50-60 yards. Using rifled slugs, the 20 ga. is probably the minimum for quarry the size of deer. 20 ga. loads are available in # 2 & 3 buckshot sizes. They are certainly useful defensively. They might even have an application in very short range deer hunting. The maximum nominal payloads of shot are 3/4 oz. in .410 versus 1 1/4 oz. in 20 ga.<br><br>Secondly, I wonder how well the M6 handles especially for swinging on moving targets. It is only 32" long & weighs only 4#. It might be OK, but I have my doubts.<br><br>Thirdly, as OBG noted, I too have a question as to how easy the trigger action is to use. <br><br>If you have a chance to use the M6, you may well find that you have resolved concerns 2 & 3 to your own satisfaction. If so, the only remaining question is whether 30 yards is an acceptable maximum for your needs. The price on these guns is certainly attractive.<br><br>Good luck,<br><br>John

I would lean toward a Mossberg 590 shotgun. I think it weighs about 3/4 pound less and the ammo cap is a plus. I would load it with slugs for big game, but it would only be good out to about 100 yards with slugs, whereas the rifle on the savage combo might have more range.

I have been searching the web for quite some time and I haven't come across really any Savage 24's. <br>Does anyone know where I could find one?<br><br>Frank

I agree bigger rifles do better jobs but when your hiking and backpacking and you get lost a small rifle will do just get you by with food.Plus when your hiking a big rifle will weight you down.

I don't like placing all my eggs in one basket, so I prefer the two weapon option. A stainless .22 Ruger MKII with bull barrel and a 12 or 20ga shotgun (pump or single shot) with a variety of ammo to maximize it's versatility is the way I'd go. A little more weight maybe, but worth it for the added benefit of still having a usable weapon if one is damaged or lost.

Longbow<br>Do you have a website for the .22 Ruger MKII?<br>I can't find one.<br>Thanks<br><br>Frank

Try www.savagearms.com<br>Select Centerfire then Specialitry<br><br>Bob

here ya go! :o)<br><br>http://www.ruger-firearms.com/pistolsrf.html

I purchased my M-6 Scout in Tacoma last hear and have since seen them for sale at gun shows around the South Puget Sound area. Get on Springfield Armory's website (www.sprinfield-armory.com) and do a search for dealers. They listed several in the Seattle area but the one in Tacoma was the only one with one in stock. Search the ETS website for previous threads on the M-6 Hornet - lots of good resources available.<br><br>I purchased the .22 Hornet / .410 in stainless (a must for the Pacific Northwest I believe!). I've shot a couple hundred rounds through it and can consistently hit a soda can at 40 yards (there aren't many places near where I live that a person can see much more than 40 yards) so I feel confident I can protect myself from rogue soda cans pretty well. Seriously, I think it will serve me well as a survival rifle (really more of a "poverty survival" rifle). I didn't have any experience with the .22 Hornet before but think that's a good (affordable) caliber that could handle some larger game. I like the idea of the .22 long rifle since I already have a rifle in that caliber. I hope I get a chance to try one sometime.

I have an M-6 Scout in .22 Hornet / .410 stainless. I really like it for many reasons. Search the ETS website for previous threads on this rifle.<br><br>I heard Henry makes a survival rifle. Has anyone tried one out and what is your opinion?

Frank,<br><br>In looking for an older model Savage 24 (or any gun, for that matter), you may want to check regularly the listings online, Shotgun News, The Gun List, gun shows, and nearby gun shops. It took us a lengthy, diligent search to find ours. We found them at several gun shops within about 40 miles of our home.<br><br>You may also want to read regularly the postings at the Savage Discussion Group. It can be found at: <br><br> http://disc.server.com/Indices/180203.html<br><br>Incidentally, the subject of survival guns has been discussed several times over the last year on the ETS web site. All new members of the forum might find it very helpful to read the earlier postings on this forum. They really provide a gold mine of high quality survival ideas on a great variety of subjects.<br><br>Good luck,<br><br>John<br><br><br><br>

It may have been my post from a while back that people read about the Baikal. I was going to get the Savage combo but really wanted a more powerful caliber than .30-30. Plus I wasn't thrilled about the Savage's fixed choke. I'm darn glad I waited! I got the IZH-94 in 12 gauge and .30-06. Awesome firearm for the price (low-$400) and the rifle patterned under 1 MOA, *way* more accurate than I expected. Plus it comes with 3 interchangeable chokes (one of these days I'm going to drill the stock out to hold the chokes plus some ammo) and you can get more chokes including extra-full 'turkey' chokes and a rifled chokes that stabilizes slugs when exiting the barrel. <br>http://www.eaacorp.com/flash/high.html<br><br>I prefer the 12 gauge over the 20 gauge simply because of the huge variety of specialty shells available including flares. Some examples (including some weird ones...)<br>http://www.allpurposeammo.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.100.exe/shop/12ga.html?L+scstore+lbww9242ff410541+1041514920<br><br>I also found some accessories that make the Baikal (or any other weapon) even more useful as a survival firearm, namely in space and weight savings on ammunition. Little skeeters shotgun gauge adaptors, originally used to handicap on the skeet range, allow you to use 16ga, 20ga, 28ga (my favorite for overall performance and weight saving) and .410 as mentioned in other posts. In addition, these smaller gauges also kick far less and don't ruin as much meat if you have to shoot close up.<br>http://www.littleskeeters.com/<br><br>In a similar vein, there are also adaptors for the rifle that let you use other .30 caliber loads through the .30-06 barrel. As pointed out, most survival hunting is going to be for small game and the .32 ACP pistol cartridge is perfect out of the .30-06 barrel. It is somewhere between a .22 and .22 Mag in energy and hits with a heavier bullet. Recoil is negligible and the noise is pretty low as the round is subsonic. If you want to go after slightly larger game but not hit it with the full .30-06, there is also an insert for .30 Carbine or you can even get an insert for 7.62x39 if you want to approximate .30-30 ballistics. And, in the remote chance you're in bear country, you can even buy the uploaded Hornady Light Magnum load with several premium bullets for the .30-06 that approximates .300 Winchester Magnum ballistics. That and a shotgun slug should do you against any predator, four- or two-legged. <br>http://www.hornady.com/<br><br>I know, really remote chance of having to use such items, but this site is about preparing for remote chances, right?!

Check my other post.<br><br>I just forgot to re-label the reply, sorry!

I'm jumping in on this kind of late...<br><br>What is it that you want a "survival firearm" to accomplish for you? What part of the world? (I'm not presuming North America CONUS.) Any idea how much money and time you're willing to invest in 1) purchasing the firearm 2) becoming and staying proficient enough to use it for your purposes?<br><br>The M-6 is... interesting. Not something I would choose, but that does not make it a "bad" choice.<br><br>Savage M-24s can be very handy, as mentioned. Is weight and overall size a significant consideration for you? What about ammo weight, durability, waterproofness, etc? How long do you need the firearm to perform its purpose for you on any given occasion (among other things, that drives how much ammo you should carry)?<br><br>There are many good choices for about any budget and need. OTOH, if you just like the idea of the M-6 and "gotta have it", go for it. Nothing wrong with collecting a few firearms (at least, not as long as it's legal for you wherever you are).<br><br>If (big if) I was going to get an M-6, I'd have to think long and hard about the rifle caliber - I'd lean towards the 22 Hornet original designed caliber; there were a lot of good reasons why that, instead of 22lr was chosen. There are better choices if a 22lr/shotgun combo is what you want, IMHO.<br><br>Toss some answers out on the questions I posted above - these are always lively and interesting discussions and I usually tuck away a bit of "new" info for myself when we have these discussions. Quick example: I was recently asked (PM) my opinion on an SKS (7.62x39) as a "survival weapon". My first reaction was "no way!" A little digging around, some interesting information turned up, and now... I think well, maybe... (it depends... on several things).<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom

SS MkII is a heck of a deal. I prefer the version that mimics the control placement and grip angle of the M1911 (sorry; I own one and the model number escapes me - something something 5???). However, a slim-barrel MkII is a bit lighter if the grip angle is OK for the shooter...<br><br>Although I purchased it for practicing & plinking, I've packed/used my MkII in the woods enough to know that it works very well for me - and enough to consider getting another one and modifying it especially for packing.<br><br>Did I mention that kids really enjoy the heck out of shooting the MkIIs as well?

Say... your name isn't really "Mel Tappan" is it? JK <grin>

It works very good.I think its the best survival rifle there is

Thanks to all the people who told me what they thought. I think I will waite awhile before I buy anything.<br>Thanks again.<br><br>Frank