444: Jeff Cooper's Scout Rifle Specs, Safaris, & More With Richard Mann

Jeff Cooper wanted one rifle a man could carry all day, hunt big game, and defend himself with if he had to. This was supposed to be a handy, compact, & powerful general-purpose rifle, not a battle rifle or a specialized long-range gun. In this episode Richard Mann, author of The Scout Rifle Study, joins me on the show and we talk about Cooper's original Scout Rifle specs, how they changed over the years, his extensive hunting experience with Scout Rifles (to include multiple African safaris as well has hunts in the USA), the pros and cons of scout scopes vs an LPVO or red dot, and more. If you've ever wondered whether the scout rifle is outdated, overhyped, or still one of the most practical rifles you can own, this conversation is the field report. Sponsor: Join the community I'm building on Patreon to receive exclusive bonus content, like ad-free access to the podcast a day early. Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday. Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically! Resources The Scout Rifle Study & Rifle Cartridges for the Hunter – Richard Mann's books referenced in this podcast C Stories – Jeff Cooper's book referenced in this podcast Learn more about Richard by supporting him on Substack: Empty Cases Substack Other Episodes Referenced In The Podcast Ep 388: 25 Creedmoor-A Triple Threat Cartridge With Richard Mann Ep 401: Best Cartridge For Hunting Darn Neary Anything By Richard Mann Ep 419: 25 Weatherby RPM With Richard Mann