So, why did they drop the Frontier but keep the Compact?

[tacotime]

Just wondering... why they dropped the Frontier.

I could see the small interest in real scout rifles, but you can mount the scope conventionally on these, though I guess you end up with an extra piece of hardware (the rib) and a little extra weight. Was that it?

And I can imagine if you mount conventionally, you have to use high and medium rings to clear the rib in front, instead of the expected medium and low set, or else remove the rib, essentially leaving you with a Compact again...

Thanks.

 

[Major T]

Most manufacturing decisions are based on money - what sells and what doesn't. One should not fuss at Ruger too much. They have been most prolific of all the makers with their offering variety. jack

 

[mattsbox99]

Scout rifles weren't the 'in' thing when the Frontier was introduced.

 

[tacotime]

Definitely not fussing at Ruger, just wondering what about the Frontier caused its demise, while they still kept compacts in the lineup.

 

[mike7mm08]

What they should of done is discontinue the frontier. But offer the compacts drilled and tapped for a scout mount. Instead of the ruger rib do a mount that would attach to the front scope base and extend forward and be attached to the barrel via a couple screws. Do the mount as a weaver type rail. This is what browning is doing on it's BLRs. One model fits the needs of two potential customers.

 

[Jason at Lipsey's]

Simple, the Compact models sold and still sell well and the Frontiers did not.

 

[BlkHawk73]

Simple, the Compact models sold and still sell well and the Frontiers did not.

Doesn't get more simple than that! Not as though they'd discontinue a good seller.

 

[Jason at Lipsey's]

We joke all the time, if you want to make a dog item popular, just discontinue it.

 

[tacotime]

The sales answer may be obvious, so to put the question another way, why would a compact rifle sell but a Frontier (which is very similar), not sell?

Was there another customer objection than the rib?

 

[Joe S.]

arent they the same, other than the rib?

 

[BlkHawk73]

I think the whole "scout" and forward optics idea just wasn't popular enough . I personally liked it somewhat and had the Frontier been available in some different chamberings, I'd have gotten one. Notice there wasn't a lot of other scout style models out there.

 

[Trey Whitley]

Truth be told, I ended up with my first Frontier by accident. I was looking for a kid-sized controlled-round-feed deer rifle, and the Frontier weighed a few ounces more than the Compact. I went with more weight in an effort to do everything possible to minimize felt recoil (a year after I bought it Remington came out with reduced-recoil loads and solved the problem another way).

After I bought it I played around with a scout scope and fell in love with it. In fact, I used a scout setup on the Frontier to teach the boys how to shoot scoped rifles with both eyes open. Then we mounted a 2-7x Leupold "conventionally" and haven't looked back.

I liked the concept so much that I bought a 358 Frontier as a dedicated hog hunting gun. Damn near unbeatable chasing pigs through thick oak bottoms (I can still get follow-up shots off much faster with lever guns, so it's not unbeatable).

Right now a local gunsmith is finishing up a 9.3x62 barrel assembly for a takedown bolt action I've got, and we're setting it up for a scout scope as well. In fact, he's using a Ruger rib and I'll still be able to use a regular scope or iron sights as conditions warrant.

The scout/Frontier setup isn't ideal for every hunting situation but I found it to be much, much more useful in practice than it looked like in theory.

 

[Trey Whitley]

Just dug through some old posts and found a couple that may help you:

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=55757&highlight=

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=105469&highlight=

 

[Major T]

Ruger's Scout gives the buyer lots of sighting options. Peep, conventional, and forward scope. Kills lots of birds with one stone. I have tried the scout scope concept twice, and I am one of those for whom it just doesn't have any appeal. The Scout allows everyone to use it their way. Gives a broader appeal base. jack

 

[tacotime]

Trey, when you mounted the 2-7x conventionally, did it require one low ring and one medium ring, or one medium and one high ring?

Was yours a 2-7x33 or 2-7x28?

I wonder if either of these scopes can be mounted conventionally using one low and one medium ring, since the rib appears to be an issue for the front bell of the scope to clear. I'd rather not use any high ring...

Thanks.

 

[Trey Whitley]

Low + medium using the 2-7x33 VX-II.

The ribs can be a problem with some scopes but two things I hate, and I mean hate, are high rings & oversized scopes. I was able to mount a 2.5-8x36 Leupold on a 30-06 M77 Express (which has the integral rib) in the lowest ring set so I was sure the 2-7x wouldn't be a problem on the Frontier.

If I remember correctly, I ran into problems trying to use a low ring set with a 3.5-10x40 on a 338 WM M77 Express, so the 36mm objective might be as big as you can go...there wasn't much space left between the rib & scope on the 30-06.

 

[tacotime]

Thanks!

I'm with you on the smaller scopes. I'm about to be exclusively 2-7X, escpecially on the Rem. Model Sevens. The 3-9 bell is just out of proportion.

So you left the rib on then?