Skout Skout EVO precision with slugs

About three weeks ago I did some trading plus funds out of state for this Skout EVO. I got it home a few days later, aired it up, shot about 40 shots, and the gun seemed to shoot well, then I went to fill it again and the air started leaking out. Darn... Turned out the HPR was where it was leaking.

I called Skout and reg parts were sent out the next day which I received four days later. I installed them and the same leak persisted. I called again, said what had happened, and requested a whole HP Reg assembly be sent, however I was overlooked because no parts showed up. When I called 6 days later they apologized when they realized the parts hadn't been sent. Miffed I asked for 2nd day shipping which they did for me. I installed the HP reg assembly which held up after a 4000 psi fill but there was a leak where the bottle gauge screwed into it's housing. I tightened it and that leak was stopped.

Finally I could get going!
I want to use this EVO in a match called the FullMonty/FM, a new UFT match format here in AZ, that is 72 shots on heavy duty steel FT targets, consisting of 2 shots at closer targets, 2 shots at mid range, and two at the longer distances, for 12 lanes, from 11y to 100Y.

Why I chose the EVO?? It's because it meets some personal requirements.
#1 It's a heavy gun which helps it to be steadier off of the bucket and sticks like people use in HFT and the way this match is prescribed to be shot.
#2 It has high cap mags which means fast follow up shots within a time limit of 4 minutes of 6 shots, and since I can have loaded 30 shot mags ready to go before the match starts it's something I won't need to think about during the match. BTW these mags are awesome!
#3 I like cocking from the left side even though I am a right handed shooter so I was able to switch it to the left side.
#4 It's also a smooth cocking gun with very minimal cocking resisitance which I do enjoy having.
#5 Is it's available with a faster twist 22 cal LW barrel/15.75 per inch - mine being the 600mm, which works well with my choice of slugs, those being the Altaros 40gr Kings and their 32.2gr Smooths, since I plan on competing in the slug division, and that I don't much care for using pellets for long range.
and I wanted 22 cal because some of the KZ holes are 3/8ths inch and that the 25cal or 30 cal projectiles don't give much room for error.

Some other aspects I found out when I got to shooting it.
With the skeletonized butt the LOP is a bit shorter which suits me better.
The ARCA rail is great and goes back far enough to balance on my tripod perfectly and it has MLOK rails so I can mount a pic rail on for my bipods.
The Ergos and balance also feel good to me, superior to some rifles I've owned before.
This trigger can be adjusted low and it's very good for an E-trigger. Mine is set at 2oz, and it came that way which is odd but I left it there.
The firing impulse is nice but likely half the reason is the weight of the gun and scope.
I'm not sure on the shot count yet but I should only need to fill once during the match.
And the tunability on this gun is something even I can do, LOL! I've already got it set to 828 fps with 32.3gr which is 49 fpe, which is just below the max FPE of 50 fpe for the FM. I'll explore a bit more on tuning the HPR, the LPR, the Dwell, and indexing the barrel. After all I've just started having less than 80 rounds down range at this point.

At 25Y, which is my zero, it puts most holes touching with both weights of Altaros slugs. But check this out, that's twenty-ish 32.3gr slugs, half at 82Y, and half at 99Y, in near as I can figure 12-16 mph full value winds today. I held off anywhere from .4 mil to .7 mil and this KZ is a 3" circle.
I'm not displeased with the precision capability so far.

I'll update how it all goes....

The tripod is a Fat Boy which I used for todays try.
The scope is a Meopta Optika 6 5-30x56.
Rings are ARC.
And I dug out my old Avet fishing reet with 80 pound line to reset the target.
20250328_130219.jpg
20250328_125258.jpg
 
Nice write-up
The Altaros Kings were shooting VERY well out of the LW barrel
Look at Derrick Wall's @zx10wall review where he did some shooting with the 40g Kings
I dialed mine to shoot at a similar speed and it was impressive!
I hope you get everything ready for the Full Monty
I got Oregon at the beginning of May, so i need to do a bit more slug shooting too
The Red looks Awesome!
Mike
 
Looking good Steve. At Oregon 1st weekend in May quite a few of us will be shooting the .22 Evo with Toro Kings 40 grain at the 100Y BR slugs event. Mine shot 241 (approx) two weeks ago with those, then ten minutes later with different barrel shot a 237 with .25 Toro Smooth 49.5 grain. I’m thinking the .22 Kings have a slight edge in precision.

I get a 0.190 RA4 BC with the .22 Toro Kings and 0.195 RA4 BC with the .25 Toro Smooth. FYI, the Toro 32.3 grain Smooth have a very good BC at 0.157 RA4.
 
Nice write-up
The Altaros Kings were shooting VERY well out of the LW barrel
Look at Derrick Wall's @zx10wall review where he did some shooting with the 40g Kings
I dialed mine to shoot at a similar speed and it was impressive!
I hope you get everything ready for the Full Monty
I got Oregon at the beginning of May, so i need to do a bit more slug shooting too
The Red looks Awesome!
Mike
Good luck at Oregon!

I kinda wish I was going but 4 days round trip plus expenses......
 
  • Like
Reactions: manabeknives
LOL! That's so smart repurposing your Avet EX! I still use my Avet EX 30's for trolling or deep jigging for BFT! That is a beautiful EVO and have fun tuning for slugs! I think that is the beauty of tuning with an electronic PCP, so much quicker/easier than a mechanical one. Enjoy shooting it!
Thanks, the reel was a immediate solution and it's fast taking the 100 yards of braid back into it. I haven't used it in 15 years anyway. Oh and I have a brand new unused 30 pound Avet that is still NIB. I had to limit my hobbies but I hope to do a long range charter into mexico again some day.

I have a funny story about the reel in my photo! A friend and I went on a 5 day charter out of San Diego. The guy, not my friend, that owned this reel had just bought it earlier in the week, along with a custom pole to match it, new line. etc.
2 days into the trip, at mealtime, he announced to the rest of the boat, hey I want a 30 pound outfit since we aren't going into Mexico and I just bought this rod and reel for big fish, does anybody want to do some swapping?? I said yeah I have one! Mine was mid quality, if that, so I offered $300 cash along with my 30 pound outfit. We were both happy with the trade and I still had my 25 pound outfit to use too.
Literally that evening, since the fishing was poor up to that point, the captain announced we were going into Mexico after all, because the boats down there were getting great action with the Yellow fin Tuna and other varieties of game fish, so he headed down there all night, and to our amazement the next morning the sea was alive with birds, whales, and boils.
In a few hours I had reeled in a 159lb Yellewfin with my new heavy outfit and inside of 15 minutes no less!!!! Wow that was one awesome experience.

That guy was beside himself but he was a good sport with everyone else on the boat jesting him about the whole thing that they all saw happen. Poor guy had to use the boat gear but he caught some fish a bit later.
 
Looking good Steve. At Oregon 1st weekend in May quite a few of us will be shooting the .22 Evo with Toro Kings 40 grain at the 100Y BR slugs event. Mine shot 241 (approx) two weeks ago with those, then ten minutes later with different barrel shot a 237 with .25 Toro Smooth 49.5 grain. I’m thinking the .22 Kings have a slight edge in precision.

I get a 0.190 RA4 BC with the .22 Toro Kings and 0.195 RA4 BC with the .25 Toro Smooth. FYI, the Toro 32.3 grain Smooth have a very good BC at 0.157 RA4.

Yeah thanks for that info! Good luck to you as well! I'll be looking forward to yours and TC's results too.

Which gun and slug are you using for the long range steel event?
 
Thanks, the reel was a immediate solution and it's fast taking the 100 yards of braid back into it. I haven't used it in 15 years anyway. Oh and I have a brand new unused 30 pound Avet that is still NIB. I had to limit my hobbies but I hope to do a long range charter into mexico again some day.

I have a funny story about the reel in my photo! A friend and I went on a 5 day charter out of San Diego. The guy, not my friend, that owned this reel had just bought it earlier in the week, along with a custom pole to match it, new line. etc.
2 days into the trip, at mealtime, he announced to the rest of the boat, hey I want a 30 pound outfit since we aren't going into Mexico and I just bought this rod and reel for big fish, does anybody want to do some swapping?? I said yeah I have one! Mine was mid quality, if that, so I offered $300 cash along with my 30 pound outfit. We were both happy with the trade and I still had my 25 pound outfit to use too.
Literally that evening, since the fishing was poor up to that point, the captain announced we were going into Mexico after all, because the boats down there were getting great action with the Yellow fin Tuna and other varieties of game fish, so he headed down there all night, and to our amazement the next morning the sea was alive with birds, whales, and boils.
In a few hours I had reeled in a 159lb Yellewfin with my new heavy outfit and inside of 15 minutes no less!!!! Wow that was one awesome experience.

That guy was beside himself but he was a good sport with everyone else on the boat jesting him about the whole thing that they all saw happen. Poor guy had to use the boat gear but he caught some fish a bit later.
Great story and I hope you get out on the water soon! I too fish Long Range out of San Diego on an 8 day yearly and once in a while a 7 day, very blessed to be able to do this! I know the owners of Avet and mostly fish Avets, they are so easy to service! Tight Lines and shoot str8 with your awesome Evo!
 
Yeah thanks for that info! Good luck to you as well! I'll be looking forward to yours and TC's results too.

Which gun and slug are you using for the long range steel event?
The same gun that won the last two years in a row. .25 Panthera 600mm with Altaros Smooth 49.5 grain and Athlon Cronus scope.

IMG_3103.jpeg
 
Last edited:
You've had great success with that FX!
Well darn. .25 Panthera slugger started leaking out the barrel both ends. Probably a valve seal issue. Unfortunately I don’t have the special tool to remove the valve pin cover to open it up and either repair or replace…. Crap!
I ordered one, but won’t know till I get it if I have to order valve pin/seat assembly. About a month till Long Range challenge in Oregon, so…

I decided to see how my .25 Skout Evo shoots the Altaros (Toro) 49.5 grain Smooth slugs. Quick tune for about 895 fps. A few to adjust zero. Then about 50 shots at 125 yards in 9 mph gusting to 15 left to right.
Not bad, no world record but it’s a start.

IMG_3197.jpeg


IMG_3195.jpeg
 
Well darn. .25 Panthera slugger started leaking out the barrel both ends. Probably a valve seal issue. Unfortunately I don’t have the special tool to remove the valve pin cover to open it up and either repair or replace…. Crap!
I ordered one, but won’t know till I get it if I have to order valve pin/seat assembly. About a month till Long Range challenge in Oregon, so…

I decided to see how my .25 Skout Evo shoots the Altaros (Toro) 49.5 grain Smooth slugs. Quick tune for about 895 fps. A few to adjust zero. Then about 50 shots at 125 yards in 9 mph gusting to 15 left to right.
Not bad, no world record but it’s a start.

View attachment 551497

View attachment 551498
Your cut label on the tin is better than my blue masking tape w/ scribbled slug/weight. :)
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Centercut