I don't have one of the newer Scout's but do have one of the pre-scout Compact's. I can throw in on some of the comments which apply to both.
Mine is the Ruger MK II Compact with a 16.5" barrel. It has a Burris 1.5x6 scope, and fully loaded woods ready, sling and all it weighs in at 6.5 lbs. Muzzle blast is not an issue unless you happen to touch one off inside a blind or truck cab. (and no I haven't tried that either)
Yep it might give up a few fps in velocity over a longer barrel but when hunting in thick stuff like this or thicker,
it is easily laid across one arm and never gets tangled on limbs or vines, and the short barrel is easily swung when leading running or moving game. IT rarely ever hits a limb or side of a tree like some of the longer rifles I hunt with. It has enough power and accuracy to drop feral hogs over 200# at ranges out past 400yds with factory ammo, and should easily do the trick on deer, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it on even elk for that matter. I have never had an issue yet of any of the 150gr loads not expanding , not penetrating, or bouncing off any of the critter I have taken with it. Most simply drop on the spot and those that don't only go a few yards as they slide to a stop.
My grandson has used my Compact to take several hogs and a coyote using reduced loads. They shoot awesome getting 2650 from the 130gr Barnes TTSX and grouping easily under 1" for him, and he is only 7 now. Here are two shots he put on my plate at 185yds, his first attempt at anything that far, even with the wind blowing cross range he did excellent,
I wished I could find a couple more of them in .308 as they are really a hoot. Then I could give the grandson this one and have one all for myself. IT really throws a wrench in things when I grab it up to ride around the farm and forget it is sighted in for "his" loads, and I am using mine. There is a foot or so difference out around 150yds and I have shot over both hogs and a coyote not thinking about the ammo.
As to the newer version the Scout, I am not fond of it at all. They changed the center point and with the added rail and to me personally it is simply butt ugly. But to others it might be wonderful.
I think however you misinterpreted the writing in the article about the horse and the shooter. I got that the horse paid it no mind and the shooter was the one who took notice. As to who would use the Scout? not sure, but through the years I have come across plenty of folks using the Compact model. I generally carry mine as much, actually more than any other rifle I own. It is simply a breeze to carry and so fast that I can get 5 rounds on target into a pack of hogs before they can get away. Done it many times.
For a gain in anything you have to give up something. For an ultra light weight rifle you have to shed weight where you can. It don't matter who's rifle it is, with a barrel of 16.5 or 18" your still not talking top end velocity, and the blast is not going to be more from one to the other, and definitely no worse than shooting a magnum big bore handgun. Even if you DO loose 300fps of velocity, in practical hunting distances the bullet is still going to get the job done, if you can put it where it needs to be in the first place. The accuracy noted in the article shows to be plenty good for a hunting rifle, and granted it wasn't .5MOA at 100yds it was as good or better than most average shooters do anyway.
Personally I wouldn't call it a looser until you have had it in the field for at least several trips and put a few hundred rounds through it both on the range and in real hunting situations. Otherwise it is just another rifle that may be great for one person but not someone else. Still doesn't make it juk, simply based upon one opinion or a misinterpreted article.
