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I can afford one but can't bring myself to buy one. In my opinion Cooper did not get to keep the name for free. Somehow, someway Dan Cooper is still getting paid for his name.

I know if makes everyone feel warm and fuzzy to think they ain't supporting that piece of poop but I bet if you could get into the company records he's still getting paid.

I will keep buying Sako's.

Dink

Too fugging funny to comment on other than to say I hope that you don't miss your weekly Flat Earth Society meeting this week.

As for buying Sako rifles to keep my chin above water and level with the Jones's of the world, I currently own 17 old and new ones, which is more than double my 8 Coopers. What say you, dinky dow (dien cai dau - 'Namese for batty/goofy)?

As I get into my last 10 or so years of hunting deer, I want to treat myself to nice rifle.

I am considering a Cooper Model 54 Excalibur chambered in 7mm-08. My question to folks here is what is your experience with these rifles? I am going to spend $2000+ on this rifle and would like a true assessment.

Thanks folks!

Dave

Justify it to yourself any way you want. There is no way Dan Cooper left the company and said keep my name and use it for free. It just doesn't happen that way. But if it makes you feel better about buying coopers keep drinking the cool aid.

Dink

Justify it to yourself any way you want. There is no way Dan Cooper left the company and said keep my name and use it for free. It just doesn't happen that way. But if it makes you feel better about buying coopers keep drinking the cool aid.

Dink

Bay,

If Sako had donated money to Obama it would not have pizzed me off as much. They are foreigners.

Dan Cooper built his business leading people to believe he was a American. As American sportsman made him money he used that money to stab us in the back. He tried to hurt every American gun owner.

Of course Cooper was smart enough to know that Americans are stupid and would soon began giving him their hard earned money again. It was a win win for him and I am sure it still is.

The day that article came out Cooper firearms should have folded. Just as smith and wesson should have folded the day the agreed to put locks on their guns. Americans are stupid and we keep giving our money to people that stab us in the back.

Dink

Dink. Listen to drover. There are some people here who are closer to knowing Dan Cooper than just posting on an internet forum.

If you want to truly look at a stupid American as opposed to calling others that, look in the mirror. You are a relic stuck in time, dude.

GWB,

On average what do you think is the better rifle for the money a Sako or Cooper?

Dink

Dink. Listen to drover. There are some people here who are closer to knowing Dan Cooper than just posting on an internet forum.

If you want to truly look at a stupid American as opposed to calling others that, look in the mirror. You are a relic stuck in time, dude.

DINK is a lard azz genuine small town cop so he knows everything.

Dink,

Folks close to me sometimes get irritated because I have a very hard time answering a “yes or no” question with a simple yes or no. I almost always feel the need to extrapolate.

So with that in mind here goes. Please note that the following is only one mans’ opinion, and the old bromide , “opinions are like noses, everyone has one and most of them smell”, applies to my soliloquy. This answer may not be satisfactory, but it will have to suffice.

I’ve been playing with and owning firearms since I was 11. I will be 64 this year. Consequently there has been a significant amount of “been there done that” in my experience. I note that I am getting more set in my ways of late. As an example, to this date I’ve not availed my self of Howas, Tikkas or Sako A7’s.

I’ve been trading up and seriously collecting rifles for about 25 years now. I think I have reloading dies for +/- 62 different chamberings.
Sakos were my first love. I purchased my first, an l61r Varmint in 7mag around 1995, and the latest Bavarian in 6.5 x 55 a couple weeks ago. I do believe I’ve owned over two dozen between 222 Rem and 375 H&H in Riihimaki, l461, S491, l579, L61r, AI, AII, AIII, AV, M995, 75, & 85 mofels. All but one were repeaters. I don’t guncrank for pay, but from time to time I will mess with a buds’ Sako, or buy a beater to spuce up and sell, so that will put me having experience with +/- 30 different Sakos.

I have only encountered two Sako rifles in that time that I could not get to shoot sub-inch. These were back to back Stainless synthetic model 75’s chambered for the 338 Federal. Turned out it was a manufacturing defect, oversized chambers.

I’ve never had a Cooper that I had to dispose of due to manufacturing defects. Even if I stopped and counted I'd probably get it wrong, but I've owned around 30 Coopers.

I typically purchase both Cooper and Sako rifles pre-enjoyed and try to pay +/- 60% of MSRP.

In the mid -nineties I subscribed to Todd Kindler’s Small Caliber news and also the Varmint Hunter Magazine. It took a couple years but it was then that I started buying model 21,22, & 38 Coopers. Why, because of my perception of value. At that time (and this was about a dozen years before Dan Cooper contributed to Obama’s election campaign), with the exception of Rimfires, Cooper only made single shot rifles and had a ½” at 100 yard guarantee. IIRC, the major concern for Cooper before they came out with the Model 52, was manufacturing and chambering a repeater that would hold their ½” guarantee.

IIRC the Varminters were first, then the Classics. According to info that I have, I own the first Classic made by Cooper, chambered in 22 hornet.
To date I do not know of another rifle manufacturer that chambers such a wide assortment of sub/small/medium caliber/chamberings. I’ve owned 17 Ackley Hornet, 17 HeBee, 17 Mach IV(2), 17 Fireball, 17 Remington, 19 Calhoon(19 Hornet), 20 Vartarg, 20 Tactical, 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball, 222 Rem(2) 223Rem(2) 22-250 Rem(2), 6Br Rem. 6 x 47, 6-284, 250 Savage, 250 AI, 257AI, 25-06, 6.5 x 284, 7mm-08(2) and 308Win (2). All would make or exceed the ½ “ guarantee of the factory at 100 yds. Maybe not with every load, but with a little tinkering and load development , yes.

The wood on the earlier Coopers was way superior to the standard run of the mill Sakos, prior to the 75’s. IMHO, the triggers on the Coopers were also superior to the standard Sakos in that they were easily adjustable and could safely be adjusted under two lbs. or better. That was not always the case with Sakos.

I currently have 3 Sakos that have the “single set trigger” which breaks at/about 9 oz. That is a feature I really like, but I don’t do much spot and stalk, and it very seldom gets cold enough here for gloves. These three Sakos are a Model 75 Varmint in 260 Remington, a model 85 Bavarian Carbine in 308 Win. , and a model 85 Bavarian, half stock in 6.5 x 55. IMHO, they would be superior to the run of the mill Cooper. Unusually, each of these were purchased new . Only the Bavarian carbine would be comparable in price to the Cooper repeaters. The 260 Varmint was around 10 Benjamins, the 6.5 x 55 approx 15 Benjamins. IIRC most Cooper repeaters these days are near $2k new.

To date, if you want a factory chambered sub/small caliber rifle, I do not believe Cooper can be beat for the money, pre-enjoyed, and probably not even new. One can certainly not buy an action, stock, barrel and have it chambered for the price of a used Cooper purchased right. I typically pay under $1,300 per unit, including shipping, and transfer fee for the pre-enjoyed model 21, 22, & 38 that I buy. On occasion I will step up and pay more. I’m patient. It took over 10 years to find the 20 Vartarg I wanted at the price I would pay, and 15 years for the 17 Ackley Hornet.

Which brings me to the repeaters. I find it hard to purchase pre-enjoyed Cooper repeaters for the price I want to pay. Although the prices for used Sakos has increased significantly, one can purchase them for less than used Cooper repeaters.

Presently, I do believe I’m behind the curve when commenting on the Cooper repeaters, (51,52, 54, 56) as I’ve only owned one, a Jackson Game Rifle with fluted Stainless barrel. I purchased it years back from a young man who had been given it for graduation. He wanted an SKB shotgun. I purchased it from him along with rings and 5 boxes of premium ammo on a FTF for $1,250. Hard to do these days. Like the single shot models, it would shoot sub inch groups with factory fodder. The JGR is hands down my favorite wood stocked Cooper.

The bible states that a double –minded man is unstable in all his goings, and as you can probably tell it is hard for me to be objective when commenting on Sakos vs. Coopers. I’ve been fortunate to fondle and collect quite a few of both and continue to enjoy aspects of each.

As mentioned before, I’d give the nod to Cooper on the small calibers, unreservedly as to price/value, fit and finish.

The repeaters I would have to give the nod to Sakos due the price/value quotient, and here is my way of thinking. One can still purchase older Sako repeaters that will do anything necessary to take game at reasonable distances for as little as $650, in chamberings from 243 through 375 H&H. Now granted they may not have the fit, finish, wood, and triggers of the Coopers, but one can buy some pretty good glass for $500 and up that can most likey be saved on the purchase of a pre-enjoyed Sako vs Cooper.


Best,

GWB

they are heavy and I am a bit tired of carrying mine. I am going to try a basners next.