Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Cooper rifles

Hi,
I recently purchased 2 new Cooper rifles.
They are both in 7mm 08 and I could not be happier with not only the craftsmanship, fit and finish, but the out of the box accuracy is incredible. Sub 1/2 min groups at 100 yds.
My question is why would anyone spend for a custom, (which I did consider) with a company like cooper around?

I'm glad you're happy with the new rifles. Cooper does indeed make a nice rifle.

The last two rifles I had put together cost right around the price of a new Cooper. And neither has a club for a stock on it (assuming you went the fiberglass route).

Easy,I don't want a Cooper.

Interesting, but not often the case. Most of the custom builds that I've run across both at the range and during my search were very pricy. With more time to invest, I'm sure I would have been able to put something fun together.
One is a custom classic walnut gun with a beautiful piece of wood and the other is a m54 Excalibur composite with fluted barrel and bolt. Both fit like a glove and drive tacks! Thanks for the reply. Would love to hear more about what you built...

Dakota M 76 7mm Dakota with a Leupold 4.5-14 scope.

Winchester M 70 .270 Win Featherweight Custom High Grade. Got this one for $1000.











Have a Leupold 6x on it now.

Very nice! I'll bet they shoot too.
Although sub 1/2 is not necessary while hunting, it sure inspires confidence.
Hard to argue with that kind of performance from a 6lb rifle with a 22" barrel. Through the same hole at 100 yds out of the box. I've had many rifles and that's a first for me...

I just bought my first Cooper.

It is a "used" Excalibur in 280AI. I've got lighter rifles and I've got prettier rifles, as well as cheaper and way more expensive, but this Cooper is probably a keeper.

donsm70

I've had 3 Coopers. The only one I still have is a 6ppc single shot. For a single-shot target rifle I sure wish the trigger could be adjusted lighter. It is very accurate with N133 and Bart's Ultra 68s though.

They really are fantastic, especially in wood!

Glad you like you rifles. Which models did you buy?

One reason I don't own one is because the safety doesn't lock the bolt. Other than that the wood models are a bit heavier than I like and the light weight models have thick wrists. Other than that I would love to own one.

Nice chair!

Thanks,it was custom made.

I think they are phenomenal!

I like mine...30-06 M52 Custom Classic. I special-ordered my 52 fully bedded, instead of floated. I also wanted a red pad and inletted sling swivel studs. It's a pretty rifle that's a superb shooter. A little heavy, but I can live with that.
Bob

For the same reason people will spend more to build their own custom car rather than buying an already completed one... they are willing to pay more for the joy of doing it themselves in exactly the way they want it.

I love the process of creating a custom rifle. Honestly, I have no desire to buy an off-the-shelf rifle with some other builder's name on it. Certainly not when I can build something just as good (or better) myself and put my own name on it.

To each his own, but I would think it should be self-evident why some guys prefer to spec their own rifle, if not do the actual build themselves. For guys who aren't wired in this way, there are boatloads of companies like Cooper who will do that work for them.

Cooper will build only on their actions,while that is fine I prefer Mauser M 98 or Winchester M 70.

Other people prefer Remington,Sako or some custom action like Stiller.

Some people prefer barrels from Pac-Nor,Douglas,Shilen etc...

More to this than meets the eye.

Bob,

She's a beauty.

There are lots of reasons for wanting a custom rifle built to your exact specifications. However, having owned two Coopers, I can certainly understand buying a (or two) Coopers. Both of my Coopers were varmint models, the first a 22-250 from the original company and the second a 223 built after reorganization. The first rifle came with (and still has) a Shilen barrel, and the second was custom ordered with a Lilja. I have sold the 223, but I cannot bear to sell the 22-250. It has a perfect chambering job - the brass lasts forever - and it shoots lights out. Buying a Cooper is like one-stop shopping for your custom rifle. No pieces and parts shopping. Some like that, however.

A bad part of building a custom rifle is that sometimes it takes a long time to complete the project, and you may have changed your mind about what you wanted in the meantime, or might have lost interest in the project along the line. I've been there.

I just purchased my 1st Cooper in a 25-06 from 24 hour member " remfak ".It will be arriving shortly.Gourges rifle! This may change my mind on building/ buying any future customs.

coopers shoot but I am tired of the weight

I like some good wood.

Got a friend that bought a Cooper .22 lr for squirrel hunting and it's a shooter, no doubt about it. He bought it to save his 541s, which will shoot lights-out, also. He hunted with the Cooper a couple of times and then put it up and started hunting with the Rem. again. When I asked him why, he said the Cooper was too heavy.

With the model 92 out now there is no room to complain about weight anymore. Cooper finally made a mountain rifle. I would like a svelt little wood model though, trimmed down here and there.

What is the difference in a model 22 and a model 54?

22 are single shot 54 is a short action with a detachable mag.

My cooper custom classic is 6.5 lbs. My Excalibur composite is lighter than that.
That's pretty light in my experience.

I had a Cooper in 264 Win Mag. I thought the safety cheap looking. I didnt like the loose rattling magazine either. Wasnt all that in my opinion.

Interesting. Did you give them a chance to correct the magazine issue. I can kind of see the safety part. My magazines and the gun in general are tight as can be and the workmanship is second to none.

Few years back a friend asked what I recommended for OTC accuracy in bolt guns. Told him to look at Coopers and Dakotas. He bought a couple or three of each. Looking them over was kinda cool what with fit, finish and function considered.

We went to the range. He used the Cooper .308 to put 3 in one hole. At 200 yards. Of course I told him he sucked. Worst of the 5 rifles shoots 3/4" for 5 at 100 off a rest. Now I'm sorry I gave suggestions about reloading accoutrements.

He wants the Sneezer. Phuoc dat.