Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Cooper rifles

They sure seem nice. I'd like to hear from those of you who own them what you think. I am close to getting a M54 Pheonix.

They suck so bad, I had to order #4.



Swifty

I have a 17 HMR and it is as accurate or at least closest to my 6mm PPC in accuracy as a gun can get. Coopers look great and shoot even better. Don't worry about getting one, buy it ans when you want to get something else, you can always sell it. That's not something you can do with a Kimber...

I also have a 17 HMR Cooper, and LOVE it!

It's my pride and joy and the nicest gun I own, or have ever owned. (grin!)

I've got a 5 shot group that I shot at 30 yards with all 5 in the same hole, and that's impressive for a 17 cal. !

Virgil B.

i have one in 204 shoots many dif loads under 1/4

I don't own a Cooper, but my shooting buddy has a Model 54 Excaliber in 7mm-08. The problem he has is that it won't make a "group". It just wants to put those Nosler 120 gr. into one hole.

I had a single shot in 204, beautiful wood, awesome trigger, and shot lights out. Still can't figure out why I got rid of it. I would highly reccomend them to anyone, you won't be dissapointed.

I've had 5. Beautiful rifles that shoot. I still have 3 and can't see ever selling them. The two I sold had such beautiful wood that I wouldn't hunt with them.

I own 2 they are great and beitiful shoot very little cant bear to mess them up thinkn of selln them because their safe queens thats the ONLY thing wrong with them

My wife gets tired of me coming in from the range with my Cooper .204 and saying, "Man, I love this rifle!"

I have stopped talking about my 22-250. My friends are tired of hearing about it, and I don't really think they believe how well that rifle actually shoots. Everyone else just thinks I'm bragging.
My ex said "are you kidding me" when I told her I was buying it. That was about 9 years ago. She's been gone for 8... and I still love that rifle!

I've owned a dozen or so.
All were purchased used.
For my money, used, they are one of the best values going.

So with that in mind, though not exhaustive, several examples.

What are the old sayings , a pix is worth a thousand words,
And
The proof of the puddin� is in the tastin������


Cooper Model 21, Varmint Extreme, 223 Rem. lefty. I�m a right hand shooter, but this Cooper was too nice to pass up. I kinda enjoy hooking my fingers of my right hand over the scope and lifting the bolt with my right thumb and feeding it with my left hand.


A primer test. Groups shot at 100 yds., 5 minutes between groups.



Cooper Model 22, Varmint Extreme, 22-250 Rem.


and an acceptable group. Now if I could just learn to keep those cross-hairs steady.



Cooper Model 22, Varmint Extreme, 308 Winchester




It took a while to find this one at the price I wanted, but I�ve not been disappointed.

[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/latestgunstuff/DSCN7141.jpg[/img]
Cooper Model 38, Varminter, 20 Vartarg

[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/group%20pix/IMG_8827.jpg[/img]

And as to hunting them, well, I don't do safe queens.

[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/DSCN5167.jpg[/img]
Model 21, Classic, Tac 20

[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/DSC02597.jpg[/img]
Model 38, Classic, 22 Hornet

[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/latestgunstuff/DSCN7652.jpg[/img]
Cooper Model 22, Montana Varminter, 6.5 x 284

I could go on, but perhaps you catch my drift.

Best

GWB

Lay off the Shiner and you might get them on the spot...

not much chance of that......



Even though at my age, I do get a wild hare now and then, stilll, a man's gotta know his limitations.

Besides, somebody has to support the Texas economy.

Best

GWB

PS: Cooper model 22 Montana Varminter, 6.5 x 284, 130 gr. Accubonds, 200 yds.

New Coopers are a lot of value for the money.
Used Coopers seem to hold their value well, so that you might not save much money by buying used unless you get lucky.
If the Cooper trigger is not your picker-upper, Jard is selling very nice triggers which can be had down to 2 ounces.
And last, if they seem so nice that you leave them in your safe, then you can usually fix that by buying a nicer rifle (Dakota? Border? other?) to leave in the safe, and then you won't feel as bad about using the cheaper rifles like the Coopers.

The trick is to get that first scratch on them.

I got past the "too nice" long ago. Use but don't abuse it, scratch them up, that's what they are for.

No doubt, nice rifles. I just find it a little odd to have a single shot mauser style bolt action rifle. Are not all the centerfire rifles single shot and the rimfires are not? I find it curious that way. Maybe a rolling block would have been more traditional.

You may want to go here and familiarize yourself with Coopers offerings - http://www.cooperfirearms.com/our-rifles. The models 21, 22 & 38 are single shots, the models 52, 54, 56 & 57 are all repeaters. The different models are available in various stock configurations. They are a turn-bolt action but are not really a Mauser style bolt action unless you stretch the definition a bit, they are a 3-lug action, with a plunger ejector, and a Sako style extractor.

Cooper has recently reworked its website and to be honest IT SUCKS, it is difficult to see just what they offer and it is lacking in detail and pictures, so it is easy to see how you could be confused if you have looked at it.

drover

I only have 1 but it shoots well enough to make me want more..... Now it has not loved everything I've fed it but more times than not it makes me smile. Not really a varmint rig but I wouldn't expect less results out of any configuration

I have 5 Coopers now. In order of most to least accurate:

- .204 Ruger M21 varmint (an honest 1/4" rifle with 39 gr Sierra BT)
- .17 MACH IV M21 varmint (close to a 1/4" rifle)
- .17 HMR M57 sporter (3/8" rifle)
- .22-250 M22 varmint (.400" rifle)
- .22 LR M57 sporter (3/8" at 50 yds with Match anmmo and frequently with Winchester PP))
.
All have nice walnut but were the the plainest grade offered. Note that the two most accurate ones were also purchased used for $900 ea, the .17 MACH IV with 400 cases & bullets!

The .22-250 was the only one that took much load development, was my first, and has the nicest wood. It is destined to become a fast twist .22 BR for LR prarie dogging. The 1 in 8 twist Brux is waiting.

My 2nd is a 22-250 model 22 custom classic that shoots 1/2" 5 shot groups pretty regular. The brown truck just delivered another 1000 JLK 52 gr. low drag bullets. I should be seeing accuracy start to deteriorate by time this bunch is shot up. I am thinking rebarrel in 22-250 again, but with a fast twist barrel, or maybe another fast twist .243. This is my prairie dog rifle, and it seems most of my pd's are shot beyond 300 yards anymore. Those 52's get blown around pretty badly beyond 400.

I picked up a used 17 Remington Varminter that came in looking a little "more used" than had been disclosed( my side of the story), and I was sorely dissapointed with it's accuracy and a an issue with the bolt stop as well. She will arrive at the Factory tomorrow if UPS delivers as they suggest, and Mike seemed very convincing and thorough explaining what to expect after we spoke the second time after I tried to see if they could make recommendations to try and get it shooting before I resorted to letting them do a once over.

I really couldn't have been happier to see their "Leupold-like" ownership and offer to see if they can make the 2nd hand customer happier. If it were a Remington I would be still trying loads to get it to shoot as well as I had visions of the Cooper doing, and I am sure once they send it back I will consider buying another.


Allen

Allen,

I am sorry to hear about your problems with your Cooper. I had a problem with the holes on top of the receiver. It took some time, but Cooper came through and made it right. Rob was still there when I sent mine back. It is frustrating when you spend that kind of money and it isn't right. Keep us posted.