We've all seen the one hole group targets Cooper shoots with thier rifles
REAL WORLD, what average size groups are you getting with your Cooper centerfires?
I'm looking at one now on GunBroker. Lot of money for another rifle,

Here is a 100 yard group from a 7-08 Excalibur. This is better than the norm -- or maybe the norm is a reflection of my ability. This load is a true, 1/2" performer day in, day out.

This group is more the norm. Different bullet, but results are very consistent with this load.

Owned a 22-250 and it was a true .35-.40 3 shot grouping rig. Had a 25-06 that was typically around .5 sometimes out to .65 or so. Shot a 220 Swift and it was very good at around .3.

I found I didn't like the stock ergonomics that much but the rigs will flat out shoot.

Shortaction- Have you ever weighed one of your Excalibers? Coopers website doesn't have the specs and I've found weights in ads to very quite a bit and was curiuos.

Pointer,

7-08 on the scale below with Talley's and a VX2 2-7.

I have a Western Classic .30/06 that is about a .3/4 to an inch gun after running over 500 rounds thru it testing it. Best load is with a Sierra 165 and Ramshot Hunter.

The groups that come in the rifle box from Cooper are shot at 40 yards. I just traded away a Jackson Game in 30-06. It shot 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards with Remington 165 grain Core-Lokt.

But so will my older Remington in 30-06 and I do not have to worry as much about dinging it up by accident. So I got rid of the Cooper.

In my very unprofessional opinion, you can buy a top of the line Remington, Winchester, or Ruger and have them bedded, free floated, and either adjust or change the trigger and have just as good a rifle as the Cooper plus money left in your pocket.

My Phoenix .223AI will shoot under 1/2" three shot groups all day. And most of the time, results are about the same with five shot groups.

I couldn't ask for anything better.

I got a passel of 'em and all the varmint calibers shoot into the 3's and 4's (5 shots - 100 yards) always. My favorite hunting rig is a M54 'Classic' in 7MM/08 that is a consistent 3/8' shooter (3 shots -100 yards).
You can bed, work on triggers, tune or whatever else you want on something else and still you won't equal a Cooper.
Been there, done that!
V

I have a 52 in 30-06 and a 54 in 7mm-08. The 52 is a consistent 1/2"(3shots at 100 yds) gun if I do my part. I just bought the 54 less than a month ago but have been really impressed with the results so far. The best 3 shot group to date was .337".

Based on my experience with only one Cooper, a Jackson Hunter in .270 Win., the accuracy is certainly there when you hit upon the right combination of components and OAL. I fired somewhere between 800 and 1,000 rounds using five powders and at least fifteen bullets. The very worst loads averaged slightly under an inch and a half.

Here are a few examples of the best done during early preliminary load work-up, all based on three, three shot groups averaged, using Reloder 19 powder: Barnes 130 TSX BT = .42", Berger 140 VLD Hunting = .63", 140 Partition = .56".

Admittedly, these real groups may not be up the accuracy standards of an Internet Warrior, but I was satisfied with them and they are repeatable. Sure, other less expensive rifles may shoot as well straight from the box, but most won't.

My Cooper is not a lightweight at 8 3/4 lbs. with a Leupold 2.5X-8X scope and I'm not fond of detachable box magazines. The bolt handle sticks out too far. I like the safety better than that on any other rifle I've had in the past forty years, and I've had a couple. Have another Cooper ordered.

I have a Model 52 Custom Classic in '06. It's one of the most accurate rifles I own. With 57.5 grains of H4350 and anything weighing 165 grains, it's consistently in the neighborhood of 1/2" at 100 yards. Here's an OCW test on COL with 57.5 grains H4350. Bullet was 165 Sierra Gameking. The 3rd and 4th targets are illustrative of how this rifle shoots.

My 223 MTV will shoot .2's or less any day I can which is not slways btu never over 1/2 5 shots. both 17 hmr's I have are stupid if the wind is not blowing. My 22lr hasn't been able to meet the guarantee yet but I'm cheap. 257R wil beat the guarantee most of the time. Had a 260 and it also would beat the guarantee but didn't like the glass stock. Have another on order.

Had one in 204 and it would shoot 5 shot 1/2" groups all day with about anything you cared to run through it. Rifle would probably do better but 1/2" is about as good as I can shoot.

boatammo - what load are you using? I have a bunch of Coopers and the centerfires have no problem getting me under 3/4" with most loads and les than 3/8" if I can hold well and find a load that it really likes (5 shots at 100yds) - the rimfires 3/8" or less at 50 yds for five shots, with ammo they like (which usually tends to be high end match stuff ). Getting ready for the Cooper one-shot in Maine in August and last year it was the norm for the competitors to hit the 1/4" dot at 150yds - I "touched" the dot with my Model 54 in .250-3000 and tied for fourth on my target (five shooters at each target).....all of the group targets looked pretty much the same (i.e. dot was missing) - it impressed me (although I do not get around much )

PennDog

Thank you!! Some of the listed weights on online ads have been nearly that much bare. I think they were getting the specs for the short and long actions mixed up. I know the one's I handled at Whittakers didn't feel as heavy as some of the weights I've seen listed! If I'd of had the money, they had a 260 just like the 7-08 you posted that would have found a new home. It shoulder VERY nicely...

That's where this one came from. At one time they had several Excaliburs. Their inventory is down on Excalburs--they sold fast. All they have left is a 300 H&H and an 8mm Mag. At one time, I bet they had 20ish. They still have 30-40 in wood variations....and the wood feels much heavier than the Excalibur in my hands. They're nice though...

I just ordered another Excalibur. I ordered the all stainless version they displayed at the SHOT Show. 7-08 with a 23" barrel.

My .338-06 shot just like the one-hole test target.

SAS- I thought that may be the case. IIRC, when I was there in early may they had maybe 4-5 Excaliburs. The 260 I handled was a darling!! I've been really wanting a Kimber Montana for a long time, but the Excalibur may have felt better to the shoulder. I was surprised. Hopefully before I plunk any cash down on either I'll be able to handle a few with scopes mounted.

The all SS one's have me interested!!

I have never heard a new Cooper owner say "it's a 1 MOA rifle, it will do better I am sure when I start loading for it but that is good enough for me".

Thanks Guys, what is the wait time if I order one? What's everyones favorite:

Wood or Excalibur/

I bought mine, 'cause it was a bargain, and resold it because it was too expensive for white trash like me to drag around.

(It did shoot great though.)

Cooper is known for its wood (and accuracy). The Excalibur stock is made by B&C, which is a turn-off for me.

Last I knew wait time was around a year if you order it. I bought 4 of 5 online. The only wait was shipping time, and I was able to find exceptionally good wood, even for a Cooper, at great prices.
I sold my .270 and .280 because I just could not bring myself to beat that spectacular wood up by hunting with them. I tried but...
They have both been replaced by full custom stainless synthetic rifles that are hunting tools, not art.
It was sure hard to let go of a .270 Custom Classic that took a good number of marmots at ranges between 600 and 749 lazed yards.

+1

Cooper Excalibur .338-06

This is the biggest problem I have with mine. It's an oil finish, so a little rain can leave water spots on the stock -- even if its conditioned. I'm just afraid to scratch it up because it's so damned pretty. I wish I could get over it, because I'd probably carry nothing else to the woods.

I had Cooper do one of their Excalibur stocks to fit my .270, but it was too late, I had already made my decision.
I still have 3 and doubt I'll ever let them go.

My Model 52 Custom Classic in .30/06 shot ~1" with several varieties of factory ammunition. Certainly decent hunting accuracy, but nothing really special.

An FN built Winchester Model 70 will do the same (or better) and IMO, is a more practical hunting rifle, but nowhere near as pretty.

I sold the Cooper for more than I paid for it. Don't intend to buy another one. YMMV.

Was at the range today with a friend. He brought a brand new, out of the box Winchester M70 Featherweight in .30/06. SS metalwork, walnut stock. No modifications whatsoever. Scope was a Swarovski Z3 2.5-10 x 42 in Leupold mounts. @100 yards, it printed a 1/4" group with factory Federal 165 grain TSX ammunition. Amazing!

My Blaser 93 .30/06, with a Zeiss Victory rail mount 2.5-10 x42 printed a .5" group with the same factory ammunition.

I never got this kind of accuracy out of my Cooper M52.

So...you never fed it what it liked. Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you have to work to find it. That's no endictment of the rifle.

I tried two factory loads in my '06 Cooper, and I was uninspired. I then paired up 165 Sierras with H4350, and it was an instant 1/2 MOA rifle. In fact, with 57.5 gr H4350, it'll shoot ANY 165 bullet extremely well. Imagine if I had concluded that it wasn't a shooter because it didn't like the factory stuff I initially fed it.

To date I've worked up loads for 6 Coopers in hunting calibers. Four model 54s, one model 22, and one model 52. The model 22, the model 52, and two of the model 54s all shot very well with hunting bullet loads. The other two model 54s have been more challenging. One is a 250 Savage with a one in 10 twist and I understand that longer bullets may not be happy in that twist. But....this rifle isn't too happy with any hunting bullet 100 grains and up. They shot the test target with 75 grain A-Max bullets but I want a hunting rifle, not a varmint rifle. I think it's coming around with different powders and charges with the 100 grain Hornady and the 100 grain Ballistic Tip. But it's taken a while. The other rifle that hasn't immediately liked the various loads I've tried is a 308. They shot their bug shot target with match bullets of course but I'm still working on finding a hunting load it likes. I'm not the best reloader I'm sure but I can usually get most any rifle down to about 1 inch or less groups using my loading and bench techniques. These two rifles have just been more picky. So...I'd say don't expect ALL Coopers to shoot tiny groups with the bullets you want to use. I still love the Coopers and I think no other maker can meet their average accuracy standards in hunting rifles. But they're not all going to shoot half-inch groups with just any loads you pick.
I'm going to start another thread asking if anybody knows just exactly how they load for their test targets.

Superb groups!! What loads are y'all running in you 338-06's??

I have two Coopers, one in .280 and one in .30-06 and they will both be consistently at 1 inch 3 shot groups with several different handloads/factory loads, if I am doing my part. The new ones have a better ejector system, I am working through that issue right now.

I have 2, a moodel 21 in 222 Mag and a 22 in 6.5-284. The 222 Mag shoots about anything under 1/2.

I just bought the 6.5-284 and have tried 130 Berger,120 AMAX and 120 BT. The biggest group I have shot was under 3/4. The 130 Bergers have averaged just under 1/2 for about 10 groups with different powders.

Cooper makes good rifles for sure and they hold their value.

So HE got the ONE

My 6.5x284 went 1/2 MOA with the first generic 142 load out of the pipe.. At 400 yards. Pards 7-08 went into the 3's with 140BT's. Hunting model ta' boot. The little ones were equally incredible plus some... Cant really loose.

W

My cousin has a 6-284 that will put 87 Bergers in less than 2" at 500, but only when clean. Does NOT like to be dirty.

I tend to buy pre-enjoyed, single shot versions. They tend to be more �value priced�. Plus I don�t have to do anything to them other than make sure the barrels start out clean, and add a scope. At today's prices for gunsmithing, that can be a factor.

My experience after a dozen or so. I expect them to shoot better than I do.

These were provided by the previous owner of this rifle.






He shoots better than I do.





I�m not a lefty, but��..
It was a Varmint Extreme being sold as a varminter.
It shot pretty good.
I�ve found that I really like shooting off the bench right handed, using my right hand, crook my fingers over the scope with my right hand, lift the bolt with my right thumb and load with my left hand. Pretty neat.!

Here is a primer test using the same load and six or seven different primers IIRC.


Best

GWB

and a few more groups,

various Coopers @ 100 yds.

GWB














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