In early 2008 after I started reloading I read a post on the 24 hour campfire forums talking about a rifle caliber that was referred to as "the perfect 7". So happens that I started reloading that year and I got the idea in my head that I wanted a .280 Ackley Improved. First thing I did was consult a guy here on the board that I think knows a thing or two about guns, Glennasher. He gave me the low down, answered some questions and then my mind was made up. I think there were (and still are) only two rifle manufacturers that were building rifles in that Caliber, Cooper and Nosler. I already had a Cooper model 38 in .17 Fireball that was a shooter and so the choice was easy. Cooper it was.
I put it on the back burner as I was on an AR15/10 kick at the time and had to have at least two or three of those in various chamberings.
Well I finally broke down and bought one from First Stop in SD. I found out that they had an Excalibur in the works and I got them to change it to the desert camo stock and walla.. I already had one Cooper with a pretty piece of wood and I am an equal opportunity gun buyer and like a nice composite stock as well. I wanted this gun to hunt hard with, something that I can take out in the cold rain and snow of Missouri, take out west and Mule deer hunt, maybe belly crawl up to some Pronghorn or pack up in the mountains and kill a big old Elk.
I wasn't a big fan of Coopers "standard" composite stocks which is black with sort of red splattering all over it. As luck would have it they have came out with several new Cooper composite stocks by Bell and Carlson in different patterns and that is what I went with.
This is a dream rifle for me and I wanted to do it up right so I topped it with a Swarovski Z5 3.5X18X44P scope with the optional ballistic turret system (pretty slick, customizable settings). With the 44mm objective I was able to get away with Leupold low standard rings. I will plug Alex at Euro optics in PA, great guy to deal with. I had never done business with the guy and he shipped me the scope in advance of payment so I could inspect it and make sure I was satisfied. Good guy.
And before anyone asks why the ackley instead of the the 280 rem its just because I wanted it. With less powder and less recoil I can get 7mm mag velocities and potentially better accuracy. I can load 140GR bullets to 3200+ fps with 30-06 recoil. Nosler makes really nice factory ammo as well as really really nice brass so no fire forming, heck I can shoot regular old 280 rem cartridges out of it to fire form brass if I ever feel the need.
Anyway here it is;
Cooper model 52 Excalibur
.280 Ackley Improved, 1-10" twist
Desert Camo Bell & Carlson stock
Sweet......Big_Bullseye!! Real nice.Fluted bolt and barrel.
. Seriously, that was one ugly hunk of wood for a Cooper to be sporting 
, which is why Whittaker himself, and I, pointed you back to what you really wanted all along anyway. 
