SmallCaliberCentral

Mike wrote:

Rick in Oregon wrote:When you consider the excellent craftsmanship and materials in a Cooper, then consider 'free' replacement barrels to the original owner, it makes for some serious consideration when a new rifle is on the horizon.

It makes Cooper the absolute best deal in firearms as far as I'm concerned.

Agree. Took me a while to realize this until I added up the cost of the parts and labor/time to make a "small-block Chevy" Remington shoot like a Cooper. Now if this darn snow would just stop...

Hey Rick, is the new Cooper maybe going to be a 20 Vartarg? I would love to have one myself. So many things on the wish list. Rudy

This is pretty timely for me. I traded off my Savage LRPV in 204. Awesome rifle, accurate as heck, not a single complaint...just found something I wanted more.

That said, for about a year I've been eyeballing a Phoenix in 204 at a gunshop in Seattle. Rat season is near, so I decided to pull the trigger on it. Assuming it hasn't sold since last week, I'm picking it up this weekend.

I'm going to top it with the much-discussed VX-3 6.5-20X40 LR, which brings me to my questions. I like Leupold rings, and can anyone tell me if this scope, on a Cooper M21, can be mounted in low rings or do I need mediums?

Next, a question of aesthetics. For the scope, do you prefer matte or gloss finish to match your Cooper? I'm leaning hard toward gloss.

If I do go with gloss, and hopefully can use low rings, I'm in a bit of a dilemma because Leupold apparently does not make 30mm gloss low rings. I've always preferred the Leupold/Redfield style rings over the Weaver style. So who manufactures Leupold-style 30mm gloss low rings?

Thanks, friends. Hope to meet a few of you over sage rat this year!

Best regards,

Dan

Well, personally I like the matte scopes on the Coopers. But it's your rifle so you can set it up any way you like! I believe you are correct in the fact that Leupold doesn't make the gloss low rings. And it looks like the low rings would fit with that scope but it would be getting pretty close. Just to be safe, I would stick with the medium rings. (and then you can get your gloss too) Congrats on the rifle, you'll love it. I just started handloading and it's already under a half inch group and that's only with three loads worked up! Let us know on what you decide and you should definitely put some pics up because we all enjoy them!

For scope rings I'd look at the Burris Signature series with the offset inserts and I do believe they're made in gloss.

HTH

dan97526 wrote:Next, a question of aesthetics. For the scope, do you prefer matte or gloss finish to match your Cooper? I'm leaning hard toward gloss.

I prefer a matte finish because there aren't any shiny metal parts on my Cooper and I feel that a gloss finish on the scope would stand out too much. Just my personal taste, though.

The bases that will come with the rifle will be matte finished to match the matte finish on the blued receiver.

With a 30 MM scope, you will need medium rings.

JMO, but a bright scope and rings would stand out like a rebel yell at a Lincoln cabinet meeting... Even the wood finish on a Cooper is subdued and is not glossy shiny.

-BCB

dan97: Bayou City Boy is spot-on in that your Cooper will come with STD matte rings from the factory. I also agree with him on the choice of gloss rings or scope on this matte-finished rifle; gloss scope or rings would be a very poor choice IMO.

You can use Low rings with a 30mm tube 40mm objective Leupold (I do it all the time). Below is my Model 21 with the 6.5-20X LR M1 matte scope in matte Leupold Low rings. If you're like me, you want your scope as close to the bore as possible for a good cheek weld. This is a perfect match.



If you saw a gloss scope on a nice matte finish rifle receiver, well......I think you'd agree.

Granted.... the low rings will work from the standpoint that nothing will touch between the scope and the rifle fixed parts.

I tried it on one Cooper I own and the problem for me was cycling the bolt with only a very small clearance between bolt handle and scope. I have large hands and it was hard on knuckles at times. I changed the arrangement to medium rings and I did not give up any cheek weld but gained additional bolt/ocular lens clearance for easier bolt cycling.

Just something to consider....

- BCB

Bayou City Boy wrote:Granted.... the low rings will work from the standpoint that nothing will touch between the scope and the rifle fixed parts.

I tried it on one Cooper I own and the problem for me was cycling the bolt with only a very small clearance between bolt handle and scope. I have large hands and it was hard on knuckles at times. I changed the arrangement to medium rings and I did not give up any cheek weld but gained additional bolt/ocular lens clearance for easier bolt cycling.

I can wholeheartedly agree to BCB's statement. The 44mm Swaro with low Talley rings on my Cooper MTV has enough clearance, but I almost need to open and close the bolt with my fingertips. Some care must also be taken when removing the bolt.

Thanks, guys. Looks like the responses are 100% in favor of matte, which suits me just fine. I was assuming that the finish of the rifle was more glossy, but if it's matte too, all the better.

Slight change of plans on the Phoenix. I found a Montana Varminter for about the same price, and decided to go that route. Now it's just the long wait for it to arrive.

Thanks,

Dan

dan97526 wrote:Slight change of plans on the Phoenix. I found a Montana Varminter for about the same price, and decided to go that route. Now it's just the long wait for it to arrive.

Wow, that sounds like a fantastic deal. I'd buy a Montana Varminter over a Phoenix every time if they were near equal money.

I'm seriously considering joining the Cooper Coalition myself, thanks to information received from RIO. My question: If you lived in North Central Oregon, what dealer would you most want to work with on the purchase? I have a local FFL guy that is great but, he is not a cooper dealer.

In order to find the Cooper that I wanted, I resorted to using a major, well known and trusted, dealer on the internet. The deal was cinched after several phone conversations. I, personally, used Hendershot's Sporting Goods in Hancock, Maryland. Another one that I heard was good from several very reliable shooters is Whittaker Guns in Owensboro, Kentucky. Both have quite a few Coopers on hand. They'll send your gun to any local FFL dealer in your area for you to pick up. Quick and painless.

RAMOS wrote:If you lived in North Central Oregon, what dealer would you most want to work with on the purchase?

Ramos: There's an excellent Cooper dealer not far from you. Check out SunDog Firearms located in Kimberly, OR. He's a longtime Cooper dealer and has good connections with the factory. If he doesn't have the model you want, he can usually get it in short order.

http://www.sundogfirearms.com/Cooper/c3 ... bac29f2e50

Good luck.