SmallCaliberCentral

Went gun shopping. After a few days of checking out the various big box sporting goods stores and getting the same answer "don't have it in .204" I decided it was time for a two hour road trip to Shelby, Ohio home of The Sportsmans Den. The reason for going there was that they carry the brands of guns that I was interested in looking at. First I wanted to check out a Howa but they said they were not going to handle that brand any more and did not have one in .204, oh well. So I said how about a CZ or Savage? Well I handled them and was almost ready to make up my mind when I asked, hey you got any Coopers? I knew it was out of my budget but since I was in the "candy store" what the heck! Well into the back room he goes and comes out with one in the box that he tells me is sold but that the guy that it is being held for buys a lot of guns and is known to back out sometimes at the last minute. Any how he let me check it out. It was a Montana Varminter in .204, boy oh boy did she feel good! We discussed the price which was fair in my book but above my budget. He walked away for a few minutes and returned with one that was in the used rack. This one was Cooper mod. 21 Varminter in .204 that looked in excellent shape to me, and he looked it over and assured me that it didn't show any signs of wear. Well it was still a little bit above my budget, darn it! Sooooo I'm thinking in my little pea brain about that Kimber .45 Pro Carry II that I won last month from one of the local sportsman's clubs and just don't like the feel of. (Cooper fever was just starting to set in) Would you take a trade I asked and he said sure but he could not give me a firm price without seeing it. Well I explained to him how I acquired it and assured him that I had not fired it and it was NIB. After a little haggling back and forth we came to an agreement. Four and a half hours later I returned with Kimber and leave one hour later with a wallet four hundred dollars lighter and Cooper in hand smiling ear to ear! Tomorrow I go back down for the Leupold vx-3 6.5-20x40 lr installation! (discount price + free rings) 11/11/11 was my best Veterans day for sure! And a belated THANK YOU to our brothers and sisters who served!

Wow that'll be a sweet setup for sure! Be sure to post some pics for us!

Congratulations on what will be a memorable day, Rick! Hate to add to "the fever", but fwiw Sportsman's Den usually has Cooper varmint rifles on sale around March every year; I bought my Model 38 .221FB there. I also have that same Model 21 .204 as your's. Pretty good chance you're gonna love it.

Did you happen to buy a lottery ticket too? I would have......Lucky day indeed!

Rick - It appears that two hour trip was worth it! WTG, and congrats on a sweet rifle that I'm sure will be a shooter.

Cooper Fever bit me a while back too. Here's one of my M21 VR's set up the exact way you describe in your post (M21 with Lupy 6.5-20x40X LR)....this'll be what she'll look like when finished:



And if it's anything like the Coopers I have, and others owned by friends, it will probably shoot like this:



Be sure to post a pic when you've got her all done-up....we like pics around here. One Rick to another......nice choices there, buddy!

And the Cooper Contagion continues to spread! Cooper is going to be pretty unhappy if the CDC and our spouses ever come up with a way to innoculate us against this scurge. Just accept the fact that you have turned a corner and there is no going back. Congratulations and enjoy.

RAMOS wrote:And the Cooper Contagion continues to spread!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention.....you are now aflicted with the "Cooper Curse"......once you have one, you just HAVE to have another!

Ramos is right.....there IS no going back!

funny,every savage ive owned will group like that

jo2009 wrote:funny,every savage ive owned will group like that

Perhaps, but life is too short to hunt with an ugly rifle.......

Personally, I'd much rather hold, fondle, carry, and shoot a rifle that is as good to gaze upon as it is to shoot; beautiful wood, all quality parts with excellent craftsmanship. Eye candy to me is half the equation, but that's just me. Good thing we all have choices, eh?

This is a good looking Savage from their site:

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/MARKIIBTVS

Then again, I like what is below as well.

jo2009 wrote:funny,every savage ive owned will group like that

++++++1!

Okay, but in the end..............it's still a Salvage.

We can also drive a Yugo or VW Beetle.....then again there's Porsche's or BMW's............it's what ever you feel good about. (It's WAY more fun to go to the store in a Porsche though! )

Hey, when the dust settles, it's just good to live in the USA and have all these choices. I don't care what rifle a guy shoots, as long as he shoots! At this stage of the game, we all need to pull together, as with the next presidential election, our future of even OWNING guns is in question. Just read the latest piece in The American Rifleman to check out BO's secret agenda to rid the country of the Second Amendment if this individual is re-elected. I'm serious, if this clown is re-elected, kiss your "sniper rifles" goodbye. Read the piece I'm referring to......it will scare the crap out of you if you love guns.

Best looking rifle I ever saw was a 1967 Browning Safari Sako action heavy barrel with gold inlaid scroll work on floor plate and trigger guard 95% (not a salt wood stock). Accurate as could be.

Rick is right, the admin scares the heck out of me.

Yes glad there are choices and yes I do own the economical guns like Savages, but I enjoy woodworking and the fine details of a fine rifle. Savages are good guns and are made at a reasonable cost and that is why corners are cut on the fine lines and details. (Fit and Finish) Some have plastic trigger guards, most models dont have the hardware recessed into the wood etc, etc, etc....... Cooper Rifles are for those that LOVE the details as well as the accuracy--so for me I'm for the details. Oh and Coopers quality control is high! Unlike the savages, although they do have good customer service.

Ok you porn lovers here she is!




While I was getting the scope installed I wandered over to the used rack. Found this cute little Savage .17 that needed a new responsible owner as the previous owner got caught poaching with it and had it confiscated. So for you Savage people here's your porn!