Cooper rifles

[savageboy23]

I may get made of for this but here it goes. Those of you who own Cooper rifles in a 204, thoughts and opinions? I currently own a savage 11fcns and was considering another 204. If you own one what kind of optics you have?

Thanks

[Mike]

I have a Cooper in .204 and think it's the best over-the-counter rifle you can buy. With a Cooper, you know that you're going to get a beautiful rifle that handles and shoots very, very well. I have Leupold glass on mine and have been happy with it as well. The Varmint reticle is very nice in prairie dog fields.

[HeadLever]

Hi. Longtime lurker here that finally took the plunge and thought that I would chime in.

I bought a Cooper 204R back in 07 and I would defiantly recommend these rifles to anyone who has the means to purchase one. It is the Standard Varminter and it is a very fine rifle. From what I have heard, the Company also stands behind their product much better than most other manufacturers. I have not tested this out because I have never had one issue with my rifle.

I have about 2,500 rounds of 39BKs over 25.5 Benchmark (about 3700 fps) through the tube and it still shoots strong. I have a Leopold 4.5x14 VX-L with the low rings. With this configuration, you are pretty much shooting +/- 1 inch from POA from 0 to 180 yards. Who needs a come-up chart when you are shooting a laser like this? I did make one mistake and started off with Hornady brass, which shoots mediocre. I have been buying Winchester brass and culling the worst of the Hornady stuff and will eventually transition into all Win or maybe even buy some Norma/Nosler down the road to try out. I am starting to see some split necks show up after 5 or 6 reloads and would likely anneal the lot if I were not culling the Hornady brass.

The good: The rifle. Also, I have successfully resisted the dreaded 'Cooper Curse' up to now. However, thanks to RIO and AB, a new Cooper 20vt is firmly in my sights and I am currently messing around with .223 brass.

The bad: The first mar on the beautiful wood. You know that it is going to happen eventually, but it still makes you cry.

The ugly: trying to save up enough money for another Cooper without your wife knowing. Also, with a rifle that shoots this nice, you need matching glass which adds another $700 min on top of that price.

If a fat wallet was ever a disease, the Cooper Curse is defiantly a great cure.

[RAMOS]

HeadLever: Very well put!

I went from a Savage Model FLV to a Cooper PHoenix. If I gained in the accuracy department it was very little (on the bench). However, I definatley gained accuracy in the field due to balance and a much "cleaner" trigger. The finish on the stock is VERY durable, this rifle lives in my truck, on the seat and, looks like new. For glass? Leupold if you can, mine has a Vortex Viper, works great. The only negative in my mind is that the eye relief is somewhat unforgiving. Other than that, it has been a great package with Talley one piece rings.

[sharptailhunter]

I'd love to get a lightweight Cooper in .204 for my carry around varminter.

[32dgrz]

DW went way overboard and got me this for Christmas. 204 Phoenix
Best Christmas I can remember in a long long time.


First reloads shot well. Cant wait to work up loads.
Gun shoots as advertised.

[blkdog]

I have been shooting my Cooper for two years, with no complaints at all other than the "Cooper Curse". I like it so well I named my new Lab Cooper! I put a Nightforce on top. I know it is expensive, but for a gun I shoot all the time at ground squirrels it was worth it. I am now on the hunt for another Cooper and I am selling some of my other rifles to make it possible. Cooper has a shooting match in the summer called The One Shot. the target is the size of a pencil eraser at 150 yards. The range is on the side of a mountain and the shoot is at 3 PM, Can you say tricky winds? It is great fun check it out on the web. The criteria is a Cooper Action, you can use a custom barrel, but most are off the shelf Coopers.

[Rick in Oregon]

savageboy: I too am a victim of the Cooper Curse, now owning three of 'em (204R, 20VT, 223), and planning more; they ARE addictive.

I've got about every brand of rifle in my safe, but for shooting varmints, my Coopers are my favorites now. Below is my Cooper MTV in 204R, affectionately named "Wicked Wanda", and for good reason....ground squirrels at any range inside of 600 yards are in deep doo-doo with her on the bench:



The rifle came with a 26" un-cataloged barrel, and my preference for these rifles is a 24" barrel. I returned it to Cooper to have it shortened, and once it was re-scoped it went along on an extended ground squirrel shoot. I bore sighted it in the field, then stuck out a target at 100 yards in the alfalfa and shot my pet rat load for effect:



It since has shot better groups, but this should illustrate how these rifles shoot when fed a diet they like. If you decide to get one for yourself, I promise you'll not regret it one iota. Your local varmints may feel quite differently though.......

[RowdyYates]

I have a Model 21 Varminter (.204) and had another Cooper - an M38 Phoenix in .221 Fireball - within a month after buying that first one; they are addictive. I worked through the "trauma" of the first scratch in the stock, learned to keep a gunsock on it in the safe and now hunt with it frequently with a little care and am letting the "chips" fall where they may. Mine has the 26" barrel and is still fairly easy to maneuver; much more so than my heavy/26" bbl. Remingtons. The temporary 5-20X Nikon Monarch I intended to replace with a Leupold went south ( I don't recommend the newer Monarchs @ all); but I ran across a Minox 4-20X SF at a very good price so went with it. Am impressed with the glass, and even with the 50mm objective I got it mounted fairly low with some cheap-but-decent Leupold Rifleman high rings I had lying around (will get better rings eventually); it's fairly compact for its magnification range, weighs 19 oz, and tracks perfectly.
One downside for some shooters might be the lack of a magazine in most Cooper models. The new 54's have one, but .22-250 is the smallest that model's chambered in. Have heard they're adding mags to other models, though, but the cost will be higher of course.

[savageboy23]

Thanks for all the info. I was looking at the Montana varmiter or the varmiter laminate. Im also a big Nikon fan do I'd top of of with a high power Nikon monarch

[Keith in Ga]

Check out my previous post "Think the target tells all...". I think it is a pretty good evaluation of Cooper rifles. This was my FIRST Cooper rifle.......now have three. I guess it is a curse. I prefer to call it having a great looking rifle that shoots great!

[mackillan]

I may get made of for this but here it goes. Those of you who own Cooper rifles in a 204, thoughts and opinions? I currently own a savage 11fcns and was considering another 204. If you own one what kind of optics you have?

Thanks

The single shot and half stainless is way too goofy. I switched to SAKO.