New to Me Cooper

[Eagle]

New to Me Cooper: Target Pics Update

I've been debating which direction to go for the last year, buy a factory gun or build a custom off a Remington 700 action. I knew from the beginning I wanted a 280 AI, and after finding Cooper Firearms I decided to try and find one. When I put all the costs together for building a custom semi lightweight gun on a budget, which mine was in the $2-2.5k range, I realized that I could save a lot of time and potential headache by buying a 1/2 moa gun from Cooper. Accuracy is what we are all trying to achieve, and for me, I want it in a reasonably light package for packing, but also for comfortable shooting out to long for me distances (600 yards max).

So I put up a WTB on longrangehunting and received a PM about a week later. It just so happened that a guy in my area was selling virtually the exact gun I wanted and it was virtually new. The gun is a Cooper Excalibur Model 52 in 280 AI with a green/black B&C stock, stainless action and 25" stainless barrel, and extra mag; the original owner also had the bolt assembly cerakoted black (not sure why though). The original owner bought it last February and had put 55 rounds through it. He also included the 55 pieces of spent brass along with 45 unfired pieces of nosler custom 140 grain accubonds. I've had a zeiss conquest 4.5-14X44 with the rapid z800 reticle for over a year waiting on this gun, and got it all mounted after my low talley rings showed up. I will add that the talley's took more lapping than I expected, and I'll likely lap them again after our deer season closes at the end of this month to get maximum contact (probably at 50% right now).

I'll be taking the gun to the range to get it sighted in and see how well it'll shoot for me either Saturday or Monday and will report back with results. The only concerns at the moment are all up and loaded with rounds the gun is 9 pounds (7lbs 7oz bare gun), which is about a pound over what I ideally want, and the bolt when open and rear objective of the scope are so close with the low talleys that I can't run a cover of any kind.

 

[tstowater]

When the sex appeal wears off, just send me a PM and I might take it off your hands. My FIL just picked up a 57M in a 22. One of the absolutely beautiful guns that I have ever seen and he has plenty of them, including Coopers. He is a Cooper fan, period. Good stuff.

 

[robby denning]

Eagle, I'm shooting the Excalibur (in 7mm Rem Mag) and ended up at under 9 pounds with heavy rings (the Tally One Piece aluminums will cut a few ounces). I have scope clearance for covers on the Leupold 4.5-14 x 40 to spare.
Call Glenn May at Cooper and get some Recon from him if needed. He's been very helpful to the members we've sent that way.

 

[Eagle]

Eagle, I'm shooting the Excalibur (in 7mm Rem Mag) and ended up at under 9 pounds with heavy rings (the Tally One Piece aluminums will cut a few ounces). I have scope clearance for covers on the Leupold 4.5-14 x 40 to spare.
Call Glenn May at Cooper and get some Recon from him if needed. He's been very helpful to the members we've sent that way.

I'm using the talley lightweights currently, my all up also includes a relatively heavy sling that I use in the whitetail woods but won't likely use out west, and that'll save me a fair amount of weight (5-6 oz I think), should have included that info in the original post. I think the additional inch to the barrel to what is normally on the coopers (25 vs 24) also added a couple ounces, but can't be sure.

It's certainly not a deal breaker, and I think the easiest way for them to cut weight would be to change over to a McMillan Hunter Edge and save close to a half pound or develop a stock in house. I may make two changes down the road (cut an inch off the barrel and change stocks) if I ever decide I want to get the gun lighter. For now, it should work perfectly for a yearly western hunt and eastern whitetails.

 

[Eagle]

When the sex appeal wears off, just send me a PM and I might take it off your hands. My FIL just picked up a 57M in a 22. One of the absolutely beautiful guns that I have ever seen and he has plenty of them, including Coopers. He is a Cooper fan, period. Good stuff.

The guy I bought it from owns four other coopers and has a 308 on the way to replace the 280 AI he sold me. Apparently they are addicting.

 

[Cooper Firearms of Montana]

Hey guys,
Just wanted to jump in on this thread and answer some questions. So we are working on a lightweight magnum length action as we speak. Our goal is to be in the 6 lb range all said and done. That will not include scopes,slings or any other hardware.
We are currently working on stock configurations as well as the action. We are hoping to have something in production in 2015.
Eagle, if you have any questions, please let me know. [email protected]

Steve

 

[weaver]

Hey guys,
Just wanted to jump in on this thread and answer some questions. So we are working on a lightweight magnum length action as we speak. Our goal is to be in the 6 lb range all said and done. That will not include scopes,slings or any other hardware.
We are currently working on stock configurations as well as the action. We are hoping to have something in production in 2015.
Eagle, if you have any questions, please let me know. [email protected]

Steve

6lbs with a 1/2 moa guarantee... I'll take one!

 

[robby denning]

6lbs with a 1/2 moa guarantee... I'll take one!

x2!

 

[Dromsky]

I had the same scope cover problem, solved it with this scopeshieldcover.com

 

[Eagle]

I had the same scope cover problem, solved it with this scopeshieldcover.com

Thanks.

 

[Eagle]

Hey guys,
Just wanted to jump in on this thread and answer some questions. So we are working on a lightweight magnum length action as we speak. Our goal is to be in the 6 lb range all said and done. That will not include scopes,slings or any other hardware.
We are currently working on stock configurations as well as the action. We are hoping to have something in production in 2015.
Eagle, if you have any questions, please let me know. [email protected]

Steve

Thanks Steve, appreciate your taking the time to discuss this gun with me a couple weeks ago. Y'all are first rate. If I ever go on a sheep hunt, one of those ultralights will get a lot of attention from me.

 

[8nbait]

You are going to love the cooper. I have the same gun and it shoots 168 berger classics under 1/2 moa with H4831SC at 2900 fps. They are a little heavy especially in the long action. The short action excalibur (same version you have) is only about 6.5 lbs due to lighter action and smaller barrel. It will be interesting to see what they are planning for this year. Either way you got a great do it all rifle in a great do it all caliber. Nice thing about the 280 AI is you can shoot 280 ammo in a pinch if you loose your handloads.
Gary

 

[Eagle]

You are going to love the cooper. I have the same gun and it shoots 168 berger classics under 1/2 moa with H4831SC at 2900 fps. They are a little heavy especially in the long action. The short action excalibur (same version you have) is only about 6.5 lbs due to lighter action and smaller barrel. It will be interesting to see what they are planning for this year. Either way you got a great do it all rifle in a great do it all caliber. Nice thing about the 280 AI is you can shoot 280 ammo in a pinch if you loose your handloads.
Gary

That was the exact reason for buying the 280 AI, it's a do it all for anything in NA without having to use a belted cartridge, and it can shoot flatter than most.

 

[rayporter]

that scopeshield cover looks real promising. it solves more than one problem.

 

[Eagle]

Made it to the range today. Weather was pretty favorable for January, high of about 60, sunny, wind was from the back and slightly left to right at 5-10. Shot both Nosler Custom 280 AI 140 grain accubonds and Federal 280 Rem 140 grain (similar to accubonds with a ballistic tip). The Nosler Custom 280 AI shot .75" at 100 yards (4 shot image) and the Federal 280 Rem was just over a .5" at 100 (3 shot image). The 4th shot was actually the first group shot on a different bullseye that hit metal and tore up the paper around it. I could approximate the impact area based on the hole in the target backer and just transfered it over. I'm anxious to see what the gun can do with some handloads as I think it could be a real tack driver with a little bit of work.

 

[Eagle]

Spoke with Cooper today about the Factory 280 Remington loads shooting better then the Nosler Custom 280 AI loads. Apparently, what I experienced is relatively common with the 280 Rem factory ammo shooting better, not sure what to make of that, but I guess I'll be trying to offload a couple boxes of the Nosler Custom stuff so I can buy a couple more of the 280 Rem to fire form for reloading.

 

[Eagle]

Took the gun to the range this last weekend. Getting ready for my Wyoming mule deer hunt and I'm still extremely impressed and happy with this gun. It's a dream to shoot, and the trigger is phenomenal. This 3 shot group was at 200 yards off a sandbag, with the rem 280 factory loads from above. Measured it at 7/16", so just under a quarter MOA, can't get much better than that. I was also able to bang steel at 500 yards on this 8"x8" plate, and I've never shot a rifle beyond 200 before Saturday. The combo of the zeiss rapid z800 reticle and this gun makes it easy. Hoping I don't have to shoot over 200-300 on a deer this fall, but if I do, I'll have confidence out to 500 by the time my hunt starts.

 

[norcal-noodler]

Nice shooting !
Congrats on the new gun and good luck

 

[6mm Remington]

That's a really nice looking rifle. I took a tour of Cooper Arms last summer since I only live 30 minutes away. The folks working there were fabulous and answered any questions that I had. The gentlemen that gave me the tour was superb! I have to say that I came away very impressed with the whole operation that they have and the quality of the product that they produce!

After loading thousands of rounds for various calibers, Cooper has developed an "accuracy" load for each of the calibers that they chamber for and one which they have found will shoot very well in rifles they build for this caliber. If you call or write them, they will provide you with all of the information on that specific "accuracy load" in the particular caliber. Now it might not be a big-game bullet they are using or a weight a guy might want for hunting, but it sure would provide a good starting point to see if a rifle you have in that caliber will perform. Not many folks will do that for you!!

I think I could see myself buying one more rifle before I stop buying any more. I want a nice hunting rifle in 6mm Remington and if I do this, I think I will look long and hard at a Cooper rifle for my final one!!

David

 

[Eagle]

Here's a four shot group from 400 on a 6x8 steel plate. It's off center, but easily below 2" total. This was the best the gun has shot with the Nosler Custom ammo, currently have my smith loading up some 140 accubonds with Noslers recommended most accurate load to try out and see how they shoot as the Nosler Custom is rarely better 3/4 moa. Will report back after I test those loads as well.