While at the SHOT show, I blogged about the technological bolt-action marvels from German marques such as Mauser, J.P. Sauer, Merkel, and Blaser. While restrictive European gun laws have pushed the Germans to focus on interchangeable barrels, caliber conversions and platform versatility, high-end American gun makers remain dedicated to old school designs focused on accuracy, workmanship, and value. So if you are looking for something that is truly “new” when it comes to bolt action hunting rifles, you probably aren’t going to find much from the domestic manufacturers. But companies such as Cooper Firearms of Montana, Inc. will provide you with dead-nuts accurate rifles with drop-dead gorgeous looks . . .
Founded in 1990, Cooper Firearms of Montana, Inc is a relatively new player in the domestic rifle market. The company was founded by a small group of employees from Kimber of Oregon, including Dan Cooper, who decided to part ways with their former employer and open their own shop. Together, Cooper’s team of wunderkinds had over 50 years of combined experience, so it didn’t take long for Cooper to establish a reputation for making some of the finest shooting bolt-actions adorned in high-grade wood in the U.S. Despite keeping the namesake, Dan Cooper is no longer involved in the business at all, nor has he been for quite a few years.
One of the things that I really appreciate about Cooper firearms is that their actions feature a bolt handle that raises up only 60 degrees (instead of the typical 90-degree throws on Remington Model 700s, Mauser actions such as the Winchester Model 70, and Savage rifles). Some folks argue that 60-degree throws are harder to use because the rifle must be cocked over a shorter throw distance, but I’ve never found that to be the case on high quality rifles.
Another attribute of a Cooper rifle is extreme accuracy. Each Cooper comes with a 1/2 MOA accuracy guarantee and a test target to prove it. In my experience, Cooper rifles will often far exceed this standard. Admittedly, most of my experience is with the smaller varmint Cooper rifles, such as the Model 21 and the Model 57-M (rimfire), which typically provide “one ragged hole” accuracy. I look forward to one day owning a Cooper Model 56 in one of the larger calibers such as .300 Win Mag. In the meantime, I’ll have to be content to dream about them. Here’s a little Cooper eye candy for the armed intelligentsia (from the 2014 SHOT show):
Absolutely gorgeous guns! Man, the craftsmanship is just out of this world! God bless the USA!!!
Amazing wood work. ‘Nuff said!
Farago, you crossed the line between self-deprecation and slander with your implication that all Jews are inbred and have poor eyesight and other health problems. Maybe your family. There are millions (estimated 10-11) of Jews. Jews are not Pitcairn Islanders. I suppose every nation with a population of ten million or less makes them inbred. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jews on average have poorer than average eyesight, but not due to a genetic inferiority, due to urbanization and a culture that favors indoors academic study over outdoors work. Sitting indoors reading and looking at screens all day is not conducive to having perfect vision. Of course, like any other large group Jews live diverse lifestyles. Giora “Hawkeye” Even (Giora Epstein), Israeli Air Force, has the highest number of kills of any pilot in the age of modern supersonic fighter jets and his extraordinary eyesight was well-known.
I shouldn’t have to defend Jewry from accusations of being inbred and genetically inferior from anyone, but as especially a Jew like you Farago. You should be ashamed of yourself for your casual public self-hatred. Call yourself an inbred genetic weakling untermensch if you want to, Farago, but don’t drag millions of innocent people down with you. I shouldn’t have to remind you that these kinds of careless comments have led to the murder of many millions.
Wow! Two posts in one day on a rifle company which is owned by an enemy of the Second Amendment. I think TTAG is doing a disservice to the readership by not pointing out the past.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-30-gun-ceo-ousted_N.htm
Dan Cooper allegedly still has a controlling ownership interest in the company. I wouldn’t be caught dead holding one of his rifles.
Wes
You’re very confused
The worst thing about that video is that the two asshats actually survived. They should be permanent oil stains on that pavement…
The M9 does enough damage without this thing. The nub at the base of the pistol grip is sufficient for skull cracking and the blade front was designed with the potential for slashing in mind. Thanks but my M9 is just fine the way it is.
Boing!
This is serious gun pr0n for me.
Thank you Mr. Grine!
I’ll take mine with the manlicher stock in 7mm mag please.
I own the pocket pistols owned by both my grandfathers and carried by them fro the first half of the 20th cent. Curiously they both carried colt .32 autos one a first version the other the 2ed version one grandmother carried a S&W .32 safety hammerless with her name engraved on the side and the other grandmother a nickel plated with mother of pearl grips colt .25 auto that had a fitted moleskin bag with silver clasp. She died in a traffic accident in NYC right before WW 2 and it was listed in her things in the report she and her husband had NYC pistol permits he was head of the trust dept of a large NYC bank may have been the reason but lots of Americans carried pistols right through the 20th cent it did not end in 1900.
Awesome Nick should buy us one LOL.
Bahahaha
Trolling difficulty: Pro [ENABLED]
“Piers Morgan Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms Without Infringement Act,”
oh man… fine political trolling there….
I think I will make my own 80% lower.
10% of people keep the other 90% alive…
It will enable you to test for anything like radon, flood chance,
ttermites and mold. Reearch suggests that there are very many people suffering from yast or fungus illness.
Dark mold is one of the most dangerous kinds of mold.
Heh.
Not entirely sure just what that was.
Compiling a list of conceal permit holders in Florida is a felony.
I’ll shoot em & then you go bite them. We’ll teach those clam diggers to poach on our beach, Randy
When Britain allowed handguns a large number were owned by Police Officers. Those that carried while on duty were encouraged to buy one a practice with their own money.
Drillings were designed for driven game. The shooter was in a hide and the beaters drove everything toward them. With a drilling the shooter was prepared for whatever came out. I have a 20/20 over 22 hornet Merkel drilling but it is only shot at squirrels using an adapter in the 22 hornet barrel to convert it to a 22 LR.
Double rifles and drillings are accurate but more expensive than a good bolt action rifle and/or a good double shotgun. They also have a limited resale market so look for a used gun if you want one.