Cooper or Custom

[nof60]

Si i have a dilema other than the fact i cannot spell dilema. I have saved my pennies to get another custom built; wildcat stock, benchmark #2or#3 douglas barrel, model 70 action all buttoned together by a very well respected gunsmith who posts here often. however while peruising prophet rivers website today i see i can get into a cooper for about the same money. problem is i live in whitehorse and cannot get my paws on a cooper to feel and love. so...are they worth the money? Are they better than a well built custom. what level of accuracy is a realistic expectation from the custom? From the cooper?to all the guys with customs...why that route over a cooper?

[silver]

I have been to Prophet River and gazed upon the fine rifles behind the glass. Each rifle has a target with it, shot at 50 yards I believe, two shots into one hole or at least touching. A friend bought one last year and I have held it and it feels pretty good. I am not good enough to rate the quality as compared to a custom, but I think my next new rifle would be a cooper. I think the one advantage a custom has is the stock fit, or can give you a certain"must have" feature, the advantage of an off the shelf Cooper is you can have it now.

[wally338]

I can't see myself ever spending as much or more on a production gun (Cooper) than I could get a custom built for. That my 2 cents, most people will disagree with me no doubt.

[Pathfinder76]

No Cooper alive can match the fit, finish, function and quality of a properly built custom Model 70. But that's just my opinion. Oh and forget the wildcat stock.

[220swifty]

The others have replied with the same thoughts as myself, so I will help with your other problem; dilemma.

[dickgazinya]

Excellent choice on the wildcat stock. The thing to remember is that cooper will sell a gun to any a-hole with too much money; who wants to be in that league?

[wally338]

[bcpappy]

My brother in law has a cooper in 6.5x284. I got a whitetail with it last year, have shot it at medium and long range. It shoots very good. All though it's a very nice gun I would spend my $$ on a custom. I have plans down the road to get work done on my new M70, I want to fit the stock myself, only having the smith do the work that I am unable to do. My vote goes for the custom.

[sheepguide]

I'd go for a custom way befor an expensive production rifle. I like the fact that hundreds of guys don't have my exact rifle. Fit and feel are direct to what I like.

And the wildcat is a great stock. Love the feel of them. Both my customs carry them and I wouldn't change either!

[DaleJ]

Developed handloads for a friend's custom M700, after advising him not to buy a Cooper. His custom shoots fantastic. Jury barrel, Wildcat stock, assembled by Bob at Custom Gunworx, all Albertans. My "new gun" money stays in Alberta, from sporter to F-class.

I would probably fail the Cooper skill test required to purchase one of their rifles.

[260 Rem]

I have only one Cooper experience - consider it to be a decent rifle (if you do a search for "my factory hunting rifle can average ...Challenge", you can see pics of groups and the rifle.
I have numerous "custom" experience(s) and have found them all to shoot decent, with some of them shooting quite well. There is no guarantee that a custom will shoot tiny groups, but with a proven action, a good barrel and a good smith, 1/2MOA is a reasonable expectation.

[209x50]

Custom hands down. Especially if you like nice light stocks like a Wilcat you would be very disappointed with the cheap Bell and Carlson on the Cooper.

[whitetail Junkie]

There has been 4 custom rifles in our safes....now only 2 are left....3 out of the 4 custom rifles had issues,however only 2 were mechanical and one was cosmetic.....I guess the gun builder thought dad would'nt notice the big dent on his octagon barrel ....

Eitherway we got 2 out of our 3 coopers left,and they do the exact same thing as our custom rifles,and besides the flawless martini and hagn 270wby...the coopers look much better.

[Huntnut]

Originally Posted by 209x50

Custom hands down. Especially if you like nice light stocks like a Wilcat you would be very disappointed with the cheap Bell and Carlson on the Cooper.

x2

Custom all the way

[double gun]

I think it depends on what you want.

If you want something with fancy wood, I doubt you could even come close building one for the same money as a cooper custom classic.

That said, if you want a stainless/synthetic you could build one heck of a nice rifle with the very best components for less than the cooper.

To each their own.

[huntin]

I have never handled a cooper but I know there is no chance in hell I'd trade my custom for one.

[silver]

Not trying to derail, but a question to ask. Most of the Coopers I have looked at are in the $1800 to $2200 range, I think the stainless ones are quite a bit higher.

What is the price range of a good custom? What is the timeline? If a guy wanted a good piece of wood for a stock, what would be the price? How hard is it to get a stock properly fitted?

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by silver

Not trying to derail, but a question to ask. Most of the Coopers I have looked at are in the $1800 to $2200 range, I think the stainless ones are quite a bit higher.

What is the price range of a good custom? What is the timeline? If a guy wanted a good piece of wood for a stock, what would be the price? How hard is it to get a stock properly fitted?

Cooper charges $150 more for stainless.

[209x50]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Cooper charges $150 more for stainless.

Ya if you want the hideous combination of a stainless barrel and blued action. If you want BOTH the barrel and action to be stainless then it is about a grand or more up charge depending on cartridge choice.

[260 Rem]

Originally Posted by silver

Not trying to derail, but a question to ask. Most of the Coopers I have looked at are in the $1800 to $2200 range, I think the stainless ones are quite a bit higher.

What is the price range of a good custom? What is the timeline? If a guy wanted a good piece of wood for a stock, what would be the price? How hard is it to get a stock properly fitted?

Of course, it depends on what you have to start ...what action you will use ... and what stock. Following are some guideline prices
Stiller Predator action - $1200
HS Bottom metal / detach Magazine - $400
Jewel trigger - $300
Holand Recoil lug - $50
Krieger SS Barrel - $500
Stock - probably going to start at $500 and go up if you want a nice one.
Smith work - Approx $300 for chambering / instal / bead blast finish ....add $$$ if you want stock inletting and fitting...so somewhere in the range of $3500.00

[260 Rem]

I have only one "wood" custom stock that came in at about $1100 (second hand) and a couple of Robertsons composites which were a bit more than the wood. Of course, you can always use take-off stocks... Aslo, you can use factory actions and have them trued, but the price may be getting close to the Stiller.... You can often use factory bottom metal.... You can use a factory trigger and get it tuned...... But, each of those factory components take you away from the true "custom". Custom, is not inexpensive.

[.35]

Iv held some coopers and they are mighty fine rifles but I have never had a custom

[260 Rem]

Here is a real live semi-custom sporter weight with real prices.
Stiller Predator Action - $1200.00 Krieger SS #3 barrel - $480 shipped. Jewel trigger - $290
Holland Recoil lug - $50. Rem 700 bottom metal with hinge plate magazine ($100.00 shipped). LTR take-off stock - value approx $350. Chambering - $200.

[DempsterHWY]

Originally Posted by 209x50

Ya if you want the hideous combination of a stainless barrel and blued action. If you want BOTH the barrel and action to be stainless then it is about a grand or more up charge depending on cartridge choice.

Where did you hear that. Priced out one for my father in loydminster. There is no charge for a stainles barrel and its a 150 dollars if you want the action to be stainless.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by 209x50

Ya if you want the hideous combination of a stainless barrel and blued action. If you want BOTH the barrel and action to be stainless then it is about a grand or more up charge depending on cartridge choice.

I have a Cooper with both stainless action, and barrel, and has been posted, there is no charge for a stainless barrel, and the stainless action is a $150 option.

[DempsterHWY]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I have a Cooper with both stainless action, and barrel, and has been posted, there is no charge for a stainless barrel, and the stainless action is a $150 option.

that's what I thought and was quoted not sure where he got his information from but must be just guessing

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by DempsterHWY

that's what I thought and was quoted not sure where he got his information from but must be just guessing

Perhaps the dealer that he chooses to do business with is overcharging people?

[Tactical Lever]

Could not see spending as much money on a mass produced rifle, as one that would be made for me. If it's put together nice with a Douglas barrel, I would not expect it to take a back seat to much in the accuracy department.

[DempsterHWY]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Perhaps the dealer that he chooses to do business with is overcharging people?

that could really be true I only checked with one cooper dealer hope he didn't spend too much. but it sounds like he doesn't shoot one anyway.