Cooper Rifles are Custom Rifles?

whitetail Junkie · #1 08-14-2010, 05:45 PM

My Father went to a Shooting tournament Today and it was hunting Rifles only.No Target Rifles\No custom Rifles\No Heavy Barrels and only Big game hunting cartridges allowed.He Brought his 280AI cooper classic Rifle and they would'nt let him enter because they said that it's a custom Rifle,not a Factory Rifle.Are cooper Rifles Custom rifles? Thats the First time that Dad and I have heard of Cooper's being custom? Whats do you guys thinK? Elk11?

elkhunter11 · #2 08-14-2010, 06:03 PM

It sounds like the organizers are clueless.If the rifle is a standard Cooper with no alterations,it is not a custom rifle.As to heavy barrels,what is their definition?Several of my big game rifles wore #4 or #5 contour barrels.

Rackmastr · #3 08-14-2010, 06:04 PM

Thats a very weak understanding of firearms and factory rifles IMO. I would have put up a bit more of an argument with them.

An un-altered Cooper is most definatly not a 'Custom' rifle and should have been allowed IMO.

Pathfinder76 · #4 08-14-2010, 06:08 PM

It would be a stretch to call it semi custom and I can see it being called that only if you picked the wood it wore. Why that would matter is beyond me. It sounds like the organizers of that shin dig don't know up from down.

catnthehat · #5 08-14-2010, 06:29 PM

Sounds like they should supply the rifles they want you to shoot !

Crap, I've had people mention the "custom" Savage I used to own , which was in fact was an off the rack F Class rifle!

Coopers are catalogued rifles for God's sake, how can they be custom?

Cat

whitetail Junkie · #6 08-14-2010, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

It sounds like the organizers are clueless.If the rifle is a standard Cooper with no alterations,it is not a custom rifle.As to heavy barrels,what is their definition?Several of my big game rifles wore #4 or #5 contour barrels.

x2,No altercations and they told him that the barrel was fine(not Heavy),but he could'nt enter it in the Shoot because it was a "Custom Rifle"??? I feel bad for my dad ,he looked forward to this shoot all summer,drove two hours,then they revoke him.He never did make a a Big scene cause it aint the end of the world or nothing,but very dispointing.

I Wonder if these accurate cooper Rifles put abit of fear into the other shooter's.He said that guys who Judged his rifle were also in the Shooting Tournament.Oh Well I guess?

260 Rem · #7 08-14-2010, 09:24 PM

I have a Cooper Classic in 260 Rem ...never considered it "custom" ...Barrel diameter at the muzzle is 0.7" & rifle weighs just over 7 1/2 lbs without scope. I think some Sako's have a muzzle diameter of 0.67" and many sporter style rifles weigh about the same as the Cooper.

whitetail Junkie · #8 08-14-2010, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

I have a Cooper Classic in 260 Rem ...never considered it "custom" ...Barrel diameter at the muzzle is 0.7" & rifle weighs just over 7 1/2 lbs without scope. I think some Sako's have a muzzle diameter of 0.67" and many sporter style rifles weigh about the same as the Cooper.

Yaa you got Me? All I can think of is that they just dont know or hav'nt heard of the cooper Rifles ,or they were intimadated by it!!

I remember your cooper 260,its got the nice Fiddleback wood if my poor memory serves me Right

Nice Gun!

cgrif · #9 08-14-2010, 10:06 PM

Upper end or higher end,,,yes. Custom, no. These organizers should have stipulated that all particapants had to shoot Rem 740 piles of crap! It is a shame that when we should all be promoting shooting events, guys like this are actually shooting themselves in the foot, and ticking off everyday sportmen (sportmen with particuallarily good taste in sporting rifles I might add).

Arn?Narn. · #10 08-14-2010, 10:26 PM

what makes a rifle custom is a good question as well...

catnthehat · #11 08-14-2010, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arn?Narn.

what makes a rifle custom is a good question as well...

Obviously it was whatever they were NOT shooting!

What a pile of bull hooey, I guess Nosler and Hart rifles are out as well, even though they are also catalogued items - what about a custom shop Remington?
They make them look the same as a factory off the line rifle??!!

Cat

Rockymtnx · #12 08-14-2010, 10:51 PM

I sure wouldn't consider them a custom rifle.
They are a manufacture that has a line of rifles just like Sako, Nosler, Remington, HS Precision, etc.

roadkill · #13 08-15-2010, 08:01 AM

I wouldn't have let him shoot, either... IF I was a dumbchuck who saw a pretty Cooper come out of the case and let my stupid jealous face take over, that is...

...and if I'm remembering Coopers properly. I definitely remember seeing someone's pic of one and coveting the hellz out of it.

I think I feel the need to check out their website coming on. Again.

elkhunter11 · #14 08-15-2010, 10:46 AM

I have owned six Cooper rifles,and still own four Jackson Hunters,I don't consider them customs,but five of the six were extremely accurate.Cooper rebarreled the sixth rifle because it would average around moa,which doesn't meet their accuracy standard.Coincidentally that moa equals Sakos accuracy guarantee and exceeds the Weatherby Mark V accuracy guarantee.

roadkill · #15 08-15-2010, 10:48 AM

I'm thinking that wjhat happened was that the idiot had seen one of Cooper's custom jobs somewhere (or read about one in a mag or something), and didn't realise that there's more to Cooper than its custom shop.

I dunno. Seems to me that, if your'e goign to be the gatekeeper to a shooting competition, you should know something about *rifles*...

Or maybe I'm just crazy.

whitetailhntr · #16 08-15-2010, 12:39 PM

I bought my Cooper from prophet river, a gun dealer not a custom gun builder. I paid the retail price for it and it was unaltered form the company.I would have made a much bigger stink about it then Flint did. As mentioned they are cataloged rifles just like Remington, Ruger or Winchester. Maybe they were refering to the fact the rifle is chambered for .280 AI which is only available in custom rifles other than Cooper. That being said I took my cooper to the range for the first time last night and it will probably outshoot many custome rifles..... It's also a .280 AI

260 Rem · #17 08-15-2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Yaa you got Me? All I can think of is that they just dont know or hav'nt heard of the cooper Rifles ,or they were intimadated by it!!

I remember your cooper 260,its got the nice Fiddleback wood if my poor memory serves me Right

Nice Gun!

Whitetail - yes, it has nice wood and shoots decent too...but it was just one of their stock rifles.
A range buddy visited the Cooper "factory" and was told that the only special treatment their rifles get is an air gauged barrel that must meet their specs..and if it doesn't shoot a satisfactory test group, they recrown the barrel.

Big Racks · #18 08-15-2010, 08:50 PM

Sounds like the organizers need to do a better job. Shoddy run shoots will soon lose their contributing sponsors, followed by their contestants.

I've got a Cooper Excalibur in .280, and while it shoots a heck of a lot better than my last custom .270 Wby, it's obviously NOT a custom as has been stated above.

Rackmastr · #19 08-15-2010, 08:53 PM

Funny thing is, the same shoot organizers once told me they would allow my everyday hunting rifle in the mix...

Its a Rem 700 LVSF that has been reamed to 7-08AI. Mcmillan stock bedded, some minor metal work, new bolt shroud and firing pin assembly....a minor 'custom' with a factory action and bbl. Different chambering than original. Light varmint fluted bbl contour...

If they would allow it at the shoot, I'm not sure why a Cooper wouldnt be allowed...lol

S.C.W. · #20 08-15-2010, 09:02 PM

Jeez,

I have to agree with your thought that the organizers / judges whow are also in the shoot had some feces in thier blood.

I own a cooper in 6.5 x .284 and I do hunt with it

Disgustingly accurate - yes
Beatifully fit and finished - yes

CUSTOM - No WAY!!

Your Dad should send the organizers some apparently much needed info on cooper so that can see why they should be allowed in, Then next year I hope he smokes em all!

Arn?Narn. · #21 08-15-2010, 09:10 PM

Is 280 AI a commercially available round? or just a custom cartridge...

Rackmastr · #22 08-15-2010, 09:11 PM

Commercially available.

noneck180 · #23 08-15-2010, 09:31 PM

http://www.batmachine.com/products/i.../hrrptrpic.jpg
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=706845
http://mannersstocks.com/
http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/

An example of componenets in a Custom Rifle..

Completed by a compentant Gunsmith with a reamer on a lathe, that is not on an assembly line..

whitetailhntr · #24 08-15-2010, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rackmastr

Commercially available.

Just curious rack, who else offers it other than Cooper?

Arn?Narn. · #25 08-15-2010, 10:16 PM

who manufactures 280 AI ammunition?

Rackmastr · #26 08-15-2010, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetailhntr

Just curious rack, who else offers it other than Cooper?

Nosler is producing it as well as chambering it. I'm not sure if there are many/other rifles being chambered for it at the time though. Just has been deemed a 'commercial' round now.

Dont let the word 'Custom' fool ya in the "Nosler Custom" lineup...

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=980745

whitetailhntr · #27 08-15-2010, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arn?Narn.

who manufactures 280 AI ammunition?

I'm manufacturing my own!

I'll show ya when we come up this fall!

Would be cool to hear Flint's side of this story. I would like to hear what they told him first hand.

Arn?Narn. · #28 08-15-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetailhntr

I'm manufacturing my own!

I'll show ya when we come up this fall!Would be cool to hear Flint's side of this story. I would like to hear what they told him first hand.

It's Getting close!!

Pudelpointer · #29 08-16-2010, 08:37 AM

FWIW, Cooper is considered a "custom shop". The fact you bought it from a dealer does not change that fact.

The "factory rifle" you got from the store was "custom ordered" by that dealer. The dealer ordered a long list (or short list) of rifles in configuration they figured they could sell.

Look at it this way, if you want a 6.5-284 or 223AI in a rem 700, you can order it from Rem (or could at one time) but it came out of their "custom shop". Same with Winchester. The Coopers are not "production run rifles" where they tool up and build 100 - 1000 rifles in the same configuration each time. They may run 5-10 barrels through in 6.5-284 because they have the reamer set up, but not 1000 or 10,000. And those barrels may end up on 4 different rifle models: a heavy barreled bench rifle, a stainless synthetic hunter, a wood stocked classic, etc.

When one of the big manufacturers set up to ream 30-06 they may run 10,000 barrels, all for, say 700 SPS, and then another 5,000 for BDL, and another 1000 for XCR. This is a lot different then Cooper doing 5 or 10 barrels at a time.

Just giving a reason why they (and Cooper) consider them "custom rifles".

noneck180 · #30 08-16-2010, 10:39 AM

Yeah..its a Custom from Remington because the chambering may not be in there regular lineup,, for Cooper its not the case thus making Cooper non custom. You maybe able to order fancy wood ...or differnet metal..but that still doesn't change the fact that it produced in a high volume shop.