Cooper in 204 Ruger

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pzoba

New member
A buddy of mine just got a Cooper Model 21 Varmint in 204 Ruger. I have't seen it yet but he says it came with a three shot test target that was one hole. Not a clover leaf but ONE HOLE. He has not had a chance to fire it himself yet but that certainly sounds promising. I was thinking about getting one of those myself. Two things about it: no sling stud and single shot. I think it would be mighty handy to be able to use a bipod on a gun that heavy so a stud would have to be drilled in. And what about a single shot varmint gun? How often do you want a quick follow up shot on a 'yote? I think a fast following shot would be useful. Thoughts?
 
With practice you can get off a second shot almost as fast as with a repeater. You normally give up accuracy with a repeater because the magazine cut-out weakens the receiver.

You will never see a benchrest rifle have a repeater action and many of those guys can easily fire a shot a second, some quite a bit faster.

Jack
 
pzoba-- Learning to reload and fire a second shot with a single-shot rifle is something you can become fairly proficient at. My 40 gr. Nosler BT reloads that I shoot in my Tikka Master Sporter in 22-250 are so long they will not fit in the magazine. It has to be fired as a single shot. Usually, that is no problem when shooting prairie dogs or other varmints. However, I have used that rifle for coyote hunting quite a number of times and managed to take a double with it the only time I had more than one coyote come in at the same time. You have to keep your wits about you and do some practicing to accomplish this. When the second coyote cooperates and stops as you give him the wounded coyote Ki-Yi, it makes it easier to get off that second shot! When extremely cold weather comes around and I wear heavy gloves, I DO NOT use the Tikka--not much chance of a second shot with boxing gloves on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I think the bipod is a necessary part of all my predator and varmint hunting rifles. So, that fancy Cooper stock would be getting a front sling stud. I would probably opt for one of the recessed type so it wouldn't ruin the beautiful lines of the stock /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

varmint exterminator-- I would almost bet my life that the Cooper target pzoba's buddy got with his rifle was shot at between 47 and 50 yards at an indoor range using a 36x scope from an extremely stable rest by a shooter who has many, many, years of experience at shooting one-hole groups with those rifles.

When I have observed folks looking at the Cooper rifles and the targets in Scheel's and Big Bear stores, I don't think very many of them realize the story behind the range and conditions at which these targets are shot. At one Scheel's store in North Dakota I swear they had EXACTLY the same target sitting by two different Cooper rifles. They even had the wrong caliber information for the rifle--it was listed as the caliber of the rifle displayed on the shelf above. Maybe they have a machine that punches out the bullet holes--JUST KIDDING for any of you Cooper Company lawyers who are reading this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Even though I know the conditions under which these targets are shot, I would dearly love to have a Cooper Varminter in any number of calibers. I don't really like the single shot idea, but have to agree with Jack Roberts, that if you want a bug-hole shooting rifle, you'll have a better chance of achieving that accuracy with a single shot action.
 
Thanks for the comments. I guess there is a skill to learn in the fast reload single shot.

As to how Cooper tests their rifles, they don't specify on their web site. They do say that they test using their own loads and they make ammunition available for sale but they do not show a .204 Ruger load available yet.

I sent a note to them asking for details of their testing process and I sent them a link to this thread to respond for themselves if they care to. If I get a response from them, I will post it here. Thanks again, Paul
 
If it's a true shooter as they claim, keep it. Put swivel studs on that bad boy and get some fur.

A single shot rifle is not my first choice, but it will make you become disciplined in when too shoot or hold your shot in my opinion. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Think its pretty common knowledge among Cooper dealers that they are test-fired indoors at 50 yds using 36X Leupold benchrest scopes, but the point is it shows you what the rifle is capable of under perfect conditions. My 223 Cooper is the most accurate rifle I own and would highly recommend them. Its true their prices are up there but so is the quality.
 
I work off and on at a local gunshop and every Cooper we ever got in, no matter the cal. had what looks like a single hole. As stated it is common knoledge at most shops how they test them as TimZ noted.
 
Common knowledge is pretty close... Here is Cooper Arm's reply to my inquiry of how they test:

We do our testing indoors at 42 yards. That is all the distance we can
get in our little shop. The rifles are shot in their stocks off of
sandbags with beat up old Leupold 36X BR scopes.

Take care, Paul

Rob Behr
Cooper Arms
 
Well that's good, it proves what their rifles are capable of and that's the issue at hand. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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