Well after doing more research,I didn't buy the Sako 85 after all.I ended up buying a Cooper Jackson Hunter in 280AI instead.After doing much research online,I could find nothing but praise for the Cooper rifles.As well,I prefer the Cooper stock,and it was available in 280AI.The 1/2" accuracy guarantee certainly didn't hurt either.I would have preferred a stainless action,but at least the barrel is stainless.Prophet River has the gun in stock,and the price was just over $100 more than the cost of the Sako 85.As well,I can use lower priced Leupold rings to match the bases that come with the rifle.A spare magazine is also priced lower than for the Sako,so overall,the Cooper will actually cost me slightly less than the Sako 85.Best of all,Prophet River has Nolser brass in stock for the 280AI.Finally,I was impressed that Prophet River had the brass and spare magazines in stock,and Clay was a pleasure to deal with.

I am a huge fan of Sako Finnlite's and the Coopers...I own a Cooper Excalibur in .280 and a Cooper Classic in 25x06...Both of my Coopers had to go back to the factory for magazine issues...The Mag. wouldn't stay in when I fired them...Other than that the Cooper's have been great and since sending them in they work flawlessly. I own Sako Finnlites in 7mm, 270 and 260 and I love them as well. Never a problem with any of the Sakos. You'll be pleased with your decision...

I guess the rifles are great from what I gather here on the forums, but the owner of Cooper Arms is a Marxist.

quote:

I guess the rifles are great from what I gather here on the forums, but the owner of Cooper Arms is a Marxist.

Do we assume that you are talking about the owner of Wilson Arms,since they bought out Cooper months ago?

True, but i'm still looking for PROOF that Dan Cooper still "doesn't" profit, from every Cooper sale made...

DM

quote:

True, but i'm still looking for PROOF that Dan Cooper still "doesn't" profit, from every Cooper sale made...

Do you have PROOF that he does profit from every Cooper sale made?

SJ, you will love your Cooper. I have several, and one is a 280 that I had rechambered to 280 AI. It is a neat, powerful cartridge. I will give you one heads up, and I have read where others encountered this as well. When doing load development, you seem to be going along fine with no pressure issues at all, and then (for me) as I bumped up to the next higher charge, by 1/2 grain, pressure signs were sporadically crazy. What I mean by this is, some of the rounds with that charge showed no pressure signs at all, and some showed heavily cratered primers--damn near pierced, very flattened, and sticky bolt--very strange to me, but I backed off by 1.5 grains instantly!

This did happen with both Accubonds, and XXX's, and I have actually seen XXX's give sporadic pressure signs before, which is one reason I always start with them (XXX's) well back from the lands--at least 20 thou, and usually 30 plus thousandths. But it DID happen in this caliber with Accubonds as well, and it happened with my Sako 75 chambered in 280 AI as well.

I have also had some magazine issues with my Coopers, I was able to tweak them myself, and get them working fine.

I didn't like the Leupy dual dovetails, and have Talley's on all mine, but the Leupy's do look good on there, I have left them on my less powerful chambered Coopers, i.e. 17 HMR, 204 Ruger.

Enjoy your new rig!

I always start the tsx at .050" off of the lands,and they seem to be quite predictable in my other rifles.
My major concern with the Leupold bases,is that talking to Cooper owners,it appears that the ring spacing is so long that it severely limits scope selection and scope position without using extension rings.As a result,I have ordered a set of Talley lightweights for the rifle.

Dan Cooper ia an embarrasment to all Riflemen worldwide. I'll take a Sako ANY day over Cooper. In fact, JUST SAY NO TO COOPER!

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Dan Cooper ia an embarrasment to all Riflemen worldwide.

He is also no longer the owner Of Cooper Arms,so I could really care less about what he does.

quote:

Originally posted by stubblejumper:
As a result,I have ordered a set of Talley lightweights for the rifle.

Good stuff--that should make a slick setup!

quote:

Originally posted by stubblejumper:

quote:

Dan Cooper ia an embarrasment to all Riflemen worldwide.

He is also no longer the owner Of Cooper Arms,so I could really care less about what he does.

He's still in it up to his neck, do you imagine he just walked away from an income?



...but "sportsman and hunters have nothing to worry about", right?

quote:

He's still in it up to his neck, do you imagine he just walked away from an income?

Do you this for sure,or are you just making an assumption?Wilson Arms bought out Cooper Arms so perhaps his income was replaced by a lump sum from Wilson Arms.I don't know the details,do you?

quote:

Originally posted by rcamuglia:
I guess the rifles are great from what I gather here on the forums, but the owner of Cooper Arms is a Marxist.

I hope that's a joke. Otherwise, it makes you sound utterly rediculous. Dale Gribble, anyone? (the conspiracy nut from "King of the Hill")
Really, a Marxist? That's the word choice? Maybe he's a Satanist too! Maybe he drinks chicken blood with Dick Cheney! C'mon. Seriously? Maybe he strangles orphins with ripped-up pieces of the American Flag and covers their bodies with desecrated pages of the Bible!!!! Yeah, yeah, that's it! That's a wicked enough epithet to use on someone with whom I have a small disagreement or possible misunderstanding.
Marxist... pishaw- That was a joke, right?

Instead of name calling, why don't YOU check it out before you tell us we're wrong.

If he's actually gone I hope you enjoy the rifle. I could never own one either way. Some bad tastes never leave, and the Cooper fiasco was quite the bitter pill.

I usually deal in posts that can be objectified or quantified. I figure opinions are like noses, everyone has one and most of them smell.

Maybe some of you cooper haters can explain to me how buying a used cooper from my next door neighbor, a gun owning american citizen puts money in the pocket of Dan Cooper.
I wonder if any of you zealots happen to own jap made, austrian or german made, russian made or chineese or north korean made item or product such as knives, cars, clothes, guns, tools, fishing tackle. Do any of you buy oil or products refined from saudi arabian crude. After all, 19 of the 20 hi-jackers that precipitated the destruction on 9/11 were saudis. All of these countries are responsible for deaths of innocent american citizens and US servicemen. As much as I do not care for dan cooper or our current president I do not believe they are responsible for the death of one US citizens to date. I usually don't get torqued about the axles but you guys are a bunch of hypocrits. Get real guys

GWB

You guys are ridiculous. I have met, spoken to, and on one occasion had a beer with Dan Cooper. I highly doubt he is a Marxist or even a socialist for that matter. He simply supported a political candidate that you do not support, that is America folks, get over it.

He made the gun industry better for his efforts and employed many craftspeople in my home state of Montana when many companies would not start operations there or would move to a cheaper state as soon as the company was successful. I think he is a credit to the industry and Montana.

Now quit drinking the damn right wing coolaid and buy local!

He is still working for Cooper, he recently attended a gun show they setup with a reseller.
I've switched to Dakotas from Coopers. Cooper would not refund my money for the rifles I had purchased from them, so I sold or traded all of them away. I feel better. On the other hand, I'm glad you bought a rifle you liked. enjoy it.

quote:

He is also no longer the owner Of Cooper Arms,so I could really care less about what he does.

I also believe in the Tooth Fairy.

quote:

Originally posted by Geedubya:
I usually deal in posts that can be objectified or quantified. I figure opinions are like noses, everyone has one and most of them smell.

Maybe some of you cooper haters can explain to me how buying a used cooper from my next door neighbor, a gun owning american citizen puts money in the pocket of Dan Cooper.
I wonder if any of you zealots happen to own jap made, austrian or german made, russian made or chineese or north korean made item or product such as knives, cars, clothes, guns, tools, fishing tackle. Do any of you buy oil or products refined from saudi arabian crude. After all, 19 of the 20 hi-jackers that precipitated the destruction on 9/11 were saudis. All of these countries are responsible for deaths of innocent american citizens and US servicemen. As much as I do not care for dan cooper or our current president I do not believe they are responsible for the death of one US citizens to date. I usually don't get torqued about the axles but you guys are a bunch of hypocrits. Get real guys

GWB

+1

+2!

I am looking at ALL the rifles I own, and am seriously thinking about thinning out the herd and getting some higher class rigs with some higher quality glass than I usually get...

I am looking at getting a Cooper Varminter...

Just like I don't care for the Dixie Chicks politics, I still will listen to their music...

When we buy a COOPER, money may go into his pocket.... but money also goes into the pockets of the hardworking, conservative Americans that work for his company...

Why should they be harmed because of the political misdirection of their boss and owner..

I am sure those folks were hired for their craftsmanship and their experiences.... not for their political beliefs and affiliations.

Cooper Arms isn't like ACORN after all...