OK, I just received my new Cooper Varminter in .223. I can't wait to scope it. The factory target looks promising, it is a one holer. Says it was shot with 50 grain Blitzkings and H-335. No weight on the powder or OAL cartridge length which would be useful. Just curious if you guys that shoot the Coopers might have a pet load???? I am hoping it will be deadly on PD's. I am thinking a 6.5x-20x Leupold. Maybe the Zeiss. Decisions.

I have a Cooper .223 and it shoots one hole groups at 100 yards with HSM ammo - 50 grain Nosler Ballistic tips. I boght a bunch of that ammo off www.heritagearms.net.

26.3 gr H335 w/55 gr has been my standard 223 load for ages

My Cooper 223 enjoys Benchmark under various 50-52gr pills. Good data on the Hodgdon site.

Don't dwell too much on that factory target; it is shot at something like 47 yds (inside Cooper's building).

Sorry, no Cooper. My Sako .222 Rem. Mag. has a Krieger barrel fitted by Mark Penrod.
It shoots the Sierra 50gr Blitz King with 27gr of H335 for 3470 fps. The bullets are seated about .015" off the lands.
Seems like this is a standard load for the mid-range .22 calibers.

I called Cooper after I bought my M21 .222 Rem. They were happy to give me thier load data and even some additional loads that they said were showing promise. As it turned out, they were spot-on. That factory target however, was shot at Cooper's 48 yard indoor range.

Congratulations magnum hunter on your cooper varminter .223, ive had one on order for months now, but ive orderd mine with a 1-9 twist barrel, it should arrive in the UK sometime in October, ive got a stack of reloading gear, and a leuopold 8.5-25x50mm scope waiting to be used. Whats the wood like on yours ?.

Wood is pretty nice. My bubble is burst on the 48 yard target but hey, isn't it guaranteed to shoot 1/2 inch at 100? Thats pretty good. I am looking at the 6.5x-20x Leupold for mine.

Magnum Hunter, play with the load, and tweak the overall length. Use the best dies and brass/bullets etc and you will never regret buying a Cooper. You may however regret buying only one.

This is the difference in load development with my 243 AI Cooper, and yes those are 100 yard groups!

A good load is a 55 gr. Sierra Game King in Winchester brass with a CCI BR4 primer and 26.5 grs. of Varget or RE15. Either will shoot bug holes at 100 yds from a Win 70 Stealth .223 with 1/9 twist. Velocity is 3248/Varget or 3225/RE15. I prefer the Varget as it is cleaner burning.

quote:

Originally posted by Magnum Hunter1:
Wood is pretty nice. My bubble is burst on the 48 yard target but hey, isn't it guaranteed to shoot 1/2 inch at 100? Thats pretty good. I am looking at the 6.5x-20x Leupold for mine.

I wouldn't worry too much about Cooper using a 50 yd target.... I always use a 50 yd target to zero my loads....50 yds tells me what the barrel and the load will do together... if they don't group well at 50, then they will be worse at 100 yds...I even do that with my varmint loads.....

If the load is well at 50 yds, then at 100 yds, that tells me WHAT I CAN DO with that load......

Actually in a 223, I find it is harder to concoct a BAD load than it is to find a good load... so many things work in a 223, when one uses all the different really good bullets available in 22 bore...

Hey congrats on your Cooper. Mine is chambered in 22-250AI. One thing is you'll want to adjust that trigger down to 1 1/2 lbs. They're a awesome rifle but they're triggers are in question.

OK you fellas, seems as though loads of people are getting great results from the Cooper 223 with the 1:9 twist rate, is the 1:14 just as good? Realise that they maybe will not stabilise the heavy bullets, should I be concerned about getting one with the slower twist rate?

Oh yes the one I have my mind set on is a 223 AI, with the 1:14 twist - what will work in it?? Anybody else shooting this set up?

Cheers

congrats on your cooper you will love it. I have a .223 which has a 1/9 twist barrel so i can go up in bullet weight if i want. It shoots 50gr bullets very well, i like Hornady Vmax, they are easy to get hold of here in the UK, and they blow up well on vermin, mine likes 26gr of H335 with 50gr bullets
I do prefer Hornady 75gr Amax,with H4895, i can drive these at 3000fps and still shoot in the .2s at 100yds
Best shot to date 648yard rabbit, ranged then dialed in. You should love the rifle.

Get a second hand 6.5-20 VariX III, you can't go wrong. Shooters are upgrading to the new VXIII scopes, so you can get a good deal! Lifetime warranty to boot! I have three of them on my targer rifles ( one of them is a 223 Sako Vixen ).

My 223 load is a Hornady 52 BTHP(M), CCI450, 27.0 H335, Winchester brass. Chronographs at 3400 fps from my Remington 700VS and averages 9/16" 5 shot groups (30 groups averaged) at 100 yards.