Lets' say you could get a Cooper M22 Classic or a comparable Kimber, and for grins they were both magazine rifles or single shot rifles (apples to apples), and you could get the Cooper for the same money as the Kimber which would you pick and why?

Also, are there any Cooper Arm of Montana owners that hang out here, if so, any comments on their rifles would be helpful?

Thanks,

RJS

Cooper shooters aplenty hang out at saubier.com forum, at least for the Mod 38 and 21.
I have two Mod 21's, a 223 and a 17 Mach IV. The 223 has been amazing from the first day, but the 17 has been a problem child, and is already (barely a year old) on its 3rd barrel.
But almost shooting as it should.

Have a Cooper, but it is in 22LR. Model 57 LVT. Also had a 17 HMR for awhile. It shot wonderfully, just have to keep my list of rifles down to things I shoot often. And the 17 HMR wasn't used that much.

I haven't owned any Kimbers. But looking at them, the Cooper's seem to be a notch better in fit, finish and wood quality. Cooper is known to make good anything that doesn't meet the accuracy guarantee. I assume that is what Mulerider is having Cooper do for him.

I haven't yet owned a Cooper since they don't make repeaters in 308 size or WSM's but will if they do. Until then I'll enjoy my Kimbers......DJ

Just picked up a M21 in .222 Rem two days ago. Have a 4.5-14X Leupold on the way via the Brown truck. So it should be shooting in a few days.

It's sister rifle in .222 Rem Mag shot several four shot groups the other day. Breaking it in and cleaning between groups it shot a worse of .380" and a best of .195". This is with near zero load work,just picking them out of the book.

I have seen several Kimber CF rifles with REAL problems but none with the Coopers. I think they take more time with the product compared to much bigger Kimber.

FN in MT

Esldude: you are correct, the 17 Mach IV Cooper has been back to Montana to correct chamber and/or barrel issues. Not totally convinced it's fixed, but Cooper says they will make things right. Wish it was right the first time, but trying to be patient.
The overall fit and finish on both rifles is outstanding.

Jay, no apologies needed. I love Kimbers but that doesn't mean I don't think that Coopers aren't even nicer. I just wish they made repeaters in the calibers I want. And I don't really care for the blued action/silver barrel look or their shape of varmit stock, though the std. stock is excellent. Their 22's are sweetness indeed.........DJ

I have been a collector of the old Kimber's and have a Cooper or two under my belt as well. In this case (New Cooper vs Kimber) my dollars go to the Cooper every time.

I own three Kimbers and one Cooper. The Kimbers were made in Oregon. The Cooper is a left-handed varminter in .221 fireball and it is my most accurate rifle I own. Workmanship is about the same.

Not to hijack the thread, but ain't the Fireball a great little cartridge!?
I have a converted Rem 788 in Fireball, plus the 700 Classic. But the best would be in a mini-action, like the Cooper or the Mini-Mauser.
J-Zola: what load does yours like best? Neither of mine is picky, so I usually go with LilGun or 1680, for extreme speed with the 40's.

I have a Cooper M38 in 17 Ackley Hornet that I love, but have had a problem with. I need to get it back to Cooper, and they will make it right. I have just been putting off letting that little beauty out of my hands!

The Kimbers are great rifles, but the Cooper is the rifle for me.

I bought about 20 boxes of old ammo (yellow and green label) before the 700 classic came out. That stuff shoots in one hole so I have not reloaded for it yet. Not enough woodchucks to use it up on.

The Cooper wins, hands down. I own two right now and plan to buy more once I save up. My Cooper 22LR shoots about .1 groups. My Cooper 21 Varminter in 17 Mach IV is very new and I'm just developing loads for it, but I was shooting .3" groups @ 100 yards with the first set of loads I tried. Excellent wood and trigger. The action is silky smooth.

Kory

I will take a Kimber hands down...

I had a couple of Coopers and those guys sure are in left field...bolt handles are sweated on, and I have seen several pop off including mine..

Mine was short chambered, so I sent it back 3 times telling them it was simply a short chamber and was causing high pressures and locking the gun up, and causing me to break the soldered on bolt handle to get it open and told them on each ocassion that they did not run the damn reamer in far enough, On the 4th time I sent it back I told them what the problem was again and to either do as I say or send me my money back...The called me and said they wanted to apoligise that it was a short chamber....Jeez, that is basic stuff..

The other Cooper was OK but the wood warped in about the 3rd month, and I just could not handle that sweated on bolt so I re-inletted it, glassed it and sold it in time......

I want to start by syaing that I have never seen a Cooper that was not fabulously accurate. BUT I will never own one due to their lack of customer support. I was friends with the man who sold more Coopers than any one in the US at the time, and many friends shot them in competition with me. ANy time there was aproblem, it was hell dealing with Cooper. THat friend of mine actually sued Dan Cooper over issues with non-functioning guns and other issues (I moved before it was ever settled so I don't know how it turned out). I have heard the same thing form amny other Cooper owners. Hey, every one will let a bad apple slip out the door. That is not the problem. THe problem is when the owner of a company will not support his customers, ESPECIALLY the dealer who made him the most mmoney. That's crazy. But even with the ones that did not work correctly, if you could get a bullet down th ebarrel, it hit where it was supposed to

Well, technically I do have a COoper product. I have one fo the early Anchutz USA models. It is the heavy barrel Anschutz 1710 barreled action and Cooper stocked it. They did this for less than a year back in the late '90s. Great wood and work. THe rifle aggs in the .6's at 100m when I am shooting in no wind(that's average of 5, 5 shot groups when I say "agg"). But then that is the Anschutz barreled action