Cooper Firearms ?

[Kracken McGraw]

So, what is the story of cooper not being able to continue to function as the reason they approached nighthawk to sell?

Maybe the previous owner had a crystal ball and Biden’s face kept appearing on it.

 

[David Milisock]

Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun!

BS! Life's too short to be a lousy shot! Any rifle that put lead where it's aimed is what you need.

 

[FNSafari]

Maybe the previous owner had a crystal ball and Biden’s face kept appearing on it.

They were a low profile hunting rifle maker. No heinous "black rifles". My guess is the scope of what they offered, the inventory of parts, different grades of wood, calibers offered, etc. etc. just became too costly for them to continue with. That and maybe an owner reaching retirement age? IMO it will never be the same kind of company, product breath wise, as it was. Just the reality of the times.

 

[David Milisock]

They were a low profile hunting rifle maker. No heinous "black rifles". My guess is the scope of what they offered, the inventory of parts, different grades of wood, calibers offered, etc. etc. just became too costly for them to continue with. That and maybe an owner reaching retirement age? IMO it will never be the same kind of company, product breath wise, as it was. Just the reality of the times.

I would also think that a low demand for their product was a problem. Cooper was most likely lucky to be able to sell the company.

From my experiance shooting beside several shooters with Coopers at ranges they were good rifles, but not better in terms of groups on paper than my Remington 700, my custom Remington 03 or even my Howa 1500. That's a problem and why I never bought one.

 

[Gary in MD]

Yea, probably a combination of any and all…
Younger generation being more attracted to the Tacticool rifles.
Cooper rifles were above some folks budget.
Could be that the owners just wanted to retire and sell for a good profit.
Tough to find skilled people that wanted to work for a living.

 

[Ccrider]

FYI: Dec. 2023 Cooper update
https://cooperfirearms.com/

This is a classy response. If they meet their goal of offering “a rifle of the absolute highest quality in the industry”, they will have no trouble selling them. I don’t think they are necessarily referring just to tacticool in making this assertion.

 

[mongo chicago]

BS! Life's too short to be a lousy shot! Any rifle that put lead where it's aimed is what you need.

If you are a lousy shot you shouldn't be hunting in the first place!

 

[David Milisock]

If you are a lousy shot you shouldn't be hunting in the first place!

Unfortunately this discussion covers a huge percentage of hunters and shooters.

 

[sw282]

Began shooting Rem 700s. Got tired of buying the gun, then replacing their triggers. Moved to Mod 70 Winchesters. They died in 2005. lts been Cooper since.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I'm now 77 years old, been shooting since age six with my dad, a guide/outfitter in BC. In all that time hunting, building, shooting both varmint and game rifles, I was constantly buying aftermarket triggers, barrels, doing bedding and everything needed to make a decent rifle into a very good one, always at the expense of money and time.

Once I "found" Cooper rifles, there was no need to replace anything; well, maybe the trigger, but nothing else was required to get the rifle to shoot less than .5 MOA, as all mine did less than that with any decent handload. That fact and the alure of single-shot/solid bottom receivers was what attracted me to the Cooper line of rifles. They just shot much better than any other factory offering I ever owned, period. The four I currently own will remain in my custody until I'm pushin' up daisies, as now they cannot be replaced and have entered the realm of the "unobtainable" status.

Yet another fine item gone to be replaced with "new and modern".

 

[South Pender]

Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun!

Couldn't agree more!

 

[danny]

Cooper Custom Classic 30-06, not a safe queen.
View attachment 1502606

Yep, looks like "Field Wood" (wood suitable for hunting with) to me! No need to be "ducking people" you might pass when out hunting with that, like you would if you had some fugly wood.

Danny

 

[danny]

BS! Life's too short to be a lousy shot! Any rifle that put lead where it's aimed is what you need.

Looking good and being good can be the same thing, but it is better to look good than to be good if you can only get one.

Danny

 

[Tommie]

Great answers to the OP’s question!

Wait…what was the question?

 

[David Milisock]

Looking good and being good can be the same thing, but it is better to look good than to be good if you can only get one.

Danny

Sorry I'm alive because when needed, I most likely looked like crap, was good and lucky.

 

[nettle]

I have looked at Cooper's. Absolutely beautiful wood, fit, and finish. Hope Nighthawk maintains the Cooper high quality.

 

[FNSafari]

I would also think that a low demand for their product was a problem. Cooper was most likely lucky to be able to sell the company.

From my experiance shooting beside several shooters with Coopers at ranges they were good rifles, but not better in terms of groups on paper than my Remington 700, my custom Remington 03 or even my Howa 1500. That's a problem and why I never bought one.

Many bought a Cooper so they could participate in the Cooper Shoots.

 

[BlueWater]

So, what is the story of cooper not being able to continue to function as the reason they approached nighthawk to sell?

Guessing but, from that write-up on their website, it sounds like it was an name+drawings type purchase. Which pretty much sounds like the old company no longer exists. And until the new facility, machines/tools and people get up and running, it's easy to see how they aren't yet in operation. Again, a guess, but with an "asset" purchase like this it wouldn't surprise me.

Sounds like they fully intend to be viable, with all that new investment. No idea, though, whether that'll translate to full and complete "coverage" of the old models. Being a new company, basically, there's nothing to say they'll need to cover any warranty work, etc.

I hope they make a good go of it, and that the quality ends up just as high as previously.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I hope they make a good go of it, and that the quality ends up just as high as previously.

I do to. But I fear there is going to be a new price point that’s going to appeal to a very few limited individuals. I’m very proud to own one of the Montana built rifles.

 

[nakneker]

No real news on that to share, but on other forums I've learned that NH does not seem too interested in supplying parts or service on the original Cooper rifles (or warranty work). Most seem to fear the age of the original rifles is now over, and NH seems intent on focusing on tacticool chit instead of staying on the original track that built the company with walnut and single shot bolt action rifles in calibers that most here would prefer.

I only have four of the originals, wish I had more.

That’s disappointing news. Hope it doesn’t go down that road.