Cooper mdl 21

[Cade]

I've got a mdl 21 Varmint Extreme in cal. 223 and was wondering if the wood in it is an up grade wood or was this standard back in 1995 when it was made. There is one L shaped mark on left side but did not break the surface. Was trying to figure a price for it as I might sell it. It is sporting a Sightron 6-24x42 scope
thanks

 

[SS427]

In 1995 that good of grain was common on Coopers. Great stocks were a hallmark of the brand back then. You can still get that grade of stock now new but it would cost you big time. As a potential buyer I would pay current new entry level price for that rifle with that nice of stock even with the L mark. It would sell fast at eighteen hundred. You could get lucky and someone would pay considerably more.

 

[cooperve]

Use "Deft Step Saver" stain finish in "Neutral and Tint Base". Wet sand the scratch with 600 grit sand paper with a backer pad. That L shape scratch will come out. I had one of the very first M57 with a much worse scratch from barb wire that slightly cut into the grain. After 10 to 13 wet sands using the Deft and you couldn’t see it or find it. It worked so well I touched over my two Cooper VE's and took slight finger nail scratches out.

I called Cooper, that was the finish Cooper used for that period of stocks.

 

[JohnHenry]

Varmint Extremes had better wood(AAA) than the Varminters(AA), in fact your rifle may pre-date the introduction of the Varminter. Varmint Extremes also had finer checkering and a steel pistol grip cap. Hard to read the signature on the target, but it appears to be Jason Stacy who is Dan Cooper's nephew.

 

[Cade]

In 1995 that good of grain was common on Coopers. Great stocks were a hallmark of the brand back then. You can still get that grade of stock now new but it would cost you big time. As a potential buyer I would pay current new entry level price for that rifle with that nice of stock even with the L mark. It would sell fast at eighteen hundred. You could get lucky and someone would pay considerably more.

You say current new entry level price, what is the entry level price?

 

[Cade]

Varmint Extremes had better wood(AAA) than the Varminters(AA), in fact your rifle may pre-date the introduction of the Varminter. Varmint Extremes also had finer checkering and a steel pistol grip cap. Hard to read the signature on the target, but it appears to be Jason Stacy who is Dan Cooper's nephew.

Yes that is Jason Stacy's signature

 

[Cade]

Use "Deft Step Saver" stain finish in "Neutral and Tint Base". Wet sand the scratch with 600 grit sand paper with a backer pad. That L shape scratch will come out. I had one of the very first M57 with a much worse scratch from barb wire that slightly cut into the grain. After 10 to 13 wet sands using the Deft and you couldn’t see it or find it. It worked so well I touched over my two Cooper VE's and took slight finger nail scratches out.

I called Cooper, that was the finish Cooper used for that period of stocks.

It's not a scratch where it broke thru the finish, It's more like an indentation rub depression, didn't even break the surface

 

[Cade]

This is the target I shot with it 3 years ago. I know one should shoot 5 shots but I didn't want to mess up this string hahaha

 

[SmokinJoe]

That is some of the nicest wood I've ever seen on a Cooper. I would ask a very premium price for that rifle. While you are making up your mind about selling, do as was recommended above, then it will be "perfect".

 

[Dave Berg]

I would send it back to Cooper to get the "L" out. They take very, very good care of their customers. I have a Montana Varminter on the way there now to be re-barreled. The price is very reasonable as I'm the original owner.

 

[drover]

I would not even consider using sandpaper on that piece of wood, not even 600 grit with a backer. As light as that scratch is use a wet cloth and an iron to steam up the wood and then put a couple of coats of Deft Step Saver on the area. I have cleaned up scratches much worse than that using the steam method. The potential for overdoing it with the sandpaper is just too great unless you have some experience in refinishing wood. I have seen a lot of nice stocks that turned out as ugly as sin by someone without experience attempting to "fix" them. Something else to consider is that since you are thinking of selling it is that a scratch that minor will more than likely not turn off a serious buyer and would hurt the value little to none, surely not as much as a repair that may cause more harm than good.

drover

 

[Cade]

Just listed it in the classifieds

 

[Geronimo Jim]

I don't worry about scratches, etc. Badges of honor.

 

[danny]

In 1995 that good of grain was common on Coopers. Great stocks were a hallmark of the brand back then. You can still get that grade of stock now new but it would cost you big time. As a potential buyer I would pay current new entry level price for that rifle with that nice of stock even with the L mark. It would sell fast at eighteen hundred. You could get lucky and someone would pay considerably more.

That is not always the case with the wood, though. Not long ago I had a really nice deal with a forum member where I got a LH Model 21 Varmint Extreme produced at nearly the same time as this one. Mine, while it has nice wood, is nowhere near as fancy as this one. My first Cooper was a Model 38 Montana Varminter produced not long ago. It has a French Walnut upgrade (AA+ Claro default to AA+ French Walnut, not AAA+, or whatever is the next grade). The Montana Varminter has my VE easily beat for figure, and depending on opinion, is as nice as this rifle.

Danny