Cooper model 21 in 223

[PaperSniper999]

Anyone have experience with a Cooper model 21 in 223 Remington? I'm wondering what difference in accuracy I can realistically expect between that one, and say a 6mmBR in the same gun?

Real world experience is appreciated. I reload and I know the 6BR is inherently more accurate than the 223, but I only shoot at paper at 100 yards, and the 223 is less expensive to shoot. That is a factor. I have 223s and a 6br already, and load for each, but I like the looks of that Cooper......<g>

 

[mikecr]

I bought one, and couldn't be happier with it.
I coated the barrel black,as it should be), installed talley rings and a 8.5-25x Mk4 scope. I also installed a TriggerAssist, Accushot monopod, and a Harris swivel bipod.
I don't group shoot,no purpose), and have only worked with it for cold barrel accuracy.
Using 50gr Jayner bullets at 3585fps, I can keep cold barrel shots in a 1'dot at 300yds,off bipod). These at a rate of 1/hr.

This is a walking field gun and I've killed around 40 woodchucks with it so far. Haven't had it but a few years. My longest shot with it, and best shot with any gun, was taken 2wks ago. A single 510yd headshot 12mins past sunset. That's all the rat offered in high grass. My son's longest kill with it is 617yds,it's actually his gun).

MY primary woodchuck gun is a Browning Eclipse rebarreled in 6br. Killed a ton with it, but it is not as accurate as the Cooper turned out to be.

 

[PaperSniper999]

Thanks for the feedback on the Cooper. I'm still trying to decide between the 6BR and 223. There are good reasons for each. One thing is if I get the 223 I will sell two of my other 223s - a Savage 12BVSS and Howa heavy barreled 223 I put in a Boyd's stock. I just never seem to shoot those two, but I don't want to sell them unless I still have a high quality 223.

I don't hunt at all, and I just shot paper from 100 yds, but I like it!

 

[vmthtr]

If all you do is shoot paper, I would suggest looking on benchrest.com and buying a used PPC for about the same price. It WILL shoot small groups and be a custom rifle to boot.

Mike

 

[PaperSniper999]

'If all you do is shoot paper, I would suggest looking on benchrest.com and buying a used PPC for about the same price. It WILL shoot small groups and be a custom rifle to boot.'

Thanks, but I already have a PPC and that's what I'm selling to fund the Cooper. It is very accurate, but requires more case work than I want to do right now. It's too much gun for me.....I am not into competitive BR shooting, and that rifle was made for that. It's a very high end custom 6PPC and wasted on my skills and desires.

 

[markr]

With the Cooper, all you have to do is call them with the serial # and they will tell you the specifics of the load that your test target was shot with.

 

[PaperSniper999]

'..With the Cooper, all you have to do is call them with the serial # and they will tell you the specifics of the load that your test target was shot with. ..'

Thanks. A good point and I intend to do that.

 

[slewfoot]

I have a Cooper in a modle 21-.223.It is very acc. It shoots in the high 3`s low 4`s.I have a Leopold 6-20on it. I also have a couple Coopersin 6PPC and 22PPC.They are more acc. also not alot of case prep.I think you NEED both a 223 and 6BR.! GOOD LUCK Allen

 

[22243win]

I could never buy a Cooper, because of Dan Cooper. I would imagine he still profits from every sale. Lets not forget who he supported for president.

 

[oregonshooter]

When you have Cooper on the phone ask them how much money they are going to funnel to antigun candidates. It just amazes me that anybody would still buy a Cooper. Oh well. I suspect the people who buy them think just like Cooper does. I don't ever plan on owning a gun with a mag capacity of bigger then 5 so who cares?
I wonder how much money they will give Obies campaign the next time around? It will be interesting to see. Jeff

 

[PaperSniper999]

'...Oh well. I suspect the people who buy them think just like Cooper does......'

Jeff, probably in many ways I do think just like Mr Cooper........such as what makes a fine rifle.

I post on the 6mmBR forum to learn and share information about accurate rifles and loads. Based on your ill-considered reply to the topic of this thread I suspect your interests are not in alignment with those of this forum. There are certainly many lively political forums on the internet, and I invite you to search out one of two where you can ensure your views are promulgated. You might be surprised that I am probably to the right of your political stance, but those views are for another forum, not this one.

By the way, if you check your facts a little closer you will find that Mr Copper received not one cent of the money I paid for my rifle.

Don't bother to reply; it won't be read by me.

 

[JeffinTX]

Anyone have experience with a Cooper model 21 in 223 Remington? I'm wondering what difference in accuracy I can realistically expect between that one, and say a 6mmBR in the same gun?

Real world experience is appreciated. I reload and I know the 6BR is inherently more accurate than the 223, but I only shoot at paper at 100 yards, and the 223 is less expensive to shoot. That is a factor. I have 223s and a 6br already, and load for each, but I like the looks of that Cooper......<g>

Let me have a crack at this one, since I have one of each: Cooper 21 in .223 and a GAP/Surgeon/Schneider in 6BR 1:8
The Cooper wears a Zeiss Conquest that goes up to 15x and the GAP/Surgeon has a USO that goes to 20x or so. The only bad thing about the Cooper is that it is a slow twist, 1:14 or 1:12, I don't recall. But point is that it can only shoot the lighter .224 bullets. I usually use 50 VMAX or 52/53 SMK with N133. It will easily hold 5 round .5 MOA groups off a bench/snadbags. BTW, I've done very little to 'tune' loads for the Cooper, as every load with the 53 HPFB SMK,set to standard OAL, not even to jump a specific distance to the lands) with N133 have easily been < 1moa. It may do better with a higher mag scope, especially when shooting at 200yds, where the 15x is a bit limited and if I use a formal benchrest front rest and rear bags. At such short ranges,100-200), I see little difference with the little Cooper vs. the BR shooting 107s without a more formal benchrest setup. The 6BR may do better with some benchrest 68 FB bullets, but I don't have time to fiddle with that,'cause I'd use the .223 in short range and the 6BR for longer distances. The Cooper is a nice light 'walking' varmit gun, with a pretty walnut stock while my 6BR is a bit heavier with a heavier barrel and A5 stock. The Cooper also costed me less than half of my 6BR and is cheaper to feed and shoot. I too, do not agree with Mr Cooper's politics, but they do make a nice rifle.

 

[k80skeet]

I own 3 Cooper rifles. They all work great for what they were intended for a varmiter. I have been very pleased with Coopers service Dept. You can send the rifle back to them they will rebuild the action re bed the stock and install a new barrel for $300.00. Try getting that done anywhere else for that kind of money. As far as caliber goes. There is no question that the 6br and 6mmppc will shoot smaller groups. The 223 will shoot way under 1/2' and have a long long barrel life,6000 rounds) brass is cheap and no special work is required just them through a full length die stuff them with any number of different loads and you are good to go. If you are looking for a bench rest rifle this is not it. If you want a rifle to play with it is one of the very best in my opinion. P.S I don't agree with Dan Cooper's politics in what he did.,if I stopped buying products from everyone that supported the president I couldn't buy much} That being said I LOVE the Cooper rifles.

 

[PaperSniper999]

Thanks for the feedback on the Cooper rifles. I have 6 loads ready to test, now if I can just find the time...........I thought I was supposed to have more free time once I retired?

 

[sporty]

I know this is an old post. But I thought I thought I would give my experience.

My buddy and I each bought a Cooper in 223. We loved the rifles at the range and how well they shot any ammo we fed through them. We went to South Dakota for our first prairie dog shoot. It was in August and was 105-113 degrees while shooting. Both of our bolts seized up and the metal gaulded the bolt and the receiver. There were gouges on both as if the steel was too soft. One of the guns had the bolt release fail. Most of the time you opened the bolt, you had it in you hand. It came right out. They just could not hold up to the heat and heavy usage. We used an AR 15, a Rem 700 without any issues. Cooper repaired and cleaned up the metal work for us. We sold the rifles.

 

[ben lurkin]

Hmmm. Ive a 223, 204 m21 and a 6br m22. My buddy has these and a few more. These guns go on annual squirrel shoots and have done so many times. Other that my buddy finally shooing out the barrel on his 204 (HIS 'fault' - wear & tear) we've not had a moment's trouble with them. Cooper graciously rebarreled his 204 for a nominal fee last fall and now it's as good as new - who else does that?

Odd that yours were troublesome. Did Cooper give an indication as to why? I've only ever galled the bolt lugs due to extreme overpressure. And once was enough. Any signs of such?

 

[sporty]

Hmmm. Ive a 223, 204 m21 and a 6br m22. My buddy has these and a few more. These guns go on annual squirrel shoots and have done so many times. Other that my buddy finally shooing out the barrel on his 204 (HIS 'fault' - wear & tear) we've not had a moment's trouble with them. Cooper graciously rebarreled his 204 for a nominal fee last fall and now it's as good as new - who else does that?

Odd that yours were troublesome. Did Cooper give an indication as to why? I've only ever galled the bolt lugs due to extreme overpressure. And once was enough. Any signs of such?

Hmmm. Ive a 223, 204 m21 and a 6br m22. My buddy has these and a few more. These guns go on annual squirrel shoots and have done so many times. Other that my buddy finally shooing out the barrel on his 204 (HIS 'fault' - wear & tear) we've not had a moment's trouble with them. Cooper graciously rebarreled his 204 for a nominal fee last fall and now it's as good as new - who else does that?

Odd that yours were troublesome. Did Cooper give an indication as to why? I've only ever galled the bolt lugs due to extreme overpressure. And once was enough. Any signs of such?

Hmmm. Ive a 223, 204 m21 and a 6br m22. My buddy has these and a few more. These guns go on annual squirrel shoots and have done so many times. Other that my buddy finally shooing out the barrel on his 204 (HIS 'fault' - wear & tear) we've not had a moment's trouble with them. Cooper graciously rebarreled his 204 for a nominal fee last fall and now it's as good as new - who else does that?

Odd that yours were troublesome. Did Cooper give an indication as to why? I've only ever galled the bolt lugs due to extreme overpressure. And once was enough. Any signs of such?

They said this has never happened before. Cooper rifles are a beautiful work of art. I do believe the heat had a lot to do with our failures.

 

[sporty]

They said this has never happened before. Cooper rifles are a beautiful work of art. I do believe the heat had a lot to do with our failures.

We used Black Hills remanufactured ammo so that should not have been the problem. I do reload all of my ammo now and shoot 22 BR, 22-250AI and 243 AI with 2 switch barrel rifles with Stolle actions built by Kelblys. I love my right hand bolt with left port actions.

 

[varmintshooter]

The most accurate gun I own I think. I was shooting golf balls at 200 yds but it was to easy so I set up some 357 brass and went 3 fo 3 at 200 yds. It took me awhile to find them but I did find them, they all had holes thru them. I have a vx3 6.5x20 scope with varmint hunter reticle on it and was just able to see the brass at 200. This is a varminter not the classic.