Hey Fellas, your thoughts on a Cooper Excalibur

[Gabe22BR]

CAll them and ask for the hand load that was shot on the test target with the rifle. It's a good place to start to improve on it. While there, ask for free bore, chamber length, etc... they be happy to tell you....

 

[450AK]

Well I've got some bad news. Looks like my rifle is going to have to go back to Cooper. I love the look and feel of the rifle. I mounted the scope this morning and was going to clean it and head to the range and spend the day breaking it in but I never made it that far. I tried both mags and neither one of them would feed. When I did get a round in the chamber it wouldn't extract. A chamber probably 10 Rounds and not one of them would extract. The funny thing is all I had to do was turn the gun straight up and the round fell out. Not only that upon closer inspection the muzzle crown looks like it was cut with a chisel. I have no clue how it even got out of the shop. How did they test fire a rifle that won't feed or extract??? Totally blows my mine.

 

[drover]

450AK, Not doubting you but I am curious about a couple of things.

Are you seating the magazines properly? If not properly seated they will not feed, make sure they are seated front and rear. They are a straight feed magazine and it is almost impossible for them not to feed if they are properly seated. I have two 54's and a 52 and they feed flawlessly, I have never an issue with them not picking up the cartridge.

When you say the rounds won't extract can you describe it a little better.
Do they chamber hard?
Is the brass new or has it been fired in another rifle?
Is the bolt handle hard to lift when trying to extract the cartridge?
With a cartridge in the chamber when you pull back the bolt is the cartridge remaining in the chamber and the extractor slipping over the rim of the cartridge?
The reason for asking is that I have encountered brass that has been fired and resized but the rifle it was fired in had an oversized chamber and the brass would not chamber in a different rifle because the resizing die would not take the base portion down far enough - this will cause sticking. If you are using fired brass try a piece of new brass and see if it has the same issue.

I do not understand how the brass will not remove from the chamber yet you say that it falls out when the rifle is pointed up. Try removing the bolt and place an empty case in it to see if the extractor is grasping the rim. If it is there is no reason that it should not extract the cases. During the test firing the magazine is checked for function and the rifle is checked for extraction.

No thoughts on the crown issue except to say that if you get the magazine and extraction issue worked out then try shooting it before condemning the crown job.

Did you buy the rifle new or used? If used talk to the seller to see if he had the same issues.

Before sending the rifle back give Cooper Customer Service a call about the problem. If you purchased it new and you do have to send it back ask for them to pay shipping for the return.

drover

 

[450AK]

Drover, I bought the rifle brand new from Cove Creek. The mags are seated correctly and flush with the bottom metal. The bolt engages the cartridge but binds up as soon as the tip of the bullet hits the feed ramp. Even working the bolt very fast. I have plenty of center feed Savages and I can assure it's not feeding correctly or at all for that matter. I tried 175 smk at 2.800" and also some 125 grain TNTs in new Lapua brass. Then I tried 168 FGMM (the only factory ammo I have in 308) none of them would feed or extract. The bolt closes just as you think it should. Not hard or anything out of the ordinary. It's like the extractor isn't going over the rim. The bolt opens as it should except the round is left in the chamber. The crown absolutely needs condemned. On a 2,500 dollar rifle there is no reason it shouldn't have a nice smooth concentric crown. I have a safe full of rifles and if anyone of them had a crown like this one they would get sent back too. I know you love your Coopers and I hope I can love this one also put there are definitely things that need to be address first. Anyone is capable of making a lemon. How they deal with the problems is going to be the deciding factor if this is going to be my first and last Cooper or if I'm going to be ordering more in the near future. I love the way the rifle looks and feels.

 

[drover]

Yes, I hear what you are saying. Give them a call on Monday and address your concerns about it. IMO they should send you a shipping label and get it fixed and back to you asap.

Like you, I don't understand how this one got out in that condition. Having owned at least a dozen Coopers I am always disappointed when one like that gets out.

drover

 

[CTK]

This might be unrealistic, but in this age of mail order, you would hope that the dealer might do an inspection of a 2500.00 rifle at some point prior to selling it. If the crown was butchered, that might have been apparent to the dealer if he inspected it.

 

[Cade]

I bought a new Cooper off the shelf and within 3 months I found 3 more used ones that I bought. 204, 223, 22-250 and a 6x284, and tight now I'm looking for a 17 Hornet. Kind of addicting.

 

[450AK]

I have to say they have great costumer service. I called them last week and explained the problems, the lady on the phone was very apologetic and sent me a return shipping label within minutes. Hopefully they make it right in a timely manner. If they do I'll be a happy customer. Stuff happens. I owned a gun store for 8 years and every manufacturer has things they slip through quality control from time to time. Some are much better than others but how they deal with the problems when they occur is huge to me. I have many high end hang guns and I can tell you Les Baer is horrible to deal with when you have a problem. Therefore I'm done buying them and I refused to sell them in my store. So far Cooper is doing everything they can to make it right and I respect them for that. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[varmintshooter]

I have to say they have great costumer service. I called them last week and explained the problems, the lady on the phone was very apologetic and sent me a return shipping label within minutes. Hopefully they make it right in a timely manner. If they do I'll be a happy customer. Stuff happens. I owned a gun store for 8 years and every manufacturer has things they slip through quality control from time to time. Some are much better than others but how they deal with the problems when they occur is huge to me. I have many high end hang guns and I can tell you Les Baer is horrible to deal with when you have a problem. Therefore I'm done buying them and I refused to sell them in my store. So far Cooper is doing everything they can to make it right and I respect them for that. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Sorry to hear but hope everything works out

 

[rcol317]

Keep us posted on how Cooper addresses the problem. I've owned 9 Coopers. To say I'm a fan is an understatement. Most have been very accurate and the action is nice for a production rifle. I did have a very bad experience. Had a Model 52 Excalibur chambered in 6.5X284. Any load more than starting load the round would stick. Bought 3 boxes of factory rounds and two of them would stick every other round. Sent to Cooper and they said it was my reloads, rifle was fine. Sent to two smiths and paid several hundred dollars to document the action problem by two smiths in writing sent to Cooper and after many months sent back with a new bolt and claimed my smiths didn't know what they were talking about. After over $1,000 spent was not able to resolve the problem. While I still have several Coopers I hope I never have another issue I need them to address. Decided to go with Custom rifles in the future. good luck

 

[450AK]

I'll keep you guys posted. They sent me a tracking number and my rifle should be delivered Monday.