Came to pretty much the same conclusion, Mike. I know that that laminated stock would start reminding me too much of my cheap Savage 40 Hornet after a while. Plus I'd worry just as much about that barbed-wire scratch as I would on a quality solid-wood one; laminate will mar almost as easily, even though it might be a little more stable. The Phoenix is, to me the best-looking synthetic stock out there (especially under that stainless barrel,) so will keep looking.

Rowdy, here's some Cooper porn just for you!

Gary

Gary....What kind of scope are you going to put on that Cooper? And what make rings are you using.....30mm?

A little more Cooper porn..........




As you can see, I'm getting the prairie dog fever too.

So I struggled with the wood vs composite issue as well. I have one wood Cooper in the standard AA claro Walnut and its a nice piece of wood for sure and I love a nice rifle with a good chunk of wood on it as much as the next.

I really had to talk myself into what I ordered and I went with the desert camo as I wanted something different than the standard Cooper black and redish look (like it, just wanted different). Here was my justification; I am going to hunt hard with this gun out west for speed goats, Mulie's and Elk and I honestly wanted a gun that I can crawl across the prairie with to stalk a speed goat without worrying about that nice chunk of wood. In other words this rifle is going to be like a utilitarian instrument for me. I want to sit out in my deer stand in missouri in snow and sometimes rain and not worry about it (my buddy just got his 280 classic and it says not to get it wet, yeah right).

Now, as always I have plans for one more Cooper. I have a 38 in 17 fireball and I want to add another .204 because I love 204's..... That gun will see bench top use and bidpod work only so it will have that nice chunk of AAA French or Claro Walnut. It will be that pretty rifle that lives in a gun sock in my safe that will garner the oohs and aaahh's while the desert camo 280AI is sitting in the safe most likely with some large scratches on it (I'll try not to, but who knows).

Now I do have one beef in all this. Cooper charges an extra, I repeat an extra $180 for the desert camo over the regular composite. it's like a composite upgrade? like going from AA to AAA walnut? I don't get that but oh well, I have a pretty nice gun on the way in about a month or so that I will be happy with.

Okay, I like Cooper Porn as much as the next guy, so here's some more:



In another few weeks, Rosa above, will have a nice warm barrel, the sun will shine, the birds will sings, and the rats will fly! Film at 11:00..........

Late edit: Congrats BigBull....scratches or not, it sounds like it'll be a very fine huntin' stick. I'm guessing you'll baby it anyway though. I have a McMillan fiberglass stock that looks like Exhibition Grade Claro on my pre '64 M70 .270, and even though it's almost bulletproof in the field, I still finding myself protecting it from dings and scratches all the time. Part of the game with a nice rifle, right?

Looks like wood, but it ain't:



Remember, pictures!

purty gun.... I have no pics of my 38 here at work, tonight I stick one up.....

and feel free to hijack the thread further with gun porn...

it will get babied, I'm sure. i'm just talking tough now because I haven't held it yet......

Once it gets home it will be well fed and taken care of.


If it wasn't for the checkering I would say that last gun is wood judging just from a picture. The checkering gives it away. nice stick though

Rick - question -

on the Cooper in the pic are those low leupy rings with a 40mm objective? I was able to do low rings on my 38 with a VXL with a 56mm objective, it hugs the barrel and works great!

I am just wondering if I go 50MM on my new model 52 if I can get away with medium rings. I think I can.

BigBull: Yep, those are Low Leupold rings with my 40mm objective. I believe you're correct in that you can use Medium rings with a 50mm objective (barrel contour will be the deciding factor). The Lupy catalog spells out what fits and what doesn't, you may just want to consult that, or give Technical Services a call as they'll know right away: 503-526-1427.

Good luck with the new optic, be sure to post some pics when she's finished.

We might as well "pour it on"...........



I got the Phoenix stock on one, and Varminter stock on the other, but "baby" them both in the field.

Ooohhh, that's it......more, more.......

Giterdone, The new scope will be a Leupold 6.5-20, 40mm objective, 30mm tube, varmint hunters reticle, and perhaps an M1 turret for elevation. The rings you see in the photo are Leupold 30mm medium height. Gary

Now you guys have me thinking...

I actually like the laminate wood, but teh Cooper looks pretty bland. I have 2 Sako's like RIO's and really like the look of them. On the fence about purchasing a 3rd and rebarrelling to 260 or 260AI or simply buying a Cooper or custom.

Thanks - Still haven't received the gun yet but I have already received my brass, bullets and Ultra die set. I even loaded up some preliminary loads with some 140GR accubonds.

Also as it relates to the scope I decided to go all out on this gun and ordered a Swarovski Z5 3.5X18X44 with the ballistic turret system on it. It should be a very very nice set up when I have it all done. I am debating what base and ring set up I am going to put on it. It will have Leupold bases on it and I think I can get away with low dovetail rings on it. However I just set up another rifle I have (6BR) with a Near manufacturing one piece picatinny base and MK IV rings and it was perfectly optically centered and did not require but one or two clicks to get it perfectly centered. That is saying something for that set up but my concern would be ejection problems. I have to call Richard Near in coming days and discuss it with him. The gun should be in by late April.

thanks