Input for next rifle CZ - Cooper - Kimber

Mudduck

Mudduck

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The Kawarthas
Any insight or experience would be appreciated
Looking to add one more to my rifle collection - considering these 3 manufacturers. CZ. / Copper / Kimber.
These 3 have caught my eye - it appears their workmanship and quality is very good
Caliber preference would be 270 W / 7 MM Rem / 300 WinMag
I currently have a 270 WSM and a 30 06
I prefer a synthetic stock and stainless barrel / receiver - don't feel as guilty dragging it through the rain and heavy brush in Ontario hunting conditions. Would be used for Moose, Elk, maybe bear and deer
Expecting to spend around $1800 - $2600 for rifle only
Will probably put something like a Swarovski Z6i on it
 
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While I cannot offer input on the synth/stainless end of things, I've had a Kimber 84M classic select .308 and I love it.
It fits me like a glove, very compact and light. One thing that I must say is that I am not a fan of the finish on the barrel. Hunting in the rain and snow in ON it seems to develop discoloration or even oxidization on the surface.
This is more cosmetic than anything but if I am paying 2K for a gun...
 
Dont discard Steyr Mannlicher rifles, very high on the quality list and do they shoot good... Impressive... JP.
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Three different guns really and depends what role you're trying to fill, or what you appreciate in a rifle. Coopers are gorgeous, well finished, accurate push feeds that are generally heavy. CZ550's are the 350 chevy of hunting rifles, reliable, a bit heavy, and quality controlled round feed. Kimbers are light as a feather, fit most guys like a glove, and are controlled round feed with a plethora of stainless options. I vote Kimber, personally, it also has the excellent M70 safety.
 
Ardent said:
Three different guns really and depends what role you're trying to fill, or what you appreciate in a rifle. Coopers are gorgeous, well finished, accurate push feeds that are generally heavy. CZ550's are the 350 chevy of hunting rifles, reliable, a bit heavy, and quality controlled round feed. Kimbers are light as a feather, fit most guys like a glove, and are controlled round feed with a plethora of stainless options. I vote Kimber, personally, it also has the excellent M70 safety.
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And speaking of the M70 safety, why not get the rest of the rifle that goes with it? Or have I missed something - did everyone change their minds on the value of the new M70's? It seems not as many people are talking them up these days.
 
Never been a fan of sin stocks and stainless tubes.

I don't know how many are aware of this but the CZ LUX stocks are all hand rubbed by beautiful Czech women in a special room in the factory with soft lighting and scented candles burning. (Where as the 350 chevy is built in a dirty greasy factory by big burly men with lots of facial hair)
 
I don't think CZ makes a stainless synthetic, so that's out.
That leaves Kimber vs Cooper. Expect a long wait on a Cooper stainless synthetic in magnum. The Kimber has a better stock than the Cooper IMO, it's lighter, the trigger is as crisp and it's plenty accurate for a lightweight hunting rifle. It also costs less than half of the Cooper, which incidentally exceeds your $2600 limit.
 
Shooter_01 said:
track, out of curiosity, what would make you choose the CZ over the new FN M70?

Thanks!
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I'm not familiar with the new FN what so ever, however; knowing the history of CZ/Brno, it has had no or few quality issues. CZ were always a well made firearm that always offered quality workmanship and accuracy.
 
Hard to go wrong here. I was steered away from Kimbers due to a high number of quality issues I've read about. Maybe they had a bad time with QC and it is all dealt with; don't know.

Everything I have is wood. Love wood. Certainly appreciate the sentiment that drives you to synthetic and I've been thinking of a brush rifle with synthetic stainless for this reason.

Of the synthetic stocks the Cooper has a mighty nice one. A Cooper is not light though. I have a M21 Varminter and a M52 280AI in Jackson Game on the way. The latter is meant to be my rifle for some future western hunt; though I might regret the weight. If you to Cooper, do something cool like a 280AI.

I'm thinking of a synthetic stainless in 35 Whelen in the future; as a moose gun. Don't know which one.

For factory, Sako makes a fine Finnlite in stainless synthetic.

Good luck.
 
I am a real fan of cooper I have 3, 2 wood/blued and a stainless/synthetic Jackson hunter in 308 which is 6.5 lbs and a real nice compact rifle. While I like the coopers I feel once you get into their magnums the price jumps considerably and for me just isn't worth it. I can't comment allot on the cz I owned a cz safari in 375 HH I didn't like the trigger on it, action felt a little rough too. As for kimbers they are nice but very light, might be something to think about before buying a light magnum that beats your shoulder to a pulp. All are good choices, but they all have their pros and cons, handle all 3 and go with the one that feels best.
 
Wow - quite the price jump on the Coopers for magnums - $1000 is a lot for that extra bit :eek:(
May have to consider something like the 280 AI, 308, 6.5-06, 270W if I go that route
I suspect the deer or moose wont notice much of a difference
 
Mudduck said:
Caliber preference would be 270 W / 7 MM Rem / 300 WinMag
I currently have a 270 WSM and a 30 06... Would be used for Moose, Elk, maybe bear and deer
Expecting to spend around $1800 - $2600 for rifle only...
Click to expand...

A couple questions; what are your current platforms? Are they bolt action rifles? Rem 700, Win 70, Tikka T3??? What qould the "primary" use be for this new gun? What sort of hunting do you currently do that is not well suited to your current guns???

Right now it seems to me that your new caliber choices are an approximate duplication of what you already have... Perhaps there is a better caliber or platform that will broaden the scope of your hunting?
 
I've got big game Kimbers in .270WSM (Montana) 7mm rem Mag (Classic Select grade) and .338 Win Mag(Classic). The recoil isn't as bad as you might think, and is over quickly. Weights of the magnums are a bit more than the standards but are still very light on the grand scheme of things. They all shoot and function perfectly, are all steel and walnut (except for the Montana) have full length barrels and hold a hand-full of cartridges. CRF actions and M70 safeties too. Excellent triggers, and to me great looking rifles.

My Coopers both shoot well and function except that they really don't like to have 3 in the mag and one in the barrel or even 3 in the mag and none in the barrel. There's enough grinding, binding and failures to eject that I quit doing that in a hurry. It probably wouldn't matter to most, but I was using the one (30-06 Classic) for a culling rifle and the issue came up with every mag change that the rifle wasn't empty and every time I tried carrying it loaded to capacity. It did shoot well when screaming hot though. My other Cooper is a Western Classic in 7 STW. It shoots, shares the stubborn mag issue with the 30-06 and is far from light. Good looking rifle, depending on what you like. It also cost 3 to 4 times what my Kimbers cost so not being dogass ugly is sort of expected. Triggers are great.

I've got 5 CZs. For awhile a couple of big ones filled my big rifle needs, but for fit, finish and feel I wouldn't put them in the same class as a Winchester never mind a Kimber or Cooper.
 
Dogleg, you make me drool hearing about your collection. Lol
I guess I need to look closer at the Kimbers

Hoytcanon. To answer your question - 270 wsm Sako bolt, 3006 Benelli semi. I don't really need another caliber, nor another rifle for my hunting requirements ... Just kind of want one
 
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