Cooper-Rem 260

J

JEC

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
27   0   0
Location
Alberta
My long awaited Cooper Classic in Rem 260 arrived today. It's a beauty! Very nice wood with matching grainlines on each side of the stock. The Classic is a single shot, bolt action, glass bedded with a match grade barrel and is guaranteed to shoot 3 shot groups 1/2" or less (handloads) @ 100yds.
I think their factory groups are shot at about 35 yds off bags...and extrapolated to calculate the 1/2" gaurantee. The factory test target for this rifle measures 0.04" C to C (yes, 4/100th of an inch)! That would be impressive if fired at 10 yds. The barrel has a muzzle diameter of 0.7" which puts it in the heavy sporter category. Rifle weighs about 7 1/2lbs.
I usually sell rifles after I play with them for a few months so watch the exchange forum for this one. I can tell you that the wait for a Cooper in Canada is a very long process.
 
JEC,
Sounds like a beauty, where did you get it from?
I picked up a Montana Varminter in 19-.223 Calhoon, from Brandon Manitoba, JoBrooks Arms.
Long wait, but all in all it was worth it.
Take care , Gunmedic.
 
I ordered the Classic through Wholesale Sports. The "initial" order was placed in Jan / 05.... and then re-ordered in Nov / 06. If nothing else, I learned to be patient! Will try to get a pic posted. The "fit" on this rifle is really exceptional.
 
Last edited:
JEC's Cooper. :)


cooperA.jpg


cooperB.jpg
 
Did the shoot and clean break-in today. First 100M group with a "fouled barrel" came in at 0.31 using the powder (H414) used to shoot the test target. Will start load development next using H4350 as I think it will prove to be a better charge for the 260. I'm not a fan of ball powders.
Bore must be pretty smooth as she cleans up with little effort.
I know there are not a lot of guys that sell as soon after purchase as I do, but think of it this way. Get a new rifle that is a bit hard to obtain (out of the box) to shoot well ... and somebogy will be happy to pay my purchase price. I get to play with lots of new guns. Buyers don't have to wait for months/years ...they get to see a pic of the rifle ...test target group... before they purchase. They don't have that opportunity when they order because you "get what they give you".
Thanks for posting the pic Charley!
 
I will be buying a Cooper one of these days. I will not support wholesale though. I know of a few other places that can order in Coopers, and there's always Questart as well (though I don't see the need to spend $250 to get it done when there are other dealers who can, will and do do it for nothing)
 
Switched to a 120 gr bullet in front of H4350 at 10% below max and got some decent groups right off the mark. More under 1/2MOA than over so I will keep testing until I (hopefully) find the load that is sub 1/2MOA and then start playing with the seating depth. I expect things will improve once I get my brass fire formed sincs all groups to date were fired from new brass. No doubt, this rifle will be a shooter.

prosper - I know what you mean re: some of the stuff that happens with WS.
I too, have had some issues. I also hear lots of negatives at the range. That being said, the guys behind the counter that I deal with do a good job.
 
I stared at that gun for about a minute and now I think I need a smoke. And I don't smoke. That gun is absolutely georgeous, and it shoots like house on fire. You are a very lucky man..........Congrats
 
That is a gorgous rifle.

I shoot 140 and 142 gr match bullets out of my 260. I suggest you try a heavier bullete and 4831.

A heavier bullet inc ase the rifle really likes it and becasue the heavier bullet will shoot very well at longer distances, bucking the wind.

4831 burns cooler than 4350. barrel life will be better. A rifle like yours will get shot a lot.
 
The H4350 is producing groups that consitently average 1/2" @ 100M so I am ready to "tinker" with seating distance. I may give the H4831 a try with longer bullets, but shooting those 120 grainers is pretty pleasant in terms of recoil. So ends my Range Report on this rifle. It's a 9 out of 10 in all categories (accuracy / fit and finish / looks ). Should be ready to sell in a few months!
 
Well I got the Cooper out again after a two month break during which time I spent playing with the TC Icon. The H4350 loads that performed well in the fall opened up when I tried them at -10C so I started tinkering with Reloader 19 behind a 120 gr bullet. I am only shooting 3 shot groups @ 100M. I shot 4 groups today with two different powder charges and the over-all average was (just under) 0.5" which included a "bad" group(that included the cold round) that measured 0.83". The next 3 groups measured 0.39 / 0.30 / 0.45.....temp was -4C.
This rifle will likely be for sale in January.
 
GANDERITE said:
That is a gorgous rifle.

I shoot 140 and 142 gr match bullets out of my 260. I suggest you try a heavier bullete and 4831.

A heavier bullet inc ase the rifle really likes it and becasue the heavier bullet will shoot very well at longer distances, bucking the wind.

4831 burns cooler than 4350. barrel life will be better. A rifle like yours will get shot a lot.
Click to expand...

How the heck do you figure that? Just because one powder is slower than another doesn't mean it is 'cooler'. Nor does one powder burn barrels faster than another unless you add sand to it. Both of those powders are used indescriminatly by long range shooters that favor the 6.5-284, and you never hear of people complaining about the H4350 burning precious barrel life. And trust me, they would.

And due to the speed of the .260 pushing 142grs(2750ish), it doesn't buck wind any better than a high BC 120gr (B-TIP) (2900)at long range (400+). Try it sometime, I ain't lyin'.

It's not that I don't like the 140's, it is the facts behind it that don't smell right.
 
Last edited:
Cooper 260 Rem

I have about finished "playing" with my Cooper so will give a "final"... final report before I put it on the Exchange.
* I shot 57 (3 shot groups) @100M (Sept) using H4350 behind Sierra 120 BTHPM in different conditions and trying different seating depths/powder volumes. Composite average over all these groups was 0.56"
* I shot 13 (3 shot groups) @ 100M using RE19..................in temps varying between -3 to -13C ......producing an agerage of 0.54"

Given the variety of temperature / wind conditions and the fact that I was trying different volumes of powder and seating depths...these averages are pretty decent.

I also "flirted" very briefly with resizing 308 brass down to 260R and got some impressive groups, but they were inconsistent---I suspect because of the thickness of the brass at the neck. Unfortunately, I do not have a pilot to turn down the necks...so I gave up on the resizing project.
 
Since my next rifle has not arrived, I decided to pull the Cooper from the Exchange Forum and "play" a bit more.
I thought groups averaging 0.42" @ 100M were decent with RE 19 behind a 120 gr bullet..............until I tried it behind some 107 Sierra Matchkings.
Most groups just under 0.4" until I found a "sweet spot" with 45 gr of RE 19.
It was -8 today and I shot only two groups---one 3shot @ 100M = 0.18" and one 5 shot = 0.33" SWEET!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom