Well after doing more research,I didn't buy the Sako 85 after all.I ended up buying a Cooper Jackson Hunter in 280AI instead.After doing much research online,I could find nothing but praise for the Cooper rifles.As well,I prefer the Cooper stock,and it was available in 280AI.The 1/2" accuracy guarantee certainly didn't hurt either.I would have preferred a stainless action,but at least the barrel is stainless.Prophet River has the gun in stock,and the price was just over $100 more than the cost of the Sako 85.As well,I can use lower priced Leupold rings to match the bases that come with the rifle.A spare magazine is also priced lower than for the Sako,so overall,the Cooper will actually cost me slightly less than the Sako 85.Best of all,Prophet River has Nolser brass in stock for the 280AI.Finally,I was impressed that Prophet River had the brass and spare magazines in stock,and Clay was a pleasure to deal with.
Didn't buy the Sako 85
- Thread starter stubblejumper
- Start date
quackquackbang
CGN Regular
- Location
- Newfoundland
Congrats with the purchase!!! should be a tack driver for sure!!!
350tracker
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Interlake Manitoba
Good for you. Excellent choice, not that I’ve ever owned or handle a Cooper but from what I read they are one heck of a rifle for accuracy. I never realized that any Cooper rifles have a detachable magazine. This is one feature I’ve always liked about Sako’s...
Just had my model 52 cooper .280ai out the other day. Tried out some test loads, I also got the nosler brass and a spare mag. The rifle felt great, action works smooth, not a hiccup in 40 rounds. I was very impressed with my cooper, the only complaint I have is the thin recoil pad. A decelerator would have been a nice touch but I guess they're not chambered in magnum's so probably not that big of a deal. It took me a little while to get on to the bolt release, it made me mad, but I got the hang of it, not mad anymore.
Which rifle do you have?The pad on the Jackson hunter doesn't look all that thin.
http://www.cooperfirearms.com/rifles.php?rifle_name=jh
Yup, I am 6ft4 with no hair on my knuckles! Gotta be 14.5 LOP for me at least on a straight stock! I like the Monte Carlo design better than the straight stocks also! I shouldered many straight stocks with a 14 LOP and they seem so short, so 13.75 is real short for me? That drop on the Monte Carlo design sure seems to make a difference. That Sako hunter with an extra 1/2 inch fits me like a glove. That's why I love them! Never shouldered the Jackson though, it may fit better with the drop. The Excalibur caught my eye because of the extra goodies! Fluted bolt & barrel!
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I know all that, LOP is the same on the T3's too, they just lack the cheek piece. Personally I hate the Sako 85 stocks, they don't fit me worth a darn and it sucks compared to the 75 IMHO. When I was refering to Sako stocks I was meaning my Sako Hunters as I am an AV action guy. Hunters are exactly like the 75's. I didn't state that in my original post, my apologies. Like I said I never shouldered a Jackson, only the Excalibur and it didn't fit me. If it fits you then that is the important thing. They are a very nice rifle and the 280 AI is a very good round. My hunting buddy shoots a 280 AI on a custom 700 with 24's on it and it is a fabulous rifle. Recoil is very nice and the cartridge will come very close to a Rem Mag with light bullets. It does fall short with the heavier bullets though. I think you will be pleased with your decision.
I forget what he was getting for speed with the 139gr Interbonds? They did not shoot as good as the heaver bullets out of his rifle. He is actually using the 168gr Bergers because they shoot awesome in his rifle. They only run @ just over 2800 FPS but I seen him take a 200 class NT Mulie at a NO BS 844 yards! It penetrated both shoulders and hung up, and what was left was sitting in the opposite side shoulder. I forget what the bullet drop is at that range, and I am much too tired at this time of the night to dig my software out to figure it out! After seeing that shot with my own eyes and the penetration it did got me seriously thinking about that cartridge! But I still don't have one!
Taken from the Cooper website;
The idea originated from a squirrel hunt I was on with my friend, Clifton Jackson, down in the White River area of Arkansas (just across the river from Mississippi). Yes, the rifle is named after Clifton (“Pete”) Jackson. Our quest became the design of the world’s finest squirrel hunting rifle ever made…the “Ferrari of all squirrel rifles”.
The Cooper 280AI rifles have a 1 in 10" twist instead of the usual 1 in 9" or 1 in 9-1/2" twists used in most higher velocity 7mm class cartridges.That is just one more think that I liked about the Cooper.I had all of my custom 7mmstw rifles equipped with 1 in 10" twist barrels.
