Stainless/synthetic rifles are all the rage these days and are very practical (I own some), but Cooper Firearms of Montana is still putting out old school rifles crafted in blued steel and finely finished walnut. I purchased this from a friend last winter and am thrilled to have it.
It's a Model 52 Custom Classic chambered in .30-06.
Special order options include:
Exhibition Grade French Walnut
Case Color Metal
Case Color Tally Rings
Niedner Checkered Steel Butt Plate
Checkered Bolt Knob
Ebony Grip Cap
Inlayed Sling Swivels
People often say "they don't make them like they used to", but I'd put the build quality and attention to detail right up there with anything from the last century. I trust you'll enjoy the photos.
That just may be the nicest wood I've ever seen on a rifle. One of my favorite rifles is a Cooper Model 22 in 7mm-08 but the wood is nothing like yours. Too bad they ran out of bullets before they could complete that three shot group. Enjoy.
I have a friend that ordered a Cooper of Montana, Jackson Squirrel Rifle for his grandson the day he was born. His initials and birth date are the serial number also the SN of the matching Leupold scope!
I have a Cooper 21 heavy varmint in 223 Remington that came with a group like that, and 1400 rounds later still groups like that. But mine has no upgrades, it is only "good looking"!
Cooper will do almost anything you are willing to pay for. A friend has a Cooper 23 action (300 WSSM action) with 3 bolts (223, 308 and Magnum bolt faces) he has 7 or 8 different caliber barrels he switches out. The 23 action is long discontinued and the one used for this rifle was the last. These barrels are regular threaded barrels, not quick switch! The accuracy he gets is litterly unbeatable! He and his friends won the Cooper Shoot Off several years in a row! The guy with the Jackson Squirrel Rifle was running in first and this guy was the last shooter. The target is an aiming dot on an oil painting, and it was reported the final shooter "Missed" the target. The winner gets a Cooper 21 or 22 in the caliber of his choice and the target oil painting. When the winner got the painting home, He noticed the "Stray" bullet hole in the back of the target, in looking at the image side he found the bullet hole in dead center of the pictured deer's butt! These guns put the bullet where it is aimed and nowhere else!
Ivan
Last edited by Ivan the Butcher; 10-12-2017 at 10:25 PM.