Cooper 6.5x284 - Finally Pulled the Trigger!

[Xtremetj]

Well, I finally did it. I've had such a hard time deciding which caliber to go with, 6.5x284, 270 Win or 308. The safe already has magnums, two 7mm mags, a 300 WSM and I wanted something other than a magnum with less recoil.

I'm a sucker for stainless rifles and laminate stocks and I come across a Cooper that has both, stainless, laminate stock and a 24" threaded barrel. Probably more than I needed to spend to hunt deer and antelope but what the heck...I figured I might as well do it once...right

How about some scope recommendations? I have a Nikon Monarch 4x16x42...should I use it or save some pennies for something better? I honestly don't plan on hunting game beyond 500 yards at this time. Of course that could change with lots of trigger time but that's it for now.

Greg.

 

[Barrelnut]

Congratulations on the new rig. IMO, stainless and laminate were made for each other.

I would run with the Monarch until you get enough rounds downrange to decide what scope you would finally want on it. I have a couple Monarchs and they work well. I have one on a 300 WSM that dials very well. I am using it on a 300 WSM carry rifle this year with expected shots out to around 500 yards. The Monarchs don't have a ton of elevation in the turrets though with a 1" tube. But it gets me af far as I need to go.

 

[Xtremetj]

I'm old school guys.

I grew up taking the gun out back and start shooting! No break in procedure required, in fact never heard of it before but that was 30 years ago.

What's the proper way to break in the new Cooper? Should I just grab a few boxes of whatever I can find or should I break in with what I plan to shoot?

Thank for your patience! I'm a newbie...

 

[Smokinyotes]

For break in I usually do the shoot one clean one for the first 20 rounds

 

[Greyfox]

Yes, do a simple 20 round break in. 1-10 shoot one clean. Two 5 shot, then clean. I like Bore Tech CU+2. I did this with my Cooper 6.5x284 that I have used now for 7 years and have near 1000 rounds through it. It stil shoots .25MOA, holds its zero with the barrel warm, cold, clean, or dirty' and cleans up quickly after 50 rounds down the tube with just a few patches of the Bore Tech CU+2. Lots of opinions on this but I think it's cheap insurance, and surely seems to make a difference in long term performance and ease of cleaning.

 

[hydehunter]

keep in mind also that if you bought the gun new keep your paper work as Cooper has a life time warranty for the barrel. 1/2 group at 100 yards and will replace it for 125.00 total to the original owner good luck mine my 6.5-284 shoots .211 groups at 200 yards with 46 gr of rl22 and 140 Nosler BT.

 

[Rogmay]

I have a Cooper in a 7mm that I got last year, love it, glad I pulled the trigger on it, no pun intended! Talk to the guys at Cooper about break in, they told me to treat it like a Remington and just shoot it. Although like Greyfox mentioned, a break in can't hurt! Enjoy and congrats, mine was a little finicky at first with load development, but once I got it, she's good to go. Also like hydehunter said, the replacement warranty on barrels is pretty good to, you can even upgrade from Cooper down the road!

 

[WildRose]

I have a Cooper in a 7mm that I got last year, love it, glad I pulled the trigger on it, no pun intended! Talk to the guys at Cooper about break in, they told me to treat it like a Remington and just shoot it. Although like Greyfox mentioned, a break in can't hurt! Enjoy and congrats, mine was a little finicky at first with load development, but once I got it, she's good to go. Also like hydehunter said, the replacement warranty on barrels is pretty good to, you can even upgrade from Cooper down the road!

You only get one chance to do it right and it certainly seems to pay big dividends down the road. It costs so little to break one in properly in time, effort and dollars it's just flat out worth doing.