By Staff Writer: Charles Coker
Growing up in South Texas and hunting whitetails down long senderos required aan accurate flat shooting rifle. 22-250, 243, 25-06 were all standards for those old deer camps. Truth be told, we didn’t use range finders, ranging reticles, etc.. As a young hunter if I saw a deer or hog I wanted, I just aimed and slowly squeezed the trigger and boom, down it went. “Watch it drop in the scope” was what we were taught by our dad. Confidence is everything. I didn’t really know or care if it was 75 yards or 300, if I thought it was “way out there” I held to the top of the hair. Of course, those were rifles carefully worked over by my dad, trigger jobs, glass bedded actions and meticulously worked up handloads. The 25-06 has long held a special place in my heart. After spending some time looking for the “right” one and not really finding what I was looking for, I contacted Mike Hudgins at Cooper…
I wanted a really nice bolt action, a tack driver, light in weight but with a nice wood stock and a slight monte carlo cheekpiece. My target weight was 6.5-7lbs max. I spoke with Mike for quite some time on the phone about what I was looking for and he told me he could deliver. About a year later, I get a phone call and a short while later I picked up this rifle from my FFL (GT Distributors). Oh man.. was it BEAUTIFUL! It also felt light and just shouldered and felt so “right” in my hands and balanced well. My baby came in at 6.66 lbs and Mike dubbed it “Diablo” AA+ Clarino walnut, 24″ barrel with recessed target crown, DBM, adjustable trigger from 3.5 down to 1.5. The bolt cycles smoothly and it has a nice light crisp trigger break.
The weight reduction was done by running a lighter barrel profile, slimmer wood profile and by chambering out the stock much like a semi hollow guitar body. I am running a set of Talley Lightweight alloy rings on it and am awaiting shipment of the scope, a Swarovski Z3 3-10×42 with the BRH reticle. Should make for a nice combination. I have ammo from Black Hills, Federal and Nosler to test as well as my handloads.
Stay tuned for more updates..
Built up with Swarovski Z3 3-10×42 BRH
ccoker
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Charles, that is one sweet rifle that I am sure will be a pleasure to hunt with. Love the Cooper I have and it has lived up to all expectations, I have no doubt this one will as well.
Thank you sir!
I have VERY high expectations for it
Ok, cc… that things guaranteed to shoot 1/2″ groups, so the onus is on you.
No problem on my part shooting .5″ groups I assure you
I hope you will leave your politics aside to honor the messenger whose passion is challenged by SOBama. This is a gun freak’s dream realized in a little rifle which manifests two generations of damn good hunters and riflemen, the kind of folks who maintain the integrity of what we are all about. Like father, like sons, It almost made me cry to read that a rifle said what I would say about the Coker family. Charlie, if he’ll make a second one, remember me at Christmas! What a sweet little shooter that will be and it will see heavy duty, for fact! Nice
Bill,
Not to get sucked in to politics, but I can assure you, there is no way I would purchase a gun from an Obama supporter..
You need to get current on your facts.
I don’t believe that is correct beeson. From what I understand, Jeff Cooper did make a personal – not corporate – contribution to Obama in 2008. The company was sold in 2009, is under new management, and Jeff Cooper has not been out of Cooper Firearms for some time now. So, the current Cooper Firearms is not associated with that 2008 contribution.
Actually, it was Dan Cooper. Jeff Cooper, the writer, was deceased by the time this whole thing took place. Dan did indeed make a personal, not professional, contribution as a concerned small business owner. He did it with his own money though, which was his right to do so. He’s since moved on, Cooper Firearms is still an ever thriving company, and I can assure you that the name Obama is not very popular within the confines of their facility.
since cooper firearms are obama supporters, you should put that new gun barrel up your ass and pull the trigger.
Mr. Bill Beeson, You sir need to get your head out of your own anal orifice and find out facts before showing your ignorance. (but perhaps you enjoy excelling at that)