Cooper 92 Backcountry and heavier bullets

Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
932
Location
Broomfield, CO
I'm toying with purchasing a Cooper 92, leaning tdd towards 280 Ackley. Been trying to do as much due diligence as I can via internet searches. Seems to be generally happy customers, but one theme that occasionally pops up is the rifles only grouping well with lighter end bullets. I also notice that most of the Cooper .5moa test targets are lighter bullets (some 130s, a lot of 140 barnes). I'm a medium, medium heavy bullet guy, so this gives me a bit of pause. I don't need it to shoot 160s or heavier at .5moa, but I'd like to feel comfortable that with a little experimenting I could expect 1 inch....
So I see a few posts on various sites over the last few years of folks struggling with anything but light bullets for the 280ai and 300WM in the Cooper 92. But on the other hand, you're much more likely to find negative stuff than positive stuff (happy folks are too busy out happily hunting). I just want to be happy if I'm going to spend this kind of money on a rifle - I don't want one that takes months and hundreds of dollars in components try to get it to group 160-165 class bullets. So after all this rambling- can some current or former Cooper 92 owners share their thoughts/opinions?
 
I’m selling a 92 in 7mm. Right in the middle of the two!!!! 1/2 minute shooter. I have Norma brass to include

PM me if interested


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My Cooper 92 280AI will shoot nice tiny groups with 160 gr Nosler Accubond factory loadings. The bull in my avatar got 4 of em last Wednesday at 310 yards.
 
Damn had to shoot it 4 times?

Shot until he wasn’t moving. 3 while he was on his legs, he went down but picked up his head after a couple minutes so he got a 4th that obliterated his heart and he was immediately done. Either my 2nd or 3rd was a bit low and back too though.
 
From what I remember, most of the 92s that struggled with heavier bullets were in 300 WM. I had a demo one in 300 WM that pretty much only grouped well with smaller gr bullets. It did not like the heavier grain stuff. I think if you are not going 300 WM you have more options in bullet grain. My 92 was one of the early models so perhaps things have changed, but that was my experience... Sure was a good looking rifle though... : )

I have attached the best group I could get with the 200gr loads. Not bad at a 100yds, but I expected more from a quasi custom rifle. Enough so that I did not purchase the demo model and sent it back. It had some stock to action fitment issues as well.... To bad to, as it checked all the boxes on my wish list and I'd still be rocking it today if it were not for those challenges.

It shot an AMAZING group at the factory with 168gr Handloads.. I wanted a tight shooter with premium factory ammo, in the 200gr + 300 WM bullets. Might have been able to get there with more time, just shouldn't have been that difficult.

Cooper M92.jpg200gr.jpg
Cooper Group.jpg
 
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