shrapnel
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2015
- Messages
- 2,800
I have dozens of Sako rifles and they have always performed great for me and their quality of manufacturing is second to none. Several years ago, I bought a Cooper 57M in 17 HMR and shot it for years, not considering that it was accurate beyond any other rifle. I had also picked up a Cooper 38 in 17 Hornet and it became my favorite medium range varmint rifle.
I was at the Billings gun show in January and a guy had 2 Cooper model 21’s in 221 Fireball and 17 Remington. Already having 2 17 Remington rifles, I was hesitant, but thought it might be nice to get a heavy barrel 17 Remington. I bought it and put a scope on it and with the ammunition I had already loaded for the 2 Sakos I had, I took it to the range and it was easily less than a half inch gun.
I took it shooting prairie dogs and the friend that went with me was blown away with it’s consistent accuracy and lethality at 400 yards. He decided he wanted one and I found him another one. We sighted it in and it was the same as mine.
I found a 220 Swift in a model 22 and bought it, scoped it and sighted it in, and again, another less than half inch gun. We were out with it Wednesday shooting prairie dogs again, and he decided he needs a 220 Swift now.
The addiction didn’t stop there, I was at the Kalispell gun show and found a Jackson Squirrel model 38 in 218 Bee and it does the same. Being stung by the Cooper bee, I got another model 21 in 204 Ruger. When components are impossible to find, it is good to have friends that happen to have some testing components laying around.
I called John Barsness to see what he might have and he put together a nice goody bag for me and I went back to the range and had another great shooting varmint rifle. I don’t know where the addiction is taking me, but I am headed back to the prairie dog fields with a nice group of nearly one hole varmint rigs.
Has anyone else noticed this consistency, or am I just lucky?





I was at the Billings gun show in January and a guy had 2 Cooper model 21’s in 221 Fireball and 17 Remington. Already having 2 17 Remington rifles, I was hesitant, but thought it might be nice to get a heavy barrel 17 Remington. I bought it and put a scope on it and with the ammunition I had already loaded for the 2 Sakos I had, I took it to the range and it was easily less than a half inch gun.
I took it shooting prairie dogs and the friend that went with me was blown away with it’s consistent accuracy and lethality at 400 yards. He decided he wanted one and I found him another one. We sighted it in and it was the same as mine.
I found a 220 Swift in a model 22 and bought it, scoped it and sighted it in, and again, another less than half inch gun. We were out with it Wednesday shooting prairie dogs again, and he decided he needs a 220 Swift now.
The addiction didn’t stop there, I was at the Kalispell gun show and found a Jackson Squirrel model 38 in 218 Bee and it does the same. Being stung by the Cooper bee, I got another model 21 in 204 Ruger. When components are impossible to find, it is good to have friends that happen to have some testing components laying around.
I called John Barsness to see what he might have and he put together a nice goody bag for me and I went back to the range and had another great shooting varmint rifle. I don’t know where the addiction is taking me, but I am headed back to the prairie dog fields with a nice group of nearly one hole varmint rigs.
Has anyone else noticed this consistency, or am I just lucky?




