Although still a young
company, Cooper Firearms of Montana
Inc has firmly placed its mark in the history of American shooting sports.
Having set a standard of quality formerly reserved to custom gunmakers has made
these rifles stand out in the field and draw crowds at local shooting
ranges.
Beginning in 1990 a handful of former employees
from Kimber of Oregon, with over 50 years in combined experience, set out to
design and build the finest production rifles made in the United
States.
With the development of the Model 36 TRP-1 (Target Rifle
Project-Phase 1), and then the
Model 38 in 22CCM in a
traditional sporting stock design, the Cooper reputation for craftsmanship and accuracy had
begun.
In 1993, the team began experimenting with a
single shot varmint rifle in .223 Rem. with an emphasis on accuracy. This 3-lug bolt action
single-shot, along with an innovative new stock design, became the Model 21 “Varmint Extreme”.
Soon the demand
from the varmint hunting and target shooting communities encouraged the
development and release of the Model 22 for the 22-250 / 25-06 range of calibers
and the reintroduction of the Model 38 to accommodate rimmed cartridges.
Followed, in 1995, by the introduction of the Model 40, a 3-mid locking lug 4-shot repeater
designed around the 22 Hornet.
The now famous 1/2" at 100 yards Cooper Firearms of
Montana Inc accuracy guarantee for center fire rifles began in 1998 with the introduction of the
“Varminter” in Models 21 and 22.
Soon after, the Montana Varminter was and became an
instant classic.
The Model 57, 22LR, was added to the line-up in 1999,
eventually evolving into the Model 57M in 2001 and is currently available in 22LR, 17
Mach 2, 22WMR and the 17HMR with a wide assortment of stock styles to choose
from.
In 2005, two new stock designs became available; the “Phoenix” a synthetic
version of the Montana Varminter and the “Jackson Squirrel Rifle”, said to be
the Ferrari of squirrel guns.
For years
Cooper fans had been hounding the staff to build a big game repeater that met the high
standards of accuracy and beauty that they have come to expect. In 2007 their
persistence paid off by way of the Model 52, designed to handle cartridges in
the 30-06 family.
With a team of
devoted craftsmen, a skilled design crew and a dedication to quality and
customer service, the future of Cooper
Firearms of Montana Inc is guaranteed to continue at a level well above the
competition.
