Any reviews of the Cooper TR-3

D

decr8er

Guest
Who has any experience with the Cooper TR-3? This looks to me like a nice intermediate rifle...something between the Savage,CZ,Ruger crowd and the Calfee few ( for example). I aspire to a Calfee rifle, but I also have a wife. As we all know wives and children are the two biggest barriers between ourselves, and the men that we could become. I have managed to survive the child part, but still have my darling bride to contend with. She is so beautiful(ly unaware of my expenditures). I can sneak a $1200 purchase past her, but not $2500+....therefore, I am hoping that someone has a few spectacular things to say about these Coopers.
Having mentioned you Mr.Calfee, you didn't include the Cooper action in your wonderful article. I would love to hear what you have to say, and would take your opinion very seriously.
Thanks all, tim
 
We have had a few of them up around here and your thoughts are correct, it is a fine "intermediate" rig not far off the pace. If you get one make sure it's in the latter green stock with the proper pillars it it. If you ever "upgrade" it is a nice saleable item and you should not get beat up @ resale time IMHO.
 
Thanks Tim,
I don't quite understand so help me out here...is the green stock the only one that they pillar-bed? Am I missing the secret? The nice folks at Cooper have answered a few of my more specific questions regarding the sear angle (90 degrees) which is not good, but the screwed-in barrel is a plus. They recommend Jard as the replacement for the trigger ( why they wouldn't defend their own trigger kinda puzzled me for a moment, but I really appreciated the honesty!!).
Do you have one of these Tim? I will probably buy one for my birthday in September...I can't resist.
Thanks again Tim, tim
 
Trp-3

will shoot out of the box ($1500) but you'll do better if you add a tuner and a lighter trigger. I have a Jard trigger ($190) and Hoehn tuner ($150) on my TRP-3 (green stock with aluminum pillar bedding) and Weaver T-36 scope ($400). That brings the total price to around $2240 or so. Use that to compare to whatever BR rifles cost in your area. Don't forget you'll need a front rest (I highly recommend Joe Cowan's rest. Search on RimfireCentral for photos and contact info), front and rear bags and then start pricing BR quality ammo. A cheap sport it certainly isn't!!! I've been shooting rimfire BR about 15 months and am afraid to add up how much I have spent!

I shot my first 250-15X, 248-12-X, 248-10X with it April 22. I generally shoot IR50/50 scores in the mid to high 240s depending on how well I read the wind. The "green monster" shoots good groups as well. In last Sunday's ARG match, I was second place in light custom with an agg of 0.2902" (aggregate of five 5-shot 50 yd groups), 1st in heavy custom (agg 0.2562") and 1st in unlimited class (agg 0.2374"). Those aggregates included 13 of 15 groups under 0.300". Two of them were under 0.200" The week before I beat the old national record for small group in light custom class (0.094"). The limiting factor isn't the rifle, it is the shooter!

I am very pleased with the rifle and would recommend one highly. Another shooter in my club has an identical rifle and he shoots it well but is farther back on the learning curve than I am. Mine likes Eley with speeds between 1040 and 1060 fps. Of course that is Eley's posted speed for that lot in their test barrel. I am sure it is different in my rifle.

Hope that's the sort of glowing testimonial you were looking for.

Rick

All of the TRP-3rifles made now are in green Bell & Carlson aluminum pillar bedded stocks. The factory trigger will not adjust below about 1 lb. Cooper has declined to make a lighter one. I would be glad to give you any specifics on my rifle and equipment but, as I said, I am new to the sport as well. Your results may differ!
 
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decr8er said:
Thanks Tim,
I don't quite understand so help me out here...is the green stock the only one that they pillar-bed? Am I missing the secret? The nice folks at Cooper have answered a few of my more specific questions regarding the sear angle (90 degrees) which is not good, but the screwed-in barrel is a plus. They recommend Jard as the replacement for the trigger ( why they wouldn't defend their own trigger kinda puzzled me for a moment, but I really appreciated the honesty!!).
Do you have one of these Tim? I will probably buy one for my birthday in September...I can't resist.
Thanks again Tim, tim
Click to expand...

Tim,
Most if not all of the early guns came with red Mcmillan stocks. Many if not all of those seemed to be missing the pillars.Cooper switched out the stocks to another brand with installed pillars, they seem to be fine, however I'd assume there might be a few early ones kicking around. The other thing to make damned sure of is that I have seen at least one gun that did not have the bbl plugged when it got bead blasted and the inside of the muzzle got bead blasted as well, bbl replaced. I suspect that was pretty rare. We've had about 6 around here and I shot a couple. They really are pretty decent and unless you're ready to win most matches you will not feel disatvantaged with one unless your gonna drop $2500-$3000 on a pure custom.
 
I have number 47 of the original in the red stock. It was not pilar beded but is is now. I think a 248 was its best with the fACTORY 1 LB TRIGGER. I listed it for sale in the classified last fall. It can be bought for $1,000. Plus shipping if interested let me know and I will list it again in the classifieds.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I won't be able to buy one until the fall...what a long wait!! It looks like a very handsome rifle.
I was going to buy a 36x Weaver as well as a Hoehn tuner for my Savage in the next few months. It won't shock my wife so much that way. I have spent way too much this year on my rifles, she'd brain me if a new one showed up so soon. I'm sure that everyone can commiserate with me there.
Thanks again,t
 
Tuners

are bored to fit your rifle barrel. If you're going to move the tuner from the Savage to another rifle be sure the new rifle has the same or larger barrel diameter. If it is larger, you can have it re-bored to fit. FWIW, the TRP-3 barrel is 0.875" and not tapered. The Hoehn tuner clamps to the barrel with two allen screws.

As far as handsome rifles go: IMHO the TRP-3 is butt-ugly but sure does shoot!:D
 
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