Have the opportunity to buy a Cooper Arms .17HMR

Hey guys,

I have the opportunity to purchase a Cooper Arms 57M LVT w/Buick Vents chambered in .17HMR. The rifle is in pretty good condition but has been used (range and field use and wear). I am having a hard time coming up with a reasonable price to offer (this is a friend and I don't want to screw him over, but don't want to overpay either).

Gun Bluebook is saying that a 100% rifle is somewhere in the $1,200 range and it goes down to a 60% rifle at $500. I know that there are no 100% guns out there as just opening the box drops you down to the 90% mark and it goes down from there. There are a couple of rifles like this on GunBroker that never sell and keep getting relisted for the same price so it doesn't seem to be a good price barometer.

I shot the rifle this past weekend and I will say that it shoots like a laser beam with one hole groups at 100 yards, I LOVE the trigger, it feels right, and it is a really pretty gun.

Any ideas as to what a reasonable offer to make would be? Do any of you own a Cooper Arms of Montana Rifle? What are your thoughts?

 

There are some unknowns. Rifle was owned by my friends father in law who passed away this past January. Gun has some light handling and shooting wear and tear, but doesn't look like it has been abused. He really has no idea as to the round count as I am afraid that those answers died with Larry back in January.

I took it for a little 'test drive' this past weekend and was able to get 3 shot one hole groups using Hornady 17gr rounds. Thanks for the estimate, and that is about where I was thinking too. I really can't believe the fit and finish in this rifle but with the fact that someone before me scratched it already I won't feel even a little guilty about dragging it into the field with me.

 

I still have the rifle in my possession and will try to take some photos tonight and get them up here as to the defects in the rifle. Like I said, I really don't mind the little stuff that is on the rifle as at least it takes away the fear/trepidation of being the one to put the first ding into the rifle.

 

Really sort of glad to hear that. I like the rifle and the thing shoots like a laser beam.

 

With the attention to detail on these rifles I am sort of glad to hear that too.

 

Here's the photos: http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/Buzz48317/Cooper%20Arms%2057M%20LVT/

Most obvious damage to the rifle is in the take down screws. They were obviously removed at one time (trigger adjustment maybe) and have some screwdriver marks on them the pictures make the damage seem worse than it really is. There are some small scratches in the wood of the stock, some wear on the bolt, and some small inclusions on the barrel (these are small and about the size of the point of a VERY new sharpie).

I am liking the $600-$700 number mentioned here already. I will see if he will bite at that price.

 

Does Cooper Arms do this sort of work?

 

I will talk to the owner this coming week....thinking that I will start out in the $500 range. He is not really a 'gun guy' so he may be OK with taking the first offer on the rifle. Hoping that are refit at Cooper Firearms doesn't turn into a $1,000 adventure.