Well I own a Cooper 52 Jackson Hunter in .280 Ackley Improved, and I can give you a few opinions if you'd like. Actually I don't care if you'd like them or not cause you're going to get them anyway.
My rifle had to go back to the factory due to the barrel crown being bead blasted inside the barrel likely due to a loose rubber plug during final metal finishing. Needless to say I was highly aggravated by this. Cooper took about a month to get it re-barreled and turned around back to me. I've had faster service from other manufacturers, but I've also had worse service. The new barrel also got a new test target with yet another disgustingly tight three shot group. The gunsmith that did the work wisely chose not to bead blast the new crown area so it was left in a state of high polish (which I appreciate!). Unfortunately, I have been so busy at work, and our weather has been so bad lately that I haven't had any time to get out and shoot the new barrel to see how it does.
I highly doubt that if you bought one that you would encounter a problem with a bead blasted bore, problems like that are very very rare. Even with the bead blasting damage at the crown the rifle still shot around 1" groups with 140gr Nosler Accubonds, which is not too bad for an off the shelf rifle.
One other thing you should be aware of is that the rifle has a three lug bolt, and the extractor is positioned in such a way that it angles brass at about a 45 degree angle coming out of the ejection port. What this means for you or me is that a scope in low or medium rings with target turrets is not going to work at all. I had ordered a Nightforce NXS 2.5-10X32 for this rifle, but unfortunately when mounted in low or medium rings the finger adjustable windage turret interfered with case ejection. It was so bad that often times an empty shell casing would be kicked back into the port at worst, or at best would bounce out of the action off of the scope with a dinged up case mouth. Either way not an ideal situation. This is not a problem exclusive to Cooper rifles, but is shared by just about any that I can think of with three locking lug arrangements. Had I known just how far the turrets on the Nightforce stuck out I wouldn't have bothered ordering it at all. I know that a Leupold 2.5-8X36 Vari-X III works perfectly in medium extension rings, which are needed because the scope is so short it wont work with normal rings. I have a Swarovski Z3 3-10X42 with the BRX reticle on the way along with a set of low rings, and even if the lows don't work the mediums I already have will.
The plus side to that three lug bolt is that they tend to be more accurate and have more consistent lockup than a two lug arrangement, all things being equal. You are also rewarded with a shorter bolt throw, albeit with a heavier lift given the need to cock the striker with less cam surface area. The rifle also uses a spring loaded blade ejector so you can fling brass out of the rifle like you mean it, or dribble it out real gently during practice so you can easily find it.
The trigger is outstanding, and should you need to adjust it detailed instructions are included in the instruction manual. I have not felt the need to mess with mine, it seems to be set right around 3lbs and is super super crisp. There is no take up, no slack, no over travel, just a clean crisp sear release.
As you may have noticed the rifle uses a detachable single column magazine, it is made of heavy gauge stainless steel with an anodized aluminum bottom plate on mine. The follower is highly polished and very well finished as well. Combined with a well thought out feeding ramp in the receiver the rifle feeds shells very very smoothly, even the .280 AI with its 40 degree shoulder. The bolt itself glides back and forth with little resistance or play enhancing the feeling of smooth functioning even further.
As for cosmetics, the metal work and fit to the synthetic fiberglass/kevlar/aluminum stock are all top notch. Cooper also glass bedded the action and stock even though it has an aluminum bedding block, a nice touch. The matte bluing on the receiver is nice and even with a very smooth bead blasted surface finish (unlike say a Remington with a similar finish that looks and feels like sandpaper), the color also matches the machined and anodized aluminum trigger guard/bottom metal.
Overall I think the rifle is worth the money given what you get, even after my initial trouble with mine.
