Mark Stone, owner of Nighthawk Custom, announced last week that his company has acquired Cooper Firearms of Montana. The rifle company will now operate as Cooper Rifles of Arkansas and will be located on the same campus as Nighthawk Custom in Northwest Arkansas.
“Customers of Cooper will be pleased to know that the name, legacy, and reputation of building high quality custom rifles will continue, and we as a company look forward to strengthening the brand and even improve upon the quality of the past,” Stone wrote in the announcement. “We ask for your patience during this time of transition as we move all operations to Berryville, AR. At this time, we are not able to give you an exact date that Cooper Rifles will begin operations. The process will take time, and our goal is to ensure the same great products and customer service from Cooper Rifles that you have come to know and expect from Nighthawk Custom. It will be worth the wait, and we know that you will be thrilled with the quality, craftsmanship, and our excellent customer support.”
Dan Cooper and two former staff members of Kimber of Oregon established Cooper Rifles of Montana, opening operations in Stevensville, MT, in 1990. Cooper stepped down from the CEO position in late 2008, although the company’s reputation for producing accurate and reliable rifles continued to grow and flourish after his departure.
“As owner and CEO of Nighthawk Custom, I am very excited about this acquisition,” Stone wrote. “Cooper has a long reputation of building fine and accurate rifles for over 30 years. Each rifle will be built with 100% fully machined parts, stunning wood, hand checkering, and beautiful finishes that are a perfect fit with our existing offerings that we are known for.”
