Not a big deal
In my humble experience that Coker does not play at all like a "D" series McD.
Coker plays good,Just not the same.
I disagree, Both cues are made to much a like...........................
balance point. butt Dia, they can play allot alike just like any other big pin flat face wood to wood jointed cue.
I don't want created bad feelings. but not every McDermott plays the same,. and that pretty much goes for every cue ever made. No two cues play exactly the same.
90% of the time tip ,ferule ,and taper adjustments and you can get two cues to play fairly close to each other.
For me. I have been buying, selling, repairing pool cues for about 8 years.
I have been playing for 52 years.
I sale Cokers and McDermott's as part of my living.
I am not so sure if I was blind folded I would be able to tell them apart.
Just a thought but if you took ten cue makers that uses a 3/8 x 10 pin flat face wood to wood jointed cues made exactly alike with out their name on the cue.
Do you think you could pick out who made it.
I rather not go into who is right or wrong, but to see if I can help find a pool cue that the op will be very happy with.
It is the OP's opinion that counts in this case.
I do think there is a reasonable solution, Just need to find out if there is any one that lives close to the op that owns a Coker cue the OP could test hit a few times.
No one is out any money, and the OP should be happy with what he found out.
In all honesty I can taper down a shaft on any cue so its so whippy you would swear it was a Meucci. (Extreme comment)
I can make any two cues of the same maker play different.
There is to many factors to consider, the best is to let the op try out some different cues to see what he really likes.
MMike