Front Sight, Press

Col. Jeff Cooper finally shot to slide lock on September 25, 2006. He was born on May 10, 1920. He became a Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corp serving in WWII and the Korean conflict. He founded the American Pistol Institute which later came to be known as Gunsite. He founded The International Practical Shooting Confederation, was a member of the NRA Board of Directors, and Editor-at-large for Guns & Ammo magazine. Most of us got to know Jeff most clearly through his “Cooper’s Commentaries” published in Guns & Ammo magazine. His thoughts were often startling and his wit was always acerbic.

Cooper is best known as the developer of “The Modern Technique of the Pistol” which codified defensive pistolcraft into a system which could be readily communicated and understood. The Modern Technique includes such things as stance (Weaver), big-bore auto-loading pistols (particularly the M1911), rapid presentation, accurate shooting at speed (flash sight picture), and warrior mindset. Today, virtually all practical shooters owe their method to the Modern Technique, whether they realize it or not.

The Colonel was a singular character, the likes of whom we shall not see again. He was the philosopher-king of the practical pistol community. The thoughts and attitudes that he articulated about self-defense, the right of people to keep, bear, and use their arms in the defense of personal liberty and life itself are as important to me as the Modern Technique. Jeff articulated a point of view that resonated with all of us. You have a right to defend yourself. You have a right to answer violent aggression with superior violence. You have an obligation to prepare yourself to the best of your abilities and take responsibility for your own life. At times he sounded harsh, even ferocious, but there was a precision about his logic that was hard to argue with. As others have noted, he “didn’t suffer fools gladly.” He set a high standard, and refused compromise. He established a vision of the warrior that will endure.

Cooper was the great evangelist of the M1911 in .45 ACP for personal defense. After all, it had gotten him through two wars quite handily. During an era enamored with DA/SA 9mm’s with high-capacity magazines (Cooper called them”Crunchentickers”), Cooper held out for the M1911 .45. In the M1911, he found “Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas,” meaning “Accuracy, Power, and Speed.” His favorite personal sidearm was a Colt Commander. In my own thrashing about to find the right personal sidearm, I found that I agreed with Cooper. I got more accuracy, power and speed with the M1911 than I did with other types of pistols.

“The 1911 pistol remains the service pistol of choice in the eyes of those who understand the problem. Back when we audited the FBI academy in 1947, I was told that I ought not to use my pistol in their training program because it was not fair. Maybe the first thing one should demand of his sidearm is that it be unfair.” — Col. Jeff Cooper, GUNS & AMMO, January 2002

“Is the shooter ready?”

ABOUT JEFF COOPER
http://www.frfrogspad.com/cooper.htm
http://neveryetmelted.com/?p=1623

COOPER’S COMMENTARIES ARCHIVE
http://harris.dvc.org.uk/jeff/index.html

FAVORITE QUOTES FROM JEFF COOPER
http://tinyurl.com/q93lk
http://www.gunsandammomag.com/coop2_092706/index.html
http://blog.joehuffman.org/2006/09/26/Jeff+Cooper.aspx