Jeff Cooper

Jeff Cooper

May 10, 1920 - September 25, 2006

I never had the opportunity to meet Colonel Cooper in person, but he has taught me much. My small skills in The Modern Technique of the Pistol were gained from reading his commentary and from second and third hand instruction from those he has taught in person. If you have happened to stumble upon this page and do not know who Jeff Cooper was, here is a brief biography:

If you don't know who Jeff Cooper is you are obviously not a shooter. For those who may have come in late or are new to the shooting sports, here is a little bit about him.

Born John Dean Cooper on May 10, 1920, and known to his friends as "Jeff," he is a former Marine Lt. Colonel who served in WWII and Korea, history professor and an ongoing student of history, philosopher, adventurer, author, and shottist. Jeff is recognized as the father of what is commonly referred to as "The Modern Techniques of Shooting." The modern technique deals with "practical" shooting--that is the use of firearms in their intended roles as tools for personal protection and hunting rather than just instruments of recreation.

Jeff makes no claim as to his inventing anything novel. Rather he recognized and codified the useful ideas and techniques of many different individuals spanning many years, Many of these older ideas had been forgotten in the rush to "improve" things. Combining and modifying them through observation of unrestricted competition and personal testing, he gradually developed "The Modern Technique." While his principal contributions have been in the field of defensive pistolcraft, he has also been a major (if not the major) contributor to practical riflecraft and defensive shotgunning. Many people have taken the theories he developed and now either claim that they invented them or fail to at least give him credit when they teach them. However, the fact remains that it was Jeff who started it all and whose ideas have held up to the test of time.

In addition, since ideas are useless unless taught to others, Jeff then developed new teaching techniques to impart these skills to people in the most efficient manner possible. In 1975 he founded the American Pistol Institute whose overriding purpose was to teach weaponcraft to law-abiding citizens and law enforcement personnel.

In Yavapai did Uncle Jeff
A stately shooting range decree,
Where senators and belted earls,
And cooks and cops and working girls,
Could study weaponry

As API began to teach the rifle and shotgun as well as the pistol, the name was hanged to Gunsite which Jeff ran until mid 1992 when it was sold to a new owner who pretty much destroyed the school's reputation to Jeff's dismay. He was not associated with the Gunsite Training Center that existed from that date until October 1999. The original Gunsite under Jeff has come to be known as "orange" Gunsite while the circa '92 - 99 school is generally referred to as "gray" Gunsite, due to a change in the school's colors by that management.

There were many people who felt that the things that made Gunsite under Jeff a very special experience were missing, never to be attained again.

As one graduate so aptly put it:

"Another analogy, if you will: In Winchester Cathedral in SE England rests the Round Table. One can read the legends, one can follow the code of chivalry, one can practice skill at arms. But one cannot sit at that table ever again."

However, the school has changed owners again and it is now known as Gunsite Academy. The new owners involved Jeff in the school again and things are looking up at Gunsite. The new management has restored the former status and integrity to the school and from all reports they have succeeded handsomely.

Jeff is also the founder of the International Practical Shooting Confederation, a member of the NRA Board of Directors, and Editor-at-large for Guns & Ammo magazine. He has taught defensive pistolcraft in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa, Southwest Africa, and Rhodesia. Jeff is the recipient of the 1995 Outstanding American handgunner award. He is the author of many thought-provoking, insightful, and well-written books and articles on many subjects besides just shooting. In February of 2001 Jeff received an award from the Saint Gabriel Possenti Society, honoring his contributions to handgunning. (St.Possenti is the patron saint of shooters--particularly handgunners)

Rest in Peace Colonel, you made this world a better, and safer place to be.

The above bio was taken from Fr. Frogs Pad.

Jeff Cooper's Commentaries can be found here.