Cooper, firearms expert, dead at 86 - Instrumental in firearms training to thousands

Prescott Daily Courier ^ | September 26, 2006 | NA

[kAcknor]

"One bleeding-heart type asked me in a recent interview if I did not agree that 'violence begets violence.' I told him that it is my earnest endeavor to see that it does. I would like very much to ensure - and in some cases I have - that any man who offers violence to his fellow citizen begets a whole lot more in return than he can enjoy."
- Col. Jeff Cooper

This is one of my favorite quote, not just from Jeff Cooper, but of all time. It is advise we could certainly use today. G*d bless him and his family. His influence will be missed.

[Armedanddangerous]

I have noticed the Stone movies seemed to be extremely accurate in terms of gun handling and the nomenclature of same.

I guessed it had to do with Selleck's fondness for firearms, but I never knew he was a gunsite grad.

[Atlas Sneezed]

In "Art of the Rifle" he wrote about his time at Stanford University (shooting squirrels). It has been variously reported that Cooper received a Bachelors or a Masters at Stanford (History or Poli Sci, depending on the source.)

Can anyone help to verify this to set the record straight?

[neverdem]

I can't.

[ArrogantBustard]

but I never understood his love affair with the steyr scout

He invented the Scout Rifle, and hand built several variations on it, before Steyr took the concept commercial. It was his baby. Whatever you may think of the concept, you should at least understand that it was Cooper's long before it was Steyr's.

[blackie]

Amen ~ he was good man!

[Atlas Sneezed]

I think the mystery is solved in the following:

Born on May 20, 1920, in Los Angeles, as John Dean Cooper

[ExSoldier]

I always looked forward to reading "Coooper's Corner" on the back page of my Guns and Ammo mag every month.

Me too. I actually carried on a limited correspondence with him over the years. The last letter I got from him was right after Katrina had passed thru my area and he was concerned after my welfare. We often discussed the reliability of sub four inch barrelled 1911's and he did a bit of research on this. I was surprised when he devoted a portion of one column to the subject. He concluded by saying that he didn't own one and unless one was given to him, he would NOT buy any 1911 with a barrel under 4 inches. I was always on a rant against the guns since every example I've ever owned or fired was a POS jam-a-matic. It seems he found enough evidence to concur.

[archy]

From the Gunsite notice:

JEFF COOPER

10 MAY 1920 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2006

RIP

At the request of the family it is our sad duty to report the passing of Jeff Cooper on the afternoon of September 25, 2006. Jeff died peacefully at home while being cared for by his wife Janelle and daughter Lindy.

There will be a private internment at Gunsite by invitation, with a public memorial service at the Whittington Center at a date to be announced. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

SHOOT STRAIGHT

[neverdem]

Thanks for the pic!

[Iris7]

You must be the only other Freeper to have read Hans Delbrück's History of the Art of War.

Sun Tzu was a huge eye opener for me. War just clicked together, the puzzle solved itself right before my eyes. It was the Griffith translation, which I like the best to this day. That day of understanding my Asian war will live for me until the day I die.

Lieutenant General Griffith, USMC, was a deep student of Chinese culture and history, with wonderful Chinese and a student of the ancient sages. He was awarded the Navy Cross on Guadalcanal, September 1942, and the next July on New Georgia was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Cross.

A Gentleman, a Scholar, and a United States Marine.

[Covenantor]

Guns and Ammo magazine's web site has a special article posted including many excerpts from Col Cooper's column.
http://www.gunsandammomag.com/

Those that have never read his column because they aren't concerned with weapons would do well to read his social commntary.

[ExSoldier]

I have a copy of To Ride, Shoot Straight & Speak the Truth as well as a very well worn copy of quotations (his own among them) called The GUNSITE Gargantuan Book of Gossip Among the pearls of wisdom:

Safety is nice. But it's not FIRST....Life is FIRST....and LIFE...IS...NOT...SAFE.

[Covenantor]

from the G&A site:

VIOLENCE

January 1975--

"One bleeding-heart type asked me in a recent interview if I did not agree that 'violence begets violence.' I told him that it is my earnest endeavor to see that it does. I would like very much to ensure--and in some cases I have--that any man who offers violence to his fellow citizen begets a whole lot more in return than he can enjoy."

[ExSoldier]

I never understood his love affair with the steyr scout. I wondered if steyr paid him.

He was the Father of the Steyr scout. I dunno if they paid him, but it was at HIS urging that the rifle came into being. I Do know that they provided him with samples in various calibers (suggested by him) as well as new variations like the model with the integral magazine holder in the stock.

[Captiva]

He was a great writer, but I never understood his love affair with the steyr scout. I wondered if steyr paid him.

I respectfully submit that you have not read enough of him!

[Captiva]

Fanstastic photo!

[Shooter 2.5]

Thanks. My son is a good man. That's all I can ever ask.

Here you go. It may take you awhile to get through all of his columns.
I'm reading Gunsite Gossip II right now. Every Sunday I have breakfast at this truck stop and take it with me. I'm on page 600 of something like that and I have about another five hundred or so pages to go.

[SunTzuWu]

You must be the only other Freeper to have read Hans Delbrück's History of the Art of War.

The reference I made to Hans Delbruck in my tag line was actually a reference to a Mel Brooks movie "Young Frankenstein". I haven't read Delbruck's History of the Art of War though based on your recommendation I intend to.

Sun Tzu was a huge eye opener for me. War just clicked together, the puzzle solved itself right before my eyes.

I couldn't have said it better although it took me a few readings and a few different translations before it all came together. I had a geology professor once who called it a "mental orgasm", that moment when a new concept unfolds in your mind and all of a sudden you understand. I had a few moments like that in chemistry and geology class and, to my great relief, listening to Ronald Reagan speak.

[JohnD9207]

God Speed Jeff. I highly recommend reading his book, 'Another Country' a collection of his personal adventures.

He lived a good life!