Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 1979 Profile Jeff Cooper And Gunsite Ranch

This happened to pop up on the ytube this evening. You could call this a classic "old school" documentary on shooting. Love him or hate him, Cooper had a way with words.

That was pretty cool.

Tks, I read his column for years, never have heard him speak.

Everytime I see a shooting instructor I think of this clip. Says age restricted... what a crock.

Wow, I actually liked him there. His writing style, unfortunately, I found absolutely unbearable.

Clint Smith ran Col. Cooper's Gunsite operation for a while. I think one of the things Clint Smith is famous for is his 60 Minutes interview in which he said "some people deserve to be shot." Liberal heads exploded over that!

Ah, the father of the modern gun fighting technique.

Never met him (though the old man had). Never much read him too much until just before and after I went through Gunsite. Met his wife, very sweet and true lady. Ate her fresh cooked, still warm brownies (apparently she is known for them), and they were amazing!

Got to see and sit in his gun room at Gunsite and tour the house. To see his home is to appreciate a defensive position.

Love or hate his writing, he was spot on with many things. He came off much better in the spoken word than he did in writing, and I doubt there are but a few here at the Campfire who would not relish a conversation with him and agree with 98% of what he said. Really appreciate much of what I've read of him in the past years. Yes, a brash Marine. Don't mean he wasn't right in so much of what he said and wrote. He was a natural teacher, and was ahead of his time. Much of what he taught back then (Orange Gunsite) is still taught today.

I had considerable training in military, LE, and from a previous LEO father and his pals. Learned a lot at Gunsite. Wanting to put the W through a course there soon. If you have the opportunity to go, quite worthwhile, and a blast.

Just a few pics of many. Simply a great (and educational) time.



Myself, Col Cooper's amazing wife, and Mike Hughes (great instructor, who died tragically in a plane crash at Gunsite a few years later).



The Colonel, in the room where he "held court".



Myself, sitting in the Colonel's chair. Quite the privilege.

Thanks for sharing your photos. I always enjoyed reading Jeff Cooper and this thread as well. Great way to start my day with my first cup of coffee.

LIKE^^^^^^^^^

very cool pictures for sure, thanks for posting them

Some cool photos and story!

I was a fan of his, and read several of his books. I followed his blog, religiously.

PS I'm almost certain that 60 Minutes did a profile of him and his ranch, also. I remember watching it when it aired, and I'm 99% sure it was 60 Minutes.

Notice that if a handgun wasn't a Colt 1911, it was an S&W K-Frame double action revolver.

Great video. Thanks for posting it.

I always love me some Clint. Just his style.

true for the 1911 ,could have swore i saw a Colt Python being shot on that video

Yeah, I was driving in my car today thinking about what I said, and then I remembered seeing a Python or two. I was going to comment about it when I got back, but you beat me to it.

I was lucky enough to have a phone conversation with him several times. Sold him a few guns, too.
Regret that I didn’t get to meet him in person.

First time I'd seen him instructing, seemed to be good at it without thinking he had to be a screaming drill Sargent.

I read his words from the 70's on & I too had a hard time with his style at first. But got used to him & enjoyed his works.

Thanks for the vid & the photos!!!

Thanks DaveR those photo's were great.

I pretty much learned to read on G&A mags. Later when he had coopers corner on the back page, the first thing I did when the new issue arrived was flip to the back page and read it. Col. Askins, Elmer and Jeff.