Well-known instructors/experts before Jeff Cooper

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Are you familiar with any instructors or experts in defensive use of firearms, especially handguns, before WWII?

I have looked at army manuals, which focus more on operation and marksmanship, Whelen's "The American Rifle," and Crossman's "The Book of the Springfield," among others. Keith's writing in the 1930s, that I am familiar with, is more on hunting, ballistics, etc.

Was there anyone that was somewhat like a 1920s or 1930s Jeff Cooper, though I would imagine they would have worked more with law enforcement than regular joes?
 
Ed McGivern; you should get a copy of his book, "Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting".

Once you get past the "A Princess of Mars" style prose, it's a VERY good book.
 
Ed mcgivern, in his book 'fast and fancy revolver shooting', has quite a few chapters on practical pistol shooting.

murf
 
William E. Fairbairn.

Shanghai in the early 20th century and England during WWII. Even trained OSS agents during WWII. In 1942 published the book "Shooting to Live with the One-Hand Gun."

Also famous for the Fairbairn-Sykes dagger, along with Eric Sykes.
 
As far as combative use of arms, Sykes, Fairbarn and McGivern are all that come to mind. And also already mentioned.

Once you get into the same time frame as Cooper, several others pop up. Cooper was quick to give them credit, and their work is worth studying on it's own merit, not just Coopers comments and critique. Chapman, Weaver, Carl, Reed, etc.

I'm a fan of Cooper, but also a fan of progress. If he were still around, he'd be critiquing, commenting and adopting new stuff just like we are.
 
Keith was a shooter, hunter, ballistician, and writer but wasn't really an instructor in defensive use of firearms. His forte, besides developing new rounds, bullets and loads, was really hunting.
 
Not pre-WW II, but certainly pre-Cooper, was Rex Applegate who trained the OSS in CQB during WW II.

He wrote Kill or Get Killed which is a classic manual of Western hand-to-hand CQB
 
Colonel Charles Askins and Bill Jordan

COL Askins, served various law enforcement functions and military training operations.

One of his his books UNREPENTANT SINNER covers many of his exploits.

Bill Jordan worked with the border patrol and trained many agents.

His book NO SECOND PLACE WINNER is a gun fighting manual.
 
There was Thomas Franklin Baughman who was with the FBI from 1919 to 1949. He was one of the first firearms instructors at the FBI Academy beginning in the early 1930s. In 1937 he sent S&W a design for a new non-snag type front sight to be used on his Registered Magnum. S&W liked it so much that they used it on a great many N, K, and J frame revolvers, typically those with 5" barrels or less.
 
Also found Maj. Julian Hatcher and his Pistols and Revolvers and their Use (1927), which has some coverage of defensive use of handguns (though I haven't read it yet).
 
moxie said:
William E. Fairbairn.

Shanghai in the early 20th century and England during WWII. Even trained OSS agents during WWII. In 1942 published the book "Shooting to Live with the One-Hand Gun."

Also famous for the Fairbairn-Sykes dagger, along with Eric Sykes.
Click to expand...

I always think Defendu when I hear that name.
 
Of the persons mention so far Askins was probably the most prolific killer but may not have been the most prolific instructor/trainer. Jordan's career was tainted with the unfortunate shooting incident of a fellow Border Patrol Officer.
 
earplug said:
COL Askins, served various law enforcement functions and military training operations.

One of his his books UNREPENTANT SINNER covers many of his exploits.

Bill Jordan worked with the border patrol and trained many agents.

His book NO SECOND PLACE WINNER is a gun fighting manual.
Click to expand...
+1 Bill Jordan heavily influenced our training, early '70s
 
Fairbairn, Applegate, Jordan, McGivern

All the aforementioned gurus excelled at some facet of pistoleering or CQB w/ McGivern and Jordan being pure shootists. +1 on Sykes-Fairbairn dagger... I always think of Commando training when I hear that name :)

Sitting on my lap now is a Paladin Press edition of Col. Rex Applegate's Kill or Get Killed: Riot Control Techniques, Manhandling, and Close Combat for Police and the Military. Ooooh it is such an awesome book with a bad@ss name to match! :fire: Originally published in 1943, it covers everything in the title.
 
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