Jeff Cooper on Shooting Gallery

[MBane666]

Sorry it took me so long to find this thread!

I'll stand by my statement that the 1911 is one of the few machines from the late 19th/early 20th Century that is pretty much unchanged; I suspect that the metal zipper is one of the others, but that's another story.

Col. Jeff has had a profound effect on 20th Century handguns and shooting (I always liked Ken Hackathorn's statement that, "Jeff invented us all"), and I'm glad to have had the chance to put that interview together.

Funny story, when Ms. Cooper saw me shooting the Colonel's personal guns out of an *isoceles stance*, she gasped, "The boy doeesn't know how to shoot correctly!" I'm told the Colonel assured her that I once knew how to shoot properly, but forgot, and that there was hope for me yet...

Michael B

PS: And yes, I do have the best job in the world! In the past weeks, I've played with John Browning's personal Colt Single Action Army (a 1st Gen in .38/40), two of the five original 1911s submitted for military tests in the early 1900s, the uber-Fitz Special, a .45 Colt, New Service revolver cut down into a belly gun by JH Fitgerald at the Colt factory and presented to Rex Applegate before WWII (engraved "To Rex; From Fitz"), a bunch of Thompson subguns and semis, the S&W semiauto that's likely to be entered in the upcoming military trials for new small arms, an FNH P-90 and the only Taurus Thunderbolt pump action rifle presently in the country. Oh, and a tank.

 

[hillbilly]

So when do the rest of those Thunderbolts show up in the country?

hillbilly

 

[JohnKSa]

Michael,

Can you elaborate on the quote I mentioned in my first post? I couldn't remember it exactly.

Thanks!

John

 

[MBane666]

I'm told they're in full production in Brazil right now. I figure 30-60 days until they start into the pipeline.

I have to say the Taurus Gaucho pistol that's on my desk is the best new SA revolver I've handled and shot this year (and, no, it's not nearly as nice as John Browning's Colt, but there you go). It'll give the Italians and the Americans a run for their money...especially at an MSRP of $500. I talked to a couple of my gunwriter friends this week about Taurus, and both of them report that the last couple of Tauruses they've received (one of the 24/7 semis and the I-framed 9mm revolver) have bordered on flat-out excellent.

Michael B

PS: They're not a sponsor of my show, either!

 

[P. Plainsman]

Col. Jeff has had a profound effect on 20th Century handguns and shooting (I always liked Ken Hackathorn's statement that, "Jeff invented us all"), and I'm glad to have had the chance to put that interview together.

When his time comes, which I hope is not for a long while yet, Cooper's absence from gundom will be profoundly felt. There are not enough really gifted writers in the gun world; far fewer who also have Coop's wide general reading and learning; and fewer yet who can combine these traits with Cooper's great practical experience.

I've read To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth and Fireworks through many times. The man's a gifted essayist; I'd enjoy reading him even if I didn't care much about shooting. Of what other gunwriter today can you say that? Anyone?

I don't think so. John Taffin writes with authority and dignity gained from a long life, and is capable of some memorable phrases, but he's not a belletrist. Young guy John Connor has a compulsively readable style and could develop into a real writer if he'd tone down the schtick. Plenty of people on the Web produce solid, clear prose and know their guns, and I'm glad they're out there to teach and entertain me. But I'm talking here about a different level of writerly aspiration. The Col. in his heyday was something else again.

 

[hillbilly]

Thanks for that update on the Thunderbolts, MBane.

I can't wait to get my hot hillbilly hands on one....I'm thinking stainless, in .357 mag.

I see me running through many, many, many .38 special reloads with this thing.

Fifteen rounds of .38 special, as fast as I can work that pump.

Yee-haw, indeed.

hillbilly

 

[19112XS]

MBane666, any idea when the Cooper show will run again? Who is the "carnie" hiding under the white hat in the opening segments? Thanks, 19112XS