what's a crunchenticker !?

[Dean Speir]

 

Its just another Cooper-ism, as inane as most of the rest.

The wonderful irony of such a declamation from one posting as 9x19 seems to have escaped most here.

SaxonPig writes:

But, he is nearly 80 years old…

Actually, the Gunsite Guru is 83 years old.

He was an early designer of realistic courses of fire, paving the way for IDPA and other such organizations.

You disremember that he was the prime mover in the formation of IPSC at a time when the "P" stood for "Practical."

I recall back in 1976 I wrote to him regarding the use of the .44 Magnum for self-defense. He took the time to write, in his own handwriting, a thoughtful response in which he never belittled me or embarrassed me.

That was the time of the codification of the largely unorganized discipline of "Combat Shooting" into IPSC at the Columbia Conference at what shortly thereafter became the Chapman Academy.

One of the participants was a pretty fair urban gunfighter named Cirillo who, when the "Caliber Committee" came forth with its recommendations and the "power floor" for indexing the ballistic pendulum was somehow established at M1911 Ball from a Commander (4¼-inch barrel), pointed out that a .44 Magnum round from a 3-inch or 4-inch barrel would also fit that criterion, Jeff would hear none of it… the sense was that he didn't approve of the "delivery system."

SelfProclaimedExpert states

…when Cooper coined this happy phrase ... Safe Action triggers hadn't been invented.

Um, actually, that particular trigger system is 98 years old this year.

Tamara notes

"Cooper is a fan of ONE Trad. DA pistol......the beloved CZ75..." Only because they could be carried C&L.

Just so… in his 1983 article on the introduction of a new pistol (and chambering), in explaining why that system had been selected for the Bren Ten, he called it "the final flower of a proven design."

 

 

[SelfProclaimedExpert]

Dean,

What 98 year old combat caliber gun uses a double spring system to lower DA trigger pull to five pounds?


I was talking about combat pistols that were available for Cooper to evaluate. I was not using the term "invent" to imply a patent date.

 

[Dean Speir]

 

You scoundrel! You spoke of the "Safe Action" trigger, not a "combat caliber gun uses a double spring system to lower DA trigger pull to five pounds."

But that's okay, your self-proclaimed expertise just became a bit more rounded, for we are taking about the original "Le Français" made near the start of the last century by Manufrance… in both 9 X 19mm (which surely meets your ex post facto qualification) and .25 ACP.

Without offense, whatever you now assert that you were "talking about," you were incorrect… and if you don't think that Jeff Cooper's knowledge of small arms (and racing cars and languages and, and, and...) is extensive, then you don't know the man. He may be an old fud to some, and out of touch, and arrogant, and even, sad to relate, at this stage of his life a danger to everyone within range when he has a loaded firearm, but never doubt the extraordinary extent of what he knows, and what a marvelous conversationalist he can be on a variety of subjects, both recondite and plebeian… mostly the former.

 

 

[SelfProclaimedExpert]

Dean, taken in context, Keith and I were bantering about the term Crunchenticker. I was saying Cooper's problem was with the Crunch, Keith was saying he felt it was more the transition. The point I was attempting to make with my apparently imperfect selection of language is that Cooper was making some general statements about the types of combat guns that were commonly encountered and in demand at that time. While squeezecocking, DAO strikers and other odd balls had been previously fielded, the only two common systems in military and police use at the time were SA or DA/SA. The DAOs were still somewhat uncommon (despite a few models, mostly pocket guns) and the very light DA that Glock later popularized (not really invented, my apologies) were not really in the discussion. So with no other "Crunchers" in the category to compare to, I felt that Cooper's objection was largely the DA trigger pull, which happened to be awful in the P-38 that started all this.

If Cooper had just arrived on the scene today, he may have chosen an entirely different term of derision for all non SA weapons. Or, he may have shot a Sig 220 and said, "I can work with this, let's put DA/SA to the test". We'll never know.

Sorry for the confusion I must have caused and thanks for the specific reference to the Le Français. What is the trigger pull on those guns, anyway? What makes it a "Safe Action" trigger?

 

[Newton]

Cooper in old age is scary and a tad off his rocker, and I doubt he was ever that much different, although I doubt that age has improved him.

His constant use of the word "we" in place of "I" when talking in the first person is bizarrely arrogant (to coin a phrase).

He has long since abandoned listening, and now operates solely in transmit.

I confess to laughing out loud when he missed a steel target with his personal scout rifle, only to have Jim Scoutten hit it first time, I was however a little ashamed of myself later. Scoutten showed considerable common sense and self restraint by remaining silent throughout almost that whole interview, just nodding at the stream of strange babble that was aimed at him

I just wish that the Colonel would fade away, I have a lot of respect for his past achievements and he had some great one liners as put downs for liberal reporters, but quite frankly we need some younger blood at the vanguard of the firearms lobby, both he and Charlton Heston have had their day, and immensely grateful I am for it, but we need to move on and remember these guys at their best, and not at their shambling, slightly unbalanced worst - lest we are all seen in the same light.

 

[SelfProclaimedExpert]

I don't believe the use of "we" should be interpretted like the royal "we". It is a style used by editors and not seen much anymore, but I believe it is used correctly.

 

[SunBear]

I stand corrected. I have been reading the Col.s' writings for over twenty years and I was sure that crunchenticker referred to the squeeze-cocking H&Ks. I was wrong. A simple search confirms that it does refer to DA/SA semi-autos. That's the second time in the last ten years I've been wrong. I'm starting to slip. Happy trails. Smooth is fast.

 

[ambidextrous1]

Well spoken, Newton!

I am amused by how well Cooper is quoted by those who hold him in low regard.

The man's 83, and in poor health; is it asking too much to cut him some slack?

Who among us has not, and can not, learn from this seasoned veteran and accomplished gentleman?

Would the firearms sport be very different if Jeff Cooper had never come on the scene? You betcha!