It’s with great sadness that I saw that Jeff Cooper founder of the Modern Handgun technique passed away Monday.

Jeff Cooper was a true patriot and a warrior.  He served in World War II as a Marine officer on a battleship.  After the war he studied the art of using an handgun in self defense.  Although he didn’t invent the Weaver stance, he did popularize it.  He went on to found the shooting school Gunsite at his home in Arizona.

He was a prolific writer specializing in short essays.  His books such as Fireworks, To Ride, To Shoot Straight and To Speak the Truth have a special place in my libraries.  He also had a monthly column in the Guns and Ammo magazine.  Those articles were actually distilled from a non commercial newsletter that he wrote to his friends and students that he at first called Gunsite Gossip and later Jeff Cooper’s Commentaries.

At one time my brother had the chance to meet Col. Cooper at the SHOT show in Las Vegas.  Rest assured that that was the FIRST thing he told me about when he got home.  Although I never had the honor to meet the man, I read so much of what he had written that I felt I knew him.

Jeff Cooper recently served at least two terms on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association.

We’ve lost another great American this week.

To me Jeff Cooper was the epitome of honor and patriotism.  I will miss checking for new updates from the Gunner’s Guru.