Uncle Scotty Stories: Col. Jeff Cooper and Gunfighting 

In my old Louisiana Dept we had the pleasure of having Bill Jordan as a guest shooting instructor

My first gunfight was in 1974 when I had about six years on the job & was assigned to the robbery squad as a detective. My issued weapon was a Colt Detective Special .38, but our training at that point was mostly bulls eye shooting, something I did very well. Out of the 12 rounds I fired only four of my rounds hit, but they were center mass. The other eight went into the car’s windshield the suspect was shooting from. Our firearms training changed to how to fight w/a gun following this incident.

I had the honor to attend Gunsite with Cooper, probably his last appearance for 250 after he sold it to a Korean Doctor. Never met better Americans than on the staff. Had great time hanging with the Col, his wife gave new understanding of the term "Lady."

I just stumbled on your channel. I was at SEAL Tean ONE back in those days. We must have been at Gunsight together at some point. We also worked frequently with L.A. SWAT in the Jeff Roger's era and for many years after. Kenny Thatcher was our LNO for our unit for a long time. Gunsite definately provided a great foundation for many of us. Whether we carried a wheelgun, M1911, or a Wonder-9. I'm enjoying your channel, lots of reminiscing. Thanks for your service! I grew up in East L.A. in the San Fernando Valley. L.A.P.D. was my hero! Nothing more comforting than a black and white in my hood. Respect!

Hello Warriors!!! First time i tune in to Uncle Scotty channel… its excellent. I am a former student of Col. Jeff Cooper, went to his ranch three times and learned how to really use the Pistol, later the Shotgun and finally the Rifle. It was the time when he was developing the Scout Rifle. Those times were great, the development of new techniques in weaponry for self defense and more so the mind set of a combatant. I still watch what is available in U-tube and read the booklet “Principles of Self Defense” of my Teacher and Mentor. GREAT MAN.

Uncle Scotty looks like the sort of person who can sit on a park bench for 13 hours straight just listening to world around him.

The Air Force sent a couple of us to Albuquerque (Kirkland AFB) in the 1980s to review the Department of Energy's nuclear driver security training program. It was run by a retired USAF Colonel who had earned a Silver Star in Vietnam defending an airbase during the Tet 68 offensive. I had never seen such a state-of-the art operation before (and I had been to both the State Department and FBI facilitates). They used training technology that was decades ahead of its time. A few years later I read Ed McGivern's book and was amazed at what he and his friends were doing with iron-sighted handguns in the pre-WWII era. Ed's approach to training and experimentation included designing and building the first electric shot timer and studying the bio-mechanics of human reaction time. Not bad for an unassuming Montana barber. I guess I am saying there is very little new under the sun.

Great video. I grew up reading Col Cooper's end page column in Guns & Ammo. Erudite is a goood word for him. He had broad interests and wrote widely. I always liked it when he would refer to a criminal perp as a goblin. My favorite quote from him is this: "If you take away guns, you will still have a criminal problem. If you take away criminals, you will never have a gun problem". Words to live by. I remember finding a few mid 60's American Rifleman mags in the late 80's. One had an in depth profile on Thell Reed. Amazing guy. Talk about fast and fancy revolver shooting. So was Bill Jordan.

I met Jeff and his daughter, Lindy, at a SHOT Show in Vegas in the late 90s..what an honor!!! Bought one of his books.. which he autographed ...it happened right after Steyr gave him his personal, nicely airbrushed Scout rifle...he was so proud of that rifle!!!!

I carry a 6inch 686+ myself. One of the guys I work with is always trying to talk me out of carrying my .357 in favor of some version of a .45, like what he carries. I like my magnum, I'm consistent with it when I shoot, and I am comfortable handling it. That is why I keep it when so many around me always seem to wanna favor semi autos. Not that it matters, but revolvers just look so much better than semi autos, ha.

Scott is a national treasure

Uncle Scotty is a wealth of knowledge. I happened onto this channel today and I am glad that I did.

I totally believe what he states about Cooper telling him to show up for duty in LA with a 1911. One of the major problems with Cooper is that he surrounded himself with “yes men” and/or worshippers who would never challenge anything he said-guys like Rich Wyatt. Therefore Cooper believed anything he said was absolute fact-irrespective of how dumb it was. Cooper often said amazingly stupid shit such as (according to him) a trained rifleman firing a bolt gun from the shoulder could manipulate the bolt so fast that difference between a semiautomatic action and a bolt action is negligible. Or that a rifleman doesn’t need a flash suppressor on his rifle because if he is an accurate shot and eliminates his adversary with his first shot nobody will see the flash regardless. PS-And yes, I DID train under Cooper.

I have never understood why people would choose to learn gunfighting from people who never were in one. All those you Mentioned... Cooper himself, you, Jim Cirillo, Clint Smith, Chuck Taylor and others faced life and death and won, many times not just once. The gun writers you mentioned also, Bill Jordan Skeeter, and above all Col.Charles Askins. He had a lot a lot of faults but inexperience was not on of them. The Biblical creed of Respect your elders applies wonderfully. You wouldn’t want to learn to drive a Semi Truck from someone who had never driven one.

I grew up in the Ramona gardens area and it's been such an honor to have the greatest police department in the world the Los Angeles Police department.

There are thousands of youtubers out there, but this fellow is tops!

I've followed this subject for over 50 years. You have such accurate knowledge and put it into words that I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation. Much Respect

Excellent recollection of day training with Col. Jeff Cooper. One of the men I look up to. Thank you Uncle Scotty for all you have contributed to my life !! Ricky from IBM

I always look forward to your videos. I enjoy learning about LAPD history. Pleas keep up the great work

Wish I lived closer to his school. I would love to take one of his courses!

Just came across your channel serendipitously Scotty, didn’t know had one. I still laugh when I recall you in your lava lava and big straw sun hat teaching me how to shoot the 1911 for the first time in LAPD SWAT new guy school in ‘88. Lol, never looked back for over two decades…, and you were there at the beginning…those were great days…still owe you for that…

It’s been great training with and getting to know you, Brett, Dave, Dane, & Jordan. Since we’ll be moving to Texas next week, I doubt I’ll be back to California.........my age is now definitely speeding ahead and I’m now not that far ahead of the Grim Reaper! I’ll surely miss being able to train with the best civilian firearm instructors I’ve encountered during all my years of shooting, including my years in 3rd Special Forces Group as Commo & Weapons trooper. You’re the Real Deal, Scott! Stay well and safe!

Col. Cooper and Uncle Scotty, would have loved to have seen that!🇺🇸

More...Uncle Scotty stories.😎👍

Good video. Not a subscriber but I am a man who likes history. I always chuckle when I meet someone doesn't understand nothing today is a new invention. Be it weapons or computers it's not new, just an updated version based on better technology, that's it. Bravo Sir!

In Aug 2000 I trained at Gunsite as a US Army Infantry Captain. Cooper gave me grief over my Beretta 92 (M9). I told the good Colonel that I wasn’t in charge of making the rules for the US Army and “train like you fight” is a real thing.

Very humble man!

Scotty is peerless, dude Rocks ;)

Amazing

Mike Harries was the practical shooting maven in LA for years. He started me in the 70s. ipsc Started in the 70s. Classes were A,B,C and D. I shot out 2 Colts.

Jeff had some great ideas and fundamentals that I still believe today! I also believe his stuff is more geared towards military and police with civilians needing more training else where from other sources however his 1911 fundamentals are a bench mark of how to operate a semi auto effectively especially in single action.

Love your stories.

I'd like to hear some LAPD stories about Guy Hogue, Hogue Grips. I put a Hogue mono grip on my Ruger GPNY .38 revolver.

Just found your channel, very informative thanks!!!

That's so right, I go to estate sales, and find people selling gramps guns for nothing, and I live in California so when I ask if there were any firearms in the collection I get the nasiest stares sometime lol

The only thing I have never seen in any training literature or practice sessions... becoming proficient at using your southpaw. If you are right handed you need to be able to shoot and hit just as well with your left hand. And the mirror reverse also. If you are left handed, you need to become proficient with your right hand. This applies to other weapons also. Rifles, shotguns, knives, archery, X-bows, what have you. If you are a one-hander expert, you are still only half way there!

Good shit!!

I've got a 4 part series on 9mm vs .45 with real ballistics data actual math on tissue crush would love any thoughts on caliber, ammo, effects in real shootings etc

Fairbairn and Winans did shooting on the move drills, both British. Although Winans was an American by birth.

Wasn't it Col Cooper that said any caliber as long as it starts with 4?

👍🏼

Needs to be in Red dead redemption 3 ! Love Scott Reitz.

I love how people (read civilians who’ve never been in the military) constantly give Cooper a promotion to “Col.” Cooper wasn’t a “Col” that is an O-6. HE WAS A LIEUTENANT COLONEL AN O-5.

Would love to know what kinds of things make no sense!?

Robbie Barkman? Of ROBAR? The gun finish guy?

Understand how Scott feels, living long enough to realize history won't remember the greats...

It was called API at first, not Gunsite.

Funny that LAPD ditched their revolvers for 4506 after the NHSO. Sounds like cooper was correct

...sticky fur balls.

If break trow it away and get a cuality and precision gun ...

The “modern technique” did not work on the street, as the Weaver instance didn’t work neither, because Jeff Cooper never was in a street combat. The 1911 and the 45 are good for the range, not for police or carry.