Fighting Handguns: History, Adventure, and Romance of Handguns from the Muzzle Loader to Modern Magnums

by Jeff Cooper

From the 1540s on, the handgun has been recognized as a handy weapon for individual fighters. Compared to other weapons such as the ax, sword, rifle and shotgun, it is light and compact, allowing it to be carried almost anywhere and deployed quickly when needed. For these reasons, throughout the centuries the handgun has endured as the best defensive weapon for most people, most of the time. In Fighting Handguns, Jeff Cooper not only takes the reader through the development of this weapon from its beginnings in mid-16th-century Europe through the various iterations of single- and double-action revolvers and semiautomatic pistols, he also discusses some important aspects of carrying and shooting a fighting handgun under combat conditions. The late Jeff Cooper was one of the true pioneers of weaponcraft in the United States. His numerous accomplishments include founder of Gunsite Ranch, editor at large of Guns & Ammo magazine, winner of the Outstanding American Handgunner award in 1995, Rangemaster Emeritus of the U.S. Practical Shooting Association and long-time member of the board of directors of the National Rifle Association.

132 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

John Dean "Jeff" Cooper was recognized as the father of what is commonly known as the Modern Technique of handgun shooting, and one of the 20th century's foremost international experts on the use and history of small arms.

Cooper was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. During World War II he served in the Pacific on the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), and then was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, resigning his commission as Lieutenant Colonel in 1956. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from Stanford University and, in the mid-1960s, a master's degree in history from the University of California, Riverside.

In 1976, Cooper founded the American Pistol Institute (API) in Paulden, Arizona (later the Gunsite Training Center). Cooper began teaching shotgun and rifle classes to law enforcement and military personnel as well as civilians and did on-site training for individuals and groups from around the world.

Cooper died at his home on the afternoon of Monday, September 25, 2006 at the age of 86