Gunsite Training Center
Encyclopedia
Gunsite is a privately-run firearm
s training facility based in Yavapai County
, Arizona
, just north of Paulden
in the United States
. It offers tuition
-funded instruction in handgun
, carbine
, rifle
and shotgun
shooting, as well as other specialty firearms. Located on a 2000 acres (8.1 km²) facility, Gunsite has classroom, indoor and outdoor firing simulators, and various pistol and long-barrel ranges. There's also an on-site pro shop and gunsmith
.
Gunsite was founded by Jeff Cooper
as the "American Pistol Institute" ("A.P.I.") in 1976 in order to teach the Modern Technique of the Pistol
. The Modern Technique of the Pistol is a method of use of the handgun
for self-defense
. The Modern Technique uses a two-handed grip of the pistol, which brings the pistol to eye-level, so that the sights may be used to aim the pistol at one's assailant. Prior to the founding of API, Jeff Cooper had traveled the world providing training in the Modern Technique to security teams such as those protecting heads of state, prominent politicians and wealthy individuals. The facilities at Gunsite allowed Jeff Cooper to teach the Modern Technique to a much wider audience. At that time the firearms training school industry did not exist.
Jeff Cooper developed similar doctrines in the use of the rifle and shotgun and these courses were also taught at Gunsite. These included the basic rifle course as well as courses designed for those hunting dangerous game, Jeff Cooper being a keen hunter himself.
After the introduction of the rifle and shotgun courses, the name "American Pistol Institute" was changed to "Gunsite Training Center" to reflect the broadening of the training spectrum.
From the beginning the objective of Gunsite was firearms education. Originally, the courses at Gunsite were numbered (250, 270, 499) because they were assigned units by the University of Phoenix as part of their program. Over the years increasingly advanced and complex courses were offered (with correspondingly higher numbers) for those taking study of the use of firearms to higher levels. Jeff Cooper named a number of individuals as 'Shooting Masters', as they had developed a degree of proficiency in the Modern Technique of the three firearms (pistol, rifle, shotgun) that they had gained a 'Doctorate
' in the subject of the use of firearms. He listed these individuals as:
During this time Jeff Cooper and this staff trained many shooters. Many prominent shooters and self-defense practitioners visited Gunsite to receive training or to involve themselves in the development of doctrine and train others.
Notable among these were
Whittington Center in New Mexico
and other locations.
To distinguish between the two schools, graduates of the American Pistol Institute as it was owned by Jeff Cooper refer to this institution as "Orange Gunsite" and to the subsequent operation as "Grey Gunsite". This is because when the school was sold, the color scheme was changed from the original color of orange to grey.
in the development of the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle which is based on the company's Model 77 and meeting the criteria of the modern scout rifle
set forth by Jeff Cooper
. The rifle is chambered in .308 Winchester
and weighs 7lbs and sports a 16.5" barrel and black laminate
stock. It features ghost-ring iron sights
, flash hider and a picatinny rail
for optics mounting.
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s training facility based in Yavapai County
Yavapai County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*89.3% White*0.6% Black*1.7% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.5% Two or more races*5.0% Other races*13.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, just north of Paulden
Paulden, Arizona
Paulden is a census-designated place in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. The population was 3,420 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Paulden is located at ....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It offers tuition
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
-funded instruction in handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
, carbine
Carbine
A carbine , from French carabine, is a longarm similar to but shorter than a rifle or musket. Many carbines are shortened versions of full rifles, firing the same ammunition at a lower velocity due to a shorter barrel length....
, rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
and shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
shooting, as well as other specialty firearms. Located on a 2000 acres (8.1 km²) facility, Gunsite has classroom, indoor and outdoor firing simulators, and various pistol and long-barrel ranges. There's also an on-site pro shop and gunsmith
Gunsmith
A gunsmith is a person who repairs, modifies, designs, or builds firearms. This occupation is different from an armorer. The armorer primarily maintains weapons and limited repairs involving parts replacement and possibly work involving accurization...
.
The American Pistol Institute (1976-1992)
Jeff Cooper
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....
as the "American Pistol Institute" ("A.P.I.") in 1976 in order to teach the Modern Technique of the Pistol
Modern Technique of the Pistol
The Modern Technique of the Pistol is a method for using a handgun for self-defense. The Modern Technique uses a two-handed grip on the pistol and brings the weapon to eye level, so that the sights may be used to aim at one's target...
. The Modern Technique of the Pistol is a method of use of the handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
for self-defense
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
. The Modern Technique uses a two-handed grip of the pistol, which brings the pistol to eye-level, so that the sights may be used to aim the pistol at one's assailant. Prior to the founding of API, Jeff Cooper had traveled the world providing training in the Modern Technique to security teams such as those protecting heads of state, prominent politicians and wealthy individuals. The facilities at Gunsite allowed Jeff Cooper to teach the Modern Technique to a much wider audience. At that time the firearms training school industry did not exist.
Jeff Cooper developed similar doctrines in the use of the rifle and shotgun and these courses were also taught at Gunsite. These included the basic rifle course as well as courses designed for those hunting dangerous game, Jeff Cooper being a keen hunter himself.
After the introduction of the rifle and shotgun courses, the name "American Pistol Institute" was changed to "Gunsite Training Center" to reflect the broadening of the training spectrum.
From the beginning the objective of Gunsite was firearms education. Originally, the courses at Gunsite were numbered (250, 270, 499) because they were assigned units by the University of Phoenix as part of their program. Over the years increasingly advanced and complex courses were offered (with correspondingly higher numbers) for those taking study of the use of firearms to higher levels. Jeff Cooper named a number of individuals as 'Shooting Masters', as they had developed a degree of proficiency in the Modern Technique of the three firearms (pistol, rifle, shotgun) that they had gained a 'Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
' in the subject of the use of firearms. He listed these individuals as:
- John Gannaway
- Louis Awerbuck
- John Pepper
- Rich Wyatt, former LEO officer, firearms instructor, and founder of Gunsmoke Guns.
- Pat Rogers, former Marine and NYPD
- Clint Smith, a former Marine with two tours of Vietnam and LEO (head of firearms training, SWAT team member).
- Larry Mudgett
- Tom Russell
- Marc Heim
- Michel Röthlisberger
During this time Jeff Cooper and this staff trained many shooters. Many prominent shooters and self-defense practitioners visited Gunsite to receive training or to involve themselves in the development of doctrine and train others.
Notable among these were
- Michael Harries, who invented the "Harries Technique" of flashlight manipulation for use with a pistol, as well as becoming an instructor at Gunsite.
- King Abdullah of JordanAbdullah II of JordanAbdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family...
, who himself was trained at Gunsite, along with members of his staff, while Crown Prince. - Dennis Tueller, inventor of the Tueller DrillTueller DrillThe Tueller Drill is a self-defense training exercise to prepare against a short-range knife attack when armed only with a holstered handgun.Sergeant Dennis Tueller, of the Salt Lake City, Utah Police Department wondered how quickly an attacker with a knife could cover . So he timed volunteers as...
, became an instructor at Gunsite. - John SatterwhiteJohn Satterwhite (sport shooter)John Satterwhite was a former Olympic shooter and World Championship skeet shooterwho now undertakes exhibition shooting. Satterwhite was captain of the 1976 U.S. Olympic and 1979 World Championship Teams. Prior to his skeet shooting career, he served in the US Air Force, where he taught survival...
, the team captain of the Olympic skeet shooting squad and holder of several world records for shotgun shooting as well as being an instructor in survival shooting while serving in the military, worked on the doctrine of the use of the shotgun and became an instructor at Gunsite. - Actor Tom SelleckTom SelleckThomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
- Actor James Caan
- Movie producer, director and writer John MiliusJohn MiliusJohn Frederick Milius is an American screenwriter, director, and producer of motion pictures.-Early life:Milius was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Elizabeth and William Styx Milius, who was a shoe manufacturer. Milius attempted to join the Marine Corps in the late 1960s, but was rejected...
- Actor Jan-Michael VincentJan-Michael VincentJan-Michael Vincent is an American actor best known for his role as helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke on the 1980s U.S. television series Airwolf .-Early life:...
- Rex Applegate Junior, son of Rex AppelgateRex ApplegateRex Applegate was an American military officer who worked for the Office of Strategic Services, where he trained Allied special forces personnel in close-quarters combat during World War II. He held the rank of colonel....
- Todd J. RathnerTodd J. RathnerTodd J. Rathner is a member of the National Rifle Association of America Board of Directors where he has served since he was elected in 1999...
, Director of the National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
Gunsite Training Center (1992-1999)
In 1992 Jeff Cooper sold the American Pistol Institute. Under the new owner the instruction shifted away from Modern Technique as taught by Jeff Cooper, both in content and quality and the school was not well regarded. Jeff Cooper dissociated himself from the school. During this time Jeff Cooper held classes occasionally at the National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
Whittington Center in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and other locations.
To distinguish between the two schools, graduates of the American Pistol Institute as it was owned by Jeff Cooper refer to this institution as "Orange Gunsite" and to the subsequent operation as "Grey Gunsite". This is because when the school was sold, the color scheme was changed from the original color of orange to grey.
Gunsite Academy (1999-present)
On December 10, 1999, the school was sold to a new owner, Colonel Buz Mills, himself a graduate of Orange Gunsite, whereupon it was renamed "Gunsite Academy". The instruction at the school returned to that of the Modern Technique as taught by Jeff Cooper. Jeff Cooper once more associated himself with the school and took part in the instruction of the classes until his retirement from instruction at the end of 2003. Furthermore, a number of instructors who had been instructors under Jeff Cooper at Orange Gunsite returned to instruct at the school.Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle (2011)
Working closely with Sturm, RugerSturm, Ruger
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Incorporated is a Southport, Connecticut-based firearm manufacturing company, better known by the shortened name Ruger. Sturm, Ruger produces bolt-action, semi-automatic, full-automatic, and single-shot rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, and single- and double-action...
in the development of the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle which is based on the company's Model 77 and meeting the criteria of the modern scout rifle
Scout rifle
The Scout Rifle is a class of general-purpose rifles defined and promoted by Jeff Cooper in the early 1980s.These bolt action carbines are typically .308 caliber , less than 1 meter in length, and less than 3 kilograms in weight, with iron and optical sights and fitted with practical slings for...
set forth by Jeff Cooper
Jeff Cooper
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....
. The rifle is chambered in .308 Winchester
.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
and weighs 7lbs and sports a 16.5" barrel and black laminate
Laminate
A laminate is a material that can be constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together. The process of creating a laminate is lamination, which in common parlance refers to the placing of something between layers of plastic and gluing them with heat and/or pressure, usually with an...
stock. It features ghost-ring iron sights
Iron sights
Iron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
, flash hider and a picatinny rail
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...
for optics mounting.
See also
- Combat pistol shootingCombat pistol shootingCombat pistol shooting is a modern martial art that focuses on the use of the handgun as a defensive weapon for self defense, or for military and police use...
- Shooting rangeShooting rangeA shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
- Gun politicsGun politicsGun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, and distribution of firearms.-National sovereignty:...
- Modern Technique of the PistolModern Technique of the PistolThe Modern Technique of the Pistol is a method for using a handgun for self-defense. The Modern Technique uses a two-handed grip on the pistol and brings the weapon to eye level, so that the sights may be used to aim at one's target...
- National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
- Shooting ranges in the United StatesShooting ranges in the United StatesThere are many shooting ranges in the United States open to the public, both indoor and outdoor. Usually, both privately owned guns or rental guns rented from the shooting range may be used, although there are some public ranges that only permit their own leased guns to be used...
- Shooting sportsShooting sportsA shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
External links
-
- The email list was originally for graduates of Orange Gunsite and the Gunsite Academy but will now admit graduates of Grey Gunsite and a limited number of other categories of alumni.