Modern Technique of the Pistol
Encyclopedia
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. This technique was developed by Jeff Cooper
in the 1950s after experiments with older techniques, such as Point Shooting
.
, California. The initial events consisted of straight quick-draw matches, with the goal of competitors to draw and hit a target at seven yards faster than the other competitor. They were the first matches of their kind, unrestricted as to technique, weapon, caliber, holster, or profession.
Initially, competitors primarily used some form of Point Shooting
, which consisted of single-handed shooting techniques, with the pistol fired from the hip. This was a popular technique and believed to be the best suited to the purpose. However, many of the shooters using Point Shooting would discharge several rounds from the hip in rapid succession, but miss the 18-inch balloons seven yards away. One of the early champions, Jack Weaver
, switched to an eye-level, two-handed, aimed technique. In his words, "a pretty quick hit was better than a lightning-fast miss.".
Weaver's string of victories, resulting from his new method, influenced adoption of the technique and abandonment of Point Shooting. Soon, firearms trainers, most notably Jeff Cooper, began refining and codifying the concept; the result became the "Modern Technique of the Pistol".
consists of gripping the pistol with two hands so that the slight forward pressure on the grip of the hand that drew the pistol is opposed by a rearward pressure on the grip of the second hand. This action aids in controlling the recoil
of the pistol to stabilize the pistol for subsequent shots.
of the shooter to align the target and the sights without the delay involved in the conscious alignment of sights, as used when slow-firing a rifle at a distant target. In Point Shooting
, by contrast, the pistol is drawn from the holster and fired from the hip, without the sights being aligned at all.
In slow-fire rifle shooting, the front-sight and rear-sight of the rifle are aligned with the distant target with great care, taking at least several seconds.
The Flash Sight Picture technique falls between these two methods. During a gunfight, waiting to align the sights is too slow. However, more accuracy than point shooting is required to hit one's assailant reliably. It is physically impossible for the human eye to focus simultaneously on the rearsight (nearest to one's eye), the frontsight (further away from one's eye), and the relatively distant target at the same time. The muscles of the eye adjust to focus sight on one specific distance optimally at any one instant, so 3 different distances mean the shooter's focus must hunt (muscular physical adjustments) between all three points of mental concentration. The greatest adjustment of focus (relatively more ocular muscle contraction) is required to view shorter distances, such as the gun's rearsight. In the Modern Technique the shooter is taught to focus on the front-sight of the pistol and align it against the target, ignoring the rearsight for quicker aiming and minimal physical requirements. This prevents the focus of the eye from hunting between rear-sight, front-sight and target, wasting vital time in refocusing.
The technique is called 'flash' sight picture because the cognition is best able to perform this function when the target and frontsight are presented quickly as a single image, in a 'flash', as if the shooter had just turned around to face a threat appearing from close by. The shooter's vision can "see" the rear sight, even if the focus is on the front sight. This is enough for the cognition to make an alignment. With the flash sight picture, the front sight and a rapidly presented image of the target are used to align the pistol. This is faster than slow-fire rifle, and offers more chance of hitting the target than point shooting from the hip.
Use of the Flash Sight Picture is possibly due to evolution of human cognition during the hunter-gatherer period in which hand-eye coordination was greatly valued. Perhaps as a result of this evolution, the cognitive functions of the brain align objects in the hand with distant objects at great speed. This ability of human cognition can be used to align the pistol with the target. Colonel Cooper discovered this specific ability and named it the "Flash Sight Picture".
Human cognition can perceive a "Flash Sight Picture" at a speed faster than conscious awareness. This facility was discovered during World War II experiments with rapid recognition of aircraft silhouettes. Experimentation was continued after the war and branched into subliminal advertising
in the 1960s, where images were flashed onto cinema screens for a duration too short for the viewer to notice, yet for cognition to have observed the image nonetheless.
Use of the Flash Sight Picture requires a rapid acquisition of the frontsight in order to allow the brain to perform its calculations. This focus on the frontsight is one of the main themes Colonel Cooper impressed upon students of the Modern Technique to clear their minds when shooting during a confrontation. The emphasis for students of the Modern Technique on the word "frontsight" was so great, that a shooting school and a shooting magazine were named after this phrase.
In this technique, one should pull the trigger to have the shot break as if it were a glass rod. When the compression of the trigger by the finger reaches an appropriate point, the 'glass rod' of the trigger will break and discharge the firearm. The 'surprise break' of the 'glass rod' means the pistol remains aligned on the target while the muscles in the shooter's hand adjust from merely gripping the pistol to depressing the trigger at the same time. This disturbance in the muscles of the hand, while it attempts to move the trigger backwards while still holding the pistol steady, can cause the alignment of the firearm to shift, causing the shot to miss the target. The gradual compression of the trigger by the hand muscles means the alignment may be observed by the eye during the process of compression and kept on the target, regardless of slight changes to the alignment introduced by the muscles of the hand starting to squeeze the trigger.
This process must take place as fast as possible, yet without disturbing the pistol.
caliber Colt M1911 Semi-automatic pistol is universally associated with Jeff Cooper and the Modern Technique.
Jeff Cooper specified the use of a large caliber
semi-automatic pistol as a component of the Modern Technique. He chose a large caliber because experience demonstrated that the largest quantity of force, and therefore damage, should be inflicted to maximize the chances of stopping
even the most motivated and physically tough assailant.
The choice of magazine-fed semi-automatic handgun was because this firearm enabled continuous fire by allowing fresh magazines to be inserted quickly by the shooter. Most revolvers require the shooter to reload it by placing individual cartridges into the six chambers of the cylinder, which is a slower process than the replacement of a magazine in a semi-automatic pistol. Furthermore, reloading a revolver in the dark is very difficult, while reloading a semi-automatic pistol is relatively easy. During World War II (prior to developing the Modern Technique), after taking advice from a distinguished authority on gun fighting Charles Askins
, Jeff Cooper took a Colt Single Action Army
revolver into combat in the Pacific theater and subsequently remarked that this advice nearly got him killed.
Bullet wounds vary in how much they incapacitate an assailant. The greater the injury inflicted, the greater the chance of killing one's assailant or wounding him so badly he is no longer able to fight. According to Cooper, larger caliber bullets, being bullets of greater diameter
, are more likely to inflict wounds that bleed severely and incapacitate the assailant in a shorter period of time. Jeff Cooper's studies of reports from gun fights pointed to the greater effectiveness of larger diameter bullet
s in killing or incapacitating an assailant.
The pistol is a small firearm and because of this it is impractical to launch a large bullet because the recoil generated would make it difficult for the shooter to control the pistol's violent kick on firing. It is not practical to launch a bullet with a diameter greater than .45 or .50 of an inch from a pistol because of the weight of the bullet and the subsequent recoil of the pistol. Hence Jeff Cooper's preference for a pistol launching a bullet of .45 diameter, or in the case of a shooter of such slight stature that they are unable to use a .45 caliber pistol, the use of a pistol firing a bullet of as large a diameter as is practical for the shooter to control.
The ability of different types and sizes of bullet to damage and incapacitate human beings and other creatures is called stopping power
. Stopping power is a controversial subject because of the absence of data from controlled experiments and therefore a lack of scientific data that would demonstrate the superiority of one particular type of cartridge over another.
: D. V. C..
This initialism
stands for three Latin
words:
It is this motto 'D.V.C.', and the word 'frontsight' that students of the Modern Technique would take away with them. Such is the prevalence and intensity of the imprint of these two concepts during training in the Modern Technique.
Cooper asserted that if the individual weren't prepared to encounter danger at all times, the technique used and the pistol selected were of no consequence. To underscore this point and give students a reference with which to evaluate their own behavior, Cooper developed a color code of readiness, consisting of four states of readiness:
Cooper's color code is frequently mistaken as an indicator of danger, rather than an indicator of readiness. The student may be in grave danger, but may be asleep and thus his level of readiness is 'Condition White' with readiness being non-existent. For most individuals, even those whose occupations take them to dangerous regions, awareness condition 'yellow' will be the condition they spend 99% of their waking lives within. Specific threats, leading to readiness in Condition Orange would be rare.
This color code of readiness has been adopted by third parties, including the United States Marine Corps
.
To promote situational awareness, Cooper endorsed what is known as the "Dollar Club" – Gunsite "family members" were expected to be members. When two members of the Dollar Club met, the one who saw and recognized the other first could claim a dollar from the less-aware member. Cooper also stated that any "family member" who got a traffic ticket should pay it, because a properly aware driver should see police cars in time to avoid citation.
To further refine the Modern Technique and the methods used in its training, Cooper continued to compile reports of gunfights from students of the Modern Technique until his death, building the largest collection of data of its kind. As a result of analyzing this body of material, Cooper developed several training drills:
The effect of a bullet striking the human body depends greatly on which organ is struck during penetration. In some instances, the assailant might drop quickly; in others, there might be no apparent effect. A bullet striking the brain kills the assailant almost without exception. Recognizing that similar situations would occur, Cooper popularized the term Mozambique Drill
based on the technique improvised by his student there. This drill consists of shooting two rounds to the center of the torso, followed by a pause and assessment of the situation and then a more carefully aimed shot to the head. Under nearly any condition, engaging an assailant with the Mozambique Drill should offer a high probability that one's assailant will be stopped and likely killed.
by Italian Red Brigade
terrorists. The terrorists had entered General Dozier's apartment by posing as plumbers. As many as eight completed the gang and four or perhaps five entered the apartment. One of the terrorists removed a submachine gun
from his bag of tools while another terrorist read a political statement to General Dozier. At that time, U.S. military personnel were prohibited by Italian law from carrying firearms within their areas of accommodation, which were within the local community and not on U.S. bases. General Dozier was unarmed and unable to defend himself. In response to this incident, Cooper designed the 'Dozier drill':
The range is set with five metal silhouette targets hinged at their base (called 'Pepper Poppers') so as to fall backward when struck. A second participant stands far to one side and is tasked with retrieving a pistol and a magazine from a tool bag, which he must assemble and ready for action. This action mimics the terrorist who retrieved his submachine gun from his tool bag and provides a datum against which the shooter must compare his performance. On the signal, the shooter must draw his pistol and engage the five targets representing the terrorists, before the terrorist retrieves his pistol and readies it for use.
. The Combat Masters were given this title because if they competed, they would take the first six places. If only one of them competed, ordinarily, he would be the winner. These competitions included highly accomplished world-class point shooters, such as Thell Reed and Bob Munden, who competed using what would become the Modern Technique.
Those members of the SWCPL instrumental in developing the Modern Technique were:
Jack Weaver, who invented the new two-handed "Weaver stance
;" Elden Carl and Ray Chapman, who refined the stance in competition; and John Plähn, who codified it. It was Jeff Cooper who then promulgated the new technique. Combat Master John Plähn (John Plahn), who possessed a Ph.D. in Physical Education
, filmed the Combat Masters in action to analyze what their winning techniques had in common. This resulted in the most efficient methods of motion used during shooting, being selected and designed into the Modern Technique of the Pistol.
The Combat Masters were:
Others significant in the SWCPL were:
(IPSC) and served as the first IPSC president. When founded, IPSC reflected the practical focus on self-defense that the SWCPL and the Modern Technique had addressed, but in subsequent decades IPSC drifted from practical pistol shooting toward pistol shooting games and lost its relevance to self-defense.
in Yavapai County
, Arizona
, to provide training in the Modern Technique to a larger audience of military personnel, law enforcement officers and citizens. The American Pistol Institute was renamed Gunsite
.
, for example, moved from point shooting to the Modern Technique in the early Eighties. Frequently, the doctrines adopted largely contain elements of the Modern Technique (such as the Weaver stance
) or use the Modern Technique in its entirety.
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 on the pistol and brings the weapon to eye level, so that the sights may be used to aim at one's target. This technique was developed 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....
in the 1950s after experiments with older techniques, such as Point Shooting
Point shooting
Point shooting, also called threat focused shooting, is a method of shooting a firearm that relies on a shooter's instinctive reactions, kinematics, and the use of biomechanics that can be employed effectively in life-threatening emergencies to quickly engage close targets.This method of shooting...
.
History
In 1956 Jeff Cooper started holding "Leatherslap" shooting events and established the "Bear Valley Gunslingers" at Big Bear LakeBig Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County, California, United States. At a surface elevation of , it has an east-west length of approximately 7 miles and is approximately 2.5 miles at its widest measurement, though the lake's width mostly averages a...
, California. The initial events consisted of straight quick-draw matches, with the goal of competitors to draw and hit a target at seven yards faster than the other competitor. They were the first matches of their kind, unrestricted as to technique, weapon, caliber, holster, or profession.
Initially, competitors primarily used some form of Point Shooting
Point shooting
Point shooting, also called threat focused shooting, is a method of shooting a firearm that relies on a shooter's instinctive reactions, kinematics, and the use of biomechanics that can be employed effectively in life-threatening emergencies to quickly engage close targets.This method of shooting...
, which consisted of single-handed shooting techniques, with the pistol fired from the hip. This was a popular technique and believed to be the best suited to the purpose. However, many of the shooters using Point Shooting would discharge several rounds from the hip in rapid succession, but miss the 18-inch balloons seven yards away. One of the early champions, Jack Weaver
Weaver stance
The Weaver stance is a popular technique for firing handguns. It was developed by Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Jack Weaver during freestyle pistol competition in Southern California during the late 1950s.- Description :...
, switched to an eye-level, two-handed, aimed technique. In his words, "a pretty quick hit was better than a lightning-fast miss.".
Weaver's string of victories, resulting from his new method, influenced adoption of the technique and abandonment of Point Shooting. Soon, firearms trainers, most notably Jeff Cooper, began refining and codifying the concept; the result became the "Modern Technique of the Pistol".
Weaver Stance
The Weaver stanceWeaver stance
The Weaver stance is a popular technique for firing handguns. It was developed by Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Jack Weaver during freestyle pistol competition in Southern California during the late 1950s.- Description :...
consists of gripping the pistol with two hands so that the slight forward pressure on the grip of the hand that drew the pistol is opposed by a rearward pressure on the grip of the second hand. This action aids in controlling the recoil
Recoil
Recoil is the backward momentum of a gun when it is discharged. In technical terms, the recoil caused by the gun exactly balances the forward momentum of the projectile and exhaust gasses, according to Newton's third law...
of the pistol to stabilize the pistol for subsequent shots.
Flash Sight Picture
The Flash Sight Picture is a method of allowing the cognitive facultiesCognition
In science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...
of the shooter to align the target and the sights without the delay involved in the conscious alignment of sights, as used when slow-firing a rifle at a distant target. In Point Shooting
Point shooting
Point shooting, also called threat focused shooting, is a method of shooting a firearm that relies on a shooter's instinctive reactions, kinematics, and the use of biomechanics that can be employed effectively in life-threatening emergencies to quickly engage close targets.This method of shooting...
, by contrast, the pistol is drawn from the holster and fired from the hip, without the sights being aligned at all.
In slow-fire rifle shooting, the front-sight and rear-sight of the rifle are aligned with the distant target with great care, taking at least several seconds.
The Flash Sight Picture technique falls between these two methods. During a gunfight, waiting to align the sights is too slow. However, more accuracy than point shooting is required to hit one's assailant reliably. It is physically impossible for the human eye to focus simultaneously on the rearsight (nearest to one's eye), the frontsight (further away from one's eye), and the relatively distant target at the same time. The muscles of the eye adjust to focus sight on one specific distance optimally at any one instant, so 3 different distances mean the shooter's focus must hunt (muscular physical adjustments) between all three points of mental concentration. The greatest adjustment of focus (relatively more ocular muscle contraction) is required to view shorter distances, such as the gun's rearsight. In the Modern Technique the shooter is taught to focus on the front-sight of the pistol and align it against the target, ignoring the rearsight for quicker aiming and minimal physical requirements. This prevents the focus of the eye from hunting between rear-sight, front-sight and target, wasting vital time in refocusing.
The technique is called 'flash' sight picture because the cognition is best able to perform this function when the target and frontsight are presented quickly as a single image, in a 'flash', as if the shooter had just turned around to face a threat appearing from close by. The shooter's vision can "see" the rear sight, even if the focus is on the front sight. This is enough for the cognition to make an alignment. With the flash sight picture, the front sight and a rapidly presented image of the target are used to align the pistol. This is faster than slow-fire rifle, and offers more chance of hitting the target than point shooting from the hip.
Use of the Flash Sight Picture is possibly due to evolution of human cognition during the hunter-gatherer period in which hand-eye coordination was greatly valued. Perhaps as a result of this evolution, the cognitive functions of the brain align objects in the hand with distant objects at great speed. This ability of human cognition can be used to align the pistol with the target. Colonel Cooper discovered this specific ability and named it the "Flash Sight Picture".
Human cognition can perceive a "Flash Sight Picture" at a speed faster than conscious awareness. This facility was discovered during World War II experiments with rapid recognition of aircraft silhouettes. Experimentation was continued after the war and branched into subliminal advertising
Subliminal stimuli
Subliminal stimuli , contrary to supraliminal stimuli or "above threshold", are any sensory stimuli below an individual's threshold for conscious perception. The large majority of research has found that subliminal messages do not produce strong or lasting changes in behavior...
in the 1960s, where images were flashed onto cinema screens for a duration too short for the viewer to notice, yet for cognition to have observed the image nonetheless.
Use of the Flash Sight Picture requires a rapid acquisition of the frontsight in order to allow the brain to perform its calculations. This focus on the frontsight is one of the main themes Colonel Cooper impressed upon students of the Modern Technique to clear their minds when shooting during a confrontation. The emphasis for students of the Modern Technique on the word "frontsight" was so great, that a shooting school and a shooting magazine were named after this phrase.
Surprise Break
Here the compressed, surprise break of the trigger is used to discharge the firearm.In this technique, one should pull the trigger to have the shot break as if it were a glass rod. When the compression of the trigger by the finger reaches an appropriate point, the 'glass rod' of the trigger will break and discharge the firearm. The 'surprise break' of the 'glass rod' means the pistol remains aligned on the target while the muscles in the shooter's hand adjust from merely gripping the pistol to depressing the trigger at the same time. This disturbance in the muscles of the hand, while it attempts to move the trigger backwards while still holding the pistol steady, can cause the alignment of the firearm to shift, causing the shot to miss the target. The gradual compression of the trigger by the hand muscles means the alignment may be observed by the eye during the process of compression and kept on the target, regardless of slight changes to the alignment introduced by the muscles of the hand starting to squeeze the trigger.
This process must take place as fast as possible, yet without disturbing the pistol.
Semi-Automatic Pistol in a Large Caliber
The Modern Technique may be used with any handgun, but the .45 ACP.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
caliber Colt M1911 Semi-automatic pistol is universally associated with Jeff Cooper and the Modern Technique.
Jeff Cooper specified the use of a large caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
semi-automatic pistol as a component of the Modern Technique. He chose a large caliber because experience demonstrated that the largest quantity of force, and therefore damage, should be inflicted to maximize the chances of stopping
Stopping power
Stopping power is a colloquial term used to describe the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target, human or animal, sufficient to incapacitate the target where it stands....
even the most motivated and physically tough assailant.
The choice of magazine-fed semi-automatic handgun was because this firearm enabled continuous fire by allowing fresh magazines to be inserted quickly by the shooter. Most revolvers require the shooter to reload it by placing individual cartridges into the six chambers of the cylinder, which is a slower process than the replacement of a magazine in a semi-automatic pistol. Furthermore, reloading a revolver in the dark is very difficult, while reloading a semi-automatic pistol is relatively easy. During World War II (prior to developing the Modern Technique), after taking advice from a distinguished authority on gun fighting Charles Askins
Charles Askins
Charles Askins, Jr. , also known as Col. Charles "Boots" Askins, was an American lawman, US Army officer, and writer. He served in law enforcement in the American Southwest prior to the Second World War...
, Jeff Cooper took a Colt Single Action Army
Colt Single Action Army
The Colt Single Action Army is a single action revolver with a revolving cylinder holding six metallic cartridges. It was designed for the U.S...
revolver into combat in the Pacific theater and subsequently remarked that this advice nearly got him killed.
Bullet wounds vary in how much they incapacitate an assailant. The greater the injury inflicted, the greater the chance of killing one's assailant or wounding him so badly he is no longer able to fight. According to Cooper, larger caliber bullets, being bullets of greater diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
, are more likely to inflict wounds that bleed severely and incapacitate the assailant in a shorter period of time. Jeff Cooper's studies of reports from gun fights pointed to the greater effectiveness of larger diameter bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
s in killing or incapacitating an assailant.
The pistol is a small firearm and because of this it is impractical to launch a large bullet because the recoil generated would make it difficult for the shooter to control the pistol's violent kick on firing. It is not practical to launch a bullet with a diameter greater than .45 or .50 of an inch from a pistol because of the weight of the bullet and the subsequent recoil of the pistol. Hence Jeff Cooper's preference for a pistol launching a bullet of .45 diameter, or in the case of a shooter of such slight stature that they are unable to use a .45 caliber pistol, the use of a pistol firing a bullet of as large a diameter as is practical for the shooter to control.
The ability of different types and sizes of bullet to damage and incapacitate human beings and other creatures is called stopping power
Stopping power
Stopping power is a colloquial term used to describe the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target, human or animal, sufficient to incapacitate the target where it stands....
. Stopping power is a controversial subject because of the absence of data from controlled experiments and therefore a lack of scientific data that would demonstrate the superiority of one particular type of cartridge over another.
"D.V.C."
Jeff Cooper summarized the Modern Technique in his personal mottoMotto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: D. V. C..
This initialism
Acronym and initialism
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. These components may be individual letters or parts of words . There is no universal agreement on the precise definition of the various terms , nor on written usage...
stands for three Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
words:
- Diligentia – Accuracy: You must hit your assailant in order to injure him.
- Vis – Force: You must strike your opponent with sufficient force to incapacitate him.
- Celeritas – Speed: You must strike him quickly, so your opponent does not injure you before you injure him.
It is this motto 'D.V.C.', and the word 'frontsight' that students of the Modern Technique would take away with them. Such is the prevalence and intensity of the imprint of these two concepts during training in the Modern Technique.
Cooper's Color Code
During training in the Modern Technique Cooper emphasized that readiness was everything.Cooper asserted that if the individual weren't prepared to encounter danger at all times, the technique used and the pistol selected were of no consequence. To underscore this point and give students a reference with which to evaluate their own behavior, Cooper developed a color code of readiness, consisting of four states of readiness:
- White – Readiness is non-existent. The individual's readiness would be white if he were asleep, or reading a book, or otherwise without any perception of his surroundings or movements within them.
- Yellow – Readiness is general. The individual is aware of his surroundings and monitoring what is happening in those surroundings.
- Orange – Readiness is specific. The individual is aware of any activity or person within his surroundings which presents a threat.
- Red – Readiness to face danger. The individual is aware of an immediate threat, which will likely result in the use of deadly force.
Cooper's color code is frequently mistaken as an indicator of danger, rather than an indicator of readiness. The student may be in grave danger, but may be asleep and thus his level of readiness is 'Condition White' with readiness being non-existent. For most individuals, even those whose occupations take them to dangerous regions, awareness condition 'yellow' will be the condition they spend 99% of their waking lives within. Specific threats, leading to readiness in Condition Orange would be rare.
This color code of readiness has been adopted by third parties, including the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
To promote situational awareness, Cooper endorsed what is known as the "Dollar Club" – Gunsite "family members" were expected to be members. When two members of the Dollar Club met, the one who saw and recognized the other first could claim a dollar from the less-aware member. Cooper also stated that any "family member" who got a traffic ticket should pay it, because a properly aware driver should see police cars in time to avoid citation.
Analysis of Reports from Gunfights
Cooper requested his students report back to him if they had been involved in gunfights, so that he might build up a body of reference material against which the Modern Technique could be evaluated and altered or extended. This body of reference material was built over 50 years, encompassing nearly 40 gunfights. The reports drawn from the experience of those involved in gunfights continued the tradition of reflecting real situations in the courses of competition set up for the South Western Combat Pistol League.To further refine the Modern Technique and the methods used in its training, Cooper continued to compile reports of gunfights from students of the Modern Technique until his death, building the largest collection of data of its kind. As a result of analyzing this body of material, Cooper developed several training drills:
The Mozambique Drill – 1974
Jeff Cooper described the Mozambique Drill as such in his Commentaries:- I added The Mozambique Drill to the modern doctrine after hearing of an experience of a student of mine up in Mozambique when that country was abandoned. My friend was involved in the fighting that took place around the airport of Lourenço MarquesLourenço MarquesLourenço Marques was a 16th century Portuguese trader and explorer.-Biography:He explored the area that is now Maputo Bay in 1544. He settled permanently in present-day Mozambique, where he spent most of his life with his black wife and mixed-race children.By order of King John III the bay was...
. At one point, Mike turned a corner and was confronted by a terrorist carrying an AK47. The man was walking toward him at from perhaps 10 paces. Mike, who was a good shot, came up with his P-35Browning Hi-PowerThe Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
and planted two satisfactory hits, one on each side of the wishbone. He expected his adversary to drop, but nothing happened, and the man continued to close the range. At this point, our boy quite sensibly opted to go for the head and tried to do so, but he was a little bit upset by this time and mashed slightly on the trigger, catching the terrorist precisely between the collar bones and severing his spinal cord. This stopped the fight.
The effect of a bullet striking the human body depends greatly on which organ is struck during penetration. In some instances, the assailant might drop quickly; in others, there might be no apparent effect. A bullet striking the brain kills the assailant almost without exception. Recognizing that similar situations would occur, Cooper popularized the term Mozambique Drill
Mozambique Drill
The Mozambique Drill, also known as the Failure to Stop Drill, or Failure Drill, is a close-quarter shooting technique in which the shooter fires twice into the torso of a target , momentarily assesses the hits, then follows them up with a carefully aimed shot to the head of the target.The third...
based on the technique improvised by his student there. This drill consists of shooting two rounds to the center of the torso, followed by a pause and assessment of the situation and then a more carefully aimed shot to the head. Under nearly any condition, engaging an assailant with the Mozambique Drill should offer a high probability that one's assailant will be stopped and likely killed.
El Presidente – 1977
'El Presidente' drill was invented by Cooper while training the protection squad for the president of a South American country. The drill consists of three targets. The shooter starts by facing away from the targets. On the signal to start, the shooter turns and shoots each target twice, before reloading and shooting each target twice again. The shooter's performance is scored by taking account of both the number of hits and the time taken to achieve those hits.The Dozier Drill – 1981
A further example of the expansion of the Modern Technique was the invention of the 'Dozier Drill'. This drill was invented by Cooper after the kidnap of Brigadier General James L. DozierJames L. Dozier
James Lee Dozier is a retired US Army general officer. In December 1981, he was kidnapped by the leftist Italian Red Brigades Marxist terrorist group. He was rescued by Italian anti-terrorist forces after 42 days of captivity. General Dozier was the deputy Chief of Staff at NATO's Southern...
by Italian Red Brigade
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
terrorists. The terrorists had entered General Dozier's apartment by posing as plumbers. As many as eight completed the gang and four or perhaps five entered the apartment. One of the terrorists removed a submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
from his bag of tools while another terrorist read a political statement to General Dozier. At that time, U.S. military personnel were prohibited by Italian law from carrying firearms within their areas of accommodation, which were within the local community and not on U.S. bases. General Dozier was unarmed and unable to defend himself. In response to this incident, Cooper designed the 'Dozier drill':
The range is set with five metal silhouette targets hinged at their base (called 'Pepper Poppers') so as to fall backward when struck. A second participant stands far to one side and is tasked with retrieving a pistol and a magazine from a tool bag, which he must assemble and ready for action. This action mimics the terrorist who retrieved his submachine gun from his tool bag and provides a datum against which the shooter must compare his performance. On the signal, the shooter must draw his pistol and engage the five targets representing the terrorists, before the terrorist retrieves his pistol and readies it for use.
Criticism
Critics of the Modern Technique and its components point out that some elements of the Modern Technique existed before Jeff Cooper codified them. For example, there are a few photographs of shooters predating World War II showing shooters using the Weaver stance. Jeff Cooper claims that while individual shooters such as these may have used individual components of what would become the Modern Technique, what did not happen until the advent of the Modern Technique was the testing of different techniques, the determination of the most advantageous techniques by comparison in realistic simulations, and the codification of the assembled techniques into a doctrine. Contrasting this are texts such as Kill or Get Killed by Col. Rex Applegate that describe the flash sight picture and weaver stance (though not using those terms) and the accuracy of the shooters compared to those trained in other methods.Other developments
Jeff Cooper lists advances in pistol-craft prior to the Modern Technique:- The work of William FairbairnWilliam E. FairbairnWilliam Ewart Fairbairn was a British soldier, police officer and exponent of hand-to-hand combat method, the close combat, for the Shanghai Police between the world wars, and allied special forces in World War II. He developed his own fighting system known as Defendu, as well as other weapons...
and Eric SykesEric A. SykesEric Anthony Sykes , born Eric Anthony Schwabe in Barton on Irwell, Manchester, England. He is most famous for his work with William E. Fairbairn in the development of the eponymous Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife and modern British Close Quarters Battle martial arts during World War II...
in Shanghai Municipal PoliceShanghai Municipal PoliceThe Shanghai Municipal Police was the police force of the Shanghai Municipal Council which governed the Shanghai International Settlement between 1854 and 1943, when the settlement was retroceded to Chinese control....
during the Twenties and Thirties.
- The FBIFederal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
'Practical Pistol Course' of the Thirties, which consisted of timed shooting at seven, twenty-five, fifty and sixty yards holding the pistol in the strong hand, and then the weak hand. This was a great improvement over the basic bullseye shootingBullseye (shooting competition)Bullseye, also known as conventional pistol, is a shooting sport in which participants shoot handguns at paper targets at fixed distances and time limits. A number of organizations, including the NRA and Civilian Marksmanship Program in the United States, have established rules and keep records for...
taught previously.
- Jeff Cooper's own work in conjunction with Taft on the 'Advanced Military Combat Pistol Course' in 1948, which was incorporated into the Army Field Manual.
The Combat Masters
Over several years the "Bear Valley Gunslingers" evolved into the South Western Combat Pistol League (SWCPL), known officially as the South West Pistol League ("SWPL") as the word "Combat" offended then California Secretary of State, Frank M. Jordan. The objective of the SWCPL was to inject realism into pistol-shooting competition, thus developing the best methods of using a pistol for self-defense. The later competitions held at the Big Bear were designed to represent situations that had occurred or would occur in real life, including shootings that some of the police officers attending the SWCPL had experienced. During the competitions at Big Bear, six competitors consistently dominated competition, and these men became known as the Combat Masters: Jack Weaver, Ray Chapman, Elden Carl, Thell Reed, John Plähn and Jeff CooperJeff 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 Combat Masters were given this title because if they competed, they would take the first six places. If only one of them competed, ordinarily, he would be the winner. These competitions included highly accomplished world-class point shooters, such as Thell Reed and Bob Munden, who competed using what would become the Modern Technique.
Those members of the SWCPL instrumental in developing the Modern Technique were:
Jack Weaver, who invented the new two-handed "Weaver stance
Weaver stance
The Weaver stance is a popular technique for firing handguns. It was developed by Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Jack Weaver during freestyle pistol competition in Southern California during the late 1950s.- Description :...
;" Elden Carl and Ray Chapman, who refined the stance in competition; and John Plähn, who codified it. It was Jeff Cooper who then promulgated the new technique. Combat Master John Plähn (John Plahn), who possessed a Ph.D. in Physical Education
Sports science
Sport science is a discipline that studies the application of scientific principles and techniques with the aim of improving sporting performance...
, filmed the Combat Masters in action to analyze what their winning techniques had in common. This resulted in the most efficient methods of motion used during shooting, being selected and designed into the Modern Technique of the Pistol.
The Combat Masters were:
- Jack WeaverWeaver stanceThe Weaver stance is a popular technique for firing handguns. It was developed by Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Jack Weaver during freestyle pistol competition in Southern California during the late 1950s.- Description :...
– a Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County, CaliforniaLos Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
SheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's Deputy. - John Plähn who possessed a Ph.D in Physical EducationSports scienceSport science is a discipline that studies the application of scientific principles and techniques with the aim of improving sporting performance...
. - Elden Carl – A San Diego County Sheriff's DepartmentSan Diego County Sheriff's DepartmentThe San Diego County Sheriff's Department, commonly known as the SDSO, is the primary and largest law enforcement agency in San Diego County, California. It is composed of approximately 4,000 sworn deputies and civilian support personnel...
Deputy and their rangemaster who went on to become involved in off-road motorcycling. - Ray Chapman – the rangemaster at Los Alamitos, CaliforniaLos Alamitos, CaliforniaLos Alamitos is a small city in Orange County, California. The city was incorporated in March 1960. The population was 11,449 at the 2010 census, down from 11,536 at the 2000 census...
police department who won the annual SWCPL Championship in 1964, 1967 and 1970, and in 1975 won the first IPSC World Shoot. He provided instruction in the Modern Technique and other shooting techniques at the Chapman Academy, at the Green Valley Club, Columbia, MissouriColumbia, MissouriColumbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
, which he founded in 1979. He also became a consultant to the movie industry. - Thell Reed – became a consultant to the movie industry, as well as armorer, stunt man, and movie extra.
- Jeff CooperJeff CooperJohn 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....
Others significant in the SWCPL were:
- Leonard Knight finished second in the first IPSCInternational Practical Shooting ConfederationThe International Practical Shooting Confederation is a shooting sport based on the concept of practical shooting. Accuracy, power and speed are all required to achieve a maximum score.-Founding and organization:...
U.S. National Championship in 1977. - Bob Munden finished in second place in 1958 SWCPL and went on become the world's fastest gun. He developed a career performing, competing, teaching fast drawFast DrawFast Draw is a sport based on the romanticized art of the gunslingers in the American Old West, using traditional single action revolvers. Unlike Cowboy action shooting, Fast Draw is shot with special blanks or wax bullets...
as well as specialist gunsmithGunsmithA 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...
ing and has appeared on television shows in many countries. - Al Nichols
- Jim Hoag
- Bruce Nelson, an LEO in Southern California working in narcotics. He was present at the formation of IPSC and formed the Holster Committee along with Michael Harries.
- Michael Harries, a former US Marine, who invented the "Harries Technique" of flashlight manipulation for use with a pistol, as well as becoming an instructor at GunsiteGunsite Training CenterGunsite is a privately-run firearms 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 facility, Gunsite has...
and consultant to police departments and the movie industry. - Jim Zubiena, who appeared in the episode "Calderone's Return Part 1" of the television program Miami ViceMiami ViceMiami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
. Jim Zubiena's appearance in this movie is a good example of the employment of the Modern Technique and the Mozambique Drill.
International Practical Shooting Confederation
In May 1976 Jeff Cooper was present at the conference that founded the International Practical Shooting ConfederationInternational Practical Shooting Confederation
The International Practical Shooting Confederation is a shooting sport based on the concept of practical shooting. Accuracy, power and speed are all required to achieve a maximum score.-Founding and organization:...
(IPSC) and served as the first IPSC president. When founded, IPSC reflected the practical focus on self-defense that the SWCPL and the Modern Technique had addressed, but in subsequent decades IPSC drifted from practical pistol shooting toward pistol shooting games and lost its relevance to self-defense.
American Pistol Institute
Jeff Cooper went on to codify and promulgate the Modern Technique in his work after the Big Bear Leatherslaps. He traveled the world providing training in the Modern Technique to security teams protecting heads of state, prominent politicians and wealthy individuals. In 1976 Jeff Cooper founded the American Pistol Institute (API) at Gunsite Ranch just north of PauldenPaulden, 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 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...
, to provide training in the Modern Technique to a larger audience of military personnel, law enforcement officers and citizens. The American Pistol Institute was renamed Gunsite
Gunsite Training Center
Gunsite is a privately-run firearms 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 facility, Gunsite has...
.
Legacy
Gradually, those working in this field, such as close protection teams and special forces units, moved toward adopting doctrines and formal training regimes. The British Army's Special Air ServiceSpecial Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
, for example, moved from point shooting to the Modern Technique in the early Eighties. Frequently, the doctrines adopted largely contain elements of the Modern Technique (such as the Weaver stance
Weaver stance
The Weaver stance is a popular technique for firing handguns. It was developed by Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Jack Weaver during freestyle pistol competition in Southern California during the late 1950s.- Description :...
) or use the Modern Technique in its entirety.
External links
- Modern Technique on video
- Photographs of Jack Weaver in the Weaver Stance.