“Carry Life” finds a curious parallel between our week and the opening of the XXXI Olympiad. We’ll see performances over the next 16 days that defy explanation, an always-amazing amalgam of aptitude and ferocious dedication coached, cajoled and occasionally bullied into greatness. The athletes will indeed seem superhuman, and a fanciful notion that perhaps they have descended Mt. Olympus to entertain us, or deserve to be elevated there, will not seem farfetched. After a week at the Paulden, Ariz., Gunsite Academy, our perception is much the same—we’ve gotten a look at something very special indeed.
A little reflection should short-circuit any surprise. Gunsite—celebrating its 40th anniversary—is the continuing monument to the work of Lt. Col. John Dean “Jeff” Cooper (USMC). The varied accomplishments of his life don’t easily submit to summary, but one thing is beyond contestation: The serious contemporary handgunner owes him a huge debt. While “The Chairman” is rightly associated with full-sized, heavy-duty handguns (especially Browning-pattern 1911s in .45 ACP) and wide popularization of the Weaver stance, that’s a tiny fraction of his contribution.
As a modest celebration of and homage to the colonel and the larger Gunsite family, we therefore offer a reprise of his “Modern Technique.”
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