History of the center Gunsite Academy

1 history of center

1.1 american pistol institute (1976–1992)
1.2 gunsite training center (1992–1999)
1.3 gunsite academy (1999–present)

history of center
the american pistol institute (1976–1992)

gunsite ranch first class september 1976. bill garland, bruce nelson, jeff cooper, ronin colman, paul carrara, charles avery, israeli guy, dick brooks



cooper house near gunsite headquarters.

gunsite founded jeff cooper american pistol institute (api) in 1976 in order teach modern technique of shooting. modern technique method of use of handgun self-defense. technique uses two-handed grip of pistol, brings pistol eye-level, sights may used aim pistol @ 1 s assailant. prior founding of api, cooper had traveled world providing training in modern technique security teams such protecting heads of state, prominent politicians , wealthy individuals. facilities @ gunsite allowed cooper teach technique wider audience. @ time firearms training school industry did not exist.

cooper developed similar doctrines in use of rifle , shotgun , these courses taught @ gunsite. these included basic rifle course courses designed hunting dangerous game, cooper being keen hunter himself. after introduction of rifle , shotgun courses, school s name changed gunsite training center.

from beginning objective of gunsite firearms education. originally, courses @ gunsite numbered (250, 270, 499) because assigned units university of phoenix part of program. on years increasingly advanced , complex courses offered (with correspondingly higher numbers) taking study of use of firearms higher levels. cooper named number of individuals shooting masters.

during time cooper , staff trained many shooters. notable among these:

king abdullah of jordan, along members of staff;
rex applegate junior, son of rex applegate;
michael harries, invented harries technique of flashlight manipulation use pistol (also became gunsite instructor);
john milius, movie producer, director, , writer;
todd j. rathner, director of national rifle association;
john satterwhite, captain of olympic skeet shooting squad (became gunsite instructor);
tom selleck, actor;
dennis tueller, inventor of tueller drill (became gunsite instructor);
jan-michael vincent, actor.

actor james caan included on list, when told cooper wanted learn modern technique role in movie thief, cooper declined, saying caan s character, ex-con , career criminal, not have been exposed such training , delegated entire training program gunsite s ops manager @ time, chuck taylor. result of taylor s efforts caan looked surprisingly competent in gun-handling , tactical movement during movie.

gunsite training center (1992–1999)

in 1992 cooper sold american pistol institute. under new owner instruction shifted away modern technique taught cooper, both in content , quality , school not regarded. cooper dissociated himself school. during time cooper held classes @ national rifle association whittington center in new mexico , other locations.

to distinguish between 2 schools, graduates of american pistol institute owned cooper pre-1992 refer institution orange gunsite , subsequent operation post-1992 grey gunsite . because when cooper school sold school color scheme changed orange grey.

gunsite academy (1999–present)

industry , media representatives checking out new pistols on pistol range 2

on december 10, 1999, school sold new owner, buz mills, himself graduate of orange gunsite, whereupon renamed gunsite academy . instruction @ school returned of modern technique taught cooper. cooper once more associated himself school , took part in instruction of classes until retirement instruction @ end of 2003. furthermore, number of instructors had been instructors under cooper @ orange gunsite returned instruct @ school.