Buckeye Firearms Assoc. marks passing of two legends

By Tim Inwood

"When beggars die there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes."
- Julius Caesar

Cast your eyes skyward my friends as two giants have passed away.

Cecil Brooks, whose exquisite muzzleloaders were truly works of art, and Col. Jeff Cooper, now belong to the ages. Brooks passed on September 24 at the age of 93 and Cooper, age 86, on September 25, 2006.

Brooks

Cecil Brooks worked magic with steel, brass and wood. His rifles are some of the finest muzzleloaders in existence. The NRA began having him make special rifles for the "Annual Meeting" key note speakers starting in 1955. Lucky recipients included the late President Ronald Reagan, Vice President Dick Cheney, Rush Limbaugh and Tom Selleck. We have all seen the famous film footage of Charlton Heston holding his Brooks rifle aloft while crying out "From my cold, dead hands!" The lucky owners of his rifles own something as precious as any work of art you will see in a museum. He was the Michelangelo of gun makers.

Larry Moore, Buckeye Firearms Assoc. volunteer caught up with Karl Wilburn of Cedarville Ohio, long time friend and contemporary of Cecil Brooks. Wilbur often supplied powder horns to Brooks for his rifles. Wilburn offered his thoughts on the passing of his friend, saying "Yes I knew Cecil Brooks. He visited my house many times and I sold powder horns to him. He was an outstanding craftsman and in the limelight with the NRA presentation rifles for which he will be remembered, including the Charlton Heston rifle's powder horn.

"But he was also an outdoorsman. He was a down to earth individual. He liked to squirrel hunt and deer hunt. He got a lot of joy out of being in the woods with a fine flintlock rifle. I am saddened to hear about his passing. He should be remembered as a fine craftsman and outdoorsman."

His skills shall truly be missed by all who appreciated his work.

Cooper

Jeff Cooper was the father of modern pistol combat theory. However he was probably best known to the masses for his monthly column "Cooper's Corner" in "Guns & Ammo" magazine. For years, I have been guilty of reading the last page of "Guns & Ammo" first. Cooper was a decorated Marine Corps Colonel who served in WWII and Korea. He organized the Bear Valley Gunslingers and the Southwest Combat League in the early 1960s. Here he met Jack Weaver, who gave us his famous "Weaver Stance". At Big Bear the modern technique of combat handgun shooting began to take form. It would culminate in his founding of the "American Pistol Institute" in Paulden, Arizona, better known as "Gunsite" in 1976.

If you have taken any gun course with John Benner at TDI, Naish Piazza at Front Sight, Clint Smith at Thunder Ranch or any of the other schools or with famous instructors like Chuck Taylor, Gabe Suarez, etc. what you learned was formulated by the master Jeff Cooper years ago. His theories extended to long guns as well. His "Art of the Rifle" is one of my favorite books.

In recent years his concept of a factory production Scout Rifle was realized in the "Steyr Scout". A distinctive "Jeff Cooper" package rifle, emblazoned with the letters JC with sword and quill worked into the letters, was a special production rifle made to honor the man. Mine is one of my prized rifles.

His books also include "Another Country," Sports Car Annual," "Fireworks," "To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth," "C Stories" and "Gunsite Gossip". His commentaries are available on
line. I think that if you follow the link, you will find many of them are timeless and thought provoking.

These great men shall be remembered as they have left an indelible mark on the world of the gun enthusiast - Cecil Brooks for the beautiful flintlock and percussion rifles he created by hand, Cooper for his heroism, teaching, writings etc..

May God bless and rest their immortal souls.

Tim Inwood is the current Legislative Liaison and Past President of the Clinton County Farmers and Sportsmen Association, and a volunteer for Buckeye Firearms Association.

Related Story:
NRA Mourns the Loss of Legendary Craftsman Cecil Brooks