Modern Technique of The Pistol - History

History

In 1956 Jeff Cooper started holding "Leatherslap" shooting events and established the "Bear Valley Gunslingers" at Big Bear Lake, 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 Cooper, began refining and codifying the concept; the result became the "Modern Technique of the Pistol".