Book recommendation

[Scott Tschirhart]

“The Art of the Rifle” by Jeff Cooper is highly recommended for entertainment and enlightenment.

One passage that caught my eye today is as follows:

“Probably the most serious obstacle to the popular understanding of riflecraft is the fact that rifle marksmanship is dependent entirely upon individual self-control, and self-control is out of fashion in the Age of the Common Man.”

[Paladin]

I agree on both.

[Ysabel Kid]

Applies more than ever now!

Self-discipline is a lost art...

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’ve always admired men who were really good rifle shots.

Today people are not known for such things.

[piller]

Being self disciplined is viewed with suspicion in almost half the Country.

[samsi]

I was going to mention Art of the Rifle in the Scout thread but forgot, for a slim volume it's packed with good info. I bought a copy when it came out and it lit a fire in me to get better with a rifle. I ran most of the drills in it and made up some of my own, it was educational and fulfilling.

The downside today is that it's tough to find a spot with enough room to move around and stretch the legs on a rifle without people popping up out of nowhere.

[bmtshooter]

Precision shooting has been supplanted by hurling the highest number of projectiles in the direction of the target in the smallest increment of time.

"I hope one of those bullets hits close to the center of the target".

[Paladin]

Being self disciplined is viewed with suspicion in almost half the Country.

That is because they fear the side that they do not see.

[Paladin]

Precision shooting has been supplanted by hurling the highest number of projectiles in the direction of the target in the smallest increment of time.

"I hope one of those bullets hits close to the center of the target".

Not a true statement for real men.

[Paladin]

Precision shooting has been supplanted by hurling the highest number of projectiles in the direction of the target in the smallest increment of time.

"I hope one of those bullets hits close to the center of the target".

Not a true statement for real men.
DA Pam 350-38 in the appropriate weapon system chapter.

[Lastmohecken]

I always liked Jeff Cooper's writings. I have most of his books, time to get that one out and read it again. I may be remembering wrong, but I think in book he wrote a story about running a well know big game hunter, through some drills to see how he did, because the man had quite a reputation of killing lots of dangerous game, etc. And the tester found that the big game hunter, couldn't shoot tiny groups, or even get into hardly any standard shooting position, but he ran him through the drills, whatever they were, and while the guy couldn't seem to ever get into anykind of structured shooting positions, he still never missed the mark by over a couple of inches or so out to whatever range he was tested at. I think the consensus was that the guy wasn't a target shooter but he was certainly a rifleman, capable of making good on about any reasonable shot under field conditions.

Anyway, I am pretty sure Cooper wrote that and I always liked his practical approach to shooting.

[samsi]

I believe Cooper may have related that story, but it was actually one of the Neds, either Crossman or Roberts, on shooting with Stewart Edward White. It was said that White was a phenomenal field shot, while being largely ignorant of formal marksmanship principles.

[Lastmohecken]

I believe Cooper may have related that story, but it was actually one of the Neds, either Crossman or Roberts, on shooting with Stewart Edward White. It was said that White was a phenomenal field shot, while being largely ignorant of formal marksmanship principles.

Yes, I believe you are right. Cooper wrote about it, but it happened like you said, I think.

[samsi]

I've read a number of White's titles and the African hunts are the most entertaining to me. He could be quite funny, and also very critical of himself.

In The Rediscovered Country he had a spell of bad shooting that lasted a couple days before he got back on his game. Conversely, he tells of a solo hunt of multiple lions that, once the shooting started, required amazing skill and not just a little luck.

[piller]

If he survived a solo hunt of multiple lions, then he was a good shot as well as very arare of his surroundings. I have read that lions cover 100 yards in 4 seconds, or something like that. That is fast.

[samsi]

If he survived a solo hunt of multiple lions, then he was a good shot as well as very arare of his surroundings. I have read that lions cover 100 yards in 4 seconds, or something like that. That is fast.

It is a thrilling tale, one of the highlights of the book. The other really memorable episode was when his group inadvertently ended up in the midst of a herd of elephants in heavy cover - no shooting there, but a narrow escape.

I've never been to Africa but have seen firsthand a young adult maned lion throw himself bodily against a chain-link enclosure in an attempt to get at someone. They are fearsome.