The Scout Rifle Idea - by Jeff Cooper - Jeff Cooper Legacy Foundation

The Scout Rifle Idea – by Jeff Cooper

July 31, 2025 Jared Larsen Comments 0 Comment

From the 1984 Deluxe Edition of Gun Digest:

The Early Days

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If you are a shooting/gun club with a place to meet and space for a library, we are offering to seed your own version of The Cooper Shelf with a selection of Jeff Cooper’s books to get you started. Please visit our website for details. jeffcooperfoundation.org & Spread the word! Thank you!!

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If you are a shooting/gun club with a place to meet and space for a library, we are offering to seed your own version of The Cooper Shelf with a selection of Jeff Cooper’s books to get you started. Please visit our website for details. jeffcooperfoundation.org & Spread the word! Thank you!!

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Jeff out with daughter, Parry, doing some shooting. August 1970.

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Jeff out with daughter, Parry, doing some shooting. August 1970.

4 days ago

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Our Latest Scholarship Recipient, Melonie Kennedy, from Southern AZ with Lindy at The Sconce. September 3, 2026

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Our Latest Scholarship Recipient, Melonie Kennedy, from Southern AZ with Lindy at The Sconce. September 3, 2026

5 days ago

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An API graduate receives his graduation certificate from The Colonel in the Late 1970’s. If you know who this fellow Raven is, let us know! #gunsiteranch #jeffcooperlegacyfoundation

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An API graduate receives his graduation certificate from The Colonel in the Late 1970’s. If you know who this fellow Raven is, let us know! #gunsiteranch #jeffcooperlegacyfoundation

4 weeks ago

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Shooting some clays with the granddaughter. You might recognize the rifle as “Scout 1”- A .308 Remington 600 with a Leupold M8-2X. As far as we know, nobody knows where this rifle is today.

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Shooting some clays with the granddaughter. You might recognize the rifle as “Scout 1”- A .308 Remington 600 with a Leupold M8-2X. As far as we know, nobody knows where this rifle is today.

1 month ago

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Jeff with his first Big Game rifle, A Remington M30S in 30-06 acquired when he was 16. It was re-stocked and re-furbished, probably in the 60’s. Here he is using a target sling and conventionally-mounted scope. He had not yet developed the Scout Rifle and CW Sling concept.

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Jeff with his first Big Game rifle, A Remington M30S in 30-06 acquired when he was 16. It was re-stocked and re-furbished, probably in the 60’s. Here he is using a target sling and conventionally-mounted scope. He had not yet developed the Scout Rifle and CW Sling concept.

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Jeff Cooper and Eric Ching, May 1986, While attending a rifle class at the American Pistol Institute (API, later Gunsite Academy) in Paulden, Arizona, under Jeff Cooper.

Eric Ching (1951–2007) took the rifle class that year, grew frustrated with the limitations of the then-standard CW/military-style shooting sling, and designed the three-point “Ching Sling” as a faster, more practical alternative. Jeff endorsed and adopted it for the scout rifle concept, naming it after him.

Eric was a Gunsite student and later a long-time Rangemaster/instructor.

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Jeff Cooper and Eric Ching, May 1986, While attending a rifle class at the American Pistol Institute (API, later Gunsite Academy) in Paulden, Arizona, under Jeff Cooper. Eric Ching (1951–2007) took the rifle class that year, grew frustrated with the limitations of the then-standard CW/military-style shooting sling, and designed the three-point “Ching Sling” as a faster, more practical alternative. Jeff endorsed and adopted it for the scout rifle concept, naming it after him. Eric was a Gunsite student and later a long-time Rangemaster/instructor.

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Congratulations to our latest scholarship recipient, Kim Pastore. August 7, 2026.

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Congratulations to our latest scholarship recipient, Kim Pastore. August 7, 2026.

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En Garde!

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Our Mission:

Our purpose is to promote and perpetuate the teachings and philosophy of Jeff Cooper, with special emphasis on the proper techniques for the use of small arms, the importance of self-reliance and the individual right and duty of self-defense.

The Foundation awards scholarships for training and education in the Cooper tradition. In addition, it preserves, archives and maintains Colonel Cooper’s writings and personal collections so that they may provide study and learning opportunities and inspiration for generations to come.

Photo Gallery

Impala taken with pistol

Jack Weaver on the right, with Colonel C.F. "Bud" Reynolds, a family friend who often helped out with administering the matches.

Jeff and Janelle, like Currier and Ives, Lewis and Clark, Gilbert and Sullivan.

Heinie's second wife, Ann. Her stage name was Claire Dodd

It was a tight squeeze, but the whole family could fit.

The "Sconce" takes shape.

Random Quote:

Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.

Heraclitus

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Yukon Journal by Jeff Cooper - Free Shipping!!! $50.00
To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth by Jeff Cooper - Free Shipping!!! $50.00
C Stories by Jeff Cooper - Free Shipping!!! $50.00
Another Country by Jeff Cooper - Free Shipping!!! $50.00
Shotluck by Jeff Cooper - Free Shipping!!! $50.00

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