Jeff Cooper - one of my all time favorites! When I was much younger, I subscribed to Guns & Ammo magazine and he wrote an article for each monthly issue. When it came to firearms ... and the actual use of firearms in combat ... he knew what he was talking about more than just about anyone else. He was the reason why my first purchase was a Colt Series 70 Government Model .45 ACP.
The CIA used Cooper as a consultant to educate and train its covert operatives. He always recommended using a handgun chambered in .45 ACP, and if that was not possible due to size constraints, then the largest caliber that was possible. During one training session, a female operative asked Cooper if he thought it would be okay for her to carry a .25 ACP. Cooper told her, "Yes, but don't load it." She was shocked and said, "Well, it won't be very effective if it isn't loaded!" Cooper responded, "If you load it, you might someday be tempted to fire it at someone. If you hit that someone with a .25 ACP bullet, you will only piss them off and possibly convince them to walk over and beat you to death. The highest and best use of a .25 ACP handgun is as a sinker for a fishing line."
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