I didn't always agree with what Cooper had to say. I had and have a lot of respect for the man, however.

He had the backbone to actually express an opinion, which he supported by his experiences. How many "gun" writers today has anyone seen expressing an opinion? Or better yet, calling a piece of crap a piece of crap. None that I have seen.

Almost no writer today is going to piss off a potential source of revenue, and few publications out there will allow their writers to trash an inferior product based on the fear of losing ad dollars.

So, we get magazines that make one believe that a Remington 700 is just as reliable as a Mauser 98. That both push and controlled round feed "have their merits", and that sure fire flashlights are like damn Star Wars light sabres and can kill with light energy.

One of the greatest value of this site and those like it is that people do express honest views without having their credibility compromised by monetary gain. Cooper was a rarity among writers today - he called them as he saw them. I am sure the folks at G&A cringed a time or two, but they were better off with him than without him.

We disagree with each other every day here. And we almost always (at least on this site) do so with respect.

So we can agree or disagree with Cooper's views, but you have to admit he was pretty clear on where he stood and what he stood for. I not only respect that, I admire the hell out if it. Even though I did not agree with him on many topics.